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4 Ways to Prepare Your Fitness Studio for the New Year

By Denise Prichard

We’re just a few short weeks away from kicking off 2023 and all the New Year’s resolutions that come with it. For many, the dawn of a new year brings a renewed focus on wellness and health, which can be great news for fitness businesses. It’s an opportunity to draw in new clients and reconnect with existing ones—but to make sure they want to stick around after the New Year’s excitement dies down, you need to be prepared.

So, how can you make sure your fitness studio is ready? Ring in the New Year’s resolution rush and keep that energy going all year long with these four strategies.

1. Attract clients with an intro offer

An intro offer is any kind of promotion given to new clients the first time they purchase a class at your fitness business. They’re a great strategy to appeal to new clients any time of year but can be especially effective in January when more folks are looking to revamp their fitness routines. Enticing intro offers encourage curious potential clients to try out your studio without having to commit to anything long-term. They can also give current clients the nudge they need to try out a new type of class or offering at your studio. Then, once your customers’ feet are in the door, all you have to do is provide an experience so exceptional, they’ll be pumped to sign up for more.

Consider creating a limited-time, extra-special intro offer around the New Year to capture the excitement and increased interest in fitness during the season. Build buzz for your offer by listing your business in the Mindbody app and showcasing your classes with Promoted Intro Offers. That way, your intro packages will be displayed in the “Intro Deals” section of the Mindbody app home screen, right in front of potential new customers.

Here’s how to use Promoted Intro Offers:

It’s free to showcase your introductory packages and specials using Promoted Intro Offers. All you have to do is opt intothe Mindbody Promote feature on the Marketing screen of your fitness software and agree to the terms and conditions. Then, any new or existing pricing options that you mark as an into offer will be shown front and center at the top of the Mindbody app. The fees for this feature are performance-based, so you’ll only pay if a client books a class—it’ll cost you nothing if it doesn’t produce results.

2. Equip your studio with a branded mobile app 

We’ve already discussed the fitness frenzy that accompanies the new year, which means it’s critical to make sure your brand stands out. One way to keep your fitness studio top of mind and easily accessible is through a branded mobile app. With a unique branded mobile app, your members can book, pay for, and keep track of classes, all on their phone. You can also send push notifications to highlight deals (like intro offers!), promote events, notify schedule changes or class cancellations, and even check in with “We miss you” messages.

Build your branded mobile app now so it’s ready to go when the new year arrives. The sooner your app is ready to go, the more time you’ll have to promote it and encourage downloads.

3. Set up a customer retention workflow

During the first few weeks of the new year, you’ll likely see a lot of fresh faces in your studio. Turn those new visitors into regular customers by setting up automated lead management and marketing communications. By automating these processes, you can be confident that your customers will receive the right messages at the right time based on where they are in their customer journey—allowing your business to seamlessly build relationships with each and every client. Set up your smart lists and communications now so you won’t miss out on any opportunities come January.

4. Get going on ClassPass

There's no better time to list your business on ClassPass than the kickoff of the year. ClassPass is the ultimate consumer marketplace for fitness classes, connecting gyms and studios with an unparalleled audience of wellness seekers. For users, it’s a flexible way to discover and try a variety of fitness classes without the commitment of sticking with one single location. And for businesses, it’s a free tool to gain exposure, attract customers, and fill up unused spaces in your classes. Forget the myths you’ve heard about ClassPass and give it a shot—we guarantee it’s worth it.

Make the most of resolution season and start the new year right with some pre-holiday preparation. This time of year can be an amazing opportunity for fitness studios as long as you’re ready to harness the excitement and energy. By setting up your processes and utilizing your resources to attract and retain customers now, you’ll be ready to ring in the revenue all year long.

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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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