fitSpot Guru
fitSpot Guru is your weekly guide to mastering fitDEGREE! Each week our team will take on topics related to our software provided by our clients or our internal team. The goal is to leave the episode with a greater understanding of fitDEGREE and how it can be used to optimize your business! Got a question or a suggestion? Email us at support@fitdegree.com!
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Episode 273: Maximizing Revenue Streams in Your Fitness Studio
01/23/2025
Episode 273: Maximizing Revenue Streams in Your Fitness Studio
What We Cover In This Episode: Why a thorough analysis of your existing income streams is the foundational step towards maximizing your studio's profitability [4:21] How surveying your clients to understand their needs and preferences can reveal untapped opportunities for new services and offerings [5:23] Effective strategies to leverage your current revenue streams to achieve significant growth within your fitness studio [6:50] The importance of recognizing when a particular revenue stream idea is no longer viable and requires redirection of your efforts [7:52] Innovative ideas to increase your studio's profitability through the sale of high-margin retail products [9:54] The potential that exists for hosting engaging workshops and special events to attract new clients and generate additional income streams [12:46] How to successfully introduce one-on-one training and small group classes as valuable and profitable offerings for your clients [13:45] What you can do to leverage the popularity of your signature class by developing and licensing a program with it [16:24] A range of dynamic strategies you can implement within your studio to enhance client experience, increase engagement, and ultimately drive revenue growth [18:12] How leveraging technology, including fitDEGREE’s payment and scheduling features to streamline processes, can bring more cash into your business [19:33] Quotes: “When you launch a new revenue stream, it’s the same thing as a new employee coming in. Have a 90-day review of it. Are things going up, are things going down, is it your fault, is it the market’s fault? Is it something you should kibosh before you get too deep in [it].” [Nick, 2:48] “The idea of licensing a program or your model is pretty interesting. These are how franchises get started. If you’re more of a community-based studio, then maybe just skip ahead.” [Nick, 16:31] “It always goes back to the pricing idea of really optimizing your class revenue stream. Are you offering different levels and different budgets of commitment?” [18:13] LINKS: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 272: Mastering Referral Marketing for Your Studio
01/16/2025
Episode 272: Mastering Referral Marketing for Your Studio
What We Cover In This Episode: The key benefits of keeping your referral marketing simple and easy to understand [3:31] Options you have as incentives to offer those who are bringing you business through referrals [5:07]
How you can leveraging the community around you to generate more referrals [8:02]
What to consider when designing and promoting a clear referral program [12:05] Tips for implementing referral tracking software and the ways that fitDEGREE can help you manage referral rewards easily [14:10] How showcasing success stories can lead to even more referrals for your studio and what you can do to incentivize social sharing by others [15:14] Strategies you can use to recognize and celebrate those who are referring new members [16:38] Quotes: “Remember that if your customers are not talking about your business to their friends, then your brand isn't that strong.” [Nick, 1:41] “Make your referral program easy to understand and participate in. You don't want your people thinking about what the referral program is and not getting it right away, and then also trying to explain it to a friend and them not getting it right away.” [Nick, 3:53] “Remember, the studio is always going to be better for everybody if they are bringing in like-minded individuals.” [Nick, 8:14] “Even if [a referral payment] does cost you a few bucks, this is your effort to grow, as you’re rewarding the people that are bringing you new business.” [Nick 20:34] LINKS: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 271: Work Smarter, Not Harder: Achieving Work-Life Balance as a Studio Owner
01/09/2025
Episode 271: Work Smarter, Not Harder: Achieving Work-Life Balance as a Studio Owner
What We Cover In This Episode: How identifying tasks that can be automated or delegated to free up your time is the very first step in achieving work-life balance as a studio owner [4:25] The importance of setting boundaries and clearly communicating them to staff and clients [6:57] What you can do as a studio owner right now to prioritize your self-care [12:00] How you can use available automation tools to begin working smarter, not harder [14:07] The way that delegating effectively and trusting your staff to make decisions will aid in this process [16:30] Why time-blocking is such a powerful strategy to use as a business owner [19:27] What you’ll be able to achieve by unplugging regularly and fully stepping away from the studio [23:19] Some things you can do to continue investing in your personal development [24:31] Quotes: “Trust your staff to manage the day-to-day operations without micromanaging. If you are going to tell your staff how to clean, even if they don't clean exactly like how you would clean, if they get the job 97 percent of the way done, just move on.” [Nick, 16:42] “Establish phone-free zones or hours to disconnect from work, emails, notifications, and plan regular days where you fully step away from the studio.” [Nick, 23:53] “Achieving work-life balance is not about doing it all, it’s about doing what matters most. Remember, done is better than perfect. So, by streamlining operations, setting clear boundaries and prioritizing self-care, you can create a business that works for you, not the other way around.” [26:09] LINKS: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 270: Building a Strong Team: Employee Management Best Practices for Boutique Studios
