Getting people through the door can be a challenge for studio owners and instructors. Sometimes all you need is a special offer to do the trick. Once the newcomers are in your class, we know you (as an IBBFA barre-certified instructor) will be the reason they want to come back for more! Here is a list of some of our favorite special promotions to offer at your barre studio to bring in more clients.
Man Week
Let’s face it, ballet and ballet-based fitness is still generally considered a “female workout,” when truth is it can benefit anyone regardless of age or gender! One way to help change this stereotype is to offer a free week of classes to men in the community. IBBFA Barre Certification Co-Founder Lisa Juliet’s Studio BFF in Mesa, AZ hosted man week the week of Valentine’s Day. Let your client’s bring in husbands, boyfriends, friends, brothers and sons to show them just what ballet-based fitness is all about! Man week is not only fun, it changes people’s perspective about ballet-based fitness and unites the community rather than divides.
$2 Tuesdays
Offer certain classes for just a $2 drop-in fee on Tuesdays. You can customize this one to make it work for your studio and budget, for example, you may not want to offer this every Tuesday but every first Tuesday of the month. IBBFA-certified barre-tender Charlene Causey offers this special at her studio Brilliant Balance in Pueblo, CO.
Bring Your Friends to the Barre
Clients love this one because they want more of their friends to understand the benefits of ballet-based fitness. Try a month special when clients can bring one or two friends in for a free trial class.
Booty Camp
Booty camps are pretty popular among dance and fitness studios. The idea is a package of classes that extends over several weeks, usually before summer or the holiday season. These packages are popular among people who want to get in shape for a specific event, like a wedding or vacation. Price the booty camp package according to other packages at your studio. You can even offer a discounted, early bird special for those eager to sign up!
Discounted Unlimited-Week
Offer a special that includes an unlimited class week at a discounted price for newcomers that runs for an entire month. Pick a month that means something to your studio and community. Maybe it’s the studio owner’s birthday month, the studio’s anniversary, or the town’s or state’s birthday. Get your community excited about joining a great studio!
Now that you have some fresh specials to offer at your studio, it is important to remember to promote, promote, promote! Train your instructors to end class with announcements regarding studio information and any kind of weekly or monthly special. Create an ad on Groupon. Post fliers around the studio and update the studio’s website with the special on the homepage. Lastly, post on social media accounts and encourage your clients to share!
