Let’s face it, the coronavirus represents a clear threat that is likely to get worse before it gets better. The key to except that in take practical steps to adapt to an evolving situation. read on to learn 3 tips that will help you, your instructors, and your clients work together to get through the crisis.
The Real Problem From A Business Point of View
Local businesses like our Pilates studios count on the revenue that comes from clients coming through the door a regular basis. We are already seeing cancellations rising dramatically, due to fear, health vulnerabilities and in some cases actual quarantine.
3 Steps
Communication
Write an e-mail to your clients that is honest and transparent about what you are all facing and ask for their help. Explain that you have come up with a plan to deliver live as well as on-demand classes for them to use when they can’t or are not allowed to come to the studio. Be sure that you are taking the recommended cleaning and personal hygiene steps in studio to do everything you can to ensure a safe environment for those who can come. Outline what you are doing and assure them that every precaution is being taken.
A Win-Win offer
Offer a win-win pricing solution that will produce the revenue necessary to keep the business alive, while continuing to deliver value remotely to your community of clients for the duration of the crisis.
Here are some examples of pricing options and approaches to this challenge
- Ask your clients to pay a percentage of or all of their average monthly investment in a reoccurring pricing option that lasts for the duration of the crisis. Assure them that their existing investments in memberships, contracts, session packages and the like will be preserved and waiting for them after the crisis is over.
- Ask your clients to pay what they can afford during the crisis, using a choose your own price or PayPal donation button with a reoccurring choice attached.
Set up your payment options in Mindbody or whatever studio management software you use, to keep the revenue flowing.
Set up Your Content Delivery
Set up a video streaming account, like YouTube, Vimeo or some other solution. You will simply deliver access to that content to those that purchase your live streaming interim pricing option. There are several fairly easy ways to accomplish this ranging from simply delivering a link to the video channel you create, or embed that content into a password-protected page on your website.
Regarding Video and Live Stream Production
Because time is of the essence it’s important to not over think this and keep it simple. you want to make this available in a couple of days, not weeks or months.
Good news is that the average smart phone has all the technology you need to live stream as well as create recorded content to be uploaded to your channel. Just take steps to make sure this plenty of light, and that your room supports decent audio which can be accomplished by keeping the camera close, or wearing a body microphone which are not expensive.
Summary
If your studio is anything like ours you are part of the community that’s important to both the clients the staff and the owners. So agreeing on the terms that will preserve the value of your studio beyond the crisis is key to surviving it together.
Additional Resources
Need help fast getting set up to deliver video or live streaming content?