01/02/2025
Episode 270: Building a Strong Team: Employee Management Best Practices for Boutique Studios
What We Cover In This Episode: How finding the right team really starts by defining your studio needs [4:07] Why focusing on fostering growth for your individual team members will be key when building and maintaining a strong team [11:28] Strategies for navigating termination in a professional way [12:12] The benefits that building a positive work culture will have not only on your team members, but also for your clients [16:48] Ways to revamp your hiring process to ensure you’re bringing on the right people for your boutique studio [17:29] Essential tips for developing a solid onboarding process [18:09] How to recognize your team for their efforts and an effective way to implement an “Employee of the Month” reward [18:41] Things to consider when using performance reviews [22:27] Thoughts on hosting team events to build a strong culture in your studio and what to do first if your team is experiencing any friction [24:21] Quotes: “Finding the right team starts with defining what your studio needs. Look beyond resumes and hire people who share your passion and values.” [Nick, 4:14] “You can write down a bunch of bullet points of what you’re looking for, you can match up those bullet points with a resume, but I think it is really important when you get into that interview process to look for the soft skills. [Ask yourself] is this person really going to fill that position I need?” [Nick, 5:20] “You want to avoid overloading your team with responsibilities, you want to make sure you celebrate these small and big wins, and you want to encourage open communication to get feedback on how things can improve.” [Nick, 16:57] LINKS: by Gino Wickman and Mark C. Winters fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 269: Elevate Your Studio with Year-End Reflections for Continued Success
12/26/2024
Episode 269: Elevate Your Studio with Year-End Reflections for Continued Success
What We Cover In This Episode: How to pinpoint your studio's biggest achievements and challenges through a year-end review [4:06] The key metrics and trends to analyze in order to gain valuable insights for your studio's future [5:07] The power of a mission-driven approach in building a strong brand and fostering a loyal community [6:22] What you do to gather and implement member feedback to enhance your studio's offerings and services in the new year [9:48] Tips for setting specific goals that are both ambitious and achievable based on your reflections [11:20] How to host a productive team meeting to identify and address challenges, and set the stage for a successful 2025 [12:56] Quotes: “This reflection is going to help you refocus on the values that define your studio and ensure every aspect of the business aligns with your core purpose.” [Nick, 6:38] “Every single time you are making a decision for your studio, whether it is your pricing, your schedule, your hiring, everything you do it should all reconnect to your brand mission, vision and values.” [Megan, 7:55] “Smart goals are meant to be achieved because it feels good to get wins. You just stack those wins on top of each other and they become big wins over time.” [12:17] LINKS: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 268: Boost Your Gym’s Sales Success with A Few Simple Questions
12/19/2024
Episode 268: Boost Your Gym’s Sales Success with A Few Simple Questions
What We Cover In This Episode: Tips for uncovering and understanding your potential clients “why” [4:59] How identify past challenges that your potential clients have had can be a big help in identifying their expectations [5:53] The way that highlighting your studio’s unique benefits can boost your sales success [7:13] Why active listening is crucial for discovering nuggets of information and past experiences [9:53] The key reasons you need to confirm you and your potential clients are on the same page [10:24] How you can incorporate testimonials in this process [10:55] A reminder to make sure your follow up is personalized [12:42] Quotes: “I want you to re-frame your sales conversations as if you're a doctor trying to help someone with a diagnosis or you are a consultant trying to help somebody with their problems, and that is going to lead to a more meaningful conversation.” [Nick, 4:11] “It is really important to uncover this person’s journey and why they are in there, because you want to make sure it is a good fit for you, and assuming it's a good fit for you, you want to identify how your studio can overcome these past challenges.” [Nick, 6:40] “When you really humanize the situation and show that you were listening to them, they are more likely to give you an answer and I can't iterate enough that yes’s are great, but sometimes I would rather have a fast no then having to pull their teeth to get a yes.” [Nick, 13:46] LINKS: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 267: Crafting a Strong Group Class Pricing Structure
12/12/2024
Episode 267: Crafting a Strong Group Class Pricing Structure
What We Cover In This Episode: Recommendations for keeping your service menu simple and finite [4:05] Flexible service menu options you can use when creating your pricing structure [5:18] Why setting low prices to attract volume isn’t an effective long-term pricing strategy for your business [12:11] The benefits of including tiered membership options and examples of what this could look like [13:30] A bundling strategy that can enhance the member experience and justify a higher price point [13:50] A way you can reward long-term members for their commitment to your studio and what you will see as a result of using this strategy [19:24] Quotes: “I think it really helps when you offer flexible membership options because then a membership is for each client persona, for your casuals, your committed, and your flexible people.” [Nick, 7:14 “If you offer them that specialized attention, it is part of their membership and they might as well take advantage of it, they're only going to get more hooked into the modality, they are going to be a bigger advocate for the studio. They are going to have more fun during class and I really see it as a retention tool.” [15:29] “Rewarding long-term members with special pricing like a loyalty discount or exclusive offers recognizes their commitment and turns them into advocates for your studio.” [19:29] LINKS: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 266: To Automate or To Call: Deciding When Personal Touch Matters in Your Fitness Studio
