Pilates Business Podcast

End of Year Marketing Tips

• Seran Glanfield • Season 20 • Episode 193

Share episode

In this episode of The Pilates Business Podcast, host Seran Glanfield dives into powerful marketing strategies to wrap up the year on a high note and set up an incredible start for January! 


December can be a hectic month, but Seran explains how boutique fitness studio owners can harness this unique time of year to connect with clients, drive engagement, and boost revenue. From festive promotions to special events, this episode is packed with creative, actionable ideas to help you end 2024 strong and keep momentum going into the new year.


If you’re ready to grow your studio’s impact and maximize end-of-year revenue, this episode is your ultimate guide to holiday marketing success!


Key topics covered:

  • Creative holiday promotions that keep clients motivated and engaged
  • How to use gift cards and limited-time offers to increase sales and reach new clients
  • Ideas for special events and community-focused campaigns to spread holiday cheer
  • Planning for a standout January and keeping your studio top-of-mind


Don’t miss this opportunity to finish the year with impact and set up for a thriving 2025!


Got a question for Seran? Add it here 👉

~~~
GRAB YOUR FREE RESOURCE 👉 The Studio Owner's Guide to MASTERING REELS


📲 Follow Seran on Instagram @seran_spring_three

❤️ Loved this episode? Leave a review - your review helps spread the word about the show and I read each and every one!

🎧 Never miss a new episode! Be sure to follow or subscribe to stay up to date


Work with Seran:

🌟 Join the Thrive Business Coaching Program and get smart strategies that drive growth (and profit) in your boutique fitness studio

🌟Enroll in the Marketing Intensive and get everything you need to finally master your marketing and stand out from the competition


Speaker 1:

Are you ready to wrap up the year with a bang and have a fabulous start to the year? As we are about to turn the calendar page into December, there really is a unique opportunity for you to generate some extra buzz in the studio and get that revenue flowing all the way up until the end of the year. In today's episode, I'm sharing proven, practical marketing tips that are designed to help you to really maximize your year-end efforts and set the stage for January growth. Let's get you some fresh inspiration and let's get ready to close the year strong. Well, hi there, I'm Saren Glanfield. I'm a business and marketing strategist just for boutique fitness studio owners like you. If you're ready to be inspired and make a bigger impact, you're in the right place. All you need are a few key strategies, the right mindset and some support along the way. Join me as I share the real life insights that will help you grow a sustainable and profitable studio.

Speaker 1:

This is the Pilates Business Podcast. Welcome back to another episode of the Pilates Business Podcast. You guys. This is episode 193. We are coming up quickly to that 200th episode number and I cannot wait and I cannot believe that it's been that many. It has been such a fun journey, getting to share all of this with you guys, but also to introduce you to guests and experts and have conversations with people who perhaps you might not have otherwise been able to hear from. So I'm thrilled that you're here again this week, and I know that one of the things that I want to leave you with as you're listening to this podcast is a sense of clarity and direction, and this is the time of year where it's very easy to get distracted right and so but when it comes to your business, we can't really allow that to happen. We really do need to stay focused on making sure that we are optimizing our business, studio and our marketing every single month of the year, including December, and it is a busy time, for sure. So we I want to make sure that you are prepared for what's about right around the corner, because I believe that the year, the end of the year, really brings about a unique opportunity to not only perhaps wrap up the end of the year on a high note, on a great note for your studio, but also you have the opportunity to really set the stage to an amazing start for 2025.

Speaker 1:

And the holiday season truly can be a tricky time. You probably have plans, you may be traveling, you may be taking time out of the studio. Many studios often close for a period of time during December, and that is all excellent. I think one of the most amazing things about having your own business is that you get to decide how you want to handle these types of seasonal events right. But we also know is that we want our business to be as successful as possible and at this time of year, people tend to be distracted, schedules tend to be a little bit more chaotic than normal.

Speaker 1:

There's a lot going on in everyone's worlds and it's often really easy for people's movement practices to be the first thing to go right To, the first thing to slip. But I think this is also a time where you can really step up and encourage your clients and be a part of their sort of inspiration to stay focused on their health, on their movement practice and on their goals and really, perhaps, how they want to start the new year. So this is a great opportunity for you to really connect with your community, with your clients, and show them the value of what you have to offer and remind them why they need to continue to stay perhaps quite consistent with their movement practice. And I think, in the world that we're in today, what we're seeing in terms of the approaches that many folks have towards movement and wellness and their health more generally, is that many folks are typically a bit more aware of, perhaps, how extra stress, more busyness, more parties, perhaps more indulgences makes them feel and how helpful it can be to spend some time, perhaps moving their bodies, taking care of themselves. And so you are there I want to see you there, ready to step in and make sure that they are consistent, because if they're consistent in December, then they will for sure be consistent in January. So let's talk about a few different ways that we can make sure that we end the year strong.

