Creating a newsletter for your Pilates studio is an excellent way to engage with your community, keep your members informed, and attract new customers to your classes. A well-crafted newsletter can highlight the unique aspects of your studio, share success stories, offer health tips, and announce upcoming events or promotions. There are a number of benefits you will see when you send a newsletter to your members.
Let’s take a look at 4 of the main advantages a newsletter can have for your Pilates studio:
1. Keeps Members Engaged
A newsletter keeps your members engaged with your studio, reminding them of your presence and value in their lives. It serves as a regular touchpoint that can keep members motivated, interested, and connected to your community.
2. Builds Community
Sharing success stories, member spotlights, or testimonials in your newsletter can help build a sense of community among your members. It shows that you value your members and celebrate their achievements, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment.
3. Increases Retention
Regular communication through newsletters helps in retaining members by keeping them informed and engaged with your studio. It’s a way to remind them of the value they get from being part of your community, which can encourage continued membership.
4. Provides Direct Marketing Opportunity
A newsletter is a direct line to your members, allowing you to market your services without the noise of social media or other external distractions. It's a more personal form of communication that can lead to higher conversion rates for your promotional efforts.
These benefits alone should be enough to convince you that a newsletter will aid the success of your Pilates studio.
Now you know why you should send a newsletter, so the next question is how? We’ve got you covered with our step-by-step guide to crafting a newsletter campaign for your members! Let’s dive straight in:
1. Define Your Goals and Audience
Before you start designing your newsletter, it's crucial to define what you want to achieve. Are you looking to increase class attendance, promote special workshops, or share Pilates and wellness tips? Understanding your goals will help you tailor your content to meet the needs and interests of your audience, which primarily includes your current members and potential new members.
Pro Tip: Create a list of potential goals of the newsletter and refine it to a maximum of 2-3 SMART goals. Everything you include in your newsletter should have a direct impact on these goals you have outlined.
2. Choose a Newsletter Platform
There are several newsletter platforms available, such as Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and of course, bsport’s very own Email Marketing Tool, that offer user-friendly templates and tools to design, send, and track your newsletters. These platforms make it easy to manage your mailing list, segment your audience, and analyse the performance of your newsletters. Choose one that fits your budget and meets your studio's needs.
3. Collect and Organise Content
Content is king in any newsletter. For a Pilates studio, consider including a variety of content types such as:
- Class Schedules and Updates: Keep your members informed about class times, any schedule changes, and new class offerings.
- Instructor Spotlights: Introduce your instructors with short bios, highlighting their qualifications, teaching style, and a personal touch.
- Member Success Stories: Share testimonials or highlight members achievements to motivate others and showcase the benefits of Pilates.
- Health and Wellness Tips: Offer advice on topics related to Pilates, such as posture improvement, breathing techniques, and core strengthening exercises.
- Special Promotions and Events: Announce any upcoming workshops, retreats, or special deals to encourage participation and new sign-ups.
Pro Tip: Create a template for your newsletter that you follow every time you will send one. Aim for 3-5 key sections sharing stories since the previous newsletter and upcoming events.
4. Design Your Newsletter
Your newsletter's design should reflect the branding of your Pilates studio, including your logo, colour scheme, and a clean, inviting layout. Use high-quality images, such as photos from your classes or studio, to add visual appeal. Ensure the design is mobile-friendly, as many people read emails on their smartphones. Don’t forget to keep the content easy to read to avoid bombarding readers with too much information. Include links with more details to allow readers to learn more about areas they are interested in.
5. Write Compelling and Concise Content
When writing your newsletter, keep your content clear, engaging, and to the point. Use headings, bullet points, and short paragraphs to make it easy to read. Personalise your message to make your readers feel valued and part of your Pilates community. You can use these for some inspiration.
Pro Tip: Avoid long sentences and stick to the point. Most newsletter readers scan newsletters and will not read large volumes of text.
6. Include a Call to Action
Each section of your newsletter should have a clear call to action (CTA), encouraging your readers to book a class, visit your website, or follow your studio on social media. Make sure these CTAs are visible and straightforward. Use buttons to make it obvious to the reader where the link will take them.
7. Test and Send
Before sending your newsletter, do a test send to yourself and a few team members to check for any errors or formatting issues. Use this opportunity to ensure all links work and the newsletter looks good on different devices.
8. Analyse and Adjust
After sending your newsletter, use your chosen platform's analytics tools to track open rates, click-through rates, and engagement. This data is invaluable for understanding what content resonates with your audience, allowing you to adjust your strategy and improve future newsletters.
9. Optimise your Newsletter Strategy with Audience
You haven’t heard? We have just launched our biggest feature to date at bsport - Audience. Audience harnesses the power of all bsport tools to create personalised and dynamic workflows, seamlessly integrating real-time customer interactions. Now, you can effectively transform your newsletter leaders into frequent class attendees.
Imagine this: A reader clicks a link in your newsletter about your latest blog “The Benefits of Reformer Pilates”. This reader is then automatically entered into your workflow “Reformers Pilates Prospects” and over the next 3 weeks they will automatically receive communications about your Reformer Pilates classes until eventually they purchase a pass for one of your classes.
Attracting new members has never been easier!
Now you’re ready to get started and create your very own newsletter for your Pilates studio. But wait, you have one more question - “How often should I send my newsletter?” So because we’re feeling generous, we have also answered this question below.
The frequency of your newsletter should strike a balance between keeping members informed and avoiding overwhelming them with too many emails. Here are some guidelines:
1. Monthly
A monthly newsletter is a good starting point for most studios. It’s frequent enough to keep your studio in the minds of your members without cluttering their inboxes. This frequency works well for providing a roundup of the past month and what to expect in the coming month.
2. Bi-weekly
For studios with more dynamic schedules, including frequent workshops, special events, or a rapidly changing class lineup, a bi-weekly newsletter might be more appropriate. This ensures timely communication of your studio’s offerings without being too frequent.
3. Weekly
Weekly newsletters should be reserved for studios with a high volume of news, events, or content that is valuable and timely each week. This could also include a weekly tip or insight to keep the content light and engaging without requiring a significant time commitment from your members to read.
Important Considerations
- Audience Preferences: Consider surveying your members to find out their preferences for how often they’d like to receive updates.
- Content Quality Over Quantity: It’s better to send less frequent newsletters with high-quality, relevant content than to send frequent updates with filler material.
- Segmentation: If possible, segment your audience and tailor the frequency based on their engagement levels or interests. For example, more engaged members might appreciate more frequent updates, while others prefer a monthly summary.
Now we have told you everything you need to know about creating your very own newsletter for your Pilates studio! A newsletter can be a powerful tool for your Pilates studio, enabling you to connect with your community, share valuable content, and grow your business. By following these steps and consistently delivering quality content, you'll create a newsletter that your members look forward to receiving, fostering a stronger, more engaged Pilates community. If you want to learn more about email marketing for your studio, be sure to check out our recent blog here!
