Anna Lee grew up  dancing, it was only natural she the dove into teaching. Anna has a fiery passion for fitness that was a perfect fit for the fast paced Zumba. I  reached out to Anna Lee to share her story as well as tips she has found helpful around managing her business, marketing and hiring.

How did you get introduced to Zumba?

I have been working as a group fitness instructor for 15 years, and with the exception of spinning, have taught all fitness class formats e.g. Bootcamp Classes, Interval/Circuit, Step and TurboStep, Cardio Kickboxing, Yoga, and Hi/Lo Aerobics. I had heard of Zumba in 2009, found a Zumba training nearby, and attended my very first Zumba class at my Zumba training!  I wasn’t sold at first, to be honest!  But, after coming home, absorbing the music and the steps,  I began to have A LOT of fun with it.  I grew up dancing and even danced at the college level on two differenct schools’ dance teams, and had been teaching ballet for many years.  Most of my fitness classes were athletic-based  and ”dancey moves” were avoided.  Zumba has  me ”grooving” again and truly enjoying the rhythms of the different types of music!  I was enjoying it, but it wasn’t until about 3 months into teaching Zumba, though, that the realization came of what a wonderful calorie-blasting workout Zumba could be, and how many steps could be taken during one class!  With a dance background, and my fitness experience (also working as a NSCA-Certificed Personal Trainer), Zumba was a great fit.

Anna Lee Elquist

How has your diverse background in fitness helped you as a business owner?

After teaching for 2 1/2 years at a local fitness club, I decided that I would like to start my own fitness classes in Oakley, ID where my sister, Tasha, and I owned and directed a dance studio.  Under the business name of “Main Motion Fitness,” I worked as an ACE-Certified group fitness instructor and  was the fitness director for 10 years.  With this experience, I was able to take what I’d learned and start teaching in Burley, ID with my Zumba classes.  “Main Motion Fitness” became “Planet-Zumba” in Sept. 2010 when my classes were moved to a large warehouse space that could accomodate over 100 people for classes, which it did!  We were able to hold Zumbathons, Zumba Parties and classes that were so full of great people and energy with room for anyone who wanted to join in on the fun and experience!

What are two things you struggled with during the early days of building your business?

When I first began teaching Zumba Fitness classes in Burley, I rented the Lloyd Cox Event Center.  It had a stage in about a 2,500 square foot room that could accomodate up to approx. 50 people max. for a Zumba class.  This worked out well for a few months in the beginning, until class popularity was growing and the size of the space became an issue.  We needed more room!  I didn’t want people to be turned away because of lack of space!  I knew of another Zumba Instructor in nearby Rigby, ID who rented a school gym (4,800 sq. feet) and I wanted to find a space large enough to hold as many people that wanted to come and experience Zumba.  After a long and arduous search in Burley, we were able to locate a very large, empty warehouse space that needed A LOT OF WORK.  It was filled with parts and miscellaneous debris, but it did have restrooms, a tall ceiling, and parking.  I knew we could make it work, and it did happen, BUT ONLY with the help of some amazing, talented and giving FAMILY, FRIENDS, and my HUSBAND who works in construction.  Many, many hours were spent sweeping, scrubbing, cleaning, painting, electrical wiring, and constructing a Zumba stage and raised Zumba floor. ”Planet-Zumba” at the warehouse was just gaining momentum when the local fire chief and several firemen made an unannounced inspection, even during one of my evening classes.  After inspecting the building, he announced that we were under violation of certain capacity limit codes and that we would have to make some major changes or be evicted.  Long story short:  property manager wouldn’t comply and the fire chief gave us 30 days eviction notice.  Needless to say, after months of work, we were devastated.  Since then, we relocated for three months to a gym in nearby Rupert, ID and then relocated AGAIN back to the Lloyd Cox Event Center in Burley.  Relocating a total of 4x has been very, very difficult.  But, Planet-Zumba has some wonderful FOZees (the name Planet-Zumba fondly uses to refer to Fans of Zumba) who have supported Planet-Zumba’s classes through all of the challenging changes.

What were two ways of marketing your business that were key to attracting new students?