12/05/2024
Episode 266: To Automate or To Call: Deciding When Personal Touch Matters in Your Fitness Studio
What We Cover In This Episode: How to streamline your member interactions with efficient automation techniques [3:08] Why personalized communication for significant milestones can significantly impact client retention and satisfaction [3:50] Effective strategies to implement automated subscription payment reminders [4:41] What to understand about the delicate balance between automated and personalized communication, considering factors like sensitivity and urgency [6:26] Time-saving templates that allow for quick and effective personalization of your member communications [18:30] How to implement a system for regular check-ins to foster stronger member relationships [20:01] Ways you can use AI tools like ChatGPT to assist in creating personalized member outreach messages [20:57] Quotes: “[With] big renewals, I think it is worth reaching out and finding out if they're happy, because you're just going to deal with a mess if they are not happy and you have to reverse those charges.” [Nick, 6:17] “If you can diagnose that it's a pivotal point in a person’s client journey, whether they are first coming to the studio, it's time for renewal…any time that it is a pivotal point to that client continuing or not, I feel that is a good time to reach out personally.” [Nick, 10:35] “By automating routine tasks and reserving personal messages for key milestones, sensitive topics and unique members' journeys, you can streamline operations while also building a meaningful community connection.” [Nick, 23:33] LINKS: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 265: Member Spotlights: Showcasing Success Stories to Boost Engagement
11/28/2024
Episode 265: Member Spotlights: Showcasing Success Stories to Boost Engagement
What We Cover In This Episode: Why showcasing member success stories can significantly boost engagement within your boutique fitness studio community [3:06] Effective strategies for choosing members to feature in your spotlights [3:39] Various achievements that can be celebrated in your member spotlights [4:56] How to utilize different formats to showcase these stories [5:41] Tips for motivating members to share their own spotlight stories and why this can be a powerful engagement tool [6:24] Practical advice on creating a plan to approach members and gather their stories [7:48] The optimal frequency for publishing member spotlights to maintain interest and engagement [12:06] How to design effective questionnaires to capture member stories and how to engage with spotlight subjects within your studio [16:02] Quotes: “When you share a member spotlight, it should rally the people. Everyone should be excited for that member and that member should be proud of their story….it should really rally the troops behind it. ” [Nick, 3:25] “Beginner gains are inspiring because it gets someone off the couch to a starting point. Also, an advanced member should get a shoutout too. They get these incremental progressions throughout the later years when you reach an advanced stage, and it’s still a big deal for them to achieve something.” [Nick, 4:20] “It can be self-kudos, or it can be about your instructors that work for you as well; they do a lot of stuff for you, your internal community and your external community.” [Megan, 14:59] LINKS: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 264: Automating Your Way to More Customers with Justin Silverman of Merchynt
11/21/2024
Episode 264: Automating Your Way to More Customers with Justin Silverman of Merchynt
What We Cover In This Episode: A look at how Merchynt automated Google My Business [2:28] Some of the most effective marketing tools that are available to you right now [4:25] What to be aware of with sponsored Google listings [8:05] The specific components that make up a Google Business Profile [8:45] What “automating your Google Business Profile” means [12:40] Meet Paige and learn how this powerful tool can combine automation platforms capabilities [17:12] Best practices for local business website SEO [22:14] Quotes: “Website SEO is pretty irrelevant now for a local business, so that leaves the Google Business Profile, which is where 85 percent of people are going to click on that local search.” [Justin, 6:01] “There is no better way to get a highly motivated buyer in your door than showing up on the top three of Google maps.” [6:33] “Being Google-friendly is the most important [thing for SEO]. Landing pages are just as good as a 12-page website, and we have seen profiles rank on Google maps that don't even have a website. [25:50] LINKS: Merchynt’s , & ! fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 263: Creating an Impactful Studio Challenge: Boosting Engagement and Revenue
11/14/2024
Episode 263: Creating an Impactful Studio Challenge: Boosting Engagement and Revenue
What We Cover In This Episode: How to choose a challenge theme that aligns with your members' goals and sparks interest [2:53] The power of fostering community and accountability to motivate participants and increase success rates [3:56] Some of the ways in which offering meaningful rewards can boost engagement and amplify the impact of your challenges [5:00] How to build anticipation and excitement for your next challenge through strategic promotion [8:10] Tips for creating a simple yet effective tracking system to help participants stay on track [9:11] The importance of recognizing and celebrating both small wins and significant achievements [10:09] Quotes: “It is easy to get excited for the challenge to get started. It is easy for the challenge to be exciting for a week or two, but if you make it a month, you better make sure you're pounding through the finish line so it’s not to be forgotten or like it's an obligation towards the end.” [Nick, 4:46] “First of all, it’s [about the] promotion, because you want to get people excited for it. You want to get people excited to join it, excited to be a part of it and excited to win the prize. Promote your challenge early and often using social media, newsletters, fitDEGREE announcements and never discount in studio signage.” [Nick, 8:11] “Competition is a good thing. You know, it is one of those words where it can get to be a nasty thing but if you have the right culture and you have the right community it just keeps people accountable.” [Nick, 9:46] LINKS: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 262: 5 Lease Traps Gym Owners Can’t Afford to Ignore with Matt Becker of Gym Lawyers PLLC
