fitSpot Guru

What We Cover In This Episode:

• Examples of ways you can optimize the very first visit by your clients [1:08]

• What Seran says is the "low-hanging fruit" of building relationships [9:03]

• Why is the first visit so crucial for retention [12:38]

• Some of the things that can be done to make the first visit so memorable for the client [17:21]

• How you can set the stage for optimizing retention by pairing a new client with a seasoned client [21:36]

• Final tips and effective follow-up techniques to increase the retention rate at your studio [23:38]

Quotes:

"If you really want to have a solid business, you also have to have an experience that is designed for attention. If you give anyone any excuse to not come back, they are going to take it." [Seran, 16:58]

"When they walk in the studio, they are looking for 'is this person or is this place going to be the place that I keep coming back to?'" [21:13]

"You want to make sure that your pricing aligns with your customer journey, so whatever package you are selling folks on their first visit is already in alignment with a long-term commitment." [24:50]

LINKS:

Get Seran's Free Resource, 30 Reel Ideas! The Studio Owner's Guide To Mastering Reels

Her Website, Instagram & Podcast

Register Now for the fitDEGREE Owners Summit Happening October 15th, 16th & 17th in Atlanta, GA!

Learn More About Our Partners & Get Exclusive Offers

Visit the fitDEGREE Knowledge Base

Send Megan Your Playlist or Discuss the Podcast Here!

fitDEGREE's Business Portal

https://calendly.com/fitdegree/support

[email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/fitdegree/

​​https://www.instagram.com/fitspot_guru/

https://www.fitdegree.com/blog

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ5rK6zWPXjbxtUQx3ys9Q

What We Cover In This Episode:

• News with Nick and the latest of group fitness builds and mental, emotional and physical well-being [0:36]

• The importance that having an effective onboarding process will have on your customer's experience [5:04]

• Integration partners that can help you communicate with your clients - click their links below to learn more! [10:03]

• Why you can't afford to ghost your clients that are responding to your text marketing [12:15]

• Impactful ways to encourage your membership renewals or purchases [15:27]

• What to focus on if you are not making conversions [17:07]

• How to start leverage the social features inside of fitDEGREE if you haven't already been doing so [19:17]

• An update on tag-based announcements [22:13]

• Our final thoughts on gathering feedback [22:59]

Quotes: "They can like your class, they can like your studio, they can like the vibe, but if they don't meet a friend, they are just a ticking time bomb until they walk away." [Nick, 1:31]

"So it has to make sense cost-wise. As much as I said it's about community, they did come to you for a physical reason. The community is kind of like a surprise." [Nick, 16:03]

"There might be some evolutions of the feed coming in the very near future, so the more we train them and get them used to the feed, seeing the feed, interacting with the feed, the feed might start working in your favor the more you start training them, preparing them and getting those interactions boosted in the here and now." [Megan, 21:13]

LINKS:

Group Workouts Boost Physical, Mental, Emotional Well-Being (Fitt Insider)

Learn More About Our Partners Mentioned in this Episode & Get Exclusive Offers

Register Now for the fitDEGREE Owners Summit Happening October 15th, 16th & 17th in Atlanta, GA!

Visit the fitDEGREE Knowledge Base

Send Megan Your Playlist or Discuss the Podcast Here!

fitDEGREE's Business Portal

https://calendly.com/fitdegree/support

[email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/fitdegree/

​​https://www.instagram.com/fitspot_guru/

https://www.fitdegree.com/blog

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ5rK6zWPXjbxtUQx3ys9Q

What We Cover In This Episode:

• Seran's journey from Wall Street to the Pilates studio - and beyond [1:15]

• How she curated her approach to coaching fitness studios [7:01]

• Why Seran believes so strongly that success does not have to equal stress [8:36]

• Some of the main reasons that effective marketing messaging crucial for fitness studios to master [13:50]

• What the key elements are of strong marketing [16:01]

• Seran's advice for how to start differentiating yourself from others in your market [19:14]

• A final reminder to use marketing strategies that resonate with your audience for best results [28:44]

Quotes:

"Having an effective marketing message helps you to really connect with your target audience but also to deeply connect and build relationships with your existing and current clients." [Seran, 15:01]

"You want to make sure that you're not looking around you when you're trying to craft your marketing message too much, and that is another mistake that I see people making, is that they're pulling from other people." [Seran, 20:41]

"What I want for you as a studio owner is I want your studio to stand out, which means I don't want you to look like everyone else in town. I want you to represent what it is that you do and what you uniquely do, and the way that you uniquely do it." [Seran, 21:02]

LINKS:

Get Seran's Free Resource, 30 Reel Ideas! The Studio Owner's Guide To Mastering Reels

Her Website, Instagram & Podcast

Seran's Podcast episodes that are relevant to today's topic:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3FScc2Ye7toSgPeQPeOuMn

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3hnCbNKyYebGDGLc4UadiX?si=7p3vr4R3SOuy9zRx3uKmTQ&nd=1&dlsi=a44c5f48905b4729

Book Yourself Solid: The Fastest, Easiest, and Most Reliable System for Getting More Clients Than You Can Handle Even if You Hate Marketing and Selling by Michael Port

Register Now for the fitDEGREE Owners Summit Happening October 15th, 16th & 17th in Atlanta, GA!

