How Much Online Should You Be?

Posted on April 15, 2019April 11, 2019 by Lesley Logan

Do you have a love-hate social media? Totally cool! You don’t need to love it and most teachers don’t even need to use it. But, there is a level of web presence you need to have to make your ideal business grow and known. I know you want to teach Pilates. You only care about your clients and helping them get better, feel better and do more Pilates with you. But, let’s face it, even with referrals those future clients are going to look you up online. And while I do not believe you have to have likes and followers to make money doing what you love. I do believe you have to have some level of online presence. So, here we go!

Website! Yes, you need one. Please don’t think a yelp, facebook page or some other platforms landing page of you is going to do it. You need to own this domain. It needs to have some key things on it so that you can attract your ideal client and get them into your books asap. Check out this blog posts on websites here and my course on “What Your Website Needs.”

Dive in or Don’t: If you’re going to use social media for your business then use it. If you’re not then don’t. But trying to do a little here and there will not only annoy you it’ll frustrate you and when people go from your site to your social media they’ll be confused. If you are going to use social media for your business link it on your site. If you’re not, or are not sure then don’t link it until you are. Wondering if you should be on social check out this blog on why and this one for more tips.

Keep it Simple! If all you do in the beginning is ace a website and tell people who you are and what you do and why you rock at it I promise you’ll get clients. Why? Because I still get the most clients through my website and from personal outreach. Meeting people in real life and referrals. Your website is your 24/7 assistant. USE IT! Make sure it’s clear what you do when they land on your site. Update it regularly with blogs. Be clear on who you teach and why you’re the best for them.

If you start out with a great site and clarity on who you are the rest will follow. I know, you’re thinking, “but everyone is bouncing of facebook and I’m not even sure how to use Instagram.” Here’s the thing I can promise you. There will always be a new thing to learn. That doesn’t mean you have to. In my next webinar, I’ll be going over how to use Facebook and Instagram for your business. You’ll learn if 1) you should 2) what to do 3) what not to do.

I promise I’ll keep it simple and digestible. And, after you’ll know if you need to add either of these platforms to your business. In the meantime, how much online should you be? Website, website website! We’ll dive into the ever-changing social media beast together here.

xx~LL

Tips for Using Social Media for Your Business

Posted on April 8, 2019April 7, 2019 by Lesley Logan

You want to fill your classes, get more clients, fill those last two spots you have, sell your workshops, teacher trainer, merchandise or even retreats. And, you’re probably wondering how Social Media can help you. You’ve been posting, going live, liking others and feeling like you know less and less every day. On top of all of that, you’re busy. Are these posts even working? Or, maybe you’re sitting there reading this “thinking I don’t even want to do social media! Are you going to make me?”

Let’s get super real and clear for a moment. I will NEVER force anyone to market in a way that doesn’t resonate with them. And, so if you prefer to use your social media to show pictures of your pup, cat or food then stick with it! But, don’t complain that social media doesn’t help you fill your classes.

While we are being frank together I cannot stress enough that you do not need tons of followers. Unless you are trying to teach people all over the world you just need to be known in your community. So, when you look at your “insights” you should see that most of your followers are from your city. If you’re living in Nashville, TN and most of your followers are in Los Angeles you’re going to have a hard time getting us into a session with you! We don’t go outside a couple of miles radius.

Now that we got those things out of the way a little bit lets dive in a bit about what you need to be clear on before using social media for your business.

What do you want to happen after you post? Are you interested in people coming to take from you in person, in a class, online? People cannot read your mind. So, you need to make sure it’s clear what you want them to do in your post. And, so that you can measure if you’re getting what you want from your posts you need to be honest with what you want.

Do you want more followers?

More likes?

Conversion from post to your website to being on your mailing list and coming to class? (I hope you said yes to this).

Engagement? Maybe you want your community to talk within a post and get excited about a new class, workshop etc.

Once you have a clear idea about what you want to happen when you post then you need to be clear about your messaging. What do you want your clients to see, hear, be reminded about?

Finally, pick a platform and go deep! I am giving you full permission to not be on EVERY platform. Pick one and learn it, have fun with it and go really deep on that platform. I was coaching someone last week and their audience is businesswomen. She needs to be on Linkedin. But, if your studio is near a college campus and your clients are primarily 25-35 maybe Instagram is your jam?

You also need to pick the one that you’ll have the most fun with. If you’re not into it people will see that in your posts. You can, of course, hire out someone to handle your accounts. And while that won’t be cheap it can be a huge load off so if you know you need to be represented on social media and you hate it outsource it!