There were two means of marketing that have helped to spread awareness about my classes:

1. The free local newspaper publications that comes weekly to everyone’s mailbox.  Ads are not cheap, and the paper is only delivered once a week, but at least EVERYONE receives this free paper in their mailbox.
2. I was fortunate enough to have one of the local radio personalities attend one of my classes when I was just starting out.  She liked it enough, that she mentioned it on the air, and continued coming and continued talking about it on the local radio station.  This helped tremendously, and I was flattered and really appreciated it!
3. Word of mouth, word of mouth, word of mouth!

What is one of your favorite memories working with students?

All I can say to this question is this:  as I get older, I will look back on this time in my life, and be so thankful for the opportunity I’ve had to teach large, fun groups of people through Zumba.  It has been an amazing experience!  I’ve had several bloopers and embarassing moments, but the exhilerating feeling that comes from leading good, fun, effective exercise set to addicting, fun music is almost unexplainable.

What are two tips you would tell someone considering opening up a Zumba or another fitness business?

Gain as much experience in the fitness industry as possible, and make sure you have a passion and respect for the industry.

Where do you see Zumba in the next 10 years?

I believe Zumba will still be alive and kickin’ in 10 years!  I think there will still be some strong, respected, talented instructors teaching and still having a BLAST with it!  Possibly, there may exist in 10 years, some more advanced formats of Zumba classes that will incorporate some strength training, body-weight exercises, and challenging circuits, like a “Power Zumba” or something of that sort.

How many instructors work at Planet Zumba?

In the beginning, it was just me!  But, through the past two years, things have evolved.  There are currently 3 official instructors (including myself) and 1 additional who helps out with Zumbathons and special occasion parties.  (Incidentally, two of them are my sisters!)

What tips do you have around hiring instructors?

PERSONALITY, LIKEABILITY, the ability to make class members FEEL comfortable, and then of course, SKILLS and TALENT.  Planet-Zumba has GREAT INSTRUCTORS!!!

What are the best ways to get in touch with you and learn more about your business?

I can be reached either through Email, Facebook, or even text. Also, check out Planet Zumba’s website.

Let’s say you and I were able to align our schedules and sit down for an hour. Let’s say even in person, sipping coffee, tea or my current favorite hot chocolate. I am there to be totally focused on you, let’s talk marketing. I get it; you are mentally stretched from running your business and you need help.

Your business has grown, you have learned a lot, but now it has become a bit of a squeaky wheel. Your business needs some serious attention. The stars have aligned; it’s just now that you have found a little time to actually think about how to go about improving it.

I see it in your eyes; you want something quick and easy. You were recently introduced to the idea of doing a daily deal through Groupon and think it might be just what you need to drive new business through your doors. Even through Groupon has been around for about two years, it’s just now that you are scratching your head for quick ideas to boost revenue.

First off, Don’t Groupon

Don’t jump on the bandwagon. Groupon wants you to offer a heavy discount, typically 50% off. After the coupons have been sold, you, the business, gets to split the revenue down the middle with Groupon. So, let’s say you have a $100 service, that means you offer it for $50, and in turn get $25 in revenue.

“The logic is simple: Merchants are encouraged to use the deals to attract new customers, who in theory will return at full price. But, in what seems to be an increasing number of cases, customers come for the deals and then leave for deals offered by other merchants through Groupon. So the number of “new” customers attracted by cheap prices increases, and the number of loyal customers decreases as shoppers prefer to become “new” again for whoever offers the best deal.” – Ester Dyson, The Groupon Paradox

I hear you, that even a small amount of revenue would be good, plus having your business in front of thousands of potential customers does sound tasty, especially since it sounds SO easy!

Like Poornima had said in her blog post After The Groupon, “using a Groupon or daily deal site is one way of attracting a lot of prospective members to your business.  I say prospective because many may never become actual members.”

Easy Things to Do Instead: Tap Into Your Existing Customers

For the most part your current customers come to you not because they are getting a deep discount but because they love coming to your business. They enjoy your staff, the experience and have found value in the time and money they have spent with you. Tap into your existing customers with these easy, hassle-free ways to boost business.

Send Out Email Newsletters: Tools like MailChimp and MadMimi offer free email marketing plans and tools. I am pretty sure that you have a few customer emails hanging around. Even if your answer is “Well, yeah… they are around here somewhere”, find them! What I often see is businesses are a bit surprised to see they have A LOT of email addresses.