Learn More About Our Partners & Get Exclusive Offers

Visit the fitDEGREE Knowledge Base

Send Megan Your Playlist or Discuss the Podcast Here!

fitDEGREE's Business Portal

https://calendly.com/fitdegree/support

[email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/fitdegree/

​​https://www.instagram.com/fitspot_guru/

https://www.fitdegree.com/blog

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ5rK6zWPXjbxtUQx3ys9Q

What We Cover In This Episode:

• Why you'll want to understand, analyze and anticipate the summer drops that occur in our industry [5:28]

• The need to ensure great communication with everyone about your summer schedules [7:12]

• How you can use this time to explore flexible membership options [8:51]

• Ideas for unique summer programs or challenges [11:27]

• Thoughts on leveraging technology during this slower time [15:25]

• Ways to engage the community and keep the momentum going in your studio [17:14]

• The benefits you'll see from spending less money and reviewing your expenses [19:06]

• Megan's recommendation around a solid summer system for vacations [19:57]

Quotes:

"I also find that summer is a really great time to do low cost, low effort, community building activities." [Megan, 13:13]

"You can think of the summer as one big marketing campaign. You want people to be thinking about you when September comes around, or when the holidays pass." [14:41]

"This is a great time of year to reward and treat your staff. Especially while it is slow, you have so much time to build up those relationships and really empower your staff." [Megan, 18:51]

LINKS:

Cardio Exercise Linked to Longer Life (Fitt Insider)

FitLab Announces Acquisitions of Assault Fitness and RPM Training, Accelerating Leadership as Integrated Fitness Platform (Fitt Insider)

Oura Debuts Heart Monitoring Features

Using Heartbeat Monitors (Technogym)

Register Now for the fitDEGREE Owners Summit Happening October 15th, 16th & 17th in Atlanta, GA!

Learn More About Our Partners & Get Exclusive Offers

Visit the fitDEGREE Knowledge Base

Send Megan Your Playlist or Discuss the Podcast Here!

fitDEGREE's Business Portal

https://calendly.com/fitdegree/support

[email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/fitdegree/

​​https://www.instagram.com/fitspot_guru/

https://www.fitdegree.com/blog

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ5rK6zWPXjbxtUQx3ys9Q

What We Cover In This Episode:

• A look at the current activity in gyms now versus the pre-pandemic levels [0:52]

• What the primary goal of having a cancellation policies in your studio should be [4:39]

• The key components you should be considering when creating and implementing your cancellation policies [5:12]

• How to approach balancing flexibility with clients with the needs of the business [7:35]

• Some examples of factors that may influence the timeline for early versus late cancellations [9:00]

• How policies can differ from limited to unlimited item holders and how this will impact client behavior [12:26]

• Tips for introducing and enforcing the policies in your studio [17:23]

• The options within fitDEGREE that can help you manage your cancellation policy [19:48]

Quotes:

"Someone might not make it, they might be in traffic and all of that kind of stuff, but you're trying to reduce the default behavior of people flaking [out]. It's going to be emergencies and those are going to happen less often." [6:46]

"If you make the fee so minimal, you're going to make a little bit of money off of it, but in the end you might lose a member who just continuously cancels and doesn't think twice and then eventually cancels their membership." [16:20]

"Cancellation policies, in my opinion, are not 'set it and forget it' kinds of things. They are something that you should be continuously reviewing, resetting and adjusting in order to ensure that your business is running smoothly. So you should be monitoring your cancellation policy and its impact." [23:36]

LINKS:

Wellness Watch Report Q1 2024

Register Now for the fitDEGREE Owners Summit Happening October 15th, 16th & 17th in Atlanta, GA!

