Image Source: Blu Rain Yoga via Sequoit Media + edits.

5 Ways to Grow Your Yoga Studio’s Sales

How to better engage your yoga studio’s customers, make them want to come back for more, and unlock opportunities to upsell them.

Sara-Mai Conway
Aug 26, 2017 · 8 min read

It’s a rare bird who loves to feel like they are selling something, especially in the yoga world. Nevertheless, selling is a must for a healthy studio. Fortunately, there are ways to frame your “asks” so you feel less like a salesperson, and more like a yoga instructor who wants to share what you love with the world.

When done correctly and consistently, you create a culture where you and your staff drop the fear of sales, invite your customers to keep spending and returning, and your customers feel comfortable about it too. Begin by thinking of each sales opportunity as a conversation, an opportunity to share, an offering. Then, be consistent about inserting this conversation into each interaction you have with your clients.

Below are five simple ways to insert an ask, and change the vibe from awkward sales type transaction to a win-win value exchange.

1. Capture Emails and Use Them

Email is everything. Social media is a constantly changing landscape, but people check their email daily just like they did ten years ago. Make sure you have a solid email communications plan.

  • Opportunities: Always ask for customers’ email addresses at the point of their first interaction with your studio. It could be when they visit your website, call with a question, or walk in your door for more information.
Photo: Berkley Air Force Base + edits.

2. Encourage Pre-Registration for Classes

Encourage pre-registrations every time, all the time. In short, you should constantly ask yourself, “How can I get this person to come again?”

  • Why: When someone pre-registers for class, you have their contact information and therefore an opportunity to send them a class reminder, and the option of reaching out to them again if they don’t show up. All those communications can include direct links to future purchases.
Photo: Berkley Air Force Base + edits.

3. Follow Up When Passes Run Low or Expire

Let your students know their attendance matters to you, and invite them to return when their time is running low.

  • Tracking: Ideally, your schedule software has the ability to track when clients have passes that are running low or expiring. It’s not enough to assume these folks are having such a good time they’ll renew on their own.
Photo: Berkley Air Force Base + edits.

4. Incentivize Through Smart Pricing Plans

With sales, our job is to have an answer for every ‘no’ we receive. Most people have a limited budget for fitness, and the addition of a yoga practice is not something they have planned for yet. Offering a variety of class packages and memberships at several price points gives you the opportunity to approach this from different angles.

  • Overall: The higher the total package price, the lower the per-class price. You are in the business of encouraging healthy habits.
Photo: Berkley Air Force Base + edits.

5. Involve Your Instructors

Your instructors are your front line, and the most closely connected with your students. Involve them in the sales pitch as much as possible.

  • Announcements: Many teachers shy away from making announcements before or after class, but when done properly, it doesn’t have to sound like a sales pitch. Your instructors know better than anyone the transformative power of yoga, so why wouldn’t they invite their students to experience that as well, either through more consistent attendance, a workshop or retreat registration or by jumping on the opportunity that this weekend’s sale offers for adding more classes to their account. Post-class announcements should sound like an invitation to participate more.

If you’ve properly incentivized attendance and sales, your instructors should realize they have as great a role in the success of the business as anyone. After all, who doesn’t want bigger classes? Be prepared to offer bonuses based on class attendance or commissions based on sales.

Photo: Berkley Air Force Base + edits.

Ready to Take Action?

When we take the perspective that “selling” is simply another way of inviting someone to experience yoga, to take part in our community, and to see progress in their practice, then we’re much more likely to reach out. Let your customers know that you care about their presence. Help them feel invited back at each and every opportunity.

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Sara-Mai Conway

Written by

Yoga. Travel. Dogs. Adventure. Doing all those things at http://bajasurfyoga.com

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