Yoga studio marketing: 5 Strategies for attracting customers

Yoga is a trend that is here to stay. And with so many choices of studios and cetres, it’s crucial to stand out if you want to attract new customers. To do this, you need to use marketing strategies that really work. In this article, we give you five key strategies to promote your yoga studio and attract more customers.

How to promote a yoga studio?

1. Social media presence as a marketing strategy for a yoga studio

Social media is a powerful platform to reach a wide and diverse audience. Having an active profile on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and TikTok allows you to connect directly with your community and target audience.

But how do you work on your online presence in social media?

• Post regularly: Consistency is key. Organise your content to post regularly every week. Use tools like Hootsuite to schedule content and keep a consistent schedule. Posting at least three times a week is a good place to start.
• Valuable content: Share yoga posture tutorials, live classes or guided meditations. Post photos and videos of your classes and your centre, testimonials from students, and tips on how to improve in the world of yoga. Content that adds value is more likely to be shared, which increases your reach.
• Interact with the community: Respond to comments and direct messages quickly and closely to foster a personal connection with your followers. Use polls, questions and challenges to increase participation. For example, you can create a “30 days, 30 yoga poses” challenge and encourage your followers to share their progress using a specific hashtag.
• Collaborations: Work with yoga experts to reach a wider audience. Collaborations can include joint publications, events or giveaways. In addition, collaborating with other local businesses that complement your centre, such as organic shops or wellness centres, can help you reach a wider audience.

As you already know, social media is essential for sports centres. Discover 7 keys to boost your gym’s advertising on social networks.

 2. Trial yoga classes

Offering free or reduced-price yoga classes is a good way to attract new customers. These classes allow potential students to see what your centre is like and try a class without any initial commitment.

Here are some ideas:

• Introductory classes: Organise specific sessions for beginners. These classes should be simple and focus on the basics of yoga. Make sure new students feel welcome and encouraged.
• One-week passes: Offer a free pass for new users to try different classes for one week. This gives them a chance to familiarise themselves with your instructors, the schedules and the studio. In this way, you make the enrolment process much more natural and easier.
• Special events: Organise events open to the public on special dates, such as International Yoga Day. These events can include taster classes, demonstrations and talks with experts on the benefits of yoga. Offer exclusive discounts for those who register on the day following the event.

 3. Offers

As with trial classes, a person who has never done yoga before is more likely to try it if they see an offer. It is also a very useful strategy to build loyalty among users who have to renew their registration.

How to make an attractive offer? Here are 3 examples:

• Referral discounts: Offer discounts to users who bring a friend. For example, you can both receive a 10% discount on your next fee. Word of mouth is the most effective and cheapest marketing there is.
• Promotional packages: Create discounted packages for new sign-ups, such as 10 classes at a reduced price. These types of offers appeal to those looking to get into yoga, but without making a long-term commitment. Offer special packages for new users that include several classes and a free gift, such as a yoga mat or a bottle of water.
• Seasonal offers: Take advantage of the beginning of the season to launch special offers. For example, offer discounts during the Christmas holidays or special promotions in the summer. In other words, during periods of the year when enrolment tends to be low, offer discounts to incentivise enrolment and motivate your users to make a long-term commitment.

Having a good sales process and a strong community is the foundation of your yoga studio. Learn with this guide the fundamental steps: How to build a sales process and a community in your yoga studio.

 4. SEO positioning

Search engine optimisation (SEO) makes your centre appear when a user is looking for yoga classes in your area. What would be really useful to appear as a reference centre? Then here are the 4 basic aspects you should work on:

• Optimise your website: Make sure your website is intuitive and easy to use. A good user experience improves your ranking and increases the likelihood that the user will enrol. Users should be able to find information about your classes, timetables, prices and how to enrol quickly and easily.
• Use keywords: Research what terms potential students search for and use them strategically, for example, specific keywords related to yoga and your location. Use tools such as Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs to identify relevant keywords. Include keywords in the titles, descriptions and content of your pages.
• Start a blog: Create a blog where you share articles on topics of interest to your audience, such as the benefits of yoga, posture guides and wellness tips. Write articles that really add value to users and position you as a reference centre in the world of yoga.
• Google My Business: Create a listing for your yoga centre on Google My Business and keep the information up to date. Be sure to include photos of the centre, class schedules and current promotions. Encourage your students to leave positive reviews on your Google My Business profile. Positive reviews not only improve your SEO, but also build trust with potential new students.

 5. Events and workshops to promote your classes

Organising events and workshops is a good way to attract new customers, while offering something different to your existing users.

What kind of events can you organise?

• Themed workshops: Offer workshops on specific topics, such as yoga for stress, prenatal yoga, or meditation to attract people interested in specific areas of yoga. Invite recognised experts or instructors to lead some workshops. In addition, provide attendees with support materials, such as handouts or guides that they can take home.
• Yoga retreat: Organise yoga retreats that combine classes, meditation and wellness activities. These events offer your users an immersive experience. Create customised programmes that include a combination of yoga, meditation, and other wellness activities.

With these 5 strategies you will not only attract new users, but also, by providing extra value to the users you already have, you will foster a sense of community in your centre.  The key is to keep testing, what at first seems like a good strategy, may not work later. Therefore, it is essential to analyse and adapt strategies to the needs and desires of your target audience.