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what are studio owners doing wrong
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A comment about Groupon and Livingsocial. These two companies provide very valuable services that can be very helpful to a business, they can drive massive amounts of traffic to you.
Their biggest failing is that they provide no education on what to do with that traffic. Post sale retention is a skill that takes years to learn organically, so if you are not provided with the tools to retain these people who walk through your doors the investment can be useless.
If you want to do a Groupon make sure that you have done extensive homework and put together a retention strategy.
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So true Webmaster! We worked hard on figuring out a retention plan as well as a plan to engage our current clientele at the end of our living socials (don’t you hate it when somewhere you have been loyal to for ever runs specials for the “new” people but nothing for the loyal customers). It is such a huge learning experience, but one that is worthwhile in the end – I think it’s super important to listen to the students as well as speak to as many studio owners as possible to gain insight into what we should do, can do & shouldn’t do to ensure happy students and studio growth😄
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Webby- yes! I have used these sites personally to find great businesses I still use. The biggest issue with these vouchers in regards to pole is that many times voucher clients are treated like voucher clients. Often times the product is so under priced that the leap to making someone a full on paid client is difficult. I’ve seen stupid deals like $20/20 yoga classes. Really? Is the product that bad that you are charging $1/class? That’s way too cheap. You have to be smart about these kinds of deals, offer incentives for clients to stay and keep in line with regular cost. Understand you will get studio bouncers and those who are curious but not committed. You’ve got one chance to make their experience amazing, be prepared for the over flow of phone calls and make scheduled classes readily available and don’t over book classes just because there are a lot of voucher holders in them. Give them the same respect you would a full paying client.
I have seen these work first hand, I’ve always had girls stay, I have had girls say they aren’t into pole and its not for them too, you can kind of tell. Timing is critical also with these deals.
Veruca, I’d love to come visit your family, that just sounds so awesome!
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That is a good point Charley. Offers do need to be better crafted. Perceived value is better if your offer is an add-on rather than a reduction in price.
Get a free $50 individual assessment and training and fitness plan with the purchase of two group lessons. (for example)
Then you can meet Group On’s 50% discount requirement while maintaining your product value and selling something that doesn’t cost you anything.
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Regarding Groupons–that’s what got me to the studio and I have stayed. I probably would never have tried it without the coupon. Groupons, Living Social, etc. have gotten me to try all sorts of things I never would have tried. I do stick with the ones I like. As others have said, I could buy a discounted massage every week but one of my Groupons turned out to be with an outstanding masseuse and I have been his client for a year now. Someone said that you can’t provide a “discount” level service to the coupon clients if you expect to keep them–so true. If my masseuse had given me a “discount” level massage, I wouldn’t still be his client now.
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Discounts on occasion are a great way to show appreciation to your current clients and to entice future clients to try your product. The Value in the Discounts sites is the advertising, social media exposure, higher listing on the internet, and it creates an environment for people to try something they are curious about. IF YOUR BUSINESS CANNOT KEEP THE CLIENT, THATS THE BUSINESSES FAULT. not the coupons. Maintaining the integrity of your business at all times, regardless of discount or not and it will bring you great rewards. When I run promos…I have certain classes those people can go into, so that my current clientele can still enjoy their sessions without having a new person slow them down. If my current clients want to take part in the discount they are welcome too, but they have to go into those “other” classes too. Maintain quality at your facility and always do a little more than you think you should, and never underestimate or undervalue each and every client.
What business owners are doing wrong…
1.Thinking it will be easy
2.thinking that everyone will think just like you do
3.not being able to adapt to their clientele and employes’s wants and need
4.competing with the competition.. you opened a business to bring your presence into the market…stop poaching and coping others peoples ideas and ways.
5. learning the business side.
6. call people back and communicate well
7. keep your place cleanI have successfully owned and managed my facility for over ten years. I consider myself someone who is qualified to answer this question from an owners point of view. Until you walk a mile in someone’s shoes you will not have a clue about what their life is really like. Speculation is a dangerous friend.
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Pegasus, I hope you didn’t read any disrespect in my posts towards owners. There are many, many reasons I don’t own a pole studio. I’ve seen first hand what owners go through with staff, product and clients plus having lives. It’s very difficult. I have mad respect for all of the owners out there, even the ones who aren’t “doing it right” because there is a lot that goes into it and first time owners are learning and struggling too. It’s a journey and should be understood some times people put too much pressure on a single person when they aren’t happy with a situation.
As for discounts, i think it’s great to offer them wisely. I think groupons and the like can be great but you have to be ready for them, this is something that I think gets missed. One studio I worked at used to have pre-groupon meetings where we all sat down and got ready for a big influx of students. This was so great for us instructors, we were told the deal, told how to work with all the new people and basically got ready for the hurricane. Groupon time has been some of the best classes I’ve ver taught because its really a lot of girls like grey eyes that never thought they’d try it but saw a good deal and spontaneously ended up on the pole- these are my favorite clients. It’s a great opportunity to share with someone who otherwise wouldn’t!
