When thinking about buying any new massage table there are always many decisions to make. You'll want to consider things such as the table width and length, the thickness of the foam, the color and texture of the fabric, the weight capacity of the table, whether you want round or square corners, what brand you may have a preference for, and which optional accessories you may need.

However, there are additional considerations that are unique to buying an electric lift table. One of the first things you'll have to decide upon is how low to the ground and how high up you would like the table to go.

For my husband and I, it was more important for the type of work that we do that the table went as low to the floor as possible. It mattered less how high, as long as it had about a 12 inch height range (which is the difference between the lowest and the highest setting).

I found that some tables had more range of movement and some less, but 12 inches seems to be about average.

So think about your clients (do they need a lot of help getting on and off the table, in which case one that goes lower to the floor may be better) and the type of massage that you do (for example, if you do a lot of work standing, make sure you choose a table that lifts up high enough).

So be sure to look for a hydraulic table that meets your height requirements.

But that's just the first thing... more to come.

It's been a long time since I had my massage practice in Kona, Hawaii and bought my first electric massage table (almost 20 years in fact!).

It was not the most comfortable table in the world, that's for sure. And it was clunky and noisy.

But my oh my... the convenience of being able to adjust the height and position with a touch of a button were well worth it.

One of its biggest drawbacks was its weight - it was HEAVY. So when I left the islands I sadly left it behind (much to the delight of the therapist who inherited it).

My somewhat mobile lifestyle made it impractical to replace it right away, but I missed it so much. Once you have experienced the delights of using an electric table, it's hard to go back.

When I finally went to replace my hydraulic table a couple of months ago, I was blown away with the selection now available. They've come a long way baby! They now come in a huge range of both price and features.

More about that later....

Meanwhile, if you have any comments about the pros and cons (yes there are a few) of using an electric table versus a portable one, do let me know. You can reach me at elizabeth @ massagebusinesscenter.com.

So, would you like to get more massage clients by creating exciting partnerships with other professionals and businesses in your community?

There are endless possibilities for great partnerships. However it's a lot easier to pick those key referral partners when you're crystal clear about who your target market is, and how you serve that market in a unique way.

Your ideal partner will have the same target market as you, but offer different but complimentary services or products to your own.

However, if you haven't defined your niche yet, don't let that stop you. My first alliance was with a chiropractor when I was straight out of massage school. It worked because he liked my work, he knew I had great training, our services were complimentary, and he was the kind of guy that when he suggested something, his patients really listened.

In exchange for use of a treatment room in his clinic and as many referrals as I could handle, I worked for him a few hours a week, massaging patients prior to adjustments. In addition to having a thriving practice in no time at all, he became my mentor, and I learned a lot from him about how to run a successful business.

So don't let lack of experience stop you. But do approach the potential partners in your community in a professional manner. I will be writing more about how to do that in upcoming posts, so do pop back!

I recently wrote about the advantages of creating relationships with key referral partners to build your massage business.

But why would a potential partner want to send you referrals in the first place? What's in it for them?

The obvious answer is that you could refer your clients back to them. But what if you currently don't have a large client base or are just getting started in your business?

Well, there are many other benefits that you could offer your potential partner. Here are just some of them:

• They are seen as holistic for referring to massage.
• It helps them build good rapport with their clients.
• You can offer them and their staff (or family) massage.
• You can make their work easier (in the case of, for example, a chiropractor or dentist).

If you have thought of others, hit the "comments" link below and please let us know.