Your studio can become a local authority, synonymous with quality yoga.
Your messaging will get you there…this strategy has worked for many well-known brands. Coca-Cola has even made themselves synonymous with Christmas. Not only are they recognized around the world, but when we think of a polar bear it’s often Coca-Cola and not melting ice caps that come to mind. That’s the power of messaging.
That didn’t just happen for Coke. Brand recognition didn’t just fall into their laps. It took years of messaging and marketing to get them to the forefront of everyone’s mind. But, don’t let that discourage you. The good news is you don’t have to create a globally recognized brand like Coca-Cola, at least not when you’re starting out.
You just need recognition in your own market. When a local mother standing in her kitchen realizes her shoulders are tight her first thought should be “I need to destress and loosen these muscles”. Her second thought should be, “I should book a class at *insert your yoga studio here*”.
When people in your community know who you are, what you do and what benefits you’ll provide them they will flock to your doors. Set yourself up as an expert in your signature style of yoga, meditation or whatever makes your studio unique. Make sure the people you serve know what to expect when they visit and why you’re different from your competition.
After a while, your competition won’t even exist in their minds. Any mention of yoga in your town will make people think of you. Be different early and often, so you stand out. Find your sweet spot and use it to set your studio apart in your community.
You’ve settled on your brand identity. But, how do you let everyone know? Messaging.
This is where consistency and content domination come in. People need to know about your studio and what you’re doing. You have to interact with them, and the best way to do this is with content. Create quality content that adds value to your students’ (and potential students’) lives.
Creating content can seem daunting. Where do you even start? The first thing to realize is your content must be quality content – something that’s usable, actionable and strong.
It’s not always easy to think through what your audience wants and create it for them. The good news is it’s hard for everyone. From the biggest brand names to the smallest mom-and-pop shops, creating quality content is hard for everyone. It’s one thing that levels the playing field.
Ready to get started? Here’s what I recommend.
START WITH THE BASICS. Yoga is pretty mainstream now, so you don’t need to explain yoga to people. But, lots of people in your town are probably still unclear on its benefits. What do your students get from the type of yoga you offer? Why should people practice yoga (and check out your studio) instead of doing other forms of movement? What makes your yoga studio special?
Competition is high and income is low, so people often choose based on convenience and price. That’s our normal default decision making, but we are willing to make better decisions when we have more information. Your job is to give potential students the info they need to make good choices.
Who among us isn’t willing to go an extra 10 blocks and pay four times as much for good coffee? And just think of the arguments over what defines “good coffee.” We go to these lengths because we understand the value our favorite coffee offers.
Take charge of the conversation about your type of yoga. Teach people how to think about “good movement” and why YOUR STUDIO is worth the effort.
THE NEXT STEP IS CONSISTENCY. You’ve provided high quality content and gotten new students through the door. That’s awesome! But it doesn’t stop there. In my experience it takes three to six months for people to become committed regulars.
During that time, they haven’t fully grasped what your studio is about. They haven’t made up their minds or embraced your community. That’s why consistency is so key. Communicate your value to new students – -> heavily and frequently. Plant those seeds and water them so they clearly understand what you do and why you do it. That’s how you take them out of the intro offer and into membership.
Clearly defined messaging brings new people into your yoga studio and keeps them there for the long haul.
Once people in your community know who you are and what you do, your classes will fill up. Your retention rates will increase. People in your town will even become brand evangelists for you… bringing new people in your doors. All this goodness starts with clear messaging and content domination. So, get busy!
Unsure what your messaging should be and how to create great content to promote your studio and make your brand memorable? Hop on a FREE Strategy Session with me. Let’s talk about how you can use content to keep your classes filled and build the amazingly successful studio of your dreams.