Get “Liked” on Facebook: From the comfort of your customers’ homes to their mobile devices, your customers are on Facebook. Facebook fan pages are an easy way to communicate with your existing customers. From schedule changes to updating events, don’t underestimate this tool. Create a Facebook fan page to increase your communication; it is also a great tool to communicate emergencies.

Schedule Your Marketing: If you are crunched for time then scheduling out messaging to customers can be a super easy thing to do once or twice a week. All email marketing services have a way to schedule emails in the future. To manage and schedule content on your social media accounts use Hootsuite. Also, create a marketing calendar using a tool like Google calendar and share it with your staff so they can clearly see when promotions are happening.

Polish Up Your Business Listings: A simple task that can be done in a few moments is verifying your Google places account. Also take time to claim and update your business listing on Yelp, and Citysearch.

T-Shirt + Conference: Find a local promotional apparel business or hop on Cafepress and order a t-shirt with your logo, and website. Turn yourself into a walking billboard. Then attend a local conference. Build awareness by shaking hands, introducing yourself and don’t forget your business cards!

Re-connect with customers: A simple email, even using a text message service like Tatango, can remind a customer about your business. Check your attendance records; did one of your regulars suddenly stop coming? Send them a personal email to check-in. An amazing simple

Maintain Relationships: Beyond keeping in contact with your customers, nearby businesses are also great potential customers. As the employees may want to take a class from you and they themselves will be willing to recommend your services.  Local businesses are also going to be happy to hang your fliers and brochures.

Polish Staff Skills: Customer service is very important. An easy way to boost sales is by teaching staff about specials, ways to bring up services and ways to express appreciation for customer business.

Reward Referrals: When customers send you referrals make an extra effort to personally thank them. Discounts can be okay, however a simple hand signed thank you note would be wildly appreciated and be unique. If customers mention you on Facebook or other social media channels then be sure to publicly thank them.

What these simple tasks are going to do is strengthen existing relationships with customers, increase repeat purchases, and build referrals.  Drive business through the door with customers who value your services and who are excited to share their experience with their networks.

Still stuck on where to get started? Give me a call for a free 30 minute brainstorm on what you can do instead of doing a DailyDeal to boost your business.

Despite the size of people’s bank accounts, everyone is sensitive to price because we all want a fair exchange of values.  The price point of a service such as a yoga or personal training session, or a dance class is the first indicator of value.  As a business owner who has members you’re probably wondering how you can price your service and still reach a reasonable profit margin without having people be sticker shocked.

When creating a pricing structure owners often make one of these three mistakes:

Fallacy of Free

Offering something for free is one way to attract new members to your business.  You can create a complimentary card for your members to hand out to friends and family, give a new member a free session just to try out the service, or extend an expired membership for a loyal member.  But continually offering freebies can be detrimental to the bottom line of your business.  People have little incentive to pay for a service that they are getting for free.  They are also not as invested into the service.  For example, if you give away 2 sessions for free, why would someone return and pay for a third?  If you instead charged them upfront and told them they get 3 sessions, they know they’re paying for 3 sessions, and will be more likely to come to each.  Paying for each session is an investment to them, and hopefully after the third session they are hooked.

Also it costs you money to render the service, so you need to keep track of the number of freebies you’re giving out weekly and monthly to make sure it doesn’t cut deeply into your margins.

Undercutting or Copying a Competitors Pricing

We all face competition.  The easiest way to lure a member away from a competitor is through price.  If you undercut on price too much you attract the wrong type of member, and its becomes easy for another competitor to come along and undercut you!  You really need to be competing on the quality of your service.

Not Offering Premium Services

You don’t have to be a celebrity trainer to offer a premium service.  Too often owners forget that they can have fewer members, and charge them more.  This might be a good option for those of you who are more interested in having a business where you focus on teaching.  You can have a small group of loyal members who pay premium, in return you offer them high quality and customized service that addresses their needs.

The next time you look at your monthly revenue and its not quite adding up to what you want or need, see if you’ve become victim to one of these pricing pitfalls.

