Yogically stealing students from THIS yoga studio to THAT yoga studio

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Loyal students remain loyal to their yoga studios and yoga teachers. So when a new yoga studio opened in Helen’s city… and neighbourhood… she was skeptical to visit.

Partially she was not sure about new yoga teachers, was a bit uncertain to try something new and after all was not too keen to pay more…

But the real reason why Helen did not visit a new studio of course had nothing to do with above, she simply did not have good enough reason to transfer her loyalty from THIS studio to THAT studio.

Let’s face it, most people are resistant to changing their daily routine, and if not enough people cross the threshold of your OM  studios, its simply because you have not given good enough good enough reason to do so.

Yoga teachers often complain, “I am a new studio owner, and find when people visit us the first time they love and stay, but it’s the initial visit that is always a challenge.”

Does it sound familier?

So if you’ve just opened a yoga studio (or are considering to open one), how can you yogically bribe loyal students to come and try your yoga studio and new teachers?

~ To start with remember that people have questions and daubts about anything new, and especially if it requires changing their routine habbit.

~ List all questions your prospects might have, such as:

  • “Why shall I join THIS yoga studio, I already like visiting THAT studio?”
  • “I like THIS style of yoga, not sure about trying THAT style of yoga?”
  • “I like teachers at THIS yoga studio, I don’t know what to excpect in THAT studio?”
  • “I’d love to give it a try, but I already pay at THIS studio”

So on…

~ Next answer those questions for them, obviously, and of course find the way to let those prospects know.

~ Active promotions

It still surprises me how many new businesses would invest a fortune and not just money, but effort and emotions that go aruond opening a new business, and do almost next to nothing regaring marketing and promotions.

The truth is money is in mrketing and sales, not in the studio walls.

Your goal as a new studio owner is to get people cross the studio doorsteps.

~ The truth is, listing your business in the local directories is good, but not enough
~ Printing and distributing fliers is good but can be a waste of time, money and energy
~ Having a yoga website is essential but can be waste of money and energy if you don’t plan it…
~ Search engine optimizing your om website is important but not enough to make sale
~ Recruiting great teachers is essential but only partially
~ Decorating studios and creative OM vibe is important but certainly not enough…

What’s the solution?

IRRESISTABLE OFFER

If you feel confident about your services and studio, why not give something to your prospects they can not say no to?

There are many ways to create irresistable offer, but one that almost never fails is the mgaic four letters from the Enlgish dictionary F R E E!

FREE clients will spend

And they bring friends with them too…
You really have to give it a try to the trial offers in your service just to break that first initial resistance.

Offer people an opportunity to try your class in exchange of their data. Once they visit, and like your service, give them an opportunity to join you whilst they are still in the studio and are in the good vibes and feel happy to invest more in their health.

Since you will have a data, use it to continue active email, or direct mail promotions to keep them coming back.

Always offer something of a value, and always exceed their xpectations, its actually easy, find out what they excpect and exceed…

2 questions you might be asking yourself:

“but I don’t want to undervalue my service by giving away Free”

Let me assure you, of course you should not undervalue yourself, the simple answer is if you don’t intend to market yourself actively at the back of your Free promotions, don’t do marketing…not until you have created some form of marketing system for your services, and if you don’t know how to do it, get professional advice.

Another frequently asked question is as one client reently said to me “it means I am not making money”

The real question to aks of course is, what is the real opportunity cost of not bringing new prospects in your yoga studio?

That particular yoga studio, Helen never visited (maybe she will eventually) offers something like $30 for the trial when many offer either $10 or free trials, if Hele tried new studio yoga classes, and liked it, and decided to transfer her loyalty to a new studio, Helen’s annual yoga workshops and yoga classes budget is around $1500 annually. Can you see an opportunity cost of not having irresistable trial offers?

~ Good news is, yoga lovers like to do more yoga, and if you can answer all questions and doubts that your prospects can have, then you will break the first initial bareer of resistance and of couse will increase chances of “yogically stealing” students from THAT studio to THIS studio.

Happy yoga student bribing
Tamara Machavariani

PS. Yoga teachers do a great job, most would give their heart and soul to a student.

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