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Pilates Business Podcast
You Were First — So Why Are You Losing Clients to New Pilates Studios?
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Picture this. You're finally having that quiet moment. You're sitting down, you pick up the phone, you start to scroll. You're relaxing. You're seeing posts from your friends who took that big trip, the latest hot take on how much protein you should be consuming. And then, boom, there it is. A post from a studio in town, A new studio in town. And you immediately feel that little knot in. In your stomach. You know the feeling. And then suddenly, they're everywhere. You're grabbing coffee in your local hotspot, and over here, someone talking about them. Perhaps your clients are curious. Perhaps you see them appear more and more in your feed. And then somehow people who used to come to your studio are suddenly trying the new place down the street. And the hardest part is that you're sitting there thinking, but we were here first. You've built the community. You survived the hard years. You spent years refining your teaching skills, building relationships and creating something meaningful. So why does it suddenly feel like those newer studios have all the momentum today? I'm talking about the real reason that established studios actually lose clients to newer competitors. And spoiler alert, it's usually not because the newer studio is better. It's because novelty creates attention. But what I want you to know is that your positioning is what creates long term loyalty. And there's a massive difference between the two.
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Well, hi there. I'm Sarah Glanfield. I'm a business and marketing strategist just for boutique fitness studio owners like you. If you're ready to be inspired and make a bigger impact, you're in the right place.
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All you need are a few key
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strategies, the right mindset, and some support along the way. Join me as I share the real life insights that will help you grow a sustainable and profitable studio. This is the Pilates Business Podcast.
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Welcome back to the Pilates Business Podcast. I'm Sarah Glanfield and the founder of Spring 3 Studio Business Consulting. And today's episode is one I know is going to hit home for a lot of studio owners right now. Because whether you own a Pilates studio, a yoga studio, or another boutique fitness studio, business competition feels louder than ever. It is, actually.
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It's.
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There is more competition than we have ever seen. This industry is booming. New studios are opening constantly. New franchises are popping up and expanding. Brands are getting slicker, Marketing is getting more aggressive. And honestly, I think the hardest part of all, of all is that social media creates this constant feeling that everyone else is growing faster than you. Do you feel it too? Because I think I do too. And for Many three owners. This is an sort of an underlying frustration that it brings up and it looks something a bit like this. I've been doing this for a long time. We've been here for years. We have the experience, we have invested in our teaching skills. We have loyal clients. So why does it feel like those newer studios are the ones that are getting all the attention? And what I want you to know is if you felt this, you are not alone. Honestly, like I said, we all feel it because it's in our faces more than we have ever had it before. Right? And I think this is one of the biggest emotional challenges on so many levels that comes with growing an established business. Because when you're newer, your energy naturally goes towards building, right? But once you've been around for a while, there is this other challenge, and that challenge is staying relevant without just constantly chasing that reinvention. I want to say before we dive into all any of the details about this is that to be very clear, new studios do not automatically win because they are better. In fact, many aren't. If you've been around for a long time and you have done all of those things that I've mentioned, they are probably not better, actually, but they do benefit from something that is really, really powerful. And that thing is novelty. And as human beings, you know, we're all just biased that way. We're naturally drawn to what feels fresh, feels exciting, what feels new and what feels different. It's perfectly normal for that to be the case. And I think this is where sometimes established studios get into trouble, right? Because once you were that new studio, you enjoyed that, that energy that you may have had when you first opened as well, but when you become. When you're in a place where you have been in business for a while and you're feeling as though you're seeing these other studios pop up and you're seeing that attention being put to their. Those studios instead of perhaps your own. A lot of studio owners make the big mistake, and that is they start reacting emotionally, right, Instead of being thoughtful and strategic. And this is, I think, one of the things that if I could gift to studio owners the one thing when it comes to growing a business, it would be. It would be this. It would be to slow down, take a