Innovative Programming: Keeping Your Classes Fresh

Is your studio's class schedule feeling a bit stale? Are you struggling to retain clients and attract new ones? In this episode of The Pilates Business Podcast, host Seran Glanfield dives into the world of Innovative Programming. 

Learn how to keep your classes fresh and engaging with strategies for developing unique offerings, implementing them successfully, and overcoming common challenges. 

Discover inspiring examples and gain the tools you need to breathe new life into your studio and become the go-to destination for exciting Pilates experiences!

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hey there, studio owners. Do you ever feel like your class offerings are a little bit stuck in a rut? Maybe you're worried that your clients are getting a little bit bored of the schedule or what's in them or what's on there, and maybe you too would like to spice things up a little bit Now. Keeping your classes fresh and engaging is crucial for retaining clients and getting new ones in the door. So today on the Palatis Business Podcast, we are getting creative with innovative programming. I'm going to be diving into ways that you can perhaps breathe a little bit of life into your schedule and keep your clients coming back for more. Well, hi there, I'm Sarah in Glenfield. 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: 1:07

This is the Palatis Business Podcast. Welcome back to the Palatis Business Podcast. I'm Sarah. I'm so happy to be here with you guys again this week and thank you so much for listening in. I'm loving hearing the feedback that I've been getting about what you like to hear about on this podcast, and I actually just spent the last week or so putting together some ideas for all the things that I want to be talking to you guys about over the next few months, and I cannot tell you how excited I am for the guests that I have coming up and some of the topics I'm going to be diving into over the next few weeks and months. So stay tuned because there's a lot coming your way. And overall, number one the feedback I get is that you find this podcast to be helpful, which is amazing, but also that you learn a little bit every time you listen in and perhaps helps you to feel like you're not alone on this journey of business in the boutique business world. And I want you to know that you are absolutely not alone, and I love supporting the studio owners that I work with in my programs and seeing what is possible for them when they have access to collaborations and insights and resources and tools, and seeing them thrive and grow in their businesses is just one of the most incredible things to see. And so you are on this journey too, and even though you may not yet be inside of one of my programs, it is something that is possible for you to be a part of as well, and the opportunity and the success that comes with it is also possible for you.

Speaker 1: 2:51

So today I wanted to talk a little bit about how we can stay competitive in the market that we are in. You've heard me talk about this already a lot. It is one of, I think, the most competitive we've ever seen this industry be, and the amount of investment that is coming into this industry is substantial and more than we've ever seen before. And we're seeing investment in this industry coming in all different ways and supporting all different types of businesses. And so this is we're not just seeing certain pockets of the industry grow and expand. We're seeing it across all facets of the industry, and some people might feel concerned about this and others might feel excited by this, and whichever side of the coin you're on, what will pay you back in bucket loads is if you stay open to evolving and making and progression and adapting.

Speaker 1: 3:56

What we know about when we see markets expand and the way that this industry is expanding and has expanded and is going to continue to expand, is that, in order to stay competitive, you have to evolve and adapt, so doing things the way they've always been done may not be helpful to you if you plan on growing and scaling your business. So we want to make sure that you're being thoughtful and smart and sensible about the way that you're growing your business, because there's a lot of different ways to do that right. There is no one way, there is no one cookie cutter type solution, no one path or plan for your business or a business that it will work for everybody. So I want to share with you some things that you can do today, specifically on this podcast today actually, that will help you to stay relevant and competitive in the industry that we are in, but also make it fun and exciting for you as well, because business can be fun. In fact, many of the one of the most, I think, shocking outcomes of joining one of my programs that studio owners find is that they tell me actually, no, I really enjoy running my business. It fuels me and fulfills me, and I find it exciting and fun and I never thought that was possible, and so it's sort of like one of those side effects that happens and it's really a fantastic thing to see.