I would love to hear your favorite platforms and what your goal is for using them for your business in the comments below.

For me, I am mostly on Facebook, Instagram and sometimes post tutorials on Linkedin. But, mostly I am an IG girl. My goals are not to be instafamous. Instead, I love engagement. Which is why I ask a lot of questions on my posts. I want to talk to you. I love to share what’s on my mind in my posts to help you. My posts are meant to serve, inspire, remind and give permission to teachers and studio owners to do more of what they love- teach Pilates. Sure, I would love to show you how fun my dog is. But, if you’re on @profitablepilates you are probably wanting to know more about how you can make your teaching profitable?!

Now, that you have a clear idea of what your goals are, what platforms you want to use and what your messaging is you probably want to know how to beat the algorithms, best posting times, etc. And, while I wish I had all that data for you I promise you it would be changed by the next week. We cannot control the algorithms, and most often only 6% of your audience is seeing your posts. So, it’s super important that social media is an extension of your business. That you don’t rely on IG to fill tonight 6 pm class. But instead, as a way to create community and drive people to your website where they get on your email list. This way no matter what the algorithm is you can still get your message to your clients.

I will be sharing the most current info on stories, IG and FB what to do and most importantly what NOT TO DO on my next webinar. So, if you are wanting to dive deep on FB and IG then join me for this webinar. I’ll be doing another one on Youtube, blogging and other platforms later this year. But, in this webinar, we are picking just FB and IG because they are owned by the same person and most of your clients are on these platforms. We’ll be breaking down and through all the stuff to help you show up on the platform you want in a way that resonates with you and helps you achieve your goals.

What do you love about social media and what do you loathe? Share it with me and the other readers in the comments below!

xx~LL

What is a Pilates Teachers Schedule?

Posted on April 1, 2019March 30, 2019 by Lesley Logan

When I first became a Pilates instructor I was teaching clients and classes every weekday morning from 6 am to 9 am then racing to my other job across town to manage a jewelry store. And then on most weeknights, I would race back across town and teach one or two more clients. And then I also taught clients on my day off from my store gig. I thought it would take forever to build my business up but it didn’t and so within a few months I was quickly burning the candle at both ends. But, I had no idea at the time that what I was doing wasn’t the best idea. I mean, every other teacher I knew who was building their business and even some who had grown their businesses were working the weirdest schedules. One day after working an almost 70 hr week I wondered what is a Pilates teachers schedule?

Should I be teaching mornings and evenings? Did I need to teach six days a week? And, even though people said I should teach when clients wanted it was that really the best answer?

Over the last 10+ years of teaching, I have changed my schedule almost as often as the wind changes. And, I don’t think that’s a bad thing. What it has allowed me to do is see that there is almost no hour where a client doesn’t want a session! Before you think I am wrong I have taught people at their 3:30 am, I have taught people as early as 5 am in person, and then there are the clients who have requested 8:30 pm or even 8 am on a Sunday! I love changing my schedule because every time I do it I dial it in even more to fit the nature of the life I enjoy living.

If you have ever taken a workshop with me you know that I believe your goals and life go in the schedule first. But, this is not how most people set up their teaching schedule. Instead, they put their clients in first. Admit it, how many times have you not said yes to having lunch with a good friend, going out of town for the day or not scheduling a personal session with another teacher because you had to teach?

I’m not saying just move people around willy nilly. But, I do believe that you should be super clear on your goals and what you want out of life and then create your teaching schedule.

After working with a lot of teachers I have found the ones that are super firm and clear on when they are available to teach no only are booked they also know exactly how much money they will make each week, month because it’s clear when they look at their schedule what slots are empty. And, their clients are also better trained to keep a standing appointment or cancel in the appropriate time. The teachers who let clients tell them when they want to come in typically have clients who are inconsistent. This means they are not truly getting all the benefits of Pilates and will probably disappear for portions of time if not longer. These teachers also will feel like they don’t have control over their schedule and will see a “swiss cheese” schedule. Sessions all over the place, empty slots all over but not big enough to do anything on so they are working for their business instead of the other way around.

I know, that sounds a bit harsh but teachers I love you! I am you. I have done all the mistakes of letting clients tell me when they want to take. And, that quickly lead to me not wanting to be a teacher. The moment I learned the phrase “I have this time or I have this time.” And, “I’m not available then but I do have ___.” My life-work balance became mine! It was under my control.