The only voucher customers I hate are the ones that are the ones that buy the deal then try to adapt it, like take classes not covered under the groupon and be moved into more advanced classes. I don’t even mind the ones that can only afford to come on voucher and will ask when is the next deal because this expensive and we all have families and lives. I think most studios do a good job cs wise with vouchers, some of the deals sting a bit, lol. By and far the biggest culprit in my area of bad treatment for voucher clients is yoga studios, they will overbook classes, not respond and when you show up treat you like a #. I don’t like that, I’m not educated in yoga so I’m buying a groupon to check out your establishment because I am the client who will throw down in unlimited packages. I’ve not seen that out of most pole studios and none in my area.
I’d also advise instructors who left a studio due to interpersonal issues and want to open a studio to reflect inside for a bit about their own behavior in the undoing of that relationship. You really have to recognize what went wrong without just blaming the owner. It takes two to undo, even if your part was small. Really reflect on the cost and work it takes to run a business. Really consider if that’s what you want to do. Maybe the owner was disconnected with you because she had a big plateful. Think about everything you saw, everything you know about the person you worked for, everything that bothered you and consider really consider if you’re ready to make that step and if you think you can do it. Not do it better, just do it. I’ve been out of studios for a year now, have looked at spaces, crunched numbers and I’m sitting here not owning a studio currently. If you do choose to open your own space, make sure you’re providing your unique product and not someone else’s and be sure to reach out your previous boss. I need a charley bubble to feel safe which why I’ve long conidered opening a space but I’ve let my 2 previous boss’s know that’s where my head is at. One even offered me a job again, lol. Being a good instructor isn’t the same as running a business.
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I didn’t charley.. You always come off diplomatic and as professional as possible. I wanted to show another side.. I agree with what you are saying. The people who are trying to change the system when they use a coupon will do that regardless. I don’t think the coupon makes them do it. I think it’s the people who are that way anyway. When I run coupons I have already put the extra classes into place, believe me there is no money is coupons…it’s advertising for me. In my opinion advertising is an expense. I prepare for it to be an expense. If it because a wash I would be thrilled…but you do retain clients from it and that is profit.
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” became a wash”
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Different formats and settings work for different clientele. Someone may find multi-level works best and some feel one pole per student is best and some love Groupon and some hate it.
It’s really a matter of trial and error in your business – you have to set up and know that you may have to change things later on as you find out what the clients in your area want or prefer. So being flexible and reading what is happening within your studio is crucial to being successful.
The other things are things that apply to everyone and every business: professionalism, consistency, good teaching technique, ongoing training for yourself and your instructors.
The last is probably the one I see most abused and the reason why our advanced certification program now requires a certain amount of continuing education in order to keep your certification current.
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These are the reasons I have stopped going to studios:
Unprofessional instructors/owners…it really pisses me off. I am your customer, treat me with respect, I am paying your bills. I work in the NHS and if I treated my patients /colleagues/ managers/ rivals the way half of instructors treat theirs I would be sacked! Learn some customer service!
I do not want to know about your personal life for 15 minutes of the lesson I am paying for, nor do I want to see personal information on your business Facebook page. Do that on your own time, in fact I don’t want to know about your personal life unless we are friends, and if we are not friends then this is a business arrangement lets keep it that way.
Lack of planning, I am coming to you to teach me, for a lesson, I am not paying for a pole jam.
Structure to classes/ courses, I expect to be warmed up, taught new or progression of moves, given an opportunity to try them, cooled down.
I want what I have paid for, I.e. If I have paid for an hour, I expect an hour, not to be setting up the class 5 minutes into my hour!
Remember where your students are, take notes or something, it is very annoying when you have been going somewhere for years and they keep asking you to do a move you have had for months. Going back to planning and customer service here, you should know where your students are up to and if you kept a track of who attends and what you have taught because you planned the session you will know what they are working towards.
Just because you are an awesome poler, you are not necessarily a good teacher, do not confuse these!
Teach me correct technique, I know you want me to achieve so I will still but I really don’t appreciate the injuries through lack of proper technique being taught, I am coming to you because I don’t know how to do it myself, if I did I wouldn’t be coming. You have a responsibility to keep me safe.Ultimately, have good customer service, pay attention, don’t wing it and plan your business and your sessions.
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Spot on Shona!!! Honestly couldn’t have said it better myself.
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Excellent points Shona. A lot of that is a lack of poor training. So many people believe that because they can pole dance decently (or at least they THINK they can) that they can teach. Even if you can instruct well, that doesn’t mean you know how to run a business well.
It appalls me to see people who teach with incorrect form and technique, putting their students at risk for injury.
The best instructors I’ve met through the pole world continue to train and learn from others. No matter how good you are, you can always learn something new.
Alethea posted something great about this when she was opening her studio…I have to see if I can find it!
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Hopefully this link works for everyone here because it’s to an image with the words written on it
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ME, I’m a assuming you mean it’s a lack of GOOD training? 🙂
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