Class descriptions – a simple, two to three sentence blurb, right? Wrong! These blurbs carry more weight than you might expect, acting as one the first official communications you have with prospective students. Great descriptions can lead to more class sign-ups by informing and engaging, putting new customers at ease and setting them up for success.
Follow these tips for writing class descriptions to excite new customers and drive more traffic to your studio.
Tell them what to expect
There’s a core principle to business ownership that can be easy to overlook: you are not the customer. Even with buyer personas and a solid marketing strategy in place, you can never be 100-percent sure who is checking out your business. With that in mind you should prepare your class content to appeal to as many users as possible. When new customer acquisition is your goal, you’re aiming to inform and engage a wide array of students, from exercise newbies to fitness pros. Returning students won’t mind if a class description is detailed, and new students will be happy to know exactly what to expect.
Tell them when to arrive
Timing is a big part of how you keep your studio in check. It can also be a big source of anxiety for new students – no one wants to walk into a fitness class that has already started, or even worse forfeit their place because they’re late.
Let students know when they should show up, and when the class will actually start. This will help the instructor run things smoothly, and it will also empower customers to schedule their day appropriately. By showing up early, they can prep for the class, meet other students and take some pressure off the instructors.
Tell them what to bring
Nobody wants to show up to a class without the right tools. Many fitness genres have a defined style of dress, specific equipment and necessary tools. Customers need to know this! If there’s any type of equipment necessary, like a yoga mat or clip-in shoes, make sure it’s noted in the description. Alternatively, if you have equipment available to rent, let students know and how much it will cost.
- Even better, make sure you include how to dress for a fitness class. You want your students to be comfortable – both emotionally and physically – for their class. For example, yoga and Pilates might include lots of inverted poses, so tight-fitting clothing is the norm. Here are a few other things you might want to mention:
- Water bottles - is the course exercise-intensive? Is there a place to fill up reusables?
- Towels - Will students get their sweat on?
- Socks - Let those no-socks users know that shoes will be coming off.
Include testimonials
Social proof is one of the best tools for generating trust in your business. On top of descriptions, class-based reviews and testimonials carry a lot of weight. Through your organic site, search engines and fitness aggregators, you’re likely to receive lots of feedback – consider adding a quote or two to your class description. And don’t forget to respond to ratings and reviews and use the insight to make the customer experience even better.
Create a journey
If you’re interested in driving more traffic to your studio, you're likely to want to invest in repeat customers. Class descriptions are an important way to encourage customers to return, as they can help create a journey or path for customers. Imagine a beginner fitness enthusiast who is just getting started on the scene. They’ll be interested in how they can build their skills and grow at your studio, so descriptions that take into account skill level and fitness progression will be helpful.
It’s helpful to imagine your courses like a roster of classes, with 101s preceding intermediate levels, and certain niche classes acting as offshoots, or “areas of focus.” By organizing your classes this way you’ll help new customers get excited about what’s ahead, which will ultimately mean more return customers.
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