Spring Clean Your Business: Three Key Areas to Audit for a More Profitable Pilates Studio
Spring is a season of renewal - a time to clear away what no longer serves us and create space for fresh energy and growth. While many turn this focus toward their homes, it's equally valuable for Classical Pilates studio owners to apply this mindset to their business.
The reality is, running a Pilates studio is demanding. Between teaching, client care, and day-to-day operations, it's easy to fall into a reactive mode. Systems are often built on the fly, marketing can be sporadic, and financial oversight is often pushed to the back of the mind. Over time, these small compromises compound, leading to inefficiencies that can quietly undermine your potential for growth and profitability.
Conducting a thoughtful business audit - focused on your operational systems, marketing efforts, and financial structure -can help you streamline processes, uncover missed opportunities, and realign your studio with your long-term goals. This kind of intentional review has the power to bring more clarity, and more importantly, more profit.
Operational Systems: Strengthening the Backbone of Your Pilates Studio
Your studio’s operational systems: scheduling, payment processing, client communication, and onboarding - should be designed to run smoothly, reliably, and with minimal friction. Yet as studios grow or evolve, systems are often patched together with temporary fixes that become permanent.
Start by reviewing your scheduling and booking platform. Is it still the right fit for your class offerings and studio size? Are classes structured in a way that balances high-demand group sessions with revenue-driving private appointments?
Then look at your pricing and payment structure. If clients are frequently confused about their options - or if you find yourself constantly making exceptions - it may be time to simplify and reset. Your pricing model should be easy to understand, support your financial goals, and reflect the value of your expertise in Classical Pilates.
Finally, assess how your time is being spent. As both a teacher and a studio owner, your time is your most valuable asset. If you’re bogged down in tasks that could be automated, delegated, or systemized, your business is likely leaking both time and profit.
Marketing and Client Acquisition: Refresh for Clarity and Connection
Spring is the perfect time to revisit your marketing with fresh eyes. Is your strategy helping the right clients find you? Is your message still aligned with what makes your studio special?
A consistent and compelling marketing presence isn’t about doing more - it’s about doing the right things with intention
Start by looking at your studio’s digital presence. Does your website clearly communicate who you are, who you serve, and why your classical approach matters? As a Classical Pilates studio, this isn’t just a label - it’s a commitment to a specific lineage, structure, and standard. Share what that means for your clients’ experience, outcomes, and long-term results. Most people don’t know the difference - so educate them!
Is your studio listed and updated on Google Maps? You’d be surprised how many people rely on that simple search. Ensure your listing includes accurate info, clear photos, and glowing reviews. Bonus points: upload a few photos of your studio and apparatus to give newcomers a feel for your space before they walk through the door.
You’ve invested in your space - now let it shine. If you’re Gratz Equipped, say so. Proudly! Let potential clients see your apparatus on your website, social media, and Google My Business listing. Highlight what it means to work on this equipment and how it supports true classical training. When people are exploring different options, the details matter. They’re looking for signals that your studio offers something beyond the ordinary.
From the moment someone discovers your studio to the moment they become a committed client, how easy and inviting is their journey?
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Can they book a first class without confusion?
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Are they welcomed with a sense of care and professionalism?
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Do they receive thoughtful follow-up that encourages them to return?
Map it out. Every interaction is a chance to deepen trust and build credibility.
Finally, review your marketing metrics with curiosity, not judgment. Which efforts drive real inquiries? Which fall flat? Do you have a referral system in place? Are you regularly engaging your email list or reconnecting with past clients?
Consistency is more powerful than complexity. Focus on marketing that reflects your values, aligns with your studio’s goals, and systems that support long-term visibility and trust.
Financial Health: A Clearer View of Profitability for Your Pilates Studio
Even when classes are full and the schedule feels busy, that doesn’t always translate into profitability. A financial audit helps you move beyond assumptions and make decisions based on accurate, up-to-date information.
Start by examining your current offerings. Are your duets consistently booking out while tower classes sit half-full? Is your introductory private package converting clients into memberships - or do new clients drop off after just a few sessions? Are you selling too many one-off drop-ins and not enough structured pathways into long-term commitment? What about workshops and teacher training? Which is most profitable for your business?
Next, evaluate your expenses. Are there subscriptions, services, or recurring costs that could be reduced or eliminated? Small efficiencies here can make a significant impact on your bottom line.
Finally, focus on the metrics that matter. Are you tracking your profit margins, client lifetime value, and average revenue per visit? These numbers tell the real story of your studio’s financial health - and they offer the clarity you need to make strategic decisions with confidence.
The Client Experience: A Quiet Yet Powerful Profit Driver
While often overlooked in a traditional audit, your client experience plays a critical role in retention and referrals - two of the most cost-effective paths to profitability.
Consider every touchpoint from your client’s perspective. Is your website user-friendly? Are class descriptions clear and aligned with your studio’s classical approach? Does your studio space reflect the professionalism and attention to detail you bring to your teaching?
Simple improvements - a personalized welcome email, more thoughtful front-desk interactions, or a post-class check-in - can go a long way in making clients feel seen and valued. And clients who feel seen and valued are the ones who stay longer and refer others.
Moving Forward with Intention
Spring cleaning your business doesn’t require an overhaul. It simply calls for space - space to pause, reflect, and realign with the bigger vision for your studio.
Refining your systems, strengthening your marketing, and gaining financial clarity allows you to shift from constantly reacting to leading with intention. And from this place of intention, you can build a studio that supports not just your clients, but you - your time, your energy, and your livelihood.
A profitable studio isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing the right things, in the right way, at the right time.
And there’s no better time to begin than right now.
About
Seran Glanfield, founder of Spring Three and host of the award-winning Pilates Business Podcast, is a leading business coach and consultant to boutique fitness studio owners around the world. With over a decade of hands-on experience, Seran has masterminded the growth and development of hundreds of studios, becoming the go-to expert for those looking to scale their studios, transforming them into sustainably profitable, streamlined studios. Seran’s expertise encompasses all facets of business management, including marketing, retention, sales, team management, pricing, and strategic growth. A graduate from the prestigious London School of Economics, Seran is also a certified business consultant and both Power Pilates and Romana’s Pilates trained Certified Pilates Teacher.
To learn more about working with Seran and Spring Three, go to: Spring Three or follow @seran_spring_three