Rarely do I get excited about an email newsletter in my inbox, however when Nona Jordan’s arrives I am delighted to open it. Nona approaches he coaching in fun relatable way. There is no doubt from talking with her, reading her website it is obvious she is passionate about helping yogis grow and mature their business.

Why did you decide to become the Business Yogini?

In 2003 I got married, left my corporate accounting position, and went through Kripalu’s 200-hour yoga teacher training – I was ready to take the leap into doing more meaningful work in the world. At the time, I didn’t realize it would be the first stop on my evolution as a business owner.  While I was setting up my yoga teaching business, I realized, quite stunned, that I enjoyed the business-y bits as much (if not more) than the actual teaching.

Fast forward through having a child, living overseas and working at US Embassy Rome when I decided that I wanted to train to be a coach. When I started my coaching practice, I wanted a brand that conveyed my belief that everything – even business – is a spiritual practice and that by embracing the challenges as an opportunity to learn and shine brighter, we can be fabulously successful, spiritual entrepreneurs.  I want the Business Yogini brand to be like a beacon for the people I’m here to help – people who are changing the world through teaching, healing, and coaching, but they are overwhelmed and freaked out by the fact that they are in business and all that entails.

What first brought you to the mat?

Being a stressed-out college student brought me to my first yoga class – more years ago than I care to admit!!

What makes yogis different from other business owners?

Yogis are unique in that they are really healers – they are incredibly passionate about their work and they have a huge desire to help people transform. It is beautiful!!  Yogis have tremendous gifts to share with the world, but there is very often a resistance to seeking profit from their work and there can be tremendous resistance to the fact that they are, in fact, business owners. This can sometimes limit their ability to reach the people they truly want to reach and creates a lot of frustration.

On the other hand, their ability to learn from their experiences and to stay with intensity gives them a tremendous ability to realize the full spectrum of their gifts and talents – the entrepreneurial journey can really challenge their beliefs and help them shine their light in the world even brighter.  I love that.

What kinds of services do you offer?

I offer a variety of classes, eCourses, and 1:1 coaching partnerships – the class that I am most excited about right now is Get Right with Money: Money, Work, and Worth, Yogini-Style. (http://nonajordan.com/right-with-money/)

This class in particular has helped participants really tap into abundance and let go of the underlying beliefs that drive our collective dysfunction with money and asking to be paid what we are worth. I strongly suggest this class for anyone who is in business for themselves – teachers, healers, coaches, artists….  It’s so fundamental to being able to accept and create success and it draws heavily on the yamas as a framework for healing our relationship with money and work.

How are you different than other business coaches?

Wow – how am I not?

First and foremost, I believe that business is a spiritual practice – it can be just as much a part of our yoga practice as our time on the mat.  I also believe that our bodies are a largely untapped source of wisdom that we can draw on to guide our business decisions.

I am great at the technical details of business like planning and marketing and systems, but the most important thing I bring to the table is my ability to help people find energetic alignment. The key to right action in business is clear energetic alignment between intentions, energy, emotions, and actions. My whole practice is very much based on yoga!

What is one key thing you tell all your clients?

It all happens for you, not to you. What can you learn from the challenges in your business that will support you in moving closer to your true desires?

What are the best ways to get in contact with you?

The best ways to contact me: My site: http://nonajordan.com or via Twitter: @nona_jordan or, Facebook

Exciting Special for BizeeBee Readers:

If you want to be paid well to do meaningful work you love, or, if you experience anxiety and fear about your business income or cash-flow, you are invited to Get Right with Money.  This 6-week tele-course will help you create what you want in relationship to money, work, and your intrinsic worth and make peace with prosperity, yogini-style.

This work is the cornerstone of the work Nona does with clients to transform their relationship with money, work and prosperity. You are going to love the results!

As a special gift to Bizee Bee readers, use the code NEWYEAR at checkout for $50.00 discount.  Experience abundance and success in 2012!!!

A special thank you to Nona for taking the time to do this interview and share her experience and thoughts with our yogi readers.

In 2011 the recession has taken a toll on many jobs, and layoffs continue to plague millions of Americans.  Fortunately Americans are optimistic and despite the troubled times worldwide, many individuals have decided to take matters into their own hands and start their own business this year.  It has been very enlightening for me to participate, and have conversations with a number of small business owners this year.  I’ve also spoken to folks who are thinking of starting a business next year.  I wanted to share my findings in hopes of shedding some light, and giving those who are thinking of starting their business in 2012 a few things to think about.

