5 tips to retain your new customers longer

It is extremely important to offer your new customers the best experience possible and tick all the right boxes to make sure that they will return to your classes again.

At Eversports, we understand the importance of creating solid relations with new customers, this is why we are here to help you do so in the most efficient way. Read here more about customer retention and what strategies you can follow.

In this article, we give you five detailed tips on how to use your system at best so that you can reach a broader public and create solid relations with your new customers from the get-go.

1) Be found!

Improve the visibility of your studio and activities so that new customers can find you more easily in the search engines and on the Eversports Marketplace.

• Select the right sports. Be specific about what your studio offers. Do you offer just ‘Yoga’ classes or ‘Vinyasa Yoga for beginners’? Here our tips:

  • In the menu Settings > Profile, select the sports that you offer.

  • In the settings of your activities/videos, select the correct sports

  • In the settings of your activities/videos, select the activity level.

• Share your classes online. Make it easier for customers to find your classes and increase your online presence. Here our tips:

  • Activity groups. In the menu Activities > Groups, click on the three dots next to each activity group, select the filtered schedule and promote this on social media.

  • Overview workshops, course & co. Share an overview of your current workshops, courses, etc. by linking to a specific tab of your booking widget. More info here.

• Offer tryout cards. Give new customers the chance to peek into your studio at convenient conditions. Here our tips:

  • In the menu Products, create a trial card (i.e. create a block card for 1 or more visits), and connect it to your activities.

  • In the product settings of the trial card, activate the option ‘Special type: Tryout’. It gives it more relevance in your online Shop & on the Eversports app.

  • In the activity settings, select how many spots you allow for try-out customers.

  • BONUS: integrate the link to the trial card on your website.

2) Share relevant info before the visit

When new customers book for the first time, they often have questions. Make sure that your customers receive the right information at the right time, before they need it.

• Auto-email before the first visit. Inform your customers about all they need to know before coming to your studio. Here out tips:

  • In the menu Marketing > Communication, activate the auto-email ‘Before the first visit’ and provide all relevant information (i.e. when to arrive and what to bring)

• FAQs. Create a section of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) in your Eversports profile and on your website (i.e. regarding utilities, equipment, tryouts). Here our tips:

  • In the menu Settings > Profile > Description, add a section Questions-Answers with the most common questions that you receive.

3) Give a warm welcome

When new customers come to your studio for the first time, they need the most accurate guidance from you and your teachers. Make sure that they feel welcome right away and that they know how to navigate your studio.

• Check the Sign In of your classes. The Sign In shows you an icon ‘NEW’ next to the name of customers who book for the first time. Here out tips:

  • Before the class, check the Sign In for any new customers.

  • In the Sign In, click on the icon ‘NEW’ next to the new customers. This opens a pop-up with tips for new customers (i.e. how to greet them, what to do before/after the visit, etc).

  • BONUS: Inform your teachers of this feature, so that they can actively pay attention to your new customers too. The more you understand your customers and their needs, the better you can advise them.

4) Show the next step

The moment after the first class is when your customers will make up their minds and decide whether to come back again or not. Use the time to encourage them to return to your studio.

• Follow-up email after the visit. Send this email to customers who booked the first time and did not booked a second time within 7 days. Here our tips:

  • In the menu Marketing > Communication, activate this auto-email. You can share insights to your classes, ask for feedback or send links to specific products to guide them through your offers.

• Auto-emails for block cards. You can send information after the booking or even after the visit. Here our tips:

  • In the product settings of your block cards, activate this auto-email under ‘Communication’.

  • Set the trigger to ‘1 credit left’ and ‘send after the visit’. This way, customers will receive this information when they attend the second to last class and still have 1 credit left on the block card. Encourage them to purchase a new product.
    NOTE: in case of a block card of 1 credit (i.e. tryout card of 1 visit), set the trigger to ‘0 credit left’ and ‘send after the visit’. This way your customers receive this info after the visit.

• Offer discounts. Attract new and existing customers with discounted products. Here our tips:

  • In the menu Marketing > Promotions, set up discounts for your products/videos and share them via your newsletters, social media, and in the auto-emails (i.e. Follow-up email after the visit)

• Offer follow-up products. It is very helpful to indicate which products your customers should try out, especially after their first visit. Here our tips:

  • In the menu Products, create next to your regular tryout cards, also tryout weeks or even months (i.e. select the validity to one week, one month etc.).

  • Promote these products in the auto-email of your tryout cards and in other auto-emails (i.e. Follow-up email after the visit).

5) Keep it interesting

In order to have your customers come back to your activities, make sure that your offer is relevant and always up to date. Here our tips:

• Insights in your performance. Check regularly which activities, products and teachers are most successful and align your future offers based on it.

  • In the menu Activities > Insights, check how your studio is doing

  • NOTE: The insights are based only on the participants marked as attended.

• Birthday emails. In the menu Marketing > Communication, set up this auto-email to contact your customers on their birthday. You might even think of a small present (i.e. free rental of equipment, discounts on products, special products, etc).

• Connect with a newsletter. Show the value of your newsletter already from the first visit. This way your customers can stay up to date with your changes and most recent news.

+1 additional tip: Keep an eye on your online customers

If you offer online classes, pay the right attention to its customers as you already do to onsite customers. Here our tips:

• In the menu Settings > Online stream, activate the auto-email to send before the first participation in an online class. Guide your customers through the steps to take (i.e. which streaming system to download, where to find the streaming link, how to contact you).

Following these steps will help you better understand the potential of the Eversports Manager when it comes to attracting new customers and creating a solid relationship with existing ones. We wish you all the best and, in case of any questions, feel free to contact us at support@eversports.com