What is your schedule like?

Do you like it?

What would you change about it?

I was recently asked what a day or a week in my life looked like? How do I structure my days?

To be honest, since I travel I make some changes to the schedule often but the basic structure is there.

5-6 days a week I workout first thing in the morning. That is the time when no one is awake. I can run with my dog and listen to a podcast. I then often go to a fitness class around 6 am and workout with my friends. Afterward, I’ll begin my teaching day. I teach 5 mornings a week for 3-4 hours. Then I use the middle of the day for whatever I want. Sometimes I do Pilates classes other times I catch up on emails or spend a little time on social media. I take calls or watch webinars, read a book, get a facial etc. The middle of the day is mine for whatever I want it to be. Then, on Mondays, I’ll allow 2 more clients in the late afternoon. Tues-Thur I teach a couple of evening clients whom I adore and have been with me for years! The other days of the week I am either off or have called it a day before the afternoon.

As far as how much I teach I follow what I share with many other teachers. I have a goal dollar amount (gross) in mind for the whole year. I divide that number by my average hourly session rate and then by the number of weeks of the year I will teach. I will only teach that amount of clients in a week. If people ask for a session and I have hit that number they go on a waitlist for any cancellation. I promise you unless I had a couple of weeks where I didn’t teach the average amount I do not add additional hours on. It’s important you don’t do this either. Waitlists are great things to have. And, you train your clients to schedule early!

My schedule works for me, I never force how I like to work on anyone and that means you too. I would love for you to watch my course on goal setting if you haven’t yet. And also my course on client scheduling. Then get super clear on the times of days that light your fire. If you’re not a morning person don’t teach in the morning. I promise you there are enough clients to go around! We can find your clients for the afternoon or evening.

The key to a successful business is knowing why you’re doing it, who you are and what you want! So, take a look at your schedule. Is it a good reflection of the life you want to live? Not sure how to make it one? Contact me here. Let’s talk!

xx~LL

Tips to Work Less, Make More and Options for Passive Income Streams

Posted on March 25, 2019March 24, 2019 by group218

We are in the business of exchanging time for money – we teach a class or session and we are paid for our time. But what happens when we get sick or injured and can’t physically teach? What if we want to go on vacation? How do we save? How will we ever retire? If you’ve ever asked yourself any of these questions, you’re in good company! The most common questions my clients ask are always about money – how do I make more, how do I keep more of it, how I can work less and still earn money.

Lucky for you guys, this is my area of expertise! I’ve put together my top financial strategies and passive income earners for both studio owners and instructors. Ready to get to work? Keep reading below!

For Studio Owners

Raise your rates: I recommend raising rates annually, $5-$10 for session or $15-$20/month. Inflation alone is going to drive your operations expense up 3% annually; you want to make sure you are keeping up with it. Clients expect a small annual increase and will be less likely to bat an eye over small, predictable, annual changes, than a massive increase out of the blue.
Stick to the Late Cancel/No Show fees: You put these policies in place – enforce them! These fees won’t break the bank, but they will still account for a decent amount of income each month for the studio.
Studio Use Fees for Inactive Times: When the studio isn’t being used for set classes or sessions, let someone else use it! Other trainers are always looking to rent space (more on that below), and brands are always looking to do photoshoots or host promotional events.

If you’re interested in renting out studio space I recommend you 1) figure out available times for studio use and pricing for use, and 2) having your Rental Agreement with rates + terms ready to go for when potential renters or partners approach you.

Rent Space to Instructors: If you have space (or time) in your studio that you aren’t using, make it available for someone else to use! You can rent the space to an instructor, a massage therapist, a stretch therapist, movement specialist, the options are endless.
Host Workshops: Your clients already love spending time with you and trust you; they’ll be more than thrilled to learn more from you. Each attendee will buy a ticket for admission. You can ask speakers to donate their time and brands to donate refreshments, products, and giveaways. The first workshop might take a bit of extra work to get the swing of things, but once you get the hang of scheduling, it’ll be an easy and profitable way to engage your community!
Host Teacher Trainings: These are money makers for the instructors teaching the training and the studio hosting the training. If your studio has its own teaching method, put together a teacher training program. Spend 2-4 days teaching the method, and follow it up with hands-on learning opportunities such as instructor shadowing, mic practice, and mock classes. Even if you aren’t in the market to hire new instructors, many members and fitness-minded individuals will be interested in learning more about your method. The first training might take some work to put together, but once you have the formula down, it’s a repeatable, scalable and very profitable.

