by Brook McCarthy, Hustle & Heart.
Pilates teachers have a natural advantage in marketing themselves and their businesses. Regardless of whether you’re a studio owner or a jobbing teacher, travelling from gig to gig, regardless of whether you’re building an empire or want a ‘lifestyle business’ that’s more focused on fun, Pilates teachers have several secret weapons up their sleeves when it comes to marketing – advantages that big businesses would love.
Marketing is all about clear communication
At its essence, marketing is simply clear and compelling communication. It’s not about mass reach or interrupting people with obnoxious TV ads. It’s simply about sharing the value you offer as effectively as possible – with those who like your vibe and share your worldview.
Teaching Pilates is also about communication. In just 45, 60 or 90 minutes, you need to communicate sometimes complex information, keep abreast of cueing, demonstrate with your own practice, and cater to different types of learners and different levels of fitness and experience, too. That’s a big job.
Pilates teachers have a natural advantage with clear communication – because that’s what you do for a job. Marketing simply takes this skill and translates it into communicating the value of what you offer – teasing out the benefits of Pilates and also illustrating how those benefits might apply to people’s lives.
Repeating yourself comes with the territory
When you tell your class to “place your left hand to the outside of your right foot” and not everybody does it, you try again: “Bring your left hand onto the mat, on the little toe side of your right foot”.
Communication is not about what you say; it’s about what people hear. Your students will hear your instructions differently, so you’ll need to adjust, by phrasing it differently, by demonstrating, and with physical adjustments. And, despite your best efforts, they won’t all be listening all of the time, so you need to repeat yourself.
It’s the same with marketing – we can’t just send one email or update our Facebook page once a week only. Nobody’s listening. We need to constantly refine our message for our audience so that they can understand it. And we need to repeat ourselves. And keep repeating ourselves.
That’s what branding is – repeating yourself consistently overtime, until the market starts to recognise your business and brand.
Creativity stands out
The best kind of marketing is not the most expensive – it’s the one that stands out. Pilates teachers tend to be highly creative. When you can direct your creativity into your marketing your teaching – then you’re really cooking with gas!
And having a small budget and limited resources actually provoke creativity, not restrict it – just think about when you’ve been in a situation where your choices are far fewer and you’re forced to think creatively. We don’t need more time, space or money to be creative. A hard deadline (which you can mimic with an egg timer) is exceptional for igniting creative thinking.
As the beige brigade continues to take over social media, mainstreet fashion, and the suburbs, creative marketing is not ‘a nice to have’, it’s necessary if you’re to stand out. And you must stand out if your marketing is to have any effect at all.
Serving only those who are ready
As Pilates teachers, we don’t roll out our mats on the side of the road and bully people into joining us. Although we know that regular Pilates practice can be hugely beneficial to pretty much anyone, we also know that we cannot bamboozle people into trying something if they’re not keen.
It’s the same with marketing. You’re wasting your time, energy and money by attempting to convince people to come to your class. We are all on different paths, going different places. By getting really clear on the exact and specific ‘type’ of person your business is most suited to (known as your ideal clients), not only will your marketing be easier, cheaper and more effective, but you’ll start enjoying your work far more too.
People are busy, and distracted. We walk around with blinkers on to cope with the deluge of information and marketing we have coming at us all day and night. Marketing that is broad, general and generic is invisible. The more specific you are, the more visible you’ll be. Effective marketing is highly targeted, personal and direct. Just like Pilates teaching.
Focus on why
When you’re instructing a class, you’re unlikely to go into significant detail about the muscles, tendons, bones, hormones, lymph system and digestive system. You may, instead, focus on the broader, underlying theme of the class or single out the top benefit you’re focusing on.
It’s the same with marketing – save the who, what, when and where, and jump straight into the why. Focus on the benefits and the underlying motivation for what you offer. The fine detail comes later.
A little a day, every day
Pilates teachers have natural discipline – you know that a little a day every day is far better than splurging on two hours of Pilates, followed by … nothing. You know that health is not a quick-fix pill but a long-term, proactive commitment.
Welcome to marketing! A little a day, every day is far better than nothing, followed by furious activity and desperate discounting. Building a community around your teaching takes time. You gain people’s trust by being consistent. So whatever marketing you do – whether blogging, email newsletters, social media, advertising, networking or event sponsorships and partnerships – needs to happen a little a day, every day.
Most importantly, keep on keeping on. The world needs more Pilates teachers who can thrive in business, bring Pilates to more people.
By Brook McCarthy
Brook McCarthy is a digital marketing trainer and business coach who specialises in the health and creative sectors. Brook’s business, Hustle & Heart (http://hustleandheart.com.au), teaches digital marketing, Public Relations and simple sales, combined with the emotional resilience and self-insight you need to actually apply what you learn.
Members of PAA receive a 10% discount at the checkout of Hustle & Heart with the discount code ‘pilates10’. But hurry! This online program starts March 6 and the early bird discount also applies only until February 24. Curious but not committed? Check out Brook’s free video training, ‘3 essentials skills to accelerate your business growth’ at http://www.hustleandheart.com.au/3-key-skills/
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