breath and ins and. And not. Not panic, not discount, just to try to, you know, get out of that panic mode, not start just posting more and more and spewing more content out on social media, not try to copy that new studio in their pricing or their new class Style, but actually to take a pause. Because when you're doing all of those things, panicking, discounting, just trying to post more and outpost the competition, you're really feeding into this lack of confidence in what perhaps makes you special in the first place, right? You're fueling or moving away from what it is that you probably focused on initially to help you get to where you were. And I think often this is what weakens the brand. Because the goal is not to always just be the newest studio in town. You can't win that game forever. No one can. That new studio will, will have their moment and then they too will become a studio perhaps that has been open for a while too, right? And so the goal is not to become the newest studio in town over and over again. You can't win that game forever. The goal is to become the studio that people trust, that people remember, that people emotionally connect with, and the one that people come back to over and over and over again. And that's a very, very different business strategy. So I want to talk a bit today about a lot of things around this because I think there's a lot to unpack here on every level. But I would do want to talk a little bit about some of the shifts that I see those established studio owners making so that they don't have to keep chasing attention and instead build that very lasting market position. Because truly the businesses that I work with, the studio owners that I work with, are not here to make a quick buck and, and exit. The studio owners that I work with are folks who care deeply about what they do, the impact they make that they're building a business that they want to be. They want to make that impact in their clients lives and they want to share the incredible benefits, the powerful benefits of what they do in their studio, of what happens when people are inside the four walls of their studio space in a very regular basis. And in order for that to happen, you also have to be around for a while, right? And so what we're looking for is longevity in your business. I know longevity is like a, you know, hot topic and lot of different ways, but we also want longevity for your business, right? And that's really what we are sort of underpinning. Our entire strategy on here is not just the overnight success of a, you know, of, of opening right when, when you open. It's also about staying in business, right? You want to stay in business. So let's talk a little bit about some of the things that the, the differences between newer studios and established Studios. And I think that one of the biggest mistakes that established studios make is assuming that clients will stay because they have always stayed. So what I mean by that is that they will come because they've always come. They've. They've always booked into the Tuesday at 10, 10am they will always book into the Tuesday at 10am Class, right? But that history that they may have with your studio does not in and of itself alone create loyalty. What actually creates loyalty is an identity, right? And what new studios do is they naturally generate that curiosity. So they sell, there's. There's a selling of excitement in those early days, right? People want to try the new thing. People see the new space, they want to check it out, they want to experience that new energy, right? That's human behavior. I have done it. I'm a very loyal, very, very loyal client to a few different studios. But I am always keen. I mean, this is also what I do, but I'm always keen to go and check out the new thing and to see what it's about, right? It's human behavior to want to see, right? The new restaurant opens in town. It's the same way. It may not be your new favorite place. You may not even really like the kind of food they have there, but you kind of want to go and check it out, right? And it's the same thing when a new studio opens. But that novelty often doesn't stay, right? But what does last is the identity that people have as part of your community and what you do. And this is where those very mature brands separate themselves because clients will eventually ask themselves and come to the, perhaps that moment where they, they realize, you know, where is it that I feel most comfortable, where do I feel like I most belong? And it's not which studio has the newest reformer, right? Or which studio has the latest gadget and gizmo or, you know, whatever it might be they're looking for where a place that feels like they, that they want to be a part of, right? And I think this is a very important distinction because the strongest studios in town are not just places that people attend for the sake of checking it out, looking at it, right? The strongest studios in town, the ones that have that longevity factor are, are the ones that become part of people's routines, part of their relationships, where they see people they know, part of their lifestyle, part of their identity, right? And I think that the most challenging thing is that a lot of established studios actually stop actively communicating what that is over time. I think early on, people are studio Owners are often very, very good at this because we're very focused on that brand in the early days of a studio, right. But as