Owning a yoga business can be an extremely expensive venture if you don’t do it right. There are all kinds of things that can drain your money over time, one of them being client turnover. Client turnover is a natural occurrence sometimes, perhaps due to moving, financial commitments, or something else – however, if it happens too often then it can cost your business a lot of money. It could also indicate that you could be doing something wrong to make your clients want to leave and practice yoga elsewhere. In this day and age when there are so many competing yoga businesses and similar classes vying for your audience’s attention, you need to do everything you can to keep them coming back to you.
This is a contributed post. Please refer to my disclosure for more information.
If you want to prevent client turnover or reduce it in your yoga business, read on for 13 smart ways to do so.
1. Provide Ongoing Challenges and Training
As you teach yoga, you’re going to need to switch things up from time to time. Whether you’re training beginners, intermediates, or experts, it’s important to keep everybody engaged and enjoying your classes. Make sure you mix things up so that regular clients don’t get bored, and that there’s always something in your classes keeping them coming back for more. You should have sessions that can suit all abilities – although this can be difficult at times. If you’re worried you won’t be able to host classes for both beginners and experts, you might want to offer separate beginner classes, and then classes for those with more advanced abilities.
It’s also worth noting that you should keep your own skills and knowledge up to date. Even if you think you know all there is to know, you’ll probably be able to find something new you can learn and implement in your classes to make them even better. Your classes can only be as good as you are – so aim to be the best instructor and business owner that you can be!
2. Provide Support To Your Clients
Your clients will need support from time to time. Let them know when they are doing it right, guide them gently when they are not. It will take newbies a while to get their form perfect, so you’ll need to watch with a critical eye to ensure that nobody is about to hurt themselves and that everybody is getting the absolute most out of what you are telling them to do. Doing the class alongside them can be great for you and show them exactly what they are supposed to be doing, but it can be a good idea to walk around the class gently correcting form and giving advice when needed.
Just remember not only to mention when they need to change what they are doing but to tell them when they are doing it right. Many people, especially newbies, will need this validation to have the confidence to keep on going.
3. Give Incentives To Come Back To Your Classes
All instructors should give incentives to clients to ensure they stay loyal. For example, you could give them loyalty cards so that after a certain number of classes, they can enjoy a free class with you. If you host seminars and workshops, invite them along to those too. If you have a pay monthly option, you could consider giving newbies a week free so that they can see if yoga is really for them before they commit to paying for the whole month. On certain days, you could even provide free fruit for your clients to take with them as they are leaving. Something as simple as a free piece of fruit can really help to keep your clients satisfied!
4. Ask For Feedback From Your Clients
You might think you’re doing a stand up job, but your clients could have a completely different view. Asking for feedback will give you an idea of where you need to improve and what your teachings may be lacking. This should be done anonymously so that they don’t feel under pressure. If it’s not anonymous, then they might not tell you the truth. Make sure you take any changes they suggest on board and let them know when you are implementing changes in advance so that there are no surprises. Things like Learning Management System consulting can make receiving and tracking feedback easier, as well as implementing it when the time comes.
5. Get To Know Your Clients So You Can Personalise the Service
Getting to know your clients will make them feel like a real part of the team. Get to know their names, ask them about themselves, and learn what’s important to them. You don’t have to be their best friend or their counsellor, but having personalized conversations with them and showing them that they are important to you will go a long way to ensuring that they come back again and again. Ask questions and be interested in them – but make sure you are genuine. Your clients are smart and will know if you’re not being authentic. If you do this right, your clients will often return not only for your classes and expertise but for you and the whole atmosphere!
6. Invest In Things To Make Their Lives Easier
What can you invest in to make client lives easier as they partake in your sessions? Having mats and cushions will save them having to bring in their own, as well as weighted blankets if you like to have 5-10 minutes of relaxation and meditation at the end of the session. This will make the sessions seem more special and enjoyable, too.
7. Make Sure You Know How To Deal With Any Issues That Arise
People are not robots, and this means that you need to know how to deal with any issues that could arise. In most cases, you won’t have to deal with many issues in your yoga classes, but it could be wise to have an idea of how you’re supposed to deal with them should something happen. Keeping a nice atmosphere and ensuring everybody is comfortable at your classes is key to your long term success as an instructor. For example, do you know what you would do if two people in your class were having a dispute, or even if somebody in one of your classes hurt themselves while you were teaching? It’s so important to make sure you are prepared for any eventuality.
8. Recognize Your Clients For Their Hard Work
Ensure you recognize your clients for their hard work. Talk about it individually and as a team. It’s great to praise the class as a whole, but don’t forget to mention anything you feel specific members of the class have improved upon and congratulate them. This will make them feel great, and make them want to come back over and over. It can be difficult for people to see and appreciate their own progress, so make sure you point something great out when you see it! This can always go a long way to making sure your clients love visiting your classes. Just make sure you know how to give praise and compliments – you don’t want anything to seem backhanded, and you certainly don’t want to embarrass somebody. If you’re unsure, it might be better to approach certain clients at the end of the class to tell them how great they are doing, rather than doing it in front of everybody.
9. Give Discounts For Referrals
As a further incentive, you could offer discounts for referrals. For example, if a client refers a friend to your class, you could give them both a nice discount. This encourages your clients to keep on referring friends and family, and your class should grow in no time.
10. Offer Value Online, Too
If we have learned anything so far in 2020, it’s that still being able to provide value online is crucial. Could you write blog posts or create videos to help your clients perfect their form and technique when they are not in class? Could you do a seminar? You could even create something for other instructors if you have the expertise!
11. Stay On Time
Being on time is a must, as everybody is so busy these days. Start on time and finish on time, and if you can’t for whatever reason, let it be known as soon as possible. You want to make sure people can plan their day around your sessions, and for this to happen, you need to be reliable.
12. Make The Most Of Social Media
Social media is such an important marketing tool, so make the most of it. Ask for reviews from your clients, and take pictures of your classes (with permission). Let your social followers know about your class’s achievements too. Not only could this encourage people to turn up and have a go for themselves, but it might also just make your clients smile!
13. Make It Super Easy To Book
Have an online booking system so that it’s easy to book in a class with you – the majority of people do not like calling to book on the phone!
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