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    Create New Year's Goals, Not Resolutions

    March 02, 2023 | 2 minutes, 41 seconds read

    365 new days, 365 new chances. Letter board with motivational quote on grey concrete background with coffee cup. New year resolutions and goal setting, self improvement and development concept.

    For many, the new year can mean a fresh start on breaking our old habits. Even with the best resolutions, our busy lives and inherent patterns eventually re-emerge, and we’re back to square one.  

    This year, we suggest something new: nix the resolutions, and let’s set some goals! Shifting your focus to something you can put into action right now means your goals are closer than you think. Studies show people are more likely to accomplish specific and written goals, so we jotted down a few for you and your organization to get you started.  

    Growth goals 

    Growth goals can mean many things. For example, are you looking to increase your enrollment, launch a new program, or raise your brand recognition?  

    To develop growth goals, you need a clear vision statement that you can segment into achievable steps. Growing your enrollment may involve promotions or discounts that don’t necessarily increase your revenue immediately. So, you’ll need to make assessments along the way to gauge what promotions are driving new long-lasting customers. 

    No matter what it is, it’s important to establish a realistic goal, actionable tasks, and a team to help you complete those growth goals. 

    Learn how SportsEngine Motion gives you complete control to run your studio

    Financial goals 

    Setting a financial goal will help you focus on ways to drive additional revenue. Instead of thinking about where you want to be at the end of the year, set a goal for the month, quarter, or even a registration session.  

    Achieving the small goals first will create a series of benchmarks that will set you up for a year of success. Be specific in your financial plan. Some examples could be: Reviewing monthly tuition rates to increase your bottom line, opening a pro shop, or utilizing your website for sponsorship opportunities. 

    Customer experience goals 

    Enhancing your current customer experience will help your organization promote additional business growth and make your existing customers happier and more likely to stay. 

    When setting customer goals, identify any roadblocks that inhibit an exceptional experience. Roadblocks might include a complicated registration process or difficulty finding the correct information for an athlete. 

    With these roadblocks in mind, develop customer goals to solve them, such as 

    • Streamline the online checkout process with the right technology 

    • Adding an FAQ on your website for easy-to-find information 

    • Creating a communication strategy for consistent touchpoints 

    Employee development goals 

    Motivated, engaged employees offer many benefits in youth sports, such as increased enrollment and deeper loyalty with current athletes. The right coaches and staff are essential ingredients in a program’s success.  

    To set employee development goals, collect regular feedback from your staff about the types of incentives that motivate them. Include these goals in performance reviews while offering training and learning opportunities like sales tactics or the latest coaching techniques. 

    In the end, when creating your new year business goals, focus on the specifics while adding deadlines and benchmarking your progress. Seeing what you have already achieved can be a prime motivator to continue working towards your final goals. 

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    Increase Revenue

14 Content Ideas for your Social Media

March 02, 2023 | 1 minute, 56 seconds read

Young woman using smart phone, Social media concept.

One of the easiest ways to connect with potential customers is through social media, and coming up with new content does not have to be time-consuming. Creating great, shareable content about your business can help you increase visibility and reach more people (for free). Check out our simple list of ideas to keep things fresh and captivating for your followers and prospective clients.   

Quotes 

Share inspirational quotes relevant to your brand's personality. 

Events 

If you are hosting any events at your facility, be sure to post about it 

Videos 

Post a video about the programs you offer 

Behind the Scenes 

Give your followers a chance to see where the magic happens 

Challenge 

Post a 3,5, or 7-day challenge to followers to share something with you each of those days 

Interviews 

Have an Interview with someone in your organization and post about it 

Offers 

Post a social media Exclusive Offer for followers to use 

Product 

Share a photo of exclusive items in the pro shop  

Giveaways 

Host a giveaway contest and have followers share it with friends for additional chances 

Fun Facts 

Share interesting or fun facts about your staff, organization, or sport! 

News 

Find relevant news articles and share 

Testimonials 

Provide proof of results or satisfaction from past clients and customers  

Call to Action 

Ask your followers to do something! Share this post, click this link, sign up today! 

