4 Lead Nurturing Tips for Yoga Studio Owners

According to HubSpot, it takes between eight to 10 touches to convert a lead into a paying student. As a yoga studio, you may gather contact information from potential students at local events, through your website or when they come in for a free first class, but do you have a system in place to nurture them towards becoming a permanent student? Here are some tips to help you create a lead nurture program for your studio.

1). Touch Base Immediately

Prospective students who give you their information, whether by filling out a form on your website or contacting you via Facebook, are ready to make a move soon. However, if there’s more than one yoga studio in your area, the one that connects with the prospect first will likely be the one to bring them in. Immediacy should be a key part of your nurture process.  As soon as someone reaches out, be sure to quickly get in touch with them by:

• Setting up emails to automatically respond to all inquiries from your website
• Creating automated tasks within your studio management software to alert you as soon as someone has filled out your website lead form
• Once you’ve received these tasks, follow up by phone or email as soon as possible while the lead is still hot

2). Offer More Information

Once you’ve been in touch with the lead, you can begin nurturing them with emails if they’re not quite ready to sign up for a membership. The goal of these emails is to provide necessary information to encourage them to join your studio. This can include everything from offering more information about your classes—what time they meet, how long they last and the types of classes your offer—to more information about your philosophy, studio and teachers (certifications, years practicing, etc.). For yoga newbies, consider developing a special series of emails answering some of the key questions first-time students might have, including:

• What are the benefits of yoga?
• How does yoga compare to similar fitness studios in your area?
• Does one actually need to be “flexible” in order to practice yoga?

By answering these key questions, you can help prospective students work through any issues that might be standing in their way and move them forward on their journey to your studio.

3). Follow Up with a Personal Phone Call

Potential students want to feel as though they’ve made a connection with your studio. They want a place where they’ll feel welcomed and at home. Making  a personal phone call after they’ve attended a class and discussing their interest in your studio is a great way to make your prospects feel more connected to your studio. This is particularly useful if you’re the primary teacher or if you have the teacher who will be most likely to work with them make the phone call.

4. Offer an Incentive

If you know you’re getting close to the end of your lead nurturing cycle and your prospective student still hasn’t joined a class or asked for more information personally, it’s time to offer an enticement. A great deal is one of the best ways to move many people forward when they’re stuck in the consideration phase. Could you provide a free consultation to discuss their goals and provide instruction on various poses? What about offering them one free week if they sign up for a membership? While we typically recommend against discounting, offering a small, one-time perk can be just what you need to seal the deal.

Building a great lead nurturing campaign doesn’t have to take up all of your time. Create automated emails that occur at specific times in the lead nurturing process, find new ways to connect with your customers and reap the benefits of a lead nurturing campaign that will drive new students to your studio.

Interested in additional marketing tips? Get your copy of our free 10-Step Yoga Marketing Guide.