How do I start?
Even those who are gainfully employed in 2011 have started pursuing a second income.  Their fear is that corporate budget cuts will reduce their salary or if they do get laid off they need to have something to fall back on.  A number of people have become teachers, pursuing a second career teaching professional services or a passion like cooking and yoga.  Others have taken skills they use in their day job in areas such as finance, marketing, and administrative tasks, and have been applying them to moonlighting opportunities.

Do I need to go back to school?
A few years ago people would have had to spend time attending night classes, or going back to school in order to gain the skills they needed to start a business, technology has eliminated that need and is helping millions of people obtain skills from the comfort of their home.  With a few simple key strokes there is information and content readily available on iTunes, blogs, and webinars.  There are also a number of support forums available for people to exchange ideas.

I’m tired of being chained to my desk!
For those who have survived layoffs morale is still low and the thought of having to sit through another round and see their colleagues being let go is difficult.  These individuals are voluntarily leaving their corporate jobs and showcasing their talents on sites such Elance, TaskRabbit, ThumbTack, TaskUs, Teachstreet, Yama Talent, and BetterFly to name a few.

Where can I find capital?
In previous years access to small business loans was easier, or people would take out a home equity line of credit to support their business.  However, with home prices declining and lenders becoming more stringent people find access to capital difficult.  There are a number of other outlets to gain a small amount of capital such micro-lending sites like KickStarter.  Still many Americans are relying on friends and family for support.  While others are keeping their day jobs, saving up, or bootstrapping their business by making sure they have a good base of clients before leaving a salaried position.

Do I need to setup a shop?
Many Americans have also realized that they do not need to have a store front in order to have a business.  There are a number of people who have opted to work from home, and visit their clients in public places.  A number have come up with some creative ideas like teaching yoga in museums!  Those who want to interact with others in an office like setting have the option to work at co-working spaces.  There are some professions that do need a physical space such as fitness instructors, these folks are just renting spaces at gyms, community centers, or teaching from home.  The key these days is leveraging existing space instead of paying for rent and utilities.

How do I get the word out?
Despite the entrepreneurial spirit being on the rise in America many still struggle trying to figure out how they can turn their side business into one that generates enough capital to help support themselves full time. Part of this comes down to marketing oneself and the other part is having a steady stream of clients.

Word of mouth and referrals are still the most powerful means of attracting clients, and so is networking.  A number of local chamber of commerce chapters and organizations like BNI help small business owners exchange leads.

Online marketing is becoming a more powerful presence.  Those who know they want to stay in business for themselves are investing in putting up a website and setting up email marketing campaigns.

Start your small business in 2012!
Running a small business is difficult, believe me I’m an owner myself!  But there is nothing like building a business from scratch and earning an income based on one’s own ideas.  For those who are thinking about starting a small business in 2012 here are a few things to think about:

• How am I going to start generating capital from day one?
• Do I have an existing base of clients, and how where can I find more?
• What are my costs?  (This is often overlooked, especially by a busy owner, but it should always be at the top of one’s mind.)
• What are my strengths and could I team up with a business partner in areas that I am weak to help me out?

Here’s to those who have started a business this year, and to all those who will start one in 2012!

Your bright new studio is finally open. You wait at the reception desk for your first student to arrive. This young gal arrives with her mat, water bottle and a smile. I can imagine you having to hold yourself back from jumping up and exclaiming “Welcome!”. This student wants to try out your studio, and chooses to purchase 5 credits at your introductory price. Excellent. Now you need to accept her payment, but how?

Accepting Payments.

Cash: Keep a lockable security box handy well supplied with bills and coins to make change, aka petty cash. You can get these boxes at any office supply store, fancier ones you can find on Amazon. Be sure to choose a secure location to store the security box when no one is attending the reception desk. One draw back is making sure you have change, however adding a trip to the bank to your weekly schedule should keep this inconvenience to a minimum. Cash is always a form of tender you are going to have to wrestle with. Few studios have been able to smoothly get away from accepting cash, especially if they offer things like water, mat or towel that costs under $2.