11/07/2024
Episode 262: 5 Lease Traps Gym Owners Can’t Afford to Ignore with Matt Becker of Gym Lawyers PLLC
What We Cover In This Episode: Common hurdles faced by gym owners when first examining a lease agreement [2:51] A breakdown of the most crucial sections within a lease contract[6:06] Understanding ADA compliance and its specific implications for boutique fitness businesses [9:50] The potential financial consequences of not involving legal professionals from the outset of the lease process [13:27] Strategies for mitigating noise issues and safeguarding your business when signing a lease [16:56] Key factors to consider when assessing parking needs for your gym [22:36] Identifying and addressing potential permit or code violations outlined in a lease agreement [25:07] Tips for navigating early lease termination if necessary [28:27] Understanding personal guarantees and their implications for business owners [31:33] How the FTC's new rule will affect gym owners and their membership agreements [34:08] Quotes: “Almost everybody who calls now and says they have a problem with their lease, it is evident they didn't have anybody helping them.” [Matt, 5:42] “It’s too late once there is a problem. We have to try to prevent problems from ever popping up and prepare ourselves so that we have a fighting chance if there is a problem.” [Matt, 16:21] “You are a unique snowflake in the sense of being a gym owner because it is different requirements than any other common business that is going to go in this space.” [19:29] LINKS: Matt’s & Contact by Phone: 1-412-443-1396 fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 261: Competing with Larger Brands: Strategies for Boutique Studios
10/31/2024
Episode 261: Competing with Larger Brands: Strategies for Boutique Studios
What We Cover In This Episode: What to understand about the “Winning Zone” and focusing on where you are better than your larger competitors [3:02] How you can leverage your unique value proposition to compete with larger brands [4:09] A reminder how your community is your superpower [6:14] Tips for using technology for convenience - and to your advantage [8:47] The ways in which collaborating locally with similar businesses can help you succeed BIG [11:26] What happens when you put an emphasis on each client interaction you have within your business [12:14] How caring about your clients’ goals will allow you to retain members and enhance the overall experience for everyone [12:36] How to approach creating “chaos” with guerilla marketing in order to drive publicity for your business [13:26] Quotes: “What are your winning zones? Stick to those winning zones. For fitDEGREE, we’re a small business that helps small businesses. If you don’t want to work with a small business, we’re probably not a good fit for you. You’re just acting like a consultant [who shows] this is why they would like around here.” [Nick, 3:49] “Basically think about where your clients are going to be in other spots, and maybe when you’re a member there you’ll get 10 percent off or maybe you’ll be able to put up some QR codes in those businesses so you get some free marketing out of them, and just figure out how to help each other.” [Nick, 11:41] “This is the sweat equity where you don't have the marketing budget to constantly be hitting their faces. You don't have the brand recognition of the national enterprise, so you are going to have to put in the sweat equity to get to know each and every one of your members.” [13:01] LINKS: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 260: Boosting Your Studio’s SEO: A Beginner’s Guide
10/24/2024
Episode 260: Boosting Your Studio’s SEO: A Beginner’s Guide
What We Cover In This Episode: Effective keyword strategies for identifying what potential clients are searching for in their first fitness class[2:01] How SEO’s “sweat equity” can help you drive traffic without paying for costly leads [4:15] The best free resources for tracking trending search terms and optimizing your content [7:01] The first steps to take for improving your website's on-site SEO [9:39] Best practices for strengthening your local SEO and ensuring your studio is easily found in local searches [14:07] How to leverage Chat GPT to boost your studio’s SEO [16:28] Tips for optimizing your studio’s website for mobile users to improve rankings and user experience [16:46] What to be aware of with internal links and how they can enhance your on-site SEO [17:30] Why producing consistent, fresh content is crucial for staying in Google’s good graces [18:21] How to leverage customer reviews you’ve received to improve your SEO right now [20:21] LINKS: Episodes , , & with Connie of Pixality Design fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 259: Mastering Employee Management for Boutique Studios
10/17/2024
Episode 259: Mastering Employee Management for Boutique Studios
