Pilates Business Podcast

New Year, New Clients: How to Capitalize on the January Fitness Boom

• Seran Glanfield • Season 20 • Episode 198

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Make January Your Studio’s Best Yet: Strategies to Attract, Engage, and Retain Clients

In this episode of The Pilates Business Podcast, Seran Glanfield dives into actionable strategies to help boutique fitness studio owners maximize the January boom. As the New Year approaches, motivated clients are searching for the perfect place to achieve their wellness goals, and your studio could be exactly what they need.

Seran shares a step-by-step plan to help studio owners:

  • Stand out from the competition with clear, compelling marketing.
  • Leverage social proof to attract new clients.
  • Create irresistible introductory offers that convert.
  • Retain new clients beyond January with exceptional experiences and connection-building tactics.
  • Keep the momentum alive into February, March, and beyond with thoughtful planning and systems.

Whether you're preparing for your first January rush or are a seasoned studio owner looking to fine-tune your approach, this episode is packed with insights to set your studio up for long-term growth. Tune in now and make this January your studio’s best yet!


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Speaker 1:

Are you ready to make this January your studio's best? Yet the new year is just around the corner and it's time to position your studio to attract, engage and retain all of those motivated clients who are looking for a fresh start. But how can you stand out in the sea of options that your clients have in front of them? Well, in this episode of the Pilates Business Podcast, I'm sharing actionable strategies to help you fill your classes and turn those New Year's resolutions into lasting client relationships, so we can set your studio up for long-term, sustainable growth that extends way beyond the end of the January rush. 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. Well, hey there, and welcome back to the Pilates Business Podcast. I'm your host, sarah Glanfield, and I'm so happy you're here with me today. If you're listening to this, it's either the very, very, very end of 2024, or we are literally about to turn the page of the calendar year into 2025, or maybe you're listening to this after the new year and if that's the case, happy new year. I'm so glad you're here and listening to me. I have so much excitement for what we have coming down the pipeline for 2025 here at Spring 3.

Speaker 1:

There is a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot of opportunities that I see studio owners facing right now and I want to help you make sure you are grabbing hold of every single one of those opportunities and making them come to fruition so that you can realize the full potential of your studio business. And let's face it, turning that calendar page into a new year is a wonderful thing. It's a fresh start, but it's also, for studio owners, perhaps one of the most exciting and maybe the busiest times for boutique fitness studios like yours. We know this is a time where people feel inspired, ready to recommit, perhaps setting some wellness or movement goals for themselves, and they're looking for ways and people and support that will help them to get there and get there as quickly as possible and as easily as possible. But we know that January's boom can be a bit of a double edged sword as well, because, although it is a time of a lot of opportunity, it can also feel quite overwhelming to perhaps capture and hold on to all of those clients. And so I want to help you to kind of plan ahead, to get in the right frame of mind so that you're not just riding that January wave of excitement, you're actually turning it into a foundation that will support your growth not just in January but also February, march, april, may and June and maybe all the way through to the end of the year. So I want you to walk away from today's episode with a bit of a plan to really capitalize on the January busy, busy, busy boom. And I want to share some tactics that will really help to perhaps drive that traction and retention of clients throughout this period.

Speaker 1:

And if this is the first time you're going through a January in your business, congratulations. It's exciting. And this is the time where you do want to make sure that you are as engaged as possible in your business and with your clients to really kick off the new year with a really big, successful month. So first things first. We want to make sure and this is kind of a checklist for you, I'm going to kind of go through a bit of a checklist for you for January. But I think the first thing that we want to make sure and I always want to make sure you're doing is that you are very focused on being on people's radar. So what we know is that in January, people are it's sort of the real one time of year where a lot of people I think most people are actively looking for options, where a lot of people I think most people are actively looking for options and they're looking for the right fit for them. So we want to make sure that your studio is front and center so that you can capitalize and attract as many of those people who are looking for studios just like yours as possible. So a bit of a checklist for you here.

Speaker 1:

Number one is you want to make sure that you are clear in all of your outbound marketing, that you are really clear on what your studio stands for and what you do and how you do it, what sets your studio apart and why someone should pick you over the gym down the street or the yoga studio next door. So your marketing really needs to highlight exactly how your studio is going to help your ultimately new clients to reach their goals, perhaps in a way that is supportive and welcoming, and so that means you want to make sure you're using language that speaks directly to that amazing ideal client that you love to work with. That is perfect for your classes, your appointments, your sessions, and so, however it is that you want to attract people in, you want to make sure you're actually broadcasting that outside of the four walls of your studio business in all of the different ways that you can be in front of new clients and new clients that you know are going to want what you have to offer. So messaging is critical. There's a lot of competition out there, and I want to see you stand out. Now. The second thing is, you probably have some wonderful clients who already told you how wonderful your services are, and if that's the case, I want you to make sure that you are leveraging that social proof. People tend to trust other people more than they trust perhaps a lot of things. So it's important to showcase testimonials, to share some success stories from your clients and reviews as well, and so if you haven't gotten any reviews in a while, any testimonials in a while, then perhaps send a couple of emails, get in touch with a couple of clients who you know are going to share some great phrases and pieces of copy and pieces of content with you can leverage in January to sort of showcase some of the outcomes and results that your clients get from being a part of your studio. These sort of quotes from clients are a great way to inspire new clients, perhaps to take that first step Now.