Speaker 1: 5:14

So we want to make sure that your business, whatever size and whatever stage of business you are at, is relevant and profitable and continues to be that way, not just in 2024, but in 2025 and 26 and 27. And for as long as you want your business to be that way, and the way that you work with your clients, the classes that you offer, the way that you deliver what you do is often the first impression that you make on new clients when they walk in through the door. And we know the importance of having a strong foundation in Pilates and in bar and in yoga right. We want to make sure that people have a really solid understanding of the method before we start perhaps throwing advanced sequences and exercises at our clients. But what we can also do is be quite innovative with the way that we deliver those classes and the way that we talk about those classes. And when you are evolving the way that you deliver what you do and being a little bit more innovative with your programming, it can truly set your studio apart and perhaps even open up your studio to a wider client base. So, whether you are looking perhaps to cater to specific needs or to target a new client type or a new demographic, or perhaps to fill a particular class at a particular time of day something I know that is a challenge sometimes or even because you want to evolve based on what you have learned and now know and because you've developed your own expertise. This episode is going to help you with getting access to some ideas and some tools that perhaps might breathe a little bit of life into your class schedule and the way that you deliver what you do.

Speaker 1: 7:05

So let's just start off by taking a couple of minutes to talk about why innovative programming matters. Now, you may have been in business for two months, two years or 20 years, right. No matter how long you have been in business, there are two things that your business really does need. Number one you need to get new clients in the door on a consistent basis. No matter how successful you are, no matter how great you are at keeping clients, there will be a natural rate of attrition, so you need to be constantly thinking about how you get people in the door, and that means you need to stand out from the competition by offering a very unique way of doing things or being able to share what it is that you do in your studio that is unique.

Speaker 1: 7:48

Now, if you're thinking, but I do the same thing as other people, that's okay, the reality is that, yes, the thing you do, whether that is Pilates or bar or yoga, is also done by other people in other studios. Yes, absolutely, but the way that they do it and the atmosphere and the energy and the brand that you have is going to be very unique to you. Okay, and it's really critical in your marketing. But before you even start marketing, ahead of that marketing, to get super clear on what that looks like for your business and for your studio. And this is your brand, this is your experience, this is your brand promise, and this is really quite fundamental to being able to design a business that has the capacity to grow in scale. So you want to stand out from the competition by delving into and being able to articulate what it is that you do that is unique and special and who it is that you cater to with your services that you offer. Okay, and so using those messaging, using that language and using that to attract new clients is critical.

Speaker 1: 8:48

And the second component is you need to be able to retain clients right, and this means you want to keep your existing clients hooked on what you do. You don't want them to get bored. You don't want them to get, you know, lazy about coming. You want them to stay enthusiastic and stay excited about what's happening in your studio. And this you can do this in so many different ways. Instead of my Thrive Group Coaching program every single month, I give my studio owners a way that they can engage and retain their clients, with different challenges and phrases they can use and emails they can send, and so there is so many different ways that you can do this. But it's really important that you are focused on how you can do that. It is, as a business owner, a part of your job if you want to be successful and stay relevant and profitable in this industry.

Speaker 1: 9:42

So innovative programming matters, because you want to have access to a new client base on an ongoing basis. Consistently attracting new clients into your business is going to help you grow and scale, and you want to retain those clients. Okay, if your business isn't growing, it's because one of those or both of those are not working so well in your business, okay. So this is why we really want to think about how we're delivering our services and what that looks like how innovative we are and how perhaps we're reflecting that innovation in our marketing messaging. Okay, so it's critical. You know that we're on board with that and we know that it makes a huge difference. So where do we go and where do we start? If you're thinking, hmm, I don't know how I would incorporate that into my studio, or I'm not sure that it fits for me, I'm not sure that's what I want to do, let me talk you through some ways that this, how this might perhaps look for you inside of your studio. Thank you.