time goes on, you're faced with other things. You're faced with the operations, the growth, the hiring of the teacher, the teacher and another teacher and maybe someone to help with the social media and that front desk person. You're thinking about HR and you know, SOPs and how to stay, you know what to spend on your marketing, right. And you're, you're doing all these other things. And so a lot of times what gets lost in that is that value and the perception that you want people to have of your business. But those newer studios are not there yet, right. They're in a different phase of their growth. So they're aggressively shaping the perception because they want to make an impact. And so they're selling aspiration, they're energized. There's sort of like that impact that they're looking for and they are doing all of that and that's all they're doing. Established studios often make the mistake of assuming people already know we're all about. And what happens is, yes, people may be familiar with what you do, but without being very intentional about the positioning, you ultimately become, it becomes somewhat invisible to even those people who've been coming to you most, the most loyal clients that you have. So we want to make sure that you are very consistent, no matter what stage of business you're at, about showcasing the value of what you do truly. And it makes, you know, once we start to work on this inside of the, inside of the marketing intensive, which is what I run inside of my Thrive Group, we do in a marketing intensive three to four times a year. And we do a deep dive into the messaging and the positioning of all of our studios. And it's fascinating to see how often we realize that we could be doing so much more to showcase that. And all of the little things that you can be doing and the ways that you can do it is exactly what we do inside of the marketing intensive. And it's not that hard. It really isn't. But you just have to know what to do. But first you have to also have awareness for the fact that you might not be doing it. So maybe you're seeing that here, but it is one of those things that as you grow, it often gets pushed to the wayside. Okay, now I must talk a little bit about why clients leave. And I think this can be really, can get very, very personal very, very quickly. And I said Earlier. It can be very emotional to be in this place as a business owner, when you are perhaps concerned about seeing your, your clients go elsewhere and try that new studio and it opens up, you know, a bit of a can of worms emotionally. You know, will they like it better? Is it, what am I missing? Will they come back? You know, and there's that loyalty that you may have been building for many, many, many, many years. And it can be a bit of a gut punch when you, you know that your client's gone elsewhere. And even if they've gone just for a day or a couple of sessions or a couple of classes, it can still feel like perhaps they've turned their back on you. And I think that oftentimes it can then lead us to come in some darker places and some concerns. And like I said, one of the things we often see studio owners then do is very interest, sort of react and panic. And that's a result of some of these other thoughts that come along as well. So things like worrying that if clients leave, maybe our classes aren't good enough anymore. And, you know, usually, you know, that's not the real issue, right. And it's, it's, it's the reality that if you have invested in your teaching and you have a rock solid class, you're not going to be losing clients because of teaching quality. Right? Sometimes there is more to it than just the teaching quality. And I always say that is absolutely number one priority. You have to be an exceptional teacher, you have to hire exceptional teachers, you have to deliver an exceptional class in order to be competitive. But there's a lot of other things that go into the identity and the perception that people have of your business. Because sometimes we're not losing the client because the teaching quality that can be exceptional. It's can be because perhaps other parts of that client experience stopped evolving, right. Perhaps the energy is a bit stale, perhaps the communication is a little bit repetitive, right. Perhaps the excitement has faded, the energy is gone. Perhaps the community is starting to perhaps feel less collaborative, right? And this happens very, very quietly, very, very slowly. And I think it happens often sort of at an accelerated pace, or it happens quietly over time when we see that the studio owner is also struggling with some of these other things as well. So when we see studio owners feeling more burnt out when they're wearing a lot of hats, because when you're in that survival mode as a, as a studio owner, as a teacher, and you're getting pulled into things that you, you're feeling like you're out of your depth on or you're feeling frustrated by or it's not work that excites you. Right. That does have trickle down effects into your other teachers. Yes. But also in terms of how you represent your business in your marketing and your conversations you're having and your sales conversations and clients ultimately will feel it too. And it can happen, like I said, very, very quietly, but it may not be until you're kind of beyond the point of return that you see it and realize when. What, why newer studios have a major advantage over an existing studio. Who is in that place? Because the energy