3 Tips to Encourage Email Marketing Opt-Ins

Fitness studio management isn't getting any easier as tech advancements continue to advance the behaviors of the industry. Even with these constant tech changes, it's amazing to see that email marketing hasn't gone anywhere. Email marketing is one of the most valuable tools to reach your clients—no matter the size of your staff or studio. But with so many other platforms to reach your target audience (we are looking at you, social media!), the impact and amount of consumers that use and engage with emails is astounding and proves that it’s so much more than a way to serve up messages into individual inboxes. 

In 2022, it was estimated that there were 4.3 billion email users worldwide, and it’s projected to reach roughly 4.6 billion in the next two years. That will be more than half the world's population! So whether you’re pushing your new (and old) clients to opt-in to email marketing, it’s a communication method they are using and an opportunity to connect with your community instantly.

Opt-in email marketing is sending marketing messages and materials to an email list specifically subscribed to your content. Opt-in means your prospects or clients are aware you’re adding them to your email list and can include newsletters, promotional materials, and nurturing content campaigns. 

With 86% of consumers preferring to receive promotional emails from brands/companies they purchase from and do business with, email marketing is a surefire way to help your studio generate sales, enhance engagement, and create brand awareness. And building an email marketing strategy that captures attention is crucial to inbox success.

“Keeping prospects and clients on your marketing list can be challenging because many other software companies within the fitness and wellness space did not follow email marketing laws. Now some consumers are jaded,” said Laura Munkholm, President and Co-founder of Walla. “But by communicating the benefits to your clients and promising to share added, authentic value to their routine and life via email, your studio will see awesome results and returns on your email marketing efforts.”

So how can your studio utilize email marketing and get clients to opt-in to your digital communication? You can share a QR code and promote the benefits of being part of the “cool client in-the-know email club” via app announcements, but if you’re trying to drum up client enthusiasm to opt-in to your email marketing, here are five tips on how to connect with your studio audience in a meaningful way:

Create valuable can’t-miss content

‍Publishing valuable and engaging content unique to your studio is the biggest component to getting your clients to opt-in to your marketing emails. As many as 69% of marketers use email to disseminate their content. An easy way to present, publish and share premium content and drive email marketing opt-ins is by capitalizing on blogs.

Short- and long-form blogs are a key element of digital marketing, tap into brand awareness, and create an integral connection between your brand and client. Blogs not only give you content to entice clients to opt-in to email marketing, but they also set an email cadence and inbox expectation. Laura says you need to “promise to send amazing content and keep that promise.”

Insider Insights: Blogging is valuable to your buyer persona and is a great way to increase your marketing subscriber list. By sharing a blog via email, you’re consistently increasing and maintaining website traffic and driving awareness and conversions to promotions and studio offerings that clients could miss by not being on your site. Also, keeping clients on your site longer might encourage them to book more classes—or buy a new plan! 

Simply ask your community to subscribe! 

By promising to deliver solid, exciting content, including educational blogs, industry news, discounts, and compelling offers, you can easily encourage your clients to opt into your marketing emails. If your clients don’t pay attention or miss the marketing communication opt-in option when actively creating an account with your studio online—or you want to reengage clients who have been part of your studio community for a long time—make email marketing a communication point. 

• Utilize app announcements to remind them of the marketing benefits 
• Share an in-studio QR code with an enticing copy that instills a little friendly FOMO
• Mention the benefits of opting into marketing emails at class check-in 
• Have instructors close out class with a reminder that students can hear about studio info and events first by enrolling in marketing emails

By being open about the benefit of email marketing with your clients and acknowledging a no-spam policy, you can build trust, share limited-time offers, and have your community excited about being a part of what is happening.   

Insider Insights: Encouraging opt in’s is a bonus for studio loyalty and engagement. It’s also a win when it comes to leveraging the power of Walla’s built-in marketing automations. When your clients opt-in for marketing, you’ll be able to access how your automations are performing accurately, whether your upsells are working, and whether your community is engaging with your automated content. Plus, our Marketing Automation Reports will show you send details and click-through rates (just to name a few!), so you be more personalized and strategic when it comes to increasing sale opportunities, impacting retention, and reducing churn—especially for newer clients.

Be the thought leader your studio community craves 

We discussed the meaning of creating valuable content to entice email marketing opt-ins, but what does it really mean to be a leader in your industry? Think of it this way: Your clients come to your studio because they trust you, believe in your mission, and see your business and brand as a safe space to achieve their goals and positively influence their well-being. And in a pandemic-adapted environment, your clients pay more attention to every element of their wellness—including consuming content that can motivate them to be their best selves. So your studio is the perfect resource to test topics because your clients are already invested, see you as a leader, and want to hear from you (and the people you trust!).

Leverage your authority in your space to produce and publish written and video content on social, blogs, and your website and share this content exclusively with your clients via marketing emails. But don’t get overwhelmed! By consistently creating blog content and tying a deeper connection to your studio's soul and purpose, your instantly adding value to your business.

Insider Insights: Need help figuring out where to start regarding content? Maybe writing isn’t your forte? That’s ok! Try publishing topics relevant to your studio, fitness vertical, and common client questions—and using free tools like Grammarly to edit content. Consider what your community is talking about, what they are reading, what is relevant, and ways you can help them be more successful. And don’t be afraid to ask your clients what kind of content they like to consume! If you find a common thread among online publications like Well + Good, take notes on the type of content they publish. Also, ask your connections and studio staff if they would like to write and contribute to your blog. Remember, short and sweet is ok, consumers love numbered lists and tips, and you can quickly get stock photos from free resources like Unsplash! 

From encouraging opt-ins to figuring out what your studio email marketing strategy looks like (without the added stress of always authoring content), you can consider a few of these types of email marketing campaigns to easily boost your marketing following:

• Limited time offers 
• Digital magazine or newsletter 
• Event invitations 
• Giveaways 
• Partner collaborations 
• Product announcements 
• Studio news (enrollments, webinars, upcoming activities, and more)

By building upon the trust you’ve already established with your clients and communicating the value of opting into your marketing emails, you can increase engagement and brand awareness without the worry of spam!