Speaker 1:

If you've never dabbled in ads, paid ads or paid marketing, this might be a great time to start, and if you have been thinking about it for a while or you're thinking about dipping your toes in the water and you have a bit of time on your hands and you want to dive into this, then this might be a good time to invest in some targeted ads on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, where you can target your local audience. Focusing on people in your local area really is the way forward, unless you have a digital video on demand platform, in which case you have the ability to reach people further afield. But this is a time of year where people are looking for what you have to offer and where, if you want to increase and reach a few more people, then paid ads is definitely something to consider. If you're not sure how to do it, it's important to get educated first. We are actually doing a training on that inside of Thrive in just a couple of weeks and, because this is something that, as we look into 2025 and beyond, you know it is something that you're going to want to invest in. It's a skill that I encourage you to develop.

Speaker 1:

So you first of all want to make sure that we're visible and in front of the right people. Now, the second part of making sure that we have got a fabulous January ahead of us is you want to make sure, once you have their attention, that you give them a reason to take action right away, and so you want to create a bit of incentive and urgency to fast forwarding to that decision to purchase from you. So, once they've decided that you are the great studio that they want to be a part of because you've told them all the amazing things about your studio in your marketing messaging then you want to give them an offer to purchase. Now this is your introductory offer. The introductory offer I've talked about a lot. It should be a part of your pricing packages that incentivizes your clients to take that first step, and this is what you're going to be putting in front of these new clients and it is going to be something you're going to want to share everywhere. This is the first step on their journey into your business, but you can also sprinkle on some additional incentives as well and perhaps add on some extra bonuses for this time of year, and if that's something you are planning on doing, then you want to make sure that you're leveraging all of those marketing tools that you have to say that this is perhaps a limited time offer or there's a certain amount of available for the first 20 clients that buy this package. For example, get something a little extra. It creates that sense of urgency. It incentivizes that purchase now button to be clicked.

Speaker 1:

So you want to make sure you have a fabulous and irresistible offer that you can put right in front of them so that once they've decided that they want to move their bodies in January and then they've decided that they want to be a part of your specific studio, then you're giving them a no brainer reason to come in with a price point that is interesting to them, that is irresistible to them essentially, and so that they come in and they try and then you get the opportunity to really showcase what it's all about, because bringing people in is only half the battle, and what we know about our business and your business and this industry is that it's not just about getting people in the door. You're not selling something for the first for just one time. It's not a one-time sale. You're selling an ongoing, repeat purchase. This is a relationship business that you're in.

Speaker 1:

So we not only want to get people in the door, but we want to set this up so that we can keep them for perhaps the rest of the year and hopefully even beyond. So we want to be retaining people beyond the end of January, and so we need to think about how we can set this up, not just for this first purchase, but for the next purchase and the many purchases that they will make after that. So we want to think about how we can build a long, lasting relationship with your clients, and this comes down to setting the right expectations early on, focusing on connection, focusing on community. So you want to make sure every client feels seen and valued and that they understand a lot about what you have to offer and how their interactions will take place with you and your business. It's the simple, small details here that truly make the biggest difference. And I think one of the biggest mistakes I see is that many studio owners have a bit of a misconception that there's like this one big, sweeping change that they have to make in order to increase conversions from an introductory offer into a long-term loyal membership. And the reality is it is actually about deepening that connection through these small touches.

Speaker 1:

If you think about every relationship that you have in your life and you think about all of the reasons why you have those relationships and you trust those people and care about those people and want to be around other people, it's not because of one thing they have done. It's about the ongoing, consistent nature of the way that they interact with you, and the way that you're building the relationship with your clients is truly no different. So you want to make sure you are focused on how you can show them that you are welcoming them into the studio, that you're setting them up for success in terms of the are you are welcome them into the studio, that you're setting them up for success in terms of the results, but you're also thinking about how you can create that deep connection with them, and that means that you might not want to let them disappear after their first class quite so quickly. You might want to follow up and check in with them, and there's a lot of different ways that you can do that and there's a lot of different ways that will work for different studios. And one of the things that I show you how to do in Set a Thrive is to find that follow up sequence that works best for you and your business.