in a new studio is typically a lot more vibrant. There is a lot of excitement, it's all new, it's all fresh and it's sort of a whole sort of a very different place from a founder's perspective. Right. And that is a, you know, typically kind of a. There is a place for momentum and hope and expectation and it feels exciting because it's new that established studio owners actually have the ability to create something that is much, much deeper than that sort of newness. Right. And that is trust. You have the history with your clients, you have those relationships, you have the consistency, you have the reputation. And that is really, really powerful, but only if it's activated intentionally. And this is why retaining clients is not just about delivering a class. It is about that, but it's not just about that. It's about continuously renewing that emotional connection, renewing that the inspirational path forward of where you're taking your clients and what they're focused on and why. Because really, you know, when we think of the studio space and what it is means to people today, it isn't just about checking the box of I did my cardio workout, I did my strength workout, check the box. There is so much more to it than that. People want to feel like they're a part of something that is alive, that is bringing them energy just because they're in the room. Right. Not something that they're just checking the box to do. Okay, so let's talk a little bit about how this impacts in terms of price, competition, etc. Etc. Because one of the things that happens when a new CEO or new, many new studios enter your city town market, we often find that, you know, your instinct is to react by just becoming more, you know, quote unquote, I'm doing air quotes right now, competitive. And that often means that you're discounting more, you're offering more promotions, perhaps you're adding in a few different classes, a few more offers here and there. But the problem with all of that reaction based kind of effort is that it usually actually weakens the perception that people have of your business. It weakens your positioning because instead of strengthening what makes your studio unique and distinct, you're diluting it to try to appeal to everyone. And I think what this does is that, is that it's sort of the beginning of this sort of cascading or domino effect, right? It creates this sort of dangerous position where the business gets busier, maybe because of some of those things, maybe you get a few extra sales, maybe you get a few more members, but the business is not healthier, it's not stronger, it's not more profitable, it's not more robust. There is often more complexity, there are often thinner margins, there's often more operational strain. And oftentimes a studio owner is stepping up into a place where they're taking more on in this scenario as well. And eventually what happens is the studio owner starts wondering, you know, why are things so much harder than it than it was before? And it's yes, because there is competition, but it's the way that you're reacting to the competition. Because sustainable, robust, strong, healthy, profitable studio businesses are not built by constantly reacting to the next competition for wellness and movement dollars. Those businesses that grow in this environment, that are successful in this environment, have more intention, more clarity, more direction. They have direct, clear messaging, they have a strong experience, they have a solid culture within the studio. They have a client journey that has touch points that are mapped out intentionally, that aren't just sales pitches. And they have standards for their team and their clients and the expectations and the. So the strongest studios are not just trying to win every single possible client out there, trying to appeal to everybody. They're becoming the obvious choice for the right clients. And that's what positioning is really all about. And it gets more important as markets become more crowded. And the reality is we cannot turn back time. This is the industry that we are in today. It is not changing. And the question is, how are you going to build in this industry as it is today and where it is heading next with more competition for wellness dollars and a more informed client. Because alongside the more competition is also more demand and a more informed client. I'm a client who is savvier than they've ever been. And mostly what I'm seeing is that demand is not the problem. Which tells me that in order for you to grow, you have to meet your clients needs. Final thing I want to share with you today and I think this might be one of the most important shifts of all if you are first in your town. I think that there is, you know, you've been doing this a long time. And I'm fortunate that I get to work with a lot of studio owners who have been in the industry a long time. You know, I'm talking decades. And the reality is that no matter what stage of business or how long you've been in business, at every phase, there is a challenge initially. If you're someone who's been in business for 20 years, you'll remember that we spent a lot of time talking about, you know, what Pilates is and how it's not yoga, right? There was challenges along the way at every turn. And those studios who have survived that, who are thriving today, and there are many of them, I am very fortunate to work with many of them that, you know, being first is not. Was never the thing that they leaned