Checks: The personal check often gets a bad reputation. However, for most businesses not accepting checks can be tough. Entrepreneur has some good tips on accepting checks. Also make sure you create a policy around checks and clearly communicate to your staff on how to deal with checks, especially around issues like refunds.

Gift Certificates: What could be better that a gift certificate for yoga? Nothing. Exactly. There are a couple of different ways you can go about issuing gift certificates, paper as well as ordering branded cards to be used like a credit card. There are benefits and draw backs to both methods. When selling a gift certificate you will need to record the purchase, and issue a fancy pretty gift certificate. When redeeming the certificate make sure it is the original.  Remember to keep track of how many you’ve sold because you’ll need to service all those people!  If you don’t want to get stuck servicing very old gift certificates then be sure to issue an expiration date, and let your employees know if there is a grace period past the expiration date.

Credit Cards: While there are some studios that get away with not accepting plastic, it can be an annoyance for your students if there are not other options like being able to purchase services online. If you sure you want to accept credit cards you have a Pandora’s box full of options. I say that with some seriousness as there are a lot of options. At face value you may be tempted to run with a credit card processor with the lowest transaction fee, be warned there maybe be other fees lurking like a monthly fee, or a credit card processing terminal rental fee.  Too many studios get lured into a low transaction fee only to experience additional fees later on, so keep of you choose to go the route of accepting credit cards be sure to look at your credit card processor’s statements for the first few months.  You’ll want to keep a close eye out for those additional fees.

The biggest fees come from running American Express cards or rewards cards through your system.  And also be warned that if you are a new business you will be paying a higher transaction fee than your neighbor next door who has been in business for 10 years.  You’re just higher risk because you’re a new studio, and that’s the reason for the difference in transaction fees.  However, in due time as you generate more volume you should be able to renegotiate your rates, which is why its a good thing to not get locked into a long term contract, one that is more than a 6 months to 1 year.

There are even a few options available that will allow you to record a student’s credit card number, freeing up your student from ever having to bring in their wallet. This makes it easier to do automatic billing for an unlimited membership, but you’ll still need to get the student’s permission to charge their credit card periodically.

Work Trade: The first few years of a studio can be tight on the budget. One easy way to put a smile on your face as well as a student is doing a work trade. You can create a policy for your students to do a work trade for various things around the studio. Trading man hours for yoga classes can be great. However, managing volunteers can be tough and time consuming, so be sure to set clear expectations for the role.  A lot of studios create a step-by-step guide of what exactly needs to be done before and after each class (wipe down mirrors, clean mats, check bathrooms, etc.).  Having this guide makes it easy for people to finish their tasks without you having to train each one and check up on them.

Online Payments: If you haven’t already created a website for your business add that to the top of your priority list. Offering a way for students to purchase services on your website will not only give you techie bonus points but it will give you and your students a smile for convenience. Just think your sleepy, but loyal student remembers that they want to attend your Yoga for Runners event happening tomorrow afternoon, but alas your studio is closed for the evening and they want in! Oh! There is hope, they can go to your website, select the Yoga for Runners class and pay for it online. Perfecto! Like options for credit cards, online payments can be complex and sometimes overwhelming. A good and safe place to start is PayPal, which is secure, easy to use and very flexible.  It makes it easy for your students to pay you from anywhere, and for you to collect funds anytime.

Congratulations again on your new studio! Accepting payments can sometimes seem like a daunting and a bit unfriendly to the non-technical person, however there are simple ways to get paid and keep your students smiling. Have questions about anything I talked about above? Leave a comment or send me an email.

Questions have been flooding in around “How can I grow my business without breaking the bank on expensive marketing?” I immediately thought of Paragon Moon’s own Kristine Putt. She works exclusively with small businesses grow by building and growing their brand. I sent over a list of questions, many from BizeeBee customers, Facebook fans and even Twitter followers.

Here is what Kristine had to say:

What services do you provide and what types of businesses have you worked with in the past?

I am the owner and chief creative at Paragon Moon – Business Branding and Design. I help women-owned business create lasting meaningful relationships with their clients through effective brand communications and creative visuals. Think of my work as a marriage between marketing strategy and graphic design.

I support a myriad of small businesses and solo-professionals. Some of my Clients include fitness and yoga studios, massage therapists, cosmetics producers, non-profit organizations, bookkeepers and accountants, life and business coaches, authors, product merchandisers, etc.