Q&A 

Allow your followers to send you a question about your business  

Posting on social media is a great way to keep your community informed of the happenings at your business, but it can also help you grow your business. Check out our tips for using social media to generate revenue

  
Remember, when you post consistently, the ‘all mighty social media algorithms’ will favor your posts, and more people will see them. You'll see increased engagement. When you post regularly, and especially if you post about the same topics on certain days of the week, your audience will expect and look forward to your content. We’ve even created a helpful social media calendar to follow along and keep your posting consistent.

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Strategies for Optimizing Google + Facebook for Your Business

Checkout this video from SportsEngine Motion's Enhancing Your Business Online Event

Implementing Business Publisher + Enhancing Your Website

Checkout this video from SportsEngine Motion's Enhancing Your Business Online Event on Leveraging and Adding Business Publisher Feature

Convert Your Free Trials Into Paying Customers

by Kristin Weingarden

SportsEngine

September 14, 2022 | 2 minutes, 48 seconds read

Convert Free Trials into Paying Customers: Little dancers and dance shoes

There are plenty of great strategies out there on how you can convert your free trials into a recurring revenue stream for your business. Fortunately, SportsEngine Motion has narrowed them down to five simple steps to increase your gym, studio, or facility’s free trial conversions.

Market your Free Trials

First and foremost, it is important to have all of your free trials posted on Google, Facebook, and your Social Feed - you want to be EVERYWHERE! By thoroughly posting your free trials, Google will pull your posts towards the top of the search results if someone searches for “free trial gymnastics near me.” Having a presence towards the top of Google searches makes it easy for guardians to find you quickly and get signed up right away. Additionally, it is just as essential to let your current members know free trials are something you offer. Posting sign-ups in the gym or including them in your monthly newsletters might mean they will tell a friend, who will tell a friend, who will tell another friend! 

Make it easy for people to find the information they need

Having an informative website and easy-to-find registration links will assist you in bringing free trials in the door.  By simply filling in the Class and Program description, you provide each family with important information they will need to know before signing up for your program.  Along with using SportsEngine Motion’s Command Buttons and straightforward website navigation, everyone will know exactly where to sign up. 

Create a Personal Experience

If you have an athlete dropping in for a free trial, make sure your front desk staff and all of the instructors know. That way, everyone will have an eye out for these parents who may ‘look lost’ as they walk in the door, and they can greet these families by name and provide a top-notch experience right off the bat.  Preparing a Welcome Sheet is a great idea too. You can hand this information directly as they come in to share all the information they need about class, pricing, and what comes next. 

Create a Sense of Urgency 

Offer a same-day discount that is only valid while they are still in your doors. It could be 10% off or a waived annual registration fee.  After class is over, have your instructors bring the student and their guardians straight to the front desk. The child just had a great time, and the guardian will see their smiling face. Use this critical moment to review the information you had provided them on your Welcome Sheet, and answer any additional questions they may have.  Plus, with a sense of urgency of the savings offered, this is a sure-fire way to convert a free trial into a customer. 

Send a Thank You Email

Don't forget to send your Thank You Email, no matter if they sign up immediately after class or not. Let the family know you appreciate them for attending your program and that you look forward to seeing them again. This interaction creates a fantastic opportunity to let everyone know they are a valued part of your business. 

No matter what steps you choose to utilize to convert your free trials, having a set plan is important to maximize the success and the growth of your business.

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The Revenue Behind Reviews

by Kristin Weingarden

SportsEngine

September 14, 2022 | 1 minute, 42 seconds read

admin at desk on phone

What is the first thing you do before you try a new product or program? You read the reviews. In fact, according to a recent study, a new customer is likely to spend 31% more on a business with excellent reviews. Your business should not operate differently from the products and services you look up for yourself. Here are some things reviews can do for your business. 

Establish Credibility 

First a foremost, people want to know what is good. Parents are likely to read 3 to 5 reviews before signing their children up for anything new, so the more reviews you have - the more likely a new customer will trust your business will provide their child a great experience, which translates to more revenue for you.  