Speaker 1:

So, first of all, I want to talk about how you can really use this season in December to really capitalize on that energy that we have around the holiday season, and I think this is a great time to do a couple of things in your studio if you're looking for a promotion or to add a little something extra to the mix. And I have to say first of all that complete disclaimer here you do not have to do anything in your studio if you are not able to or do not want to. So these are just ideas for you to consider if it's a good fit, because what might be a good fit for some studios may not be a good fit for another studio. All of you have very unique businesses and very unique goals, unique resources, and so there is not a one size fits all. I do not recommend that we try to fit into someone else's strategies so that this is sort of some food for thought for you. And if you do decide to integrate some of these ideas into your business, then I'd encourage you to make sure that it is completely aligned with your brand, the way that you do what you do, and that it also sits very nicely within the other range of offerings and your product suite as a whole.

Speaker 1:

So the first thing, I always like to remind you of all of my studios, of this time of year and we talk about it a lot inside of Thrive, which is promoting and using holiday gift cards and packages as perhaps the perfect holiday gift, and when we are in the movement business, you know years gone by this would have perhaps been a strange gift to give someone else, but I think in the world that we're in today. This would possibly be like my perfect gift If my friends bought me a Pilates or yoga or bar or spin or dance cardio class. I'd be friends forever, right? So gift cards can be really powerful for generating revenue at this time of year, but also because of the way that you present and how you can position them, they can also act as perhaps a great solution to the problem of oh my goodness, what am I going to buy for my friend or loved one or someone else that I would like to give something to for the holidays?

Speaker 1:

And so, when we think about these gift cards, there's so many different ways to structure a gift card promotion, and sometimes it can be a dollar amount, sometimes it can be for a class or a package of classes, but the key is that, whatever it is that you, or however you decide to structure it, that you create it and put it into a nice little package with a ribbon and a bow on it, so that your client can literally pick this up and take it straight to their friend, because we don't want to create more work for them, right? And if we can make it look good and look pretty and make it this perfect little package, then it's going to be more alluring to your clients and to others to buy for their friends and family. So I'd encourage you to be thoughtful about not just what you charge for your gift cards and whether you do sort of a discount or an add-on amount, but that you also think about the way that you kind of wrap it and how you present it. So it's a really nice way for you to perhaps not just solve a problem that your clients have in terms of what to buy for others, but the beauty of gift cards is in fact that they often bring you new clients. So whoever is the recipient of that gift card will then come into your studio and probably is kind of excited to try this, use, try this, try your class and use their gift card, and it is the perfect opportunity for you to perhaps put them into your nurture series and welcome them into your studio in a way that you would want to welcome anyone into your studio, but perhaps you give them the little extra VIP treatment. So gift cards are a great idea at this time of year, and now is the time to sort of finalize the details of what that looks like if you haven't already, if you have a gift card promotion already lined up Fantastic. Let's just make sure that you are making that, as you're broadcasting that as widely as possible. So please don't simply just put a sign at the front desk to say we have gift cards. Please let your community know that they are there, let them know who they could buy them for, how they could, what the different kind of ways of using and giving gift cards might look like. Make sure that everybody knows that these gift cards exist.

Speaker 1:

Okay, for December. Number one is we definitely want to get gift cards. All right, we want to use gift cards, for sure. Now you do also have an opportunity in December to create an offer or a promotion that is limited time, that is only available perhaps during the month of December, and it could also look like, I should say, a pre-sale to a January offer, and so perhaps this is a good time to offer something that is only available until the end of December, until December 31st, and perhaps it is the opportunity to pay in full for a series of classes or a membership for a certain period of time. Um, and the reason why this is helpful is it helps, obviously, to boost sales in December, um, which, um, often might be a little lower than normal because of the number of days that the studio might need to close, and so it's often nice to have that little extra bump in revenue. But we also can use it as an opportunity to get people excited for the new year so we know that they will show up and that they won't take too much time off as they kind of move into that sort of early January phase of the calendar, right. So we always want to think about how we can make these types of offers exciting and fun.