If you are a studio that does NOT teach its own method, you can still be the host studio for a teacher trainer. You might not make as much money, but you also have way less work to do. And workshop hosts usually let you sit in on the workshop for free, so double win for you.

For Pilates Instructors:

Keep track of ALL business expenses: I mean everything – professional liability insurance, certifications, trainings, educational workshops or webinars, marketing materials, etc. At the end of every year, you can write off these business expenses. More write-offs = less taxes!
Ask for a raise or raise your rates: We can’t earn more money if we’re not willing to ask for more! Plain and simple. If you’ve been teaching at a studio or training clients for at least 6 months, it’s time to reassess your rates.

If you teach at a studio – set a time to talk with your manager and the owner, go in with your stats (class attendance, reviews, client feedback) and propose a fair and reasonable raise. If they aren’t able to accommodate your request, where can they meet you? Additional employee perks? Can they give you a timeline when they’d be willing to sit down again to discuss compensation?

If you set your own rates as a private instructor, consider a reasonable increase ($5-$10 session), set the price, and notify all clients in writing prior to their next sessions. And while you’re reaching out to all of your clients you can remind them of your late cancel/no show policies and fees.

Passive Income Streams Online: So many fit-pros are utilizing their online communities and social media to make extra money. I think it’s one of the easiest and accessible forms of passive income because you already have a captive audience who see you as an expert in your field.

E-Books and Online Training Guides: If you are known for your workout posts or people are always asking you how to workout smarter, put together an online training guide. Start small with a 4-week guide offering workouts 3-4x week.

Accountability Coaching: If you are organized and empathetic you would be an excellent accountability coach to your clients for the other 23 hrs a day they aren’t training with you. You will check-in daily to check their nutrition/meals for the day, prescribe workouts, and encourage them to stay on track. Clients will retain you for a monthly fee and you will realize that you’re already doing most of this work for them as their trainer anyways.

Affiliate Partnerships: Brands are always looking to partner with influencers in health and wellness field, and many pay instructors to promote their products in addition to gifting free or heavily discounted samples.

I approach brands that I already know, use and love and ask them if they have an affiliate program. Some brands will give me a discount, others will gift free products, others will give me a percentage of sales I drive their way. I look at my partnerships as 1) an opportunity to save money on goods I would already buy, or 2) an opportunity to make some extra cash raving about a brand I already love. However you look at it, they are wins for my wallet and my relationships!

I challenge every one of you to put ONE of these tips in action today! Start planning the conversation to get a raise. Brainstorm hosting workshops or teacher training at your studio. And join Lesley and me on April 3 as we dive deeper into these topics and answer any question you might have about financial planning, and owning your worth and value to give yourself the security and success you deserve!

Xx, D

Connect with Danielle Stead Blanton here. And, join us for this epic webinar that will help you take charge of your finances and get tips on passive income streams on April 3rd webinar replay will be available for one week. Join here. xx~LL

Your Busy-ness is Bad for Your Business

Posted on March 18, 2019February 16, 2019 by Lesley Logan

It seems like whenever you ask someone how they are doing they somehow insert how “busy” they are. They use busy as why they can’t hang out with you. They are too busy for Pilates. Teachers and studio owners are too busy to do the work to get new clients but not teaching enough or making the money they want to make. Being “busy” is not just an excuse for why you’re not in contact with people. It’s now this badge of honor that somehow to make people feel proud of. I mean, if you’re busy you must be doing something right, right?

Wrong!

Being Busy is actually impacting you more than your personal life. Sure, you’re sooo busy you can’t see your friends. But, that probably means a lot of other things are falling to the way side. And, worse, you are most likely wasting time. Afterall, studies show we take as much time to do a task as we give it.

Wondering if your busy is affecting your business?

Do you find yourself do all the things all of the time? Multi-tasking is also a new badge of honor in the self-employed world. But, here’s the deal, the data is in, we cannot multi-task. It’s better for you to do one thing at a time. I know, you’re list is long. But, for one week give single tasking a try. See if you feel less stressed and more productive.

Are you trying to do too many things? We often overestimate what we can do in a day an underestimate what we can do in a year. So, give things time to do them right the first time.

Do you think that being busy equals being successful? Truth is, being a master of your own time means being truly successful! I was listening to a podcast with the uber-successful entrepreneur Caterina Fake. She manages her time ferociously. She even has a list she calls WNO-when next online. So, instead of hopping on the internet whenever she has the urge to look something up or she remembers something she has to do. She writes it in her journal and does it during her blocked out time. This allows her to spend more time working on her ideas, growing her business and reading.