What We Cover In This Episode: How clearly defining roles and responsibilities for every position is crucial for a studio’s success [7:50] Why hiring for a cultural fit is key [9:29] Consistent, transparent communication will set you on the path to mastering employee management every time [11:04] The damaging impact that micromanagement has on your employees and culture in the studio [16:54] The magic that happens when you invest in the development of your people, regardless of their position [18:34] Final thoughts on recognizing and rewarding the efforts of your team [19:24] Quotes: “Hiring just isn't about skills, it is about bringing people in who align with your studio’s values. Focus on finding candidates that contribute to your community and culture.” [9:32] “Micromanagement is the worst. Nobody ever said, ‘I really enjoy my manager micromanaging me, it makes me feel like I am on top of my game’. So, you do not want to be breathing down their throat, and this all comes down to that first 60 to 90 day onboarding.” [16:55] “If you have a studio manager, invest in them actually managing their people. If you have your instructors, help them out with new certifications coming up. Supporting their professional growth is going to keep employees motivated and prepared to contribute more. It feels like you care about them.” [Nick, 18:57] LINKS: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 258: Using Exceptional Service to Elevate Your Studio’s Client Experience
10/10/2024
Episode 258: Using Exceptional Service to Elevate Your Studio’s Client Experience
What We Cover In This Episode: How exceptional services involves creating a welcoming environment for everyone who walks through your doors [1:30] The critical role that consistency plays in having a positive experience [2:20] What active listening will allow you to give your members [3:10] Some of the ways in which delivering an exceptional experience will help the studio convert and retain members [7:01] A reminder that first impressions really do matter [8:15] A look at personalization and the process of discovering your client’s goal [9:55] How to be proactive and anticipating your clients’ needs before they even ask [14:07] Utilizing ChatGPT in the process of improving the service you deliver [15:58] Tips for creating opportunities for members to make connections outside of the classroom [17:27] Thoughts on soliciting feedback and adding value in this process [32:02] Quotes: “We’re not saying these things are easy, but it’s pretty simple. Someone comes through the door, you have the same process every single time, and you’re tweaking that process to make it better and better.” [Nick, 2:46] “If it didn’t correlate to added revenue to the studio, I would say move onto something more important, but delivering an exceptional experience is going to lead to more conversions off of your intro offers and retain those members long-term.” [Nick, 7:19] “This idea that the instructor gets to do what they feel like? No, they’re representing your brand and there should be a consistent process every time.” [Nick, “Your instructor should be delivering a very similar experience before and after class and making sure that the things that happen in class are on Brand whether they have their nuances or tweaks that people love about them, that is great, there are a few key moments in the class to be really their authentic selves.” [13:01] LINKS: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 257: The Power of Taking Breaks: How Taking Strategic Breaks Can Benefit Studio Owners
10/03/2024
Episode 257: The Power of Taking Breaks: How Taking Strategic Breaks Can Benefit Studio Owners
What We Cover In This Episode: “Nick’s Nuggets” and the big reasons why it’s so important to be taking breaks [0:59] Actionable tactics you can use to ensure taking your next break is a smooth operation for your clients as well as for you [6:57] The benefits of taking a “one step backwards, two step forwards” type of approach with taking breaks [9:59] A sneak peek at next week’s topic and how you can get more insights from us [12:31] Quotes: “If you take breaks, you’re preventing that quitting and you’re avoiding that burnout on yourself, because the goal is to be in some kind of flow state where you feel optimized, you feel creative and you feel energized.” [Nick, 1:21] “Try to get a calendar out there. Something we did for fitDEGREE, because we decided to take off federal holidays this year, is that in the beginning of the year we announced we’re taking off federal holidays.” [Nick, 7:28] “There are plenty of reasons to take breaks from the studio business of classes, just to make sure you’re taking some kind of one step backwards, two steps forward approach.” [Nick, 9:59] LINKS: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 256: See You Later!
08/01/2024
Episode 256: See You Later!
What We Cover In This Episode: How we’re feeling right now and why it’s been a bit of a “love/hate relationship” with the podcast [0:56] The ways in which fitSpot Guru is going to get a little TLC while we go on a bit of a hiatus [1:38] The potential for a second podcast, what you can expect and how it’ll be different [2:39] What won’t be changing with what we do [5:38] How you can stay up to date with all of our plans and provide your feedback in this process [6:33] Quotes: “At least the podcast aspect of our weekly load shouldn’t feel like work. It should be fun, the energy should come through, and it’s just been feeling like a slug lately.” [Nick, 1:09] “We’re looking to not only give you education, facts, work and tasks to do, but then also break it up with a little bit of fun.” [Megan, 4:21] “We’re just trying to keep it light and keep podcasting fun, because [when you’re] having conversations every week and if they’re not engaging, you don’t hang out with someone anymore if it’s not fun.” [Nick, 5:24] LINKS: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 255: Essential Crisis Management Strategies for Boutique Fitness Studios
07/25/2024
Episode 255: Essential Crisis Management Strategies for Boutique Fitness Studios
