How to get more Pilates clients

Once you've set up your Pilates studio and you've turned your first batch of customers into die-hard members, it's time to reassess your marketing efforts and think about growing your Pilates studio business.

Enticing more Pilates clients to attend Pilates studios doesn't have to be a complicated process. In fact, with a few tweaks, you can implement an effective marketing strategy to encourage new customers to sign up. In this guide, we take you through a few ways to get more Pilates clients signing up for your Pilates studio business.

1. Create a Pilates studio website

There are a number of Pilates marketing ideas that you can use to get more clients. Pilates studio businesses need to make sure they're using the right mix of Pilates marketing ideas to attract new clients.

Pilates studio businesses need to make sure they have a solid marketing plan and that they're using the right mix of Pilates marketing ideas to attract new clients. But there are a few things you need to do before you start Pilates studio marketing.

Pilates studios should ensure that they have an engaging website up and running before they go on to further plan their marketing strategies. Building a website can sound like a lot of work and even complicated, but there are a number of great website building solutions that make it a simple process.

Your website is your chance to show what's unique about your Pilates studio business. Share creative content such as blog posts. Give your potential Pilates clients an "About me" section where you explain your own journey to becoming a Pilates instructor. Giving this type of insight into you and your business breaks down that first barrier of new clients registering their interest with your Pilates studio business.  

2. Use your social media to market your Pilates studio business

Social media is a powerful marketing tool and should be used to market your Pilates studio business. Pilates studios should make sure they post regular updates, offers, and Pilates class information on their social media channels.

By sharing short videos of one of your classes or posting photos of your current crop of Pilates clients enjoying one of your courses, you give a small insight into what your Pilates studio business is all about. 

Your social media pages, be it Instagram or Facebook, are also a great place for you to post tips and advice. Share ideas about equipment, Pilates attire, and even any nutritional advice you think would be relevant to both your current Pilates clients and the new clients you're aiming to get through the door. 

It's also important to make sure you're using relevant hashtags so that your Pilates studio can be easily found by potential clients. 

3. How to use Pilates studio software to get more clients

Pilates studio software is a great way to smarten up your administrative operations, take control of class scheduling, and generally manage your Pilates studio business and attract new clients. Pilates studio software can help you automate a number of time-consuming tasks, as well as help you take control over your memberships, courses and class schedule.

How your Pilates software can be a great marketing tool

With TeamUp's Pilates software solution you can make the most of our integration with Zapier. Zapier gives you access to 3,600 different apps that are all there to add to the features and tools you'll already have with TeamUp.

Sending out reminders and notifications can all be done with TeamUp, but by integrating with Zapier, you then have access to the kinds of marketing tools you need to source and follow up on leads.

For example, if a prospective client was to make an enquiry through your Facebook page, you could have a workflow set up to follow up on that lead by automatically sending out an email with all the information a potential new client could need about your Pilates studio business to entice them to go ahead and sign up for a class or a course.

The integrations and apps available to you are there to make repetitive and time-consuming tasks automated so all you have to do is set up the initial workflow, and TeamUp and Zapier take care of the rest so you don't have to.

How ease of use can help Pilates studios gain more clients

When choosing Pilates studio software, make sure that it's easy to use and that it has all the features you need. A Pilates studio software solution that's easy to use will help you save time, which can then be given back to your clients as you plan and lead great classes and sessions for them.

But more than that, modern Pilates studio software should be easy for your clients to use. From offering an intuitive member app to making your schedule simple and booking classes as easy as possible, ease of use is an important aspect of management software for all fitness businesses.

If it's easy for your clients to book through classes, courses, and workshops, it's more likely that your existing customers will keep coming back, and newer clients will feel more reassured than if you're using spreadsheets or overly complex studio software with features that don't function well.

Don't let your Pilates studio software take away your unique brand

The right Pilates software will also have the option to embed with your existing website and booking system. You've developed your website to show prospective clients what your Pilates business is all about.

By investing in an option such as TeamUp's Pilates software, you have the option to embed your TeamUp calendar on your page, maintaining your brand while managing your class scheduling through your Pilates management software.

4. Offer Pilates classes for all levels

Pilates classes for all levels are a great way to attract new clients. For a lot of your potential clients, the idea of joining a class that has a lot of people who have been practising Pilates for a long time can be daunting. No one wants to stand out as a rookie.

By offering regular Pilates courses specifically for beginners, you give new clients a chance to try Pilates and see if it's for them, and they'll be put at ease knowing that everyone else turning up will be attending one of their first Pilates classes themselves.

Once they've completed their beginners Pilates course, you can then start to encourage them to sign up for the next stage up, and hopefully even get them paying for a recurring membership.

5. Hold Pilates workshops for potential Pilates clients

Pilates workshops are a great way to attract new clients and keep existing clients interested. Pilates workshops can offer new clients a chance to learn about Pilates and try it out, while Pilates workshops for advanced clients can offer them a chance to deepen their understanding of Pilates and challenge themselves.

Offering a Pilates workshop isn't just a good way to introduce newcomers to Pilates, it's also a great way to introduce them to you and your Pilates studio. Potential customers can come along to a workshop and get to know you and your teaching style.

While it's important for you to concentrate on recruiting your target audience to your Pilates studio, it's equally important for potential clients looking into joining Pilates studios to feel as though you're Pilates studio business is the right fit for them. By offering workshops, more customers have the chance to meet you and ask any questions they might have.

6. Add online classes and on-demand content to your scheduling software

When you're trying to Pilates studio business, It's important to offer a variety of content and class types. Not everyone who is interested in Pilates will be able to make it to your studio for a live class. That's why it can be beneficial to add online classes and on-demand content to your Pilates scheduling software.

By having a range of content available, you're catering to a wider audience and giving potential clients the chance to try out your Pilates studio before they commit to signing up for a membership or attending a live class. And, if you're using Pilates studio software such as TeamUp, it's easy to add online classes and on-demand content to your Pilates class schedule.

Simply create a booking for your online content in the same way you would for a live class. Then, add a link to the online content in the Description field. When clients click on the link, they'll be taken straight to your online Pilates class.

7. Pilates studio business is all about building relationships

Pilates studio businesses are all about building relationships. It's important to get to know your clients and understand their Pilates goals.

By taking the time to get to know your clients, you're not only more likely to retain them as customers, but you're also more likely to be able to upsell them on other Pilates services, such as private classes or workshops.

So, how can you get to know your clients better? One way is to send out a Pilates survey. This can be an email survey that you send out to all of your clients, or it can be a paper survey that you hand out at the studio.

Your Pilates survey should ask questions about your clients' Pilates goals, what they like and don't like about Pilates classes, and how likely they are to recommend your Pilates studio to a friend. By understanding your clients' needs and wants, you can tailor your Pilates studio business to better meet their needs, which in turn will help you attract and retain more clients.

The bottom line

The bottom line is that if you want your Pilates studio business to grow, you need to offer a variety of content and services that appeal to your target audience. You also need to focus on building relationships with your clients. By following these tips, you'll be well on your way to attracting new Pilates clients and growing your Pilates studio business.

For more tips about running a Pilates studio, check out this article about the dos and don'ts of running a Pilates studio.