Speaker 1:

And yes, I know where you're going. Your head automatically thinks how much should I discount? That is one way to look at a promotion. I don't think it's the only way to approach a promotion. Promotions are things that you are promoting, and that doesn't always have to mean you discount. It can also mean that you look like it looks like a special bonus, right, so that you're adding something on to this pre-sale, or it could be a combination or a bundle of sessions or classes, or you're adding on some merchandise that you have to offer as well. So you're making this offer kind of fun and unique perhaps to this time of year, and the key is is that you want to make your community aware that this is a limited time offer. Okay, because without that limited time associated with it, people will typically put off the decision to purchase, and so you want to really make clear about when is the last day people can purchase this offer. So people are more likely to buy when they know that it won't be around forever. Essentially right, it's called that sort of scarcity effect. So you can certainly create a limited time offer for this next month. Again, I want to highlight that I don't think that you necessarily need to discount massively, especially if you've just done some serious discounts for Black Friday or about to do some serious discounts for Black Friday, I should say. So you might want to think about other ways that you can create a fun package that is sort of unique to sell at this time of year, and lots of different ways to do it. It really depends on what you have in your studio, so I'll let you get creative with that.

Speaker 1:

Now, the other thing you, the other thing that you can do in December which is really fun, um and really um can really engage your clients, is to host some special events or classes. This is also a fabulous time to show your members and your regular, very committed clients, um, um, it's a little bit of love, um and appreciation, and so, um, you might want to host a holiday party or a holiday um class. That is more of a celebration and a fun time, and so there's a lot of different ways to do this. You can also collaborate with other businesses and make it this sort of a big event, or you can make it a one-off event as well, and so if you're inside of Thrive, we've got a few different ideas for you. There are playbooks in there on everything from how to run a challenge, a special event and a workshop, so you can go grab those and work through those step by step. If you're inside of Thrive, you have access to all of those ideas there.

Speaker 1:

So special events and holiday classes are really, really great to create buzz in your studio at this time of year and to create that sense of appreciation amongst your clients. Now I see all sorts of really fun and creative ways that studio owners really play on some of the themes around things like the gifts and so on. So there's a lot of different things you can do. It's really fun, and I do encourage you to kind of embrace the season to create that energy in your studio. That is enjoyable and fun and it really helps to gel your community together as well. So those are great ways for you to really create retention, engagement and even draw in some new clients, even through December and I know that might sound a little bit shocking, but you will be surprised once you start sort of perhaps thinking about ways you can creatively promote your business and what you have to offer, how many new clients will sort of sit up and take notice and will be inspired either to come in in December, but perhaps and ideally you'll be top of mind as they head into January and think about what they want their movement practice to look like in the new year.

Speaker 1:

Now, this time of year is also a great time to think about how you can perhaps give back to your community a little bit. Many studios do a charity drive or a community event, partnering with a local charity and perhaps offering a donation-based class where the proceeds go to that chosen organization. This is a great way to show that you are really truly ingrained and invested in your community and to even bring some new people in the door and to open it up to perhaps people beyond the folks who are typically active in your community. So I really encourage you to think about how you can participate in that way as well, and it really does foster that sense of goodwill and really, really helps to sort of showcase perhaps the best of what you have to offer and that you genuinely care about your local community and a local cause. And so you know, we know that we like to support others and we like to support businesses that also give back, and we know that people like to support local, and we know that people like to support local, and so this is a wonderful way to create a sense of connection and loyalty for not just you, but also your clients as well. So I encourage you to think about if there is a local charity or a charity drive that you might be able to support during this month, that you might be able to support during this month.

Speaker 1:

Now, as we think about heading into 2025, which, oh my goodness, wow, how did that happen? Right, you might want to start to think about what that might look like for your business and in terms of your marketing as well, and so, of course, you may want to start to plant the seeds of what those offers might look like If you have them. If you've got new offerings, new classes planned for the new year, now is the time to start creating that buzz and share that with your clients. There is a lot of energy and I that happened. You know that happened in our industry at the beginning of the year. I think that 2025 is going to knock it out of the park in terms of the number of people who will be participating in fitness and movement practices. We're seeing huge growth in numbers already across the board, and I want to see you participate in all of that.

Speaker 1:

Okay, so get ready for January now, and what that means is thinking about and perhaps planning out how you will be top of mind and visible in your community early in January or even late in December, or even during December, preparing people and getting people signed up into perhaps challenges or offers or pre-sales for January. So there's a lot of different ways to structure that and again, I always say it really depends on your business and what you have to offer. We don't want to compete with ourselves in terms of our pricing and in terms of our offers, so be really smart about that. But my overall overarching message to you is, as you're in December and thinking about January, keep that top of mind, for your clients as well, and plan ahead. And the most important thing you can do is to make sure that you are staying visible amongst your community and that you are proactively keeping people active in your business To prepare yourself.

Speaker 1:

What we often see is that we see a drop off right around the holidays and often it might take a little bit of time for people to come back in in January. Sometimes it depends. I've been doing this for a long time right, this is not my first year doing this, so it really does depend, and, having been supporting studio owners for well over a decade, every year is a little bit different, and it often depends on the way the holiday falls and whether people are traveling extensively or not for the holidays, and so you might see a lot of your clients go out of town. They might be home with their families, and so you might see a lot of your clients go out of town. They might be home with their families, and so it depends a lot on the school schedule and on when sort of holidays kind of fall in the week. So keep that in mind and if you do decide to perhaps cut back on classes or close the studio, just make sure that you are communicating that with your clients very, very clearly. Sure that you are communicating that with your clients very, very clearly. But also communicate when you are open, because sometimes it's not always obvious to folks. So make sure you're clear and make sure you're creating all that buzz around when you're opening and what's happening in your studio on the days that you are open. So don't be shy to be active on social media and in your emails. At this time of year, there is going to be a lot of noise, and so you're going to have to be really, really clear and really, really sort of proactive about that.

Speaker 1:

All right, now is the time, you guys, to really really really ramp up that year-end marketing push. This is it. I would love to see you end 2024 as your best year ever. I know for many of the studio owners that I am so fortunate to work with it will be, and so I cannot wait to check in on their numbers on December 31st, and I want it for all of you too. So now is the time. Get planning. Make sure that you have carved out time to plan. Make sure you've carved out time to implement and then get active in your community and participate as much as possible.

Speaker 1:

So there was just a few ideas here for you to think about. I hope fueled some of your creativity, and perhaps a ways to show appreciation to your current clients, to get some new faces into the studio, and I think this is a great time to really um, to really lean into the season you know and and really enjoy the community that you have built and allow them to enjoy it as well. So, um, remember I do just want to leave this with you, though, because this is a busy time of year and I know that many of you are wearing a lot of hats at this time of year. So, please remember, it is not about doing everything perfectly at all. It is about showing up, it's about being visible and it's about creating value for your clients, and even the smallest of things can really make a big impact when done right. So take a moment to think about how you want to make an impact for the rest of the year just a few weeks left and then go for it, and I'm here cheering you on every step of the way.

Speaker 1:

So thank you so much for listening to the Pilates Business Podcast. If you found the episode helpful, please share it with another studio owner, a really good friend of yours, who might need a little bit of a boost, or perhaps pop over and leave a review. Let's make this the best year yet together and until next time, stay inspired. Did you love this episode and want more? Head to spring3.com and check out my free resources that will help you run a profitable and fulfilling studio business. And before you go, one last reminder there is no one way to do what you do, only your way. So whatever it is that you want to do, create or offer, you've got this. Thanks again for joining me today and have a wonderful rest of your day.