How can fitness business grow with branding/marketing and other outreach efforts without breaking the bank?

These are difficult topics to relate to each other and are more easily addressed separately. To answer this question, we need to first define the meaning of branding and marketing…

When asked, “What is marketing?” most people reply “Advertising.” Marketing is not advertising. Marketing is the strategic method of creating the communications that support your brand. Advertising is merely the medium or method you use to deliver those communications. While advertising is optional (in most cases), marketing is imperative.

Think of your brand visuals – logo, web site, etc – as what you wear to the party. Think of your brand communications as  what you will say when you arrive. The two must support one another. You can look really pretty in your party dress, but if nothing stimulating comes out when you open your mouth, no one will pay attention to you for long.

Defining your brand communications doesn’t have to cost you a dime; it can be done by yourself, if you are able to step out of your own way and maintain an objective approach in your marketing.

However, this is not easy for most people and working with a brand design professional enables an unbiased, independent evaluation from a marketing perspective. The fulfillment I receive from my work is in helping businesses define their core values and how to communicate that in a way that attracts new business.

Investing in your brand should not break the bank. On the contrary, what really breaks the bank is neglecting to create a solid and cohesive brand. Prolonging the use of ineffective marketing materials or methods will only extend the time between now and when your new clients walk through the door. As I’ve often said,

“If your marketing message is NOT PENETRATING your audience, shouting it louder or more often won’t help. The only solution is to CHANGE YOUR STRATEGY.”

What is unique about fitness/yoga businesses you have seen and how should they be approached differently in regard to branding?

Perception is everything. To make an impact on your audience, you must convince them that you are the ONLY solution to their problem. It doesn’t matter if you really are or are not; your prospects just need to think you are. Creating that perception is what I refer to as Marketing Magick!

Fitness and yoga studios have one thing in common: They operate from a local brick and mortar. Their clients come tothem. This means the studios must appeal to their local demographic audience. To make an impact, studio owners must understand the fears/stresses/worries of that demographic. Only then can the studio attempt to position itself as the prospect’s salvation.

One of the biggest mistakes fitness and yoga studio owners make in business is following the “herd mentality” of trying to be everything to everyone. They view niche marketing as a scary proposition; they’re afraid of limiting their business stream. On the contrary, nothing could be further from the truth! Design your brand communications around your ideal customer, not around yourself.

If your studio tries to appeal to everyone (I call this the “spray and pray” approach), you’re not going to penetrate anyone. You must position your brand to be perceived as the ONLY solution to your client’s problems. Knowing who your prospects are and fully understanding their problems is an absolute before moving on the design of a logo, web site or brochure. If you can’t tell someone how you are different, you will only manage to blend in with your competition. Standing apart is critical, especially for small business where the competitive field is fierce.

Remember that no one cares about what you do, how long you’ve been doing it, or what your credentials are. All they care about is, can you solve their problem? Of course you can! But again, you need to know what their problem is. Obviously, each demographic has different problems and different ways of solving them. But not everyone is your customer! Be selective. Hone in on one type of demographic; you can always expand later. Get to know them. Market to them, as if you were talking one on one. This is how you create lasting and committed brand relationships.

What kind of return on investment on branding/marketing is a reasonable expectation from yoga/fitness studio owner?

In so much as I would love to offer you hard statistics, this is not something easily measured. That’s because a brand’s value lies in the hands of the business owner. I can design a brilliantly effective and slick brand. But if the business owner is not committed to upholding the brand’s integrity, it won’t penetrate anyone. It’s like buying a really pretty evening gown that never leaves your closet; you have to wear it to make an impact.

Conversely, wearing a homemade burlap sack in the form of a grainy, pixelated logo, letterhead, or brochure will communicate a lack of commitment to your business. Most people will admit to tossing out poor-quality marketing material due to a lack of confidence in the business. If you treat your marketing material like a yard sale flyer, the main focus of your customers will be on price. Two-thirds of companies that ignore branding or design are forced to compete on price, which is never a good strategy. Well-designed brands are financially more successful and stand a greater chance of business longevity and marketing success.

What are two tips you recommend for a struggling studio owner to consider and get back on track?