Speaker 1:

But following up is very, very important because that means that you are showing up outside of the four walls of your studio somewhere else in their life to show them that you care and you want them to continue on their fitness and movement journey with you. And so you're setting yourself up for success with that relationship by showing them that you care and that you're there for them and so encouraging them in the way that you speak to your clients and the way that you speak to especially those new clients, encouraging that long-term commitment, not just with, perhaps, the carrot of some sort of a discount on a long-term package, but also being able to support that with language and phrases and interactions that really do showcase the amazingness of the community and care that you have in your studio. So we want to think about how we can retain new clients well beyond January as well. Now, once we have made sure that we have our visibility checkbox checked off, we've got a great offer, we know exactly what we want to promote, and then we're thoughtful about how we showcase our studio in the very early days of that customer journey. It's about keeping that momentum going for the rest of the year right.

Speaker 1:

And so, as you go through January, you definitely want to make sure that you are tracking your numbers and you're tracking those new clients and that you're making sure that everybody who shows up in January is getting perhaps some extra follow-ups, some extra touch points in their journey with you and making sure that you aren't letting people walk in the front door and then straight out the back door. So, and tracking your data will help you to show whether or not you're really doing that and how well that is working for you. And all too often, when we rely on our gut, it really doesn't always give us the right information. Sadly, we're biased in so many different ways. Sometimes we think that we're doing better than we are. Sometimes we think we're doing worse than we are. But the numbers there are black and white, will tell you what's truly happening in your business. So it'll show you what's working and what perhaps might need tweaking. So you want to make sure you're analyzing your numbers.

Speaker 1:

The other thing you might want to make sure you're doing at some point early in January is to have a conversation with your team about the fact that you want to increase your membership. You want to retain as many of these new clients as possible and you want to make sure that they know how to do that. So training your team to be fully prepared to deliver that fabulous service, that they know that they really have to be on their A game in January, from how they greet clients to helping them feel comfortable in class, letting your teachers know that there are going to be some new folks in the studio for sure, and that you know how they to remind them perhaps of some of the things that you want them to do and the way they interact with those new clients Just make sure it's top of mind. For and then you want to make sure you have some systems in place, because if you've got a large number, you're anticipating a large number of new clients. Then obviously you know a pen to paper method is going to be a little bit too much to handle all of the perhaps touch points and follow ups you're going to want to make. So you want to make sure that you have some systems in place automations, templates for those campaigns, for outreach, for follow-ups and so on and this is going to be tremendously helpful for you to save time, reduce overwhelm but also ensure consistency in the experience that your clients have.

Speaker 1:

Now. I know that we're in the early days of moving into that new year, but I don't want to miss out on thinking about how we keep the energy alive beyond the end of January. And, depending on how long your introductory offers are and when your clients kind of get activated in your business, it may well be that you don't see the fruits of all of your efforts until February or even March. So don't let the momentum fade till February or even March. So don't let the momentum fade. Plan your time, your calendar accordingly so that you can continue to engage and keep the excitement and momentum going to support your clients and keep that energy up in your studio. So, while it's easy to get sucked into the busyness of serving clients in January, just take a little bit of time to plan about how you can continue that momentum, continue through February and into March.

Speaker 1:

It's really important that we make sure that this is this first quarter in 2025 is a strong quarter to really set the tone for the year ahead. So all you need to do is show up as your best self, show up showcasing your studio, bring your team to your clients with the best that they have to offer, and make sure you are engaging with new clients and following up with as many people as you can, as well as with your existing amazing community of loyal clients that perhaps have been with you all through 2024. So let's recap really quickly what we covered today. I talked a little bit about how you can stand out and connect with motivated clients. People show up in January who have already decided this is what they want to do and they're looking for the right place. So make sure you are out there in front of people. This means that you do want to perhaps step up your social media marketing, your email marketing and your local network marketing as well. Then we talked about creating this and putting in front of those people an amazing offer, and that is your introductory offer, typically, but you might want to add in some extra bonuses to incentivize and entice new folks through the doors. We also talked about ways you can retain those clients. We know retention is the name of the game when it comes to revenue growth over the course of the year, so make sure you're focused on delivering that exceptional experience for all of your clients throughout the month of January.

Speaker 1:

And finally, we talked about how you can continue to keep the energy alive and make sure that you're planning now through February and March with just some ideas for how you can perhaps manage your time, your tasks and the people around you to make sure that you are able to show up as your best self. Remember, january truly is a time of opportunity and energy. It's a time where you can really help people to take that first step towards recommitting to their movement goals, to their wellness goals and to their own well-being. So show them why your studio is the perfect place to do it. You truly have such an incredible amount of impact that you can make in your clients' lives, so don't hold back. Now is the time to step into your light and I wanna see you make January your best yet. So I hope this is helpful and inspiring to you as you step into the new year. I really appreciate you spending some time with me today.

Speaker 1:

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with another teacher or studio owner, or please go ahead and leave a review. It would help so much and mean so much to me. So let's make 2025 your best year yet. All right, your best year yet. All right. 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.