4 Communication Tips for Improving Client Retention

We often hear that studios are afraid to “over-communicate”. The opposite is likely true! Studios with high retention rates have frequent communication with their clients. Continual communication allows you to foster connection, which builds rapport and therefore trust. It also helps to create a sense of belonging which in turn strengthens your community. As a result, your clientele is in the know and more likely to be engaged, thereby increasing sales and retention. Here are 4 tips for a robust communication strategy, plus details on how to ensure your messaging is supporting your goal of retaining clients!

1. Frequency and Consistency are Important

A common myth is that communications should be kept to a minimum, and repetition should be avoided. Repeated themes across brand messaging build effectiveness, especially when multiple channels are used. A common method is the “rule of 7” based around the theory that a prospect needs to hear and/or see a message at least seven times before taking action. Now, before you roll your eyes and tell us that’s too many touch points, take this statistic into account: 60% of subscribers would like to receive communication at least once per week from businesses they engage with, and 40% would like even more frequent communication. (Source) Bottom line is they want to hear from you!

Ideally, your messages are not only frequent—they are also consistent. If you suddenly send out 8 emails in a row about an upcoming high-ticket item such as a retreat, but send nothing 1 month prior, your communication will look like it is only a sales tool. You want your communication to be authentic, so that you’ve built relationships with your clients before going in with a sale proposition. Which leads us to…

2. Content is King

Your communication needs to provide value. In order to nurture customer relationships, you want to curate content that demonstrates shared values, common ground and connection. Frequency is important but the content you’re sharing is even more so. What are a few things your clients want to hear about? 

• Your brand story
• Your offerings (and their results)
• Your culture, values and overall vibe
• Upcoming events
• News from the community
• Fellow member milestones
• Sales & Special Offers

Ultimately, your messaging should always serve a purpose. Be wary of sending anything that doesn’t have a clear intention behind it. Keep in mind the purpose isn’t always to increase sales or bring in revenue. The purpose can be to nurture clients, reward loyalty, etc.

3. Tone and Voice Matters 

You want your communication to be consistent across your channels so that it is easily identifiable. The studio’s voice should be so “on brand” that when a client sees an ad, an in-studio flyer, and then an email, the three have interwoven themes that in turn strengthen your message, leading to increased familiarity, sales, and retention.

Let’s take e-mail sign-offs as an example: “See you on the mat”, “Love” and “Chat soon!” all emote different tones. Choose what fits your community the best, and stick to it! When you maintain a consistent voice, you’ll find your emails will have increased open rates, click through rates and overall conversions.

4. Keep it Personal

You want your communication to feel personal. In general, e-mails should come from the studio owner. Outreach emails should come from the studio’s point of contact, so determine who is going to answer the emails and text messages first. We advise having the sign-off be associated with this person so that the messaging feels aligned if there is any future correspondence.

Conclusion

Your communication strategy should be multi-channel and robust. It should strive to be consistent, reliable and unique. Through frequent communications, your clients will feel seen and tended to, granting them a sense of connection and pride in being a member of your community. When you take all of these tips into account, you’ll find your overall retention increases and your attendance, revenue and conversions will increase, too!