Who's Your Client?
Don’t you love the first of the year? After a looonngg holiday season that may have been slower than you wanted, all the folks who made a commitment to be healthier, get stronger, practice self-care, etc….are showing up on mats in your studio. Yea!
When I owned a brick and mortar yoga studio, January was my favorite month of the year. I was feeling fresh from some much needed time off, and the studio was filled with possibilities, potential and people. Not only did we have more new eager faces in January than at any other time of year, we could fill workshops and teacher trainings, too. But the real success was in cracking the code on who they were and how to get them to stick around long enough to break in their brand new mats.
The truth is, if you have new butts on mats in January, but they are not your ideal client, they'll be gone in March. And while there is nothing at all wrong with offering your services to people who may not be as good a fit as a long-term client, if we are crystal clear on who we can best serve, we can tailor our services, offers and pricing to be the perfect fit for both us and them. Isn't that the "ideal?"
Why does this matter so much? Can't you just offer yoga to anyone and everyone who shows up? Not really.
Knowing your ideal client is an important step in building and growing a successful studio. When you know your ideal client, you can tailor your marketing efforts so that you speak directly to them, using their words and solving their problem, which can increase your chances of attracting and retaining them as loyal members.
So how, then, do you determine who your ideal client really is, if it not everyone?
Use these guidelines to help you determine your ideal client:
✔️Consider who your ideal client, or client avatar really is. Look around your space and see who is there, day after day. Give them a name and be specific. Where do they live and work, and what do they for fun? Do they have kids? How old are they? What are they worried about? And most importantly, what problem are they trying to solve?
✔️Who are the people most likely to be interested in your special brand of yoga? Pro tip...it is not everybody. If you say your yoga is for everybody, you are casting way too large a net. YOGA may be for everybody, but YOUR yoga (studio) is not. For example, your brand of yoga may be for:
Exercise-phobes
50+ women
Fitness junkies
People healing from an illness or injury
Pregnant women
Be very specific about who you serve. It very well may not be people just like you.
✔️Be clear about your ideal client's pain points and the problem you can help them solve. What are they looking for? What hurts? How are they suffering? What needs does your ideal client have that your services can solve?
Are they overworked and need to relax? Do they need more heart healthy movement? Do their joints hurt from a health issue? Are they overweight? Do they need more personal connections?
Listen, no one is thinking, hmmm, I should do yoga, let me find a studio. They are thinking, my back hurts, my joints hurt, I am stressed, whatever....maybe yoga can help. If you can't solve their problem, they are not coming to you.
✔️Elevate your studio's special sauce. What are your studio's strengths? Can you effectively meet the needs of your ideal client? Talk about it! Well trained teachers, lots of parking, heated rooms, small classes, etc. What can your studio offer that the others can't? And please don't make your special sauce the lowest price in town.
✔️Keep one eye on your competition. What are other studios doing to attract similar customers? Can you do this differently, or better? How can you differentiate yourself and better serve your ideal client?
Implement these tips so that you can gain a better understanding of your ideal client and how to effectively target them with your marketing efforts and serve them with your special sauce.
Want to learn more about how to reach your ideal client? Join me in my group coaching program, Traction. We meet twice a month, you have access to resources and replays, and tons of hands on support. Find out more and join here. The first 7 days are free!