Learn More About Our Partners & Get Exclusive Offers

Visit the fitDEGREE Knowledge Base

Send Megan Your Playlist or Discuss the Podcast Here!

fitDEGREE's Business Portal

https://calendly.com/fitdegree/support

[email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/fitdegree/

​​https://www.instagram.com/fitspot_guru/

https://www.fitdegree.com/blog

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ5rK6zWPXjbxtUQx3ys9Q

What We Cover In This Episode:

• What leadership quality Katie says is the single most crucial one for running a fitness studio [4:08]

• One of the biggest HR pitfalls that she has seen running a fitness studio with a W2 workforce [5:36]

• A trend that is brewing in the fitness industry to be aware of as a studio owner [9:09]

• Katie's insights for beginning the hiring process with a curated email campaign [12:32]

• Why role clarity is absolutely crucial for all positions in the studio, those currently filled and unfilled [16:38]

• Effective techniques for maintaining engagement with your team [20:27]

• How to tell if new hires are integrating smoothly into the fitness studio culture you have created [23:30]

• Some frequent mistakes that studio owners are making during the onboarding process [26:44]

• A reminder that your staff should be treated as a revenue-generating person in your business [29:57]

Quotes:

"We don't think of our staff as revenue-generating resources, and most of them are. Even your front desk [staff], they are making calls and booking in, so they are generating revenue for you. They deserve to be managed and cared for like they are revenue-generating just like our clients are." [Katie, 4:18]

"When you start to see a staff member going left when you want them to go right, it's time to be inquisitive about it." [Kate, 6:23]

"Culture is there, whether you purposely developed or articulated it or not, and it can change over time." [Katie, 24:21]

LINKS:

Katie's Website & Instagram

Email Katie

Episode 244: The Downsides of Not Having Employees with Katie Santos of Fitness HR

Capitol Hill Gets Fit as Myzone Congressional Activity Challenge Returns

Fly-In and Advocacy Summit (Washington, D.C., May 7-8)

Register Now for the fitDEGREE Owners Summit Happening October 15th, 16th & 17th in Atlanta, GA!

Learn More About Our Partners & Get Exclusive Offers

Visit the fitDEGREE Knowledge Base

Send Megan Your Playlist or Discuss the Podcast Here!

fitDEGREE's Business Portal

https://calendly.com/fitdegree/support

[email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/fitdegree/

​​https://www.instagram.com/fitspot_guru/

https://www.fitdegree.com/blog

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ5rK6zWPXjbxtUQx3ys9Q

What We Cover In This Episode:

• News with Nick and a look at how Capitol Hill is "getting fit" [0:54]

• Why you need to find and lean into your ideal clients in order to have a successful business and a strong community [5:36]

• The reasons that SEO is crucial for attracting organic traffic [7:12]

• What happens when you build a content strategy that offers value [8:27]

• How to approach leveraging the power of social media to create a dynamic presence [9:51]

• What the ultimate goal of email marketing should be [11:28]

• Tips for incorporating video tutorials into your digital marketing strategy [12:25]

• A look at online reviews and the power they hold [13:13]

• What to consider with mobile optimization [14:28]

• Some of the ways to utilize the data analytics tools that are available [15:45]

• Why you need to have everything dailed in before even starting to do paid advertising [15:51]

Quotes:

"It was completely different 5 [or] 10 years ago, but now it's once you know your niche audience, you just follow the trends and you just put your niche on each trend." [Megan, 9:13]

"Personally I think, vlogging, short posts, long form posts and all the video content you can do is great. People love videos." [Megan, 12:43]

"You can't improve what you don't track, and it doesn't really matter how you feel. It just depends what the numbers say, they're the things that move [the needle]." [Nick, 16:00]

"You have to earn the right to do paid advertising, in my opinion. Everything needs to be dialed in." [16:45]

LINKS:

Capitol Hill Gets Fit as Myzone Congressional Activity Challenge Returns

Fly-In and Advocacy Summit (Washington, D.C., May 7-8)

Register Now for the fitDEGREE Owners Summit Happening October 15th, 16th & 17th in Atlanta, GA!

Learn More About Our Partners & Get Exclusive Offers

Visit the fitDEGREE Knowledge Base

Send Megan Your Playlist or Discuss the Podcast Here!

fitDEGREE's Business Portal

https://calendly.com/fitdegree/support

[email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/fitdegree/

​​https://www.instagram.com/fitspot_guru/

https://www.fitdegree.com/blog

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ5rK6zWPXjbxtUQx3ys9Q

What We Cover In This Episode:

• What the transition from studio owner to HR looked like for Katie [6:25]

• How to convey, from a marketing perspective, the move from1099 independent contractor to W-2 employee [7:42]

• The top common misconceptions of HR in the fitness industry [11:22]

• What the statistics say for studios that do not have a W-2 structure in place [14:34]

• The fundamental differences between an employee and contractor to be aware of [16:33]

• Some common legal pitfalls that studios may face during this process [19:26]

• How hiring contractors versus employees affects the culture of your studio [22:34]

• The benefits and/or drawbacks of hiring contractors versus employees [26:15]

Quotes:

"What's your culture saying? How do we define it? What does your pricing look like? Is it supportive of being able to bring employees? If not, let's work with that first." [Katie, 9:23]

"I think workers are getting smarter [about] what their rights are. The younger they get, they know exactly what's due to them and what their rights are, and good for them." [Katie, 14:01]

"I think if you really put the work in ahead of time and hire fast and fire slow… I am not saying it the other way around. I am not messing up. Hire quickly because you know exactly who you need to have." [Katie, 20:50]

LINKS: Katie's Website & Instagram

Episodes 215, 217, 219 & 221 with Michael Jay & Mitch McGinley

Register Now for the fitDEGREE Owners Summit Happening October 15th, 16th & 17th in Atlanta, GA!