Easy Marketing 

Most likely, you did not major in marketing, making writing and executing a campaign difficult. But there is nobody better to write up a great campaign than your customers with first-hand experience. 91% of 18-34-year-old consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Thus making online reviews vital - as that is likely your parent age group.  

Gaining Exposure 

The more reviews you have, the higher you appear in Google searches. The faster you can appear in Google searches, the less you have to spend on ads, and it will be easier for customers to find your programs.  

Gathering more online reviews will save you money and increase your revenue stream. SportsEngine Motion’s Business Publisher is a free tool included in the SportsEngine Motion Suite that will allow businesses to connect their Google My Business account and the Facebook Business account to their SportsEngine Motion website. You will be able to update business information, solicit and respond to reviews, and post photos straight to Google and Facebook—all from their Business Publisher dashboard within their website. Thus saving you time and energy – all while putting money back in your pocket.  
 
Learn more about how SportsEngine Motion can help your business

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The Benefits of a Blog

by Kristin Weingarden

SportsEngine

August 24, 2022 | 2 minutes, 30 seconds read

Blog/Notes about blog,concept

There are many long-term benefits to starting a blog for your business, including using your content for social media posts and sharing updates with your customers. Whatever your goal may be, here are SportsEngine Motion’s top five reasons why starting a blog will be beneficial:

1. Generate and nurture leads

Having a blog on your website with easy-to-find information about what you offer will assist new customers in finding everything they need. By simply writing one paragraph in your blog about a current class you offer, or an upcoming event at your facility, new customers will have plenty of places to read about the great experiences you can offer their child.

2. Build relationships with current customers 

Your current customers are always hungry for new information. Starting a blog will assure them that their needs are at the top of your mind. Like new customers, your current ones are interested in knowing everything from your schedule of programs to your business plans for an expansion. Providing information in a blog for current customers will help you develop long-term relationships.

3. Develop your brand’s voice 

Branding for your business is very important; your brand is everything from your color scheme to your targeted customer base. Your brand's voice can be a way to shout about the different programs and events you offer from the rooftops. A blog is the megaphone you need to project the voice for everyone to hear.

Learn more about ways to develop your brand here

4. Direct traffic to your Site

Posting a monthly or bi-monthly blog on your website will drive more traffic. In not-so-technical terms, the search engines higher powers will recognize the information on your website, thus improving your ranking in Google or Bing’s algorithms. This means that if your blog covers a topic a user searched for, the search engines will pull your blog into their search results which the user can then click into, taking them to your website and bringing you new traffic.

5. Market product and services  

You shouldn’t rely solely on email marketing to promote your teams, camps, and classes. Getting lost in all the emails your prospective customers get daily is easy. You need to leverage multiple marketing channels to get your story across, and the easiest marketing channel to start with is showcasing at least one of the services you offer per blog.

Learn how SportsEngine Motion gives you complete control to run your studio

How to start blogging for your business 

You’ve seen the benefits your business blog can get you — more traffic, leads, authority, and a better relationship with your audience. Now you’re undoubtedly itching to get started, but don’t worry. You don't need an English degree to get going. Using SportsEngine Motion’s News feature will help you get started in no time! This tool can post a blog to your website or mobile app and can email it as a newsletter with just a few clicks.

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Creating Effective Facebook Posts

by Andie Ostrowski

Guest Author

March 28, 2022 | 4 minutes, 6 seconds read

GoMotion - Tips and Trick - Facebook Social Post

Here’s the deal, everybody and their mom (especially their mom) is on Facebook these days. It has become the ultimate place for people to connect with friends, family, and businesses that they love. And Facebook has allowed all of us to “connect” in so many different ways when we’re logged in. 

The topic today is the famous Facebook post and how we can be effective at it. Many studio and gym owners have smartly taken to Facebook to connect with their families and fans and keep engaged no matter the time of year or what’s going on in the world. But could it be working better for you?

First and foremost 

Like the number of ways to skin a cat, there are hundreds of ways to make effective Facebook posts.

If you stick to one thing, let it be this:

post more of what your audience likes 

With the robust analytics that Facebook offers up to businesses, i.e., post clicks, likes, shares, etc., you should be able to tell in a couple of months exactly what your audience likes the most and when they are the most active. Channel those analytics and do more of what works, whatever that looks like for you, even against the “rules of good Facebook posting”.