Lyndi, at the risk of being long-winded, I’ve provided you with three because neither one of these holds much value without the other two:

First, decide what you want to be famous for. It should be specific, narrow, focused. I call this your Claim to Fame. It’s your claim of distinction, the one thing you do best and that no one else can claim. If you say, “I want to be famous for helping people lose weight,” that’s not distinct enough because any fitness studio can pretty much say the same thing. But if you say, “I want to be famous for helping new moms lose weight naturally,” now we’re getting somewhere because the odds are that there is no other studio in your local area that makes new moms AND natural weight loss their focus. Figure out your “one thing” and hone in on that!

Second, write your brand communications around your target audience. Your brand communications include your business name, your tag line (or mantra) and your mission statement to help keep you and everyone in your organization on brand. Your brand communications must be direct and strong. Most importantly, they must be objective, keeping the benefit to your customer clear.

As an example, which makes a more powerful brand communication?

1.    Work It Fitness Studio: Yoga, Fitness and Nutrition

or

2. A Natural Fit: Yoga and Nutrition for Moms and Babies

The first business sounds like every other fitness studio, doesn’t it? It lacks distinction and is rather generic, which doesn’t make any sort of impact on anyone. The messaging is weak and unappealing.

But the second brand makes a clear, defining statement. As a prospective client, I would know – just by the name and tag line - what you do, how you’re different and why only YOU can solve my problem (the benefit!). In this example, it is not just the “natural” approach to weight loss (notice the word “natural” in the business name), but also tells me that my new baby is welcome in your studio and I don’t have to worry about leaving my newborn unattended, thereby also making my fitness routine convenient.*

* Quick tip: People, by nature, are tribal. We gather. When you know your specific target audience, it’s much easier to find them in groups. If you are targeting new moms, you know where they hang out. But there is no such thing as a hang out for “everyone.” I can’t stress this enough: be specific about your market!

Third, hire an experienced graphic designer that can translate your communications into a visual story. Your graphics should tell the story in pictures, in your logo, in your brochures. Graphic designers that work freelance and are not outside of your budget. Just be sure to hire one that “gets” your brand. People relate to images more than they do to words, so don’t skimp and think you can design your own graphics. Hiring a pro can make all the difference in how your brand is perceived, and we already know that perception is everything. Design your brand ONCE the right way, and it will sustain your business for many years to come.

What are the best ways to get in contact with you?

I can be reached through my
web site: http://paragonmoon.com
Twitter @ParagonMoon.

Always happy to answer any questions, so feel free to call me at 714.710.9139.

Brand Designer helping Women-Owned Businesses create lasting, MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS with their clients through creative visual communication.

Contingencies for Emergencies

I have two studios that I frequent weekly, and in the past month they both experienced heating issues. The owners are thoughtful people, one has been in business for a few months and another for several years.  They both handled their circumstance well.  A few customers were annoyed by the inconvenience but after the heat had been fixed business went on as usual.  I tell this story because as a small business owner it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in business you are bound to experience some form of an emergency.  The key is to react to it promptly, thoughtfully, and in a manner that moves the business forward.  This is what keeps people coming back to your business.

Easier said than done

You’ll never been 100% prepared for an emergency, which is why its good to have a contingency plan or at least think through how you’ll handle customer reactions.  Customers often times feel inconvenienced and get upset at owners, demanding rain checks, refunds or just some form of reparations.  As a small business owner its up to you to decide how you’d like to react to your customers, and if you want to compensate them for the inconvenience.  When you do come up with a policy let your employees and staff know what it is.  Often times they are the ones who are ill-prepared to handle the situation, but knowing the policies ahead of time can help them react better and handle customers.

Communicate Contingencies

At BizeeBee this past summer, we sat down as a team and went through a few worse case scenarios, discussing how we would react in the case of outages, failures, or anything out of the ordinary.  Going through this exercise was very valuable for myself and my team.  It first made us think about how we should react, and it forced us to put in place contingency plans.  It also made us share knowledge across the team creating a strong base or redundant information and expertise.

As the seasons change there will be a number of weather related closures, but even in times of good weather there can be emergencies.  Learning to bounce back from them, having policies in place, and communicating them to staff is something every good business owner does.