(Guest Post: Laura Munkholm, President and Co-founder of Walla (Fund III).
Retention is always a hot-button topic for boutique fitness business owners. And if you run a studio, client retention is a top priority. But in a pandemic-adapted world where some students are in person and others are only visible via a virtual square Zoom box, developing meaningful, long-term relationships can be complex. That’s why we decided to do things differently when we built Walla—and implemented Skillpower.
What is Skillpower, and what does it have to do with clients returning—and revenue? Watch this video featuring Walla and Skillpower co-founders to learn even more!
Created in partnership with leading researchers in wellness psychology, Skillpower uses behavioral psychology to help you better understand what makes your clients “tick.” Behavioral psychology might sound like a big term for the fitness and wellness industry, but tapping into what motivates individual clients to work out and book (and miss) classes equips you with powerful insight to make personalized connections.
On average, about 20% of people who book classes at your studio will maintain their routine. The other 80%? They aren’t lost forever! They just need to a different type of communication and engagement. And by knowing their personality type, you have the opportunity to capture their attention and retention. Hello behavioral psychology! So how does Walla get you that information?
We’ve connected a Skillpower-driven personality quiz to our software. It’s more than just asking your about your clients favorite color or food. The quiz dives into their everyday behavior, motivators and their why with easy-to-understand, deeper questions. They get carefully crafted results aligned with one of the four personality types, and you get a color-coded icon directly in their client profile dashboard. But once you have their personality badge brightly displayed in your software, how do you leverage it to impact retention?
Encourage more authentic communication
Knowing your new client is a specific personality type enables you, your instructors and front desk to have smarter engagement and interactions. With quick tips built into the software, your staff will acknowledge things like one client doesn’t want hands-on adjustments during class and another loves when you call out her name every time she walks through the studio door. Now that’s a Giver! Plus, it builds an honest connection, not another name on the roster, and facilitates a sense of community that keeps clients coming back—and sharing your studio by word-of-mouth (the best kind of marketing!).
Positively influence client purchases
Adding aerial silks to the schedule? Trying out a new class time? Pushing a hybrid plan? A client personality typology lets you know who to pitch studio schedule updates to and how to upsell on a more personalized basis. For example, a Maverick can be set in their ways and knows what they want and like, so getting them hyped about buying that new class plan (or trying aerial) might not be the right move. By optimizing your studio sales strategy based on personality type, you can easily boost revenue and encourage repeat bookings as you utilize educated engagement based on the core motivators and the buying habits of your clients.
Utilize targeted, strategic marketing
Keeping your clients from “quitting” is an important metric. Helping them reach their goals is even more crucial. And how you engage with them outside of the studio can make difference. Utilizing personality typology to create and execute across multiple marketing channels allows you to effectively communicate in a manner that meets their “style”. Promoting a summer challenge with a buddy? Promote it to all your Doers since they thrive in a friendly yet competitive environment. A few iterations of a sales email offering classes and plans that best fit specific needs can yield revenue and retention results. No matter the personality type, speaking to motivation can make a difference.
In a fitness and wellness industry that’s constantly changing, capturing your clients mindshare by using a personalized approach not only makes them feel good and tap into that sense of community we all crave, but keeps them continually connected to your mission (and craving your classes!)
Ready to discover how Walla can help increase retention and revolutionize your fitness business? Schedule a chat with our team to learn more!