I know, you have a lot to do. You are the teacher, the accountant, the marketer, the blogger, the newsletter writer, the scheduler, a partner and/or parent and friend. You’re busy! But, I don’t want you to be busy doing busy work. I don’t want you sweating the small stuff. I don’t want you to start working on your admin and before you know it 3 hours have gone by.

My desire for you is to be the master of your schedule. To be in charge of when you teach, make the most of the time when you admin and put yourself first. When your cup is full you can pour into others. But, when you are so busy your cup is shaking and vibrating it’s spilling the goodness that is you and not actually helping anyone.

If you’re looking for tips on how to be ferociously in charge of your time and actions and implementations for self-care I’ll be sending those tips in my next newsletter. If you’re on the list you’ll be getting them. For now, I want you to take a good hard look at how busy you are. Is it working for you?

xx~LL

Why You Need a Substitute Teacher and Where to Find Them

Posted on March 11, 2019February 16, 2019 by Lesley Logan

Having someone else teacher your clients for you while you’re away on a trip or training might strike a chord of fear. I know, most teachers are not keen on letting someone else teach their clients. I mean, what if your client likes them better? I bet reading that out loud made you realize just how funny that sounds. Your clients love you. And, if they are willing to go to a sub or guest teacher you are amazing at what you do! Most clients don’t like change and would rather miss their Pilates than take from someone else. But, you should want your clients to take from a guest teacher. It’s good for your business and for clients!

Before we talk about where to find these guest teachers or subs let’s cover three reasons why you should want and be cool with having your clients take from someone else:

Consistency is key! If you take a week off Murphy’s law would almost guarantee your client will be missing the week before or after. By aranging a sub for them you can ensure they only miss what they would have on their vacation. Allowing them to remain consistent, keeping Pilates in their schedule and you feeling guilt-free about taking some much deserved time off.
They’ll realize just how good you are! When another teacher works with your client they will finally hear what you have been trying to get them to understand this whole time. They will also be excited to share (or lament if that’s their personality) about what they did with the other teacher. This is not an “I liked them more” convo but just a “look what I remember, I was a good student” share time.
Clients who take from other teachers hear new things because every teacher has a different pair of Pilates eyeglasses on. It’s easy overtime for clients to tune us out. By hearing a new analogy, new cues or just a new voice they’ll listen to you better the next time you teach them.

Now that I’ve got you convinced that your clients will not leave you for the sub or guest teacher, in fact, they will probably last longer how do you go about finding this person?

If you are a studio owner chances are you have some options to turn to. If you’re an independent contractor it gets trickier. Or, if you work out of your own home or solo at a studio, like an independent contractor finding a sub or guest teacher isn’t as easy.

Talk to your legal expert to make sure the payments for these sessions is kosher. I’ve got a great one if you need just contact me here. She is a fitness instructor who also is a lawyer!
Take from other teachers in your community. When you find one that teaches like you inquire if they are interested in subbing when you travel. If so, is it possible for them to teach at your space? Clients are more likely to take from a sub if all they have to do is show up like usual.
Make sure your client cards are up to date. This makes it easy for a guest teacher to step in, teach the session your client is used to and go.
Follow up Check in with both the teacher and the client to see how it went. The first time might be awkward fro all parties. But, eventually, it’s easy and natural.

If you are a studio owner and the clients are studio clients I highly recommend that clients take from more than one teacher as a policy if they come more than two times a week. This makes it easier and more natural for clients to take from other teachers when their primary teachers are away or sick.

For my independent contractor in a studio with other teachers be sure to introduce your clients to other teachers when they are in for their session so that when you offer up the guest teacher it’s not a random teaching stranger but rather someone they are used to teaching.

Are you ready for your next trip? Whose going to sub for you?

xx~LL

How to Be Referable

Posted on March 4, 2019February 25, 2019 by Lesley Logan

Social Media, Funnels and Online Ads may be all the rage. You may even be considering things like Classpass, groupon and online marketing. But, before you do let me remind you that referrals are still the number 1 way Pilates teachers and Pilates studios are getting new business. And, not just drop-in’s but legit clients who come again and again! So, how do you get more referrals? Do you just hope that your clients tell all their friends about you? Are there ways to get other businesses to rave about your Pilates business? And, what about those doctors, PT’s and Chiropractors? How do we get them to tell their clients about you?