Speaker 1: 10:38

Now number one. What we've seen as a result of this huge focus on well-being and wellness over the last five plus years or so is that we have seen some big trends occur and a huge shift in focus. Where you know, when we think about the fitness industry 20 years ago to what it looks like today, it's a very different world where people may have, in the past, been very focused on calorie burn and slimming down. This is not the industry that we are in today. There is a lot more focus on longevity, on well-being, on wellness, on mental health, on strength, on resilience and using movement to be confident and happy and avoid pain and depression.

Speaker 1: 11:26

There is a lot more to it than simply calorie burn, and I'm sure that, over the course of your business, that you have incorporated some of these, these kind of this, into the way that you think about what you do as well, because most of you guys listening to me do what you do because you know how it makes you feel and you want to share that with others, right, and so there is a lot to this and a lot more to this than just simply, you know, checking the box of. You know that 30, 45 minute exercise, right, and so you want to make sure that you are staying relevant by tying what you know about what it is that you do to what you see happening in the industry as a whole. Okay, so, staying current with the trends and keywords and things that people are excited about in fitness and wellness and movement and being able to associate that with what you're doing is going to help you to stay relevant, help to help your clients to see you as very relevant to them and that you are someone who can help them perhaps be a part of what is happening right now in this industry. Okay, so, for many of you, I'm going to be I'm going to kind of give you a couple of examples. For example, you know many of you who are in the Pilates world will know that it is a wonderful way to extend your ability to move longer as you age. It works balance and coordination and flexibility and strength. You all know this is to be true, and this is something that is tied to living a healthier life for longer right, living a more active life for longer. This is something that is very is really trending right now in the wellness world as we think about longevity. It's something that has been highlighted by a lot of the kind of people that are talking about this, and a lot of your clients will be following and listening to some of these people. So it really pays to stay on top of the trends that you're seeing and stay relevant.

Speaker 1: 13:36

Now, even if you don't offer some of the things that are very trending right now for example, maybe you don't have the ability to offer cold plungers or saunas in or red light therapy in your studio, that's okay. You don't need to offer it, to be talking about it and acknowledging that it is perhaps something that you like or dislike, and why so you want to make sure that you are showing your clients that you are staying current with what you're seeing in the industry and therefore relevant. Okay, so one way you can develop more innovative programming is if you have the ability to incorporate some of those things that you are seeing happening out there into your studio. That is a wonderful way to do that. You're already doing it in some cases, in which case it might be about the way that you're talking about what you do and messaging slightly differently, or it might actually mean adding different classes that are reflective of the trends that you are seeing. Okay Now, the second way that you can add perhaps more innovative programming into your studio is by leaning into your expertise.

Speaker 1: 14:41

I know that many, many, many of you go and continue to educate yourself in many different modalities beyond your basic training program, and this is really powerful. If you are not using it in your business to grow your business, you should be. You have a wealth of expertise. I know that you spend a lot of time and energy and money on your expertise, and that's amazing. So I want you to use it in your business, and that might look like offering specialized classes that perhaps cater to different levels or have different specific outcomes or are focused on specific interests or issues, right, and you can use your expertise as a way to perhaps create those specialized classes that might cater to those different needs or different wants. And when you do that, not only are you perhaps elevating the credibility of your studio elevating, but, because you're acknowledging this level of expertise that you have but you might also find that people all of a sudden, who perhaps have perhaps been slipping away out of your business, might come back into the fold because you are now giving them something that they really want. Okay, so use your expertise and lean into that. And this is another area that, of course, when you do that, will distinguish you from the competition, because it's unlikely that anyone else is going to be able to do that in the same way that you are. Okay.

Speaker 1: 16:09

Now the third way that you can stay innovative with your programming and this is great if you feel like you don't have an additional qualification or you're feeling like you're a little bit perhaps not quite where you want to be to deliver a class just yet and that is to collaborate with other experts, and that can be anything from bringing in a women's health expert, it can be bringing in another instructor from a different modality or other wellness professionals into your business and create an event out of it. This could look like workshops, either a one off workshop or a series of sessions as well. You can make this whatever you want to make it. But when you bring other people into your business and you're able to collaborate with them, not only does it help to elevate and create interest in your business amongst your own client base, but it might also give you the opportunity to be seen within a new audience, so whether that wellness professional is also cross marketing this event as well amongst their clientele, which is only a good thing for you. So there's a lot of different ways that you can be innovative with your programming. There is a lot of options for you and a lot of different ways that you can get super creative and make incorporating some new ideas into your classes really fun for you and for your clients.