If you want to take it a level deeper consider the following while you’re posting:

 

1. What is the goal of the post?

More often than not, it will fall into two buckets:

  1. Engagement (I want my audience to watch this fun video, laugh, like it, and share it with their friends, so they have a good feeling about my business)

  2. Conversion/Selling (I want my audience to click this specific link and sign-up for the class I am offering next week, so I get more business)

It’s a known rule of thumb that 80% of your posts should be in the engagement bucket, and 20% should be selling, so keep that in mind when planning out what you are posting. If you are only posting links trying to sell your audience something, they likely won’t respond how you want them to (although, some have argued that it doesn’t matter, as long as you follow the “first and foremost” section above).

goal of post chart

2. Make your posts cut through the noise

Whether you are posting a video or an image, make it pretty. The amount of people and posts on Facebook account for a lot of scrolling and a lot of the same old content. Make sure your content cuts through the noise and makes a person stop scrolling. 

Easy ways to do this- use bright colors as well as photos and videos of people (especially with audio).

You also want your copy to cut through the noise. I’m not saying raising your voices with this many exclamation points !!!!!!!!!! will make your post worth reading, but using short, choppy, witty, and easy to understand copy, will help with engagement.

Love this idea but don’t have a designer on staff to help with post creation? Check out these free and easy tools to create in no time.

SportsEngine Design Center

Canva Free Design

3. Have a clear call to action or conversion point

Paralysis by analysis is a real thing, folks. Even in social media posts. Oftentimes, people will lose track of posting to social media, and then do one really, really, really, long post that has two questions, three mandatory steps someone needs to take, and an optional survey to boot. While it seems like an efficient way to get all of your information out there at once, make sure you have ONE single call to action on your posts. 

“Hi everyone, summer figure skating camp begins in two weeks, register your child today!”

It’s clear, easy to understand, and will drive people to your registration page. 

Other single call to action options are:

  • Share this post for a chance to win
  • Take my poll so I know which sport you like best
  • Answer this survey so I can better assist you

All effective calls to action for your posts. (Not to mention, great engagement tactics) 

4. Tag and Hashtag 

Facebook's algorithm houses a very important metric that affects the success of your post…. Reach. The simplest way to increase your reach on Facebook is tagging and hashtagging. 

hashtag gif

If you have athletes or families in your photos and videos make sure to tag them. If you have sponsors or partners that are helping you run an event, tag them. And of course, depending on the topic you are posting about search for relevant hashtags to add. 

These together will help more people see your posts, and ultimately engage with you. 

5. Remember the “first and foremost”

Find what works for YOU and stick with it :) 

winking man gif

 

Good luck!

 

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How to Create and Maintain an Engaging Brand for Your Business

by Kristin Weingarden

SportsEngine

March 28, 2022 | 3 minutes, 16 seconds read

add megaphone symbol as build brand awareness concept

As you build your business, one of the questions you’ve probably been asked (or asked yourself) is "What is my brand?" Branding is “the promotion of a product or service by identifying it with a particular brand.” Another way to look at it is, “Your brand is the promise of an experience.” It’s who you are, what you do, and why it matters.

If you wrote down a few words or phrases that you think identify your business and its values, what would they include? Fitness? Ensuring kids are having fun? Building a high-level competitive team? Whatever your answers are, it is important to highlight those themes on your website and marketing materials to build your brand.

Here are five tips on how you can create and portray your brand.

1. Photography

When you are choosing what photography you want to appear on your website or promotional materials, make sure it aligns with your values. While it is important to showcase your facility, or even highlight a celebrity athlete coming to the gym, is that telling your whole brand story? Chances are, the story of your business goes much deeper than that, and you should ensure the photography associated with your business is an accurate visual representation of your core values. For example: if “fun” is one of your business identifiers, show big smiling faces everywhere that you can.
 

2. Colors

The psychology of colors can have a powerful impact on people’s behavior and decision-making. People make subconscious judgments about a person, environment, or product within a few seconds or minutes, and color plays into this initial impression. When