Be Referable: I know that seems obvious but what does that even mean? It means you have to prove you can deliver what you promise. So, that first or only client you have to make them your priority. Get testimonials and put them on your site. If they can attest to your awesomeness then others will feel good about referring your their peeps.
Be clear on who you want to be referred to you. I know, you may be thinking “but LL I want anyone right now!” The truth is you don’t want just anyone. So, who do you want to teach? Get clear on this so that when people talk about you they know what to say and to whom.
Always be open to Referrals. I know, you’re thinking, duh, but the truth is sometimes we don’t realize that we are closing the door on referrals because we are not actively talking to people about who we are what we do. Recently I blogged about things you can do today to improve your Pilates business. One of the tips was to tell 5 people who you are, what you do and whom you are for. Do you know how many people told me they would try that? TOO MANY! Even if you are booked and have a waitlist make sure you are telling people what you rock at. If you get peeps that are not for you-you’ll just refer them to the right teacher. Which people will LOVE!
Make sure your clients know your offerings! This may sound obvious too. But, if you’re not consistently sending out newsletters it’s probably not obvious to your clients what else you do or offer. I write weekly newsletters and even still one of my clients just found out I have online mat classes (his wife reads the newsletters and clearly he doesn’t). I know you feel like a broken record but trust…they don’t know as much as you think they do.
Be Remarkable! Meaning, share and do things that make your clients talk nonstop about you.
Refer to others. Yes, give business away to competitors. You are not able to teach everyone. If people are looking for class-based pricing tell them who the best in town is. If they need to be in privates and you offer classes know the teachers in your area who excel at teaching privates. Trust me referring begets referrals.

Got these down? Ok, now you have to make a list of the businesses you love in your community. Find out how you can support them. Wait what?! Yep, find out what they need help in. Maybe they need a referral of someone you know? And, do you know what happens when you’re generous and you simply take the time to find out how you can support another business? They, in turn, want, desire to support you!

And, if you’re going, ok, got this, but how do I get those doctors, pt’s and other medical professionals to see that I am referable? Well, I’ve got a one hour webinar with Jessica Valant who is quite the expert in this area. Check out the deets here. And, while you wait for us to give our talk make sure you’ve got your 1-6 above all set.

How referable do you feel right now?

xx~LL

5 Things You Need To Be Doing In Your Pilates Business

Posted on February 25, 2019February 11, 2019 by Lesley Logan

Pilates Teachers, Pilates Studio Owners, and other Fitness Professionals there are not quick fixes in business. But, don’t let that stop you from reading this week’s blog post. I’ve got 5 things you should be doing in your business that I promise don’t cost money and just a bit of your time. If you’re ready to get out of your rut then keep reading!

Communicating with your clients and community regularly: this can be blogging and newsletters.
Growing your newsletter list and writing to it: You don’t own the algorithms. So you might be posting daily on social but I bet 7% of your followers are seeing what you write. So, repurpose that content and make it a newsletter! If the Social Platforms disappear your reach won’t!
Networking with other businesses in your community: Get known my friends! I know it’s easy to be in your business and think your neighbors can’t help you, they are the competition and blah blah blah. But seriously, if you find out what other people are doing and tell them what you rock at then referrals begin to flow! So, go outside, bring some sugar just in case they need it.
Upholding Clear Policies: You should have clear policies on prices, payment, and cancellation policies. And, you also have to uphold them. If you don’t your clients won’t. This will affect your business and in a compounding way.
Not giving discounts: I know you think you need deals to get people in the doors, or that you cannot raise your rates to keep them there. But, I’d rather see you reward loyalty and referrals than discount yourself and try to compete in the race to the bottom on prices. Someone once told me if you discount yourself you will be discounted. And you’re too awesome for that!

Take a moment to check on all of these and how you are doing with them. Do you need help? I’ve got a 6th tip for those who get my weekly newsletter. If you want it (and ps my newsletters are free yo) then subscribe and be sure to opt in here.

xx~LL

Pilates Teachers, What Should You Write About?

Posted on February 18, 2019February 11, 2019 by Lesley Logan

You became a Pilates teacher because you want to help people the way Pilates has helped you! And, then you found out you have to do a ton of other things to grow your Pilates business, get new clients and fill your classes and schedule. You get your website up and then you find out blogging isn’t dead and you have to write. And, you hear email isn’t dead and you have to send newsletters. What?! No one teaches these things in Pilates teacher training programs. What on earth are you supposed to write about?