Speaker 1: 17:39

So if you're thinking about this now and I've perhaps given you a few ideas and you're a little bit inspired, then the next question you're going to have is okay, sarah, this sounds great, but how do I do this? Where do I start? Okay, so let me just give you a couple of tips for implementing some new programs or new classes or new ways of doing things successfully. Okay, number one I really recommend that you do a little bit of a focus group or trial of a class. First of all, you just start small okay, and this might look like having, instead of putting a new class on the schedule every single day of the week, you might start off with doing a one-off pop-up class to perhaps gauge the interest, to get some feedback. And when you do this, it's really important that you take the time to speak to the participants ahead of the class, during the class and after the class and see what you might want to add, adjust or change. The feedback you're getting is going to drive the way that you market that class and how you deliver that class going forward.

Speaker 1: 18:41

So you want to make sure that you are avoid sort of creating a lot of confusion amongst your clients. So be super clear with them about what is happening, when it's happening and how it's happening, and then make sure you get as much feedback as possible, okay, and this can happen either through surveys or through just informal conversations that you might have as the client is leaving and that will help you to really understand their preferences and their needs so that you can tailor the offering to what you know they already want, which is an amazing way to sell something right. Give people something they already want. So you want to make sure, gathering feedback and starting small. Now the other thing I'm going to recommend to you and it's going to sound really obvious when I say it, but I kind of feel like I need to just highlight this to you as well which is that you do need to promote this class, and when I say promote this class, I mean like really promote it. Okay, not just like putting it on the schedule and then sending one email and putting one social media post up, but when you are promoting something and you do it well, what you're doing is looking for every single opportunity to create buzz around your new offerings through social media, through email and in studio announcements.

Speaker 1: 19:58

This is not a one-time thing. All right, when people tell me, oh my gosh, this class is not working, I took it off the schedule, I'll say, okay, well, that's interesting. Let's have a quick assessment of what happened and what went wrong. All too often there was very little to no promotion of that class and it's really sucks. So we want to make sure that we are putting a lot into that promotion and using that feedback that your clients give you about that class will help you to know how to talk about it with your clients. If you couple that with some fantastic messaging, then you'll find that you will have a full class or workshop immediately, okay.

Speaker 1: 20:39

So quick tips for getting started means starting small. It doesn't have to be a huge ordeal to start with. I would encourage you heavily to gather feedback and when you do decide to go ahead and move forward, be very, very active in promoting that event or that workshop or that class or that series or that new offer. So there you have it A few ideas for you on how you can innovate some of the sessions in your schedule, update some of your programming. I would love to hear from you if you've had some other ideas about how you can do this, but I really encourage you to think about how you can stay ahead of the game in today's competitive landscape. By embracing, perhaps, updates and staying relevant and innovative, you will keep your classes fresh, you'll keep your clients excited and engaged at your studio and you'll find that your business really truly thrives.

Speaker 1: 21:39

Please, please, please, don't be afraid to perhaps step out of your comfort zone a little bit and experiment. One of my clients reminded me the other day that that's where magic happens, and it's so true, because it's your creativity and your passion and your expertise that truly is the driving force Behind the success of your business. Okay, so don't be afraid to lean into it and innovate. So I hope this was helpful to you as you go about building your boutique fitness studio business.

Speaker 1: 22:11

If you enjoyed what you heard today and found it helpful, please go to wherever you're listening to this podcast and rate, follow and review it so that I can help other folks just like you to feel encouraged and supported on their journey in our industry. Did you love this episode and want more? Head to spring 3.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.