Learn More About Our Partners & Get Exclusive Offers

Visit the fitDEGREE Knowledge Base

Send Megan Your Playlist or Discuss the Podcast Here!

fitDEGREE's Business Portal

https://calendly.com/fitdegree/support

[email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/fitdegree/

​​https://www.instagram.com/fitspot_guru/

https://www.fitdegree.com/blog

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ5rK6zWPXjbxtUQx3ys9Q

What We Cover In This Episode:

• What early access tags are and the ways you can now start implementing them [7:44]

• How this feature was designed to make memberships more valuable in your studio [8:40]

• Common use cases for these access tags in fitDEGREE [11:20]

• How to locate and create early access tags in your admin [13:42]

• Why the early access tag feature was really built for studios with waitlists [16:01]

• What you can do to leverage early access tags as fun perks on intro offers [16:24]

Quotes:

"We were worried it might have gotten a little bit swept under the rug because spot booking was our big fancy flashy guy, but early access tags are really impactful for you and your business." [Megan, 7:25]

"The reason the future really stuck out to me was we were also hearing over the months that we need to make memberships more valuable on the platform. What's the point of a client being on an autopay membership other than price?" [Nick, 9:05]

"This feature was built for studios that have classes with waitlists in mind, so if you do not have a registration window on your classes and you just leave it as always open, tighten it up and put this perk on your membership." [Nick, 16:01]

LINKS:

The Ranch Debuts NY Wellness Retreat (Fitt Insider)

Malibu's famous outpost heads East (NY Times)

Register Now for the fitDEGREE Owners Summit Happening October 15th, 16th & 17th in Atlanta, GA!

Learn More About Our Partners & Get Exclusive Offers

Visit the fitDEGREE Knowledge Base

Send Megan Your Playlist or Discuss the Podcast Here!

fitDEGREE's Business Portal

https://calendly.com/fitdegree/support

[email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/fitdegree/

​​https://www.instagram.com/fitspot_guru/

https://www.fitdegree.com/blog

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ5rK6zWPXjbxtUQx3ys9Q

What We Cover In This Episode:

• What to realize about breaking through the "wall of trust" with clients [6:06]

• A rundown of the three most important documents to include in your website [11:04]

• How a website disclaimer specifically protects fitness studio owners [11:59]

• One of the first things that you should do when opening a fitness studio [14:42]

• Ways to approach your terms and conditions for visitor use of your website [18:28]

• What makes a privacy policy so crucial when building trust with clients [23:51]

• The next step to take to access over 50 DIY templates from Lisa [26:04]

Quotes:

"I realize people want to make their clients feel comfortable and you do need to protect yourself and have clear boundaries and clear legal policies, but you don't have to make them harsh or cold, negative or uncomfortable, because it's already uncomfortable enough as it is." [Lisa, 8:06]

"The idea is you want to get clear about creating your boundaries and clear about who you are and what you do and what you don't do, so that people can't come back and take the information on your website and come after you." [13:00]

"When you put all the time and money into opening a studio, you want to do everything you possibly can to make it safe and protected so that no one can come and take it away from you or sue you." [Lisa, 17:45]

LINKS:

Receive 25% off of all Lisa's DIY Legal Templates & Starter Kits using coupon code FITDEGREE

Schedule a Free Chat With Lisa!

Lisa's Website & Client Love

Connect with Lisa on Facebook & Instagram

Episode 240: Disclaimers and Waivers – Focusing on Brick and Mortar Businesses with a Nod to the Virtual World featuring Lisa Fraley

Register Now for the fitDEGREE Owners Summit Happening October 15th, 16th & 17th in Atlanta, GA!

Learn More About Our Partners & Get Exclusive Offers

Visit the fitDEGREE Knowledge Base

Send Megan Your Playlist or Discuss the Podcast Here!

fitDEGREE's Business Portal

https://calendly.com/fitdegree/support

[email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/fitdegree/

​​https://www.instagram.com/fitspot_guru/

https://www.fitdegree.com/blog

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ5rK6zWPXjbxtUQx3ys9Q