Before you get writing let’s make sure you have a few things in place

Your website lets you blog
How often will you blog?
Who are you blogging too?
Your website captures emails and you have an account to send emails with something like MailChimp or Constant Contact
How often will you send a newsletter?
Who are you writing too?

Once you have those answers or at least some ideas then you can implement the following:

A: Write about what you are constantly answering. If people are asking you these questions they think you’re the expert and they are also asking the search engines these things.

B: Write about what you like to teach. If you don’t teach athletes don’t write about how Pilates is great for athletes. You want to write about what you feel you’re knowledgeable in and how you want to show up and teach each day.

C: The first paragraph is key! It needs the keywords that your clients and future clients are putting into the search engines. Give the good stuff away in the beginning and get them hooked.

Alright, I know you’re sitting here reading this and nodding your head and then slowly freaking out. This all sounds easier said than done. So, if you’re wanting to know how to blog watch my course here. If you’re needing help on newsletters, defining who you are writing to contact me here. Let’s work one on one. Your time is extremely valuable and we can get super clear on who you are writing to each week! It will make writing easier. I promise.

What are you going to write about this week? I’d love to hear in the comments below.

xx~LL

3 Tips to Winning Your Clients Back

Posted on February 11, 2019February 10, 2019 by Lesley Logan

Have you had a client go on vacation, have the best time and then come back to their life but not to their Pilates schedule? Or, that client that came 2x a week religiously, got sick, took a break and you haven’t seen them since. There’s a whole lot of feelings when situations like these happen. First, you’re worried? Are they ok? But, you see on social their totally fine. So, then, frustration and feeling rejected ensues. I mean, they loved class with you. Why aren’t they back? Did you do or say something wrong? Should you call them? Ugh, but it’s been weeks, so now it feels awkward! Am I right? When did running your Pilates business feel like dating?

Here’s the thing, we are not the right teacher for everyone all of the time. Sometimes it’s good for clients to take a break. But, what if it’s not. What if it’s the right client and teacher and you know that life has just gotten to them and you want to be there to bring them back, to return them to life? Can you get an old client back?

Yep, and here are three tips to winning clients back:

Contact them! Ok, before you roll your eyes and stop reading this blog hear me out. You probably connected them once when they were supposed to return, maybe even twice. And then you stopped reaching out. I get it. It feels awkward. But, you don’t know what’s going on with them. You may have emailed them the day they got bad news. They saw your email but just couldn’t respond. So, call them, say hi, if you can help them with anything. Don’t ask them to come in just be supportive.
Have a Newsletter: Yes, this works! If you were already writing a consistent newsletter and making sure all your clients opted into it then your love notes would be hitting them regularly. I have two clients that travel a ton and always respond to my newsletters when they are going to be back in LA.
Create a Community at your space. Yes, you can do this even if you teach Privates only and even if you’re an independent contractor. So many of my clients are friends because they pass each other between sessions. That little 5 min break where I am washing my hands and using the ladies they are gabbing away. If you have classes this is easier if you introduce people and encourage them to say hi to their neighbor in class etc. But, the accountability of the others knowing they are missing class keeps them coming back. For those of us who mostly teach privates introduce your clients to each other as they pass. Over time they get quite comfortable gabbing away. They usually start by lamenting over how you torture them! It’s fun!

Here’s the thing, clients are going to disappear. But, there are some key things you can be doing in your business to mitigate those disappearances. And, here’s the thing, getting a new client costs a lot. It costs time and money and those are two things I don’t want you to waste. So, setting your clients and your business up to strengthen your retention is key. If you want to get clients back and also prevent losing the good ones be sure to join me on my next webinar.

In the meantime, go ahead, call them! What’s the worst thing that happens they block you? They don’t call you back? Ok, that’s at least an answer and so not the end of the world. You’ll feel free to go ahead and fill there spot with a client who is more dedicated.

xx~LL

6 Things You Can Do Right Now to Get More Clients

Posted on February 4, 2019February 3, 2019 by Lesley Logan

This one is for all my Pilates teachers, studio owners and fitness professionals looking to grow their classes, their schedule and who never want to worry about what’s gonna happen if a client moves. Yep, if you’re still reading then this blog is for you!

Here’s the deal, no matter how good you are a client will move, take a break, get sick or call it quits. It happens. And, it’s not personal. Remember that. But, if you are not doing these things below then you will find yourself scrambling to fill their time slots when they leave. If you are doing these tips below then you’ll feel calm and excited for the next client that will take their slots.

