10 Ways to Prepare Your Fitness Studio for the New Year

For many, the dawn of a new year brings a renewed focus on wellness and health, which can be great news for fitness businesses. It's an opportunity to draw in new clients and reconnect with existing ones — but to make sure they want to stick around after the New Year's excitement dies down, you need to be prepared. 

So, how can you make sure your fitness studio is ready? Ring in the New Year's resolution rush and keep that energy going all year with these strategies. 

1. Deep clean and restock your studio

It's important to thoroughly clean and restock your studio to prepare for new and returning clients. This will ensure your space is inviting and ready to create a positive first impression. Consider hiring professional cleaners to thoroughly clean and sanitize the entire studio, including restrooms, locker rooms, and equipment. Additionally, take inventory of all supplies, such as towels, hygiene products, and merchandise, to ensure you are fully prepared for the upcoming busy period. 

2. Prep your employees

You want your employees to feel supported in their roles. This ensures they can seamlessly perform their duties and deliver quality customer service. Hold a staff meeting to reinforce your studio's policies and protocols and discuss scheduling and availability. If necessary, provide them with additional training and information that will help them handle client requests and any challenges they may encounter. Additionally, equip your staff with sales scripts to assist them in providing information and upselling clients on holiday packages, maximizing every opportunity during the busy season. 

Pro tip: Use a studio management platform that enables staff management to coordinate scheduling, conduct performance reviews, and hold staff contests.  

3. Attract clients with an intro offer

An intro offer is any kind of promotion given to new clients the first time they purchase a class at your fitness business. They're a great strategy to appeal to new clients any time of year but can be especially effective in January when more people are looking to revamp their fitness routines. Enticing intro offers encourage curious potential clients to try out your studio without a long-term commitment. They can also give current clients the nudge to try out a new class or offering at your studio. Once you have these prospective clients in the door, you have the opportunity to provide an exceptional experience and get them to sign up. 

Consider creating a limited-time, extra-special intro offer around the New Year to capture the excitement and increased interest in fitness during the season. Build buzz for your offer by listing your business in the Mindbody app and showcasing your classes with Promoted Intro Offers. That way, your intro packages will be displayed in the "Intro Deals" section of the Mindbody app home screen, right in front of potential new customers. 

Remember: The intro offer you choose will depend on your business setup and sales process. Explore various client intro offers to find the best match for your business.

4. Equip your studio with a branded mobile app 

We've already discussed the fitness frenzy that accompanies the new year, so making your brand stand out is critical. One way to keep your fitness studio top of mind and easily accessible is through a branded mobile app. With a unique branded mobile app, your members can book, pay for, and keep track of classes, all on their phones. You can also send push notifications to highlight deals (like intro offers!), promote events, notify schedule changes or class cancellations, and even check in with "We miss you" messages.  

Build your branded mobile app now so it's ready to go when the new year arrives. The sooner your app is ready to go, the more time you'll have to promote it and encourage downloads. 

5. Set up a customer retention workflow

You'll likely see many fresh faces in your studio during the first few weeks of the new year. Turn those new visitors into regular customers by setting up automated lead management and marketing communications. By automating these processes, you can be confident that your customers will receive the right messages at the right time based on where they are in their customer journey—allowing your business to seamlessly build relationships with every client. Set up your smart lists and communications now so you won't miss out on any opportunities come January. 

Pro tip: How you interact with potential clients can determine whether you miss out on or gain new members. Develop a reliable prospect follow-up process for contacting and nurturing leads. 

6. List your studio on ClassPass

There's no better time to list your business on ClassPass than the kickoff of the year. ClassPass is the ultimate consumer marketplace for fitness classes, connecting gyms and studios with an unparalleled audience of wellness seekers. For users, it's a flexible way to discover and try a variety of fitness classes without the commitment of sticking to one location. For businesses, it's a free tool to gain exposure, attract customers, and fill up unused spaces in your classes. 

7. Give your studio a refresh

New year, new studio vibes! Give your fitness studio an updated look to create a welcoming and enjoyable atmosphere for new and returning clients. You can make some simple changes by updating signage, revamping the décor, adding some greenery, or applying a fresh coat of paint. If you want to improve the flow of movement or maximize space, consider rearranging the equipment and furniture. 

8. Update your website

The new year rush means potential clientele will search for a new fitness studio. Update your website to capture their attention. Ensure the website is easy to use and includes updated information such as class schedules, pricing, and promotions. 

Pro tip: If you want to stand out in the crowd of fitness studio competitors, improve your website and SEO to reach the top of the search rankings.   

9. Expand your class schedule

With increased studio traffic, make sure you have enough staff and classes to meet the demand. Review your current schedule, identify peak times, and consider expanding your class schedule to accommodate the surge of clients. Additionally, think about introducing new classes to attract different types of clientele. 

10. Get clients to come back

In November/December, business is booming for most small businesses; however, their shop can become a ghost town in January. If things start to slow down at your business after the holiday rush, and you've been proactive in capturing email addresses and phone numbers, start reaching out to clients and encourage them to come back. Let them know you miss them by promoting a post-holiday special to get the conversation going. 

Make the most of the resolution season and start the new year right with some pre-holiday preparation. This time of the year can be an amazing opportunity for fitness studios if you're prepared to harness the excitement and energy. By setting up your processes and utilizing your resources to attract and retain customers now, you'll be ready to ring in the revenue all year long.