What We Cover In This Episode: An update on the total value of the wellness market right now and the shift that’s happening towards holistic health [1:02] The importance of having a crisis plan in place and the types of the scenarios you should be prepared for [4:08] How to properly prepare for a crisis, based on the “scale of fires” [10:30] A few key considerations when building plans for the financial type of a crisis [18:02] What to be aware of when recovering from a crisis and the way in which proper documentation of incidents will aid in this process [23:19] Quotes: “What happens if someone gets a cut? What happens if you need to call the police, or the fire [department]? What are your protocols? I think it’s important because in crazy scenarios, people panic unless they have a plan.” [Megan, 5:35] “Insurance is something you should be doing in general, but it’s the things that are out of your control that you want to move into your control as much as possible.” [Megan, 7:27] “All of these things, you want to make sure you’re doing to the letter. You have to react perfectly, because you have a lot of liability in this type of business and you need to be very safe.” [Megan, 21:32] LINKS: , , Do! App ( & ) Don’t Break the Chain App ( & ) fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 254: Developing Financial Fitness: Building Budgets, Making Projections, and Understanding ROI for Boutique Fitness Studios
07/18/2024
Episode 254: Developing Financial Fitness: Building Budgets, Making Projections, and Understanding ROI for Boutique Fitness Studios
What We Cover In This Episode: The ways that people are searching for a financial wellness on an individual level [0:51] What to consider about cash flow management and it’s role in a business’s success [3:57] Where to start with budgeting operational costs and streamlining your financial model [8:18] How to approach funding an expansion [14:57] Our advice for steering clear of making emotional decisions [18:53] Some ways people can optimize cost, without compromising quality [21:02] A look at Nick’s journey to becoming a business owner [29:08] Our weekly “Fit Favorites” and what is in YOUR gym bag? [32:41] Quotes: “The only way the business goes out of business is if you run out of money, so be obsessed with your cash flow management. Whether you are good at it or not, whether you like it or not, it’s the most critical thing to your business.” [Nick, 5:16] “Whether you’re just learning, getting started, starting to track a model or forming a budget, you always need to keep profitability in mind because at the end of the day, it's a business and you’re trying to make money.” [Megan, 21:05] “Do not let additional revenue from one service or product fund a different product or service without the controlled research and development phase.” [Nick, 23:43] LINKS: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 253: It’s More Than Just Fitness: How to Create an Experience That Resonates!
07/11/2024
Episode 253: It’s More Than Just Fitness: How to Create an Experience That Resonates!
What We Cover In This Episode: How to approach defining your unique selling proposition [4:46] What to understand about connecting with your target audience [9:00] Steps to take to build a strong visual and verbal brand identity [13:09] How to leverage social media and digital marketing to its full potential [18:47] What you can do to start creating memorable member experiences [24:51] What the process of measuring and adjusting looks like when building your brand [29:02] Our “Fit Favorites” and an innovative way to make sure you’re drinking enough [30:58] Quotes: “Stick out in a way, and remember that it’s all just fitness to them, So, what’s different past that layer of fitness?” [Nick, 7:36] “When it comes to social media, I think a really important point was building your community, but also engaging with your members. I think if you’re going to have social media, you need to be active on social media, especially in the realm of fitness.” [Megan, 19:50] “There are a lot of creative ways to engage your community. Make it really feel like the second or third home that people say you should make it.” [Nick, 28:45] LINKS: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 252: Scaling Your Success: The Latest Strategies for Studio Owners Who Want to GROW
07/04/2024
Episode 252: Scaling Your Success: The Latest Strategies for Studio Owners Who Want to GROW
What We Cover In This Episode: What to consider if you’re thinking of expanding beyond your current physical space [7:25] A look at integrating retail products, and whether it is a smart move for you and your boutique fitness studio [12:20] How you can use tech-driven service expansion to facilitate new services for your customers [17:29] Some ways to use cross-promotions and partnerships in order to scale [22:32] What a feasibility analysis is and why we recommend you do one as a studio owner wanting to scale [27:00] Things to consider when making pricing adjustments in your studio [28:06] Our brand new segment “Fit Favorites” and a cool new product for you to check out [29:32] Quotes: “If you were going to sell a product, your positioning, what you put next to each other and how it's presented is very important for your sales. There's a lot of psychology that goes into how you merchandise your space and lay it out.” [Megan, 15:01] “There’s a lot of impact to be had with partnering with other local businesses or even online influencers to expand your reach in general, or maybe even the ability to cross-promote services or even create a new service together.” [Megan, 22:20] “Just really decide what’s going to be in-house, and if it’s not going to be in-house, what is that partnership that you can really be valuable for? Maybe it’s just a discount, maybe it’s a combination of rewards, or maybe it’s also a spot where you can host community events to drive leads to your facility.” [Nick, 23:20] LINKS: & fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 251: Optimizing First Visits: Best Practices to Maximize New Client Retention with Seran Glanfield of Spring Three
06/27/2024
Episode 251: Optimizing First Visits: Best Practices to Maximize New Client Retention with Seran Glanfield of Spring Three