Ready to have a waitlist or a consistent flow of potential new clients?

Good! I was hoping you would say so.

Have an updated website! When’s the last time you looked at yours?
Grow your newsletter list and write to it consistently! I know, you’re not sure what to say. I’ll be talking about that more in my next webinar. So if you don’t already have a spot on your website to capture those emails.
BLOG! If you have been following me for a while you are probably waiting for me to give you a reason to not blog. Guess what? Not gonna happen. Blogs help your SEO. Good SEO means people find your website and that means they get on your list and get to hear from YOU!
Talk to your ideal client in all your posts. Yep, those FB, IG, Tweets, blogs, and newsletters. All of it! You need to be picturing one person. Your client avatar!
ABG- Always be generous- this doesn’t mean don’t follow policies and charge your worth. But, it does mean focusing on the clients you have and making sure that you are helping them be a walking advertisement for you. Create a referral program, it doesn’t have to be complicated but it does make them feel like they want to share you with others because they feel special when you are generous with them in ways that you can be.
Tell people who you are, what you do and why you are good at it! Too pushy? Fine, then tell people who you are, whom you are for and how you help make their lives better. Still no onboard? Tell 5 strangers you’re a Pilates teacher and see what happens! I bet you’ll have to tell them whom you are for and why they should take with you. You have to tell people what you are offering. All the time!

Which of these tips will you do this week?

xx~LL

3 Tips to Get People to Read Your Newsletters and Blogs

Posted on January 28, 2019January 27, 2019 by Lesley Logan

You know you that you have to write blog posts, write newsletters and have a presence on social media to help market your Pilates business. But, it can feel like all your efforts on falling on deaf ears when you post or hit send and literally hear crickets. Or, worse, when you hear people say they didn’t know you offered something you just announced in a newsletter. Ugh so annoying. You know, when you email about a rate increase and then a client swears you never told them. So, why does this happen? How come when you post on social, publish a blog or send a newsletter you aren’t getting through to your clients? Simple, you’re not speaking to them.

I know, you are writing words on a paper. You took hours out of your week, read and re-read every post and yet nothing. Nada. No response. You wonder if it was the algorithm on Facebook or the time you sent on MailChimp or Constant Contact. But, algorithms and perfect timing are not the biggest culprits. Nope, the biggest reason people are not reacting to your words is that you are not writing to them. You’re writing to a general, average person. No to you client Cindy who wants results but doesn’t come consistently. You’re writing to a group of people you can’t describe because it’s just a random group, not Bob who needs more flexibility but hasn’t started his Pilates practice yet. You’re writing words but they are not speaking to anyone because you’re trying to speak to everyone.

If you want people to feel like you are telling them something then try these three tips out on your next piece:

Post on the social channels they are using! I often see lots of teachers sharing info about their classes but in forums that are not where their client or future clients hang out. Or, I see tons of tweets about class schedule changes but the classes are for a demographic that isn’t using Twitter. You don’t need to be on every social platform. Do the research and be on the channels and forums your clients and future clients are spending time in.
Know what your clients do when they are not doing Pilates. These special interests will help you talk to them in your posts. For example, let’s say your clients love to surf. Share news about surfers who have raved about Pilates. Write blog posts about how Pilates helps surfers. Create tips for doing Pilates for surfers. Then when surfers are searching for ways to better their surfing your posts will come up!
What are their pain points. I know you know the benefits of Pilates. And, you have them on your website. But, how do these benefits solve your clients and future clients problems? Write down your clients pain points, their problems and then how does Pilates with you help them. When you write, blog or post keep these pain points in mind. People will do anything to solve their problems. Make it easy, tell them about their pain point and how you help them. They’re going to listen so fast!

These are just three simple tips you can start with today. And, I truly hope you do. One of my favorite authors Daniel Pink said on a podcast that if you have a service or product that can help solve someone’s problems you have a moral obligation to tell them. But, most of us think we said it once and it didn’t work, no one listened or no one cared. Wrong! They didn’t hear you. You were talking to general.

You have to talk directly to your ideal client. And, it’s going to take these three tips and getting really clear on who your client is. Who is your client avatar?

If you’re ready to define this avatar, if you’re ready to finally be heard, if you’re ready to get your magic out there then you should join me on my next webinar.

Not ready yet? No worries! Start with these three tips and see how even these small steps will create big change in your business.

Share your gifts my friends. Your clients are ready and waiting.

xx~LL