on as the thing that was going to help them to thrive. It's not about being first. It's about evolving and adapting with the market, but also, and mostly with what it is that your clients really want and need. Right? Because evolving with intention and being very clear about that is where established studios continue to win. Because that experience that you have in embracing that challenge, in learning as you go, in implementing consistently, is what is contains. There's a lot of wisdom there. There's a lot in there that you have that you have learned along the way, right? That is going to help you to continue to adapt and evolve. So you know your clients deeply already. You understand your market. You've survived far more challenging seasons than the one that we're in today. And you've built trust in your community with many, many, many people that newer businesses have never earned. And if your business stops evolving, honestly, your client will start. Will start associating your business and your brand with the past instead of the future. And that's really dangerous for your. Your longevity of your business, right? Especially in boutique fitness, where perception is really important. There's a lot tied up in. And I've talked about this before on the podcast, there's a lot tied up in the way that people see their relationship with your brand. And so evolving does not mean to be clear, chasing every trend, and it doesn't mean abandoning who you are at all. It means that you want to be crystal clear about both of those, about. About your identity, about who you are and the value that you deliver. It means, though, refining what you're doing there is not this one Big hack that is going to help you get to that next phase of growth. It's going to come down to the unglamorous work, as I like to call it, of sharpening your marketing messaging, of strengthening the client experience, of improving your systems, of deepening your relationships, of improving the retention of you, developing those leadership skills, the communication skills, and creating a stronger connection. Connection. And the best studios, honestly feel, in my opinion anyway, feel both established because there's trust there. You know, it works, it has worked, the workout works, but it also is energized, right? So stable and relevant, trusted and evolving. Right? And honestly, I think that that's the sweet spot that the studio that just opened down the street is desperately trying to reach. And you are right there. So, a few takeaways from today's episode and I'm glad I share this with you and I'd love to hear your feedback and thoughts because there is a lot that we unpack today and there's so much to it. Right? But if you're losing clients to newer, newer studios, it doesn't automatically mean your business is failing. So let's take, let's change direction right away. And it definitely does not mean that newer students are inherently better at all. But it does mean that your business cannot rely on just being there, just being established. So being here the longest is not positioning. Truly, the studios that continue growing in this, this market that we're in today are the ones that are intentional about evolving their brand, about deepening the relationships they have with their community, about the client experience, about communication and their leadership over time. So you're not being reactive, you're being very strategic because clients will always stay and they will always come back to the place that they feel that they were. That strong emotional connection where they feel like they're understood, where they feel inspired and where they feel like they belong. And truly, that's what creates loyalty. So if you're listening today and you're thinking to yourself, oh boy, I think we've been operating on autopilot for a while. Honestly, that awareness is incredibly powerful because the goal isn't to panic every time a new studio opens nearby. The goal is to build a business so intentional and so emotionally connected to your community that your ideal client stops looking elsewhere in the first place. And that's exactly the kind of work that we focus on. Inside of my business coaching program for Thrive. Inside Thrive, I help boutique fitness studios to strengthen the foundations of sustainable growth from marketing, sales, retention to systems, leadership, profitability numbers and long term marketing messaging and positioning. It's all of it. And this is what has helped hundreds of studio owners to grow their businesses stronger instead of being just busier. And you can learn more and book a discovery call@spring3.com forward/thrive. And if this resonated with you what we talked about today, please share it with another studio owner who might be feeling a little bit discouraged by competition right now. Because your experience really does matter, your community really, really matters, and truly, your business still has room to evolve and grow. Thanks so much for listening and I'll see you in the next episode.
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Did you love this episode and want more? Head to spring3.com and check out my free resources that will help you run a profitable and fulfilling studio business. And before you go, one last reminder. There is no one way to do what you do, only your way. So whatever it is that you you want to do, create or offer, you've got this. Thanks again for joining me today and have a wonderful rest of your day.