What We Cover In This Episode: Examples of ways you can optimize the very first visit by your clients [1:08] What Seran says is the “low-hanging fruit” of building relationships [9:03] Why is the first visit so crucial for retention [12:38] Some of the things that can be done to make the first visit so memorable for the client [17:21] How you can set the stage for optimizing retention by pairing a new client with a seasoned client [21:36] Final tips and effective follow-up techniques to increase the retention rate at your studio [23:38] Quotes: “If you really want to have a solid business, you also have to have an experience that is designed for attention. If you give anyone any excuse to not come back, they are going to take it.” [Seran, 16:58] “When they walk in the studio, they are looking for ‘is this person or is this place going to be the place that I keep coming back to?’” [21:13] “You want to make sure that your pricing aligns with your customer journey, so whatever package you are selling folks on their first visit is already in alignment with a long-term commitment.” [24:50] LINKS: Get Seran’s Free Resource, Her & fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 250: Mastering the Customer Experience: Effective Onboarding, Communication, and Feedback Strategies for Boutique Fitness Studios
06/20/2024
Episode 250: Mastering the Customer Experience: Effective Onboarding, Communication, and Feedback Strategies for Boutique Fitness Studios
What We Cover In This Episode: News with Nick and the latest of group fitness builds and mental, emotional and physical well-being [0:36] The importance that having an effective onboarding process will have on your customer’s experience [5:04] Integration partners that can help you communicate with your clients - click their links below to learn more! [10:03] Why you can’t afford to ghost your clients that are responding to your text marketing [12:15] Impactful ways to encourage your membership renewals or purchases [15:27] What to focus on if you are not making conversions [17:07] How to start leverage the social features inside of fitDEGREE if you haven’t already been doing so [19:17] An update on tag-based announcements [22:13] Our final thoughts on gathering feedback [22:59] Quotes: “They can like your class, they can like your studio, they can like the vibe, but if they don't meet a friend, they are just a ticking time bomb until they walk away.” [Nick, 1:31] “So it has to make sense cost-wise. As much as I said it’s about community, they did come to you for a physical reason. The community is kind of like a surprise.” [Nick, 16:03] “There might be some evolutions of the feed coming in the very near future, so the more we train them and get them used to the feed, seeing the feed, interacting with the feed, the feed might start working in your favor the more you start training them, preparing them and getting those interactions boosted in the here and now.” [Megan, 21:13] LINKS: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 249: Master Your Marketing Messaging with Seran Glanfield of Spring Three
06/13/2024
Episode 249: Master Your Marketing Messaging with Seran Glanfield of Spring Three
What We Cover In This Episode: Seran’s journey from Wall Street to the Pilates studio - and beyond [1:15] How she curated her approach to coaching fitness studios [7:01] Why Seran believes so strongly that success does not have to equal stress [8:36] Some of the main reasons that effective marketing messaging crucial for fitness studios to master [13:50] What the key elements are of strong marketing [16:01] Seran’s advice for how to start differentiating yourself from others in your market [19:14] A final reminder to use marketing strategies that resonate with your audience for best results [28:44] Quotes: “Having an effective marketing message helps you to really connect with your target audience but also to deeply connect and build relationships with your existing and current clients.” [Seran, 15:01] “You want to make sure that you're not looking around you when you’re trying to craft your marketing message too much, and that is another mistake that I see people making, is that they’re pulling from other people.” [Seran, 20:41] “What I want for you as a studio owner is I want your studio to stand out, which means I don't want you to look like everyone else in town. I want you to represent what it is that you do and what you uniquely do, and the way that you uniquely do it.” [Seran, 21:02] LINKS: Get Seran’s Free Resource, Her & Seran's Podcast episodes that are relevant to today’s topic: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 248: What to Know About Summer Survival: Mastering Seasonal Drops and Boosting Studio Engagement
06/06/2024
Episode 248: What to Know About Summer Survival: Mastering Seasonal Drops and Boosting Studio Engagement
What We Cover In This Episode: Why you’ll want to understand, analyze and anticipate the summer drops that occur in our industry [5:28] The need to ensure great communication with everyone about your summer schedules [7:12] How you can use this time to explore flexible membership options [8:51] Ideas for unique summer programs or challenges [11:27] Thoughts on leveraging technology during this slower time [15:25] Ways to engage the community and keep the momentum going in your studio [17:14] The benefits you’ll see from spending less money and reviewing your expenses [19:06] Megan’s recommendation around a solid summer system for vacations [19:57] Quotes: “I also find that summer is a really great time to do low cost, low effort, community building activities.” [Megan, 13:13] “You can think of the summer as one big marketing campaign. You want people to be thinking about you when September comes around, or when the holidays pass.” [14:41] “This is a great time of year to reward and treat your staff. Especially while it is slow, you have so much time to build up those relationships and really empower your staff.” [Megan, 18:51] LINKS: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 247: Cancellation Policy Q&A
05/30/2024
Episode 247: Cancellation Policy Q&A
What We Cover In This Episode: A look at the current activity in gyms now versus the pre-pandemic levels [0:52] What the primary goal of having a cancellation policies in your studio should be [4:39] The key components you should be considering when creating and implementing your cancellation policies [5:12] How to approach balancing flexibility with clients with the needs of the business [7:35] Some examples of factors that may influence the timeline for early versus late cancellations [9:00] How policies can differ from limited to unlimited item holders and how this will impact client behavior [12:26] Tips for introducing and enforcing the policies in your studio [17:23] The options within fitDEGREE that can help you manage your cancellation policy [19:48] Quotes: “Someone might not make it, they might be in traffic and all of that kind of stuff, but you’re trying to reduce the default behavior of people flaking [out]. It’s going to be emergencies and those are going to happen less often.” [6:46] “If you make the fee so minimal, you're going to make a little bit of money off of it, but in the end you might lose a member who just continuously cancels and doesn’t think twice and then eventually cancels their membership.” [16:20] “Cancellation policies, in my opinion, are not ‘set it and forget it’ kinds of things. They are something that you should be continuously reviewing, resetting and adjusting in order to ensure that your business is running smoothly. So you should be monitoring your cancellation policy and its impact.” [23:36] LINKS: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 246: Onboarding and Maintaining a Proper Team with Katie Santos of Fitness HR
05/23/2024
Episode 246: Onboarding and Maintaining a Proper Team with Katie Santos of Fitness HR
What We Cover In This Episode: What leadership quality Katie says is the single most crucial one for running a fitness studio [4:08] One of the biggest HR pitfalls that she has seen running a fitness studio with a W2 workforce [5:36] A trend that is brewing in the fitness industry to be aware of as a studio owner [9:09] Katie’s insights for beginning the hiring process with a curated email campaign [12:32] Why role clarity is absolutely crucial for all positions in the studio, those currently filled and unfilled [16:38] Effective techniques for maintaining engagement with your team [20:27] How to tell if new hires are integrating smoothly into the fitness studio culture you have created [23:30] Some frequent mistakes that studio owners are making during the onboarding process [26:44] A reminder that your staff should be treated as a revenue-generating person in your business [29:57] Quotes: “We don’t think of our staff as revenue-generating resources, and most of them are. Even your front desk [staff], they are making calls and booking in, so they are generating revenue for you. They deserve to be managed and cared for like they are revenue-generating just like our clients are.” [Katie, 4:18] “When you start to see a staff member going left when you want them to go right, it’s time to be inquisitive about it.” [Kate, 6:23] “Culture is there, whether you purposely developed or articulated it or not, and it can change over time.” [Katie, 24:21] LINKS: Katie’s & fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 245: 10 Key Facts of Digital Marketing
05/16/2024
Episode 245: 10 Key Facts of Digital Marketing
What We Cover In This Episode: News with Nick and a look at how Capitol Hill is “getting fit” [0:54] Why you need to find and lean into your ideal clients in order to have a successful business and a strong community [5:36] The reasons that SEO is crucial for attracting organic traffic [7:12] What happens when you build a content strategy that offers value [8:27] How to approach leveraging the power of social media to create a dynamic presence [9:51] What the ultimate goal of email marketing should be [11:28] Tips for incorporating video tutorials into your digital marketing strategy [12:25] A look at online reviews and the power they hold [13:13] What to consider with mobile optimization [14:28] Some of the ways to utilize the data analytics tools that are available [15:45] Why you need to have everything dailed in before even starting to do paid advertising [15:51] Quotes: “It was completely different 5 [or] 10 years ago, but now it’s once you know your niche audience, you just follow the trends and you just put your niche on each trend.” [Megan, 9:13] “Personally I think, vlogging, short posts, long form posts and all the video content you can do is great. People love videos.” [Megan, 12:43] “You can't improve what you don't track, and it doesn't really matter how you feel. It just depends what the numbers say, they’re the things that move [the needle].” [Nick, 16:00] “You have to earn the right to do paid advertising, in my opinion. Everything needs to be dialed in.” [16:45] LINKS: fitDEGREE’s
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Episode 244: The Downsides of Not Having Employees with Katie Santos of Fitness HR
05/09/2024
Episode 244: The Downsides of Not Having Employees with Katie Santos of Fitness HR
What We Cover In This Episode: What the transition from studio owner to HR looked like for Katie [6:25] How to convey, from a marketing perspective, the move from1099 independent contractor to W-2 employee [7:42] The top common misconceptions of HR in the fitness industry [11:22] What the statistics say for studios that do not have a W-2 structure in place [14:34] The fundamental differences between an employee and contractor to be aware of [16:33] Some common legal pitfalls that studios may face during this process [19:26] How hiring contractors versus employees affects the culture of your studio [22:34] The benefits and/or drawbacks of hiring contractors versus employees [26:15] Quotes: “What’s your culture saying? How do we define it? What does your pricing look like? Is it supportive of being able to bring employees? If not, let’s work with that first.” [Katie, 9:23] “I think workers are getting smarter [about] what their rights are. The younger they get, they know exactly what’s due to them and what their rights are, and good for them.” [Katie, 14:01] “I think if you really put the work in ahead of time and hire fast and fire slow… I am not saying it the other way around. I am not messing up. Hire quickly because you know exactly who you need to have.” [Katie, 20:50] LINKS: Katie’s & Episodes , , & with Michael Jay & Mitch McGinley fitDEGREE’s
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