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4 Tips to Help Fitness Studios Prepare for Small Business Saturday

By Denise Prichard

It may be hard to believe, but Small Business Saturday® is right around the corner, and we are excited to join forces with American Express to support the day this November 30. Founded by American Express in 2010 to help strengthen local economies, Small Business Saturday still remains a popular annual shopping holiday and provides small business owners with an opportunity to bring in more customers.

  • Last year, U.S. consumers reported spending an estimated $17.8 billion* at independent retailers on Small Business Saturday, and
  • 96% of consumers* who reported shopping on Small Business Saturday said the day makes them want to Shop Small all year long, not just during the holiday season.

Now is a great time to start planning for this day to ensure you get the most out of it. No matter the size of your fitness studio’s retail space, Small Business Saturday can be a great way to offer additional apparel and equipment to your clients while also bringing in extra revenue for your business. However, with managing your daily responsibilities, creating an eye-catching retail space and effective promotions can often fall at the bottom of your to-do list—especially during the hectic holiday season.

But have no fear, we have four tips you can use to help boost your retail sales during the biggest shopping season of the year.

1. Discount your merchandise

One of the easiest ways to help bring customers into your studio is by offering a discount on the items you sell in your studio’s retail space. Offering a discount on your merchandise is significant enough to make the buyer feel like they are getting an awesome deal, but is reasonable enough for you as a business owner that it won’t negatively impact your profit margins.

2. Address your inventory needs

Take a look at your retail space and your inventory–do you have any overstocked items? If you do, a cost-effective way to unload these items is by offering a discount on them. You could discount the items to help clear your inventory and make money while doing so. This will not only increase your revenue, but it may also help save you money in the long-run. To rid your retail space and inventory shelves of unsold products, you may need to return those items to the supplier, which could include a hefty restocking fee—avoid that by having a small business super sale!

3. Create promotions for memberships and packages

In addition to sprucing up your retail space, you may also be able to snag new long-term clients while they visit your studio on Small Business Saturday by discounting memberships or class packages for those who make a purchase.

There’s no denying it, class packages or memberships to your fitness studio are the gifts that keep on giving. For clients that buy on Small Business Saturday, offer them additional services as a bonus incentive to sign up for a membership—or even offer their first month's membership at a discounted rate.

Promoting memberships and packages is a great strategy for increasing revenue because you lock in payment for services up-front. And since 2020 is right around the corner, shoppers during this season may be more inclined to purchase up-front to get a jumpstart on their resolutions.

4. Promote everything on social media

Promote your participation in Small Business Saturday through your social media accounts. To help get you started, American Express has teamed up with Ripl to offer merchants, including Mindbody fitness studios, a four-month free trial of Ripl Pro (a total value of $59). Ripl helps small business owners create and share eye-catching social media content in minutes, and can help you during the busy holiday season. To be eligible for this offer, you must sign up by December 31, 2019. Terms apply.**  

* Estimate based on projections from a nationally representative sample of adult consumers’ self-reported data from a 2018 Amex and NFIB-commissioned survey.

** Ripl OfferTerms: By participating in this promotional offer of an extended free trial of Ripl Pro (“Trial”), you agree to be bound by the Ripl Terms of Use and the terms set forth here (“American Express Trial Terms”), provided that in the event of a conflict, the American Express Trial Terms shall govern. The Trial can only be redeemed by American Express® Card-accepting merchants between October 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019 through the following website: s.ripl.com/2019Partner. The Trial period will last for four (4) months from the date you sign up for the Trial. The exact dates of your specific Trial period will be sent to you in a confirmation email following your enrollment in the Trial. At the end of your four-month Trial period, you will be auto-billed (at $14.99 per month) and automatically convert to a paid Ripl Pro subscription, unless you cancel your account prior to the expiration of your Trial period by following the “Cancel Subscription” link in your Ripl account. After the Trial period, Ripl Pro pricing is subject to change by Ripl in accordance with the Ripl Terms of Use. Limit 1 Ripl Pro Trial promotional offer redemption per merchant. American Express® Card-accepting merchants who are currently paying Ripl Pro subscribers in good standing may contact Ripl Customer Support for additional special instructions required to take advantage of this promotional Trial offer. Offer is non-transferable.

Ready to prep for the holidays at your fitness business?

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About the author:

Denise Prichard

Manager, Marketing Content and Certified Yoga Instructor (RYT-200)

Mindbody

Denise Prichard is a certified yoga instructor (RYT-200) and an experienced content marketing professional with a penchant for writing compelling copy within the fitness, wellness, and beauty industries. When she isn't writing or editing, you can find her teaching yoga classes, pedaling her heart out at a spin class, or hanging out with her rescue pups. She currently serves as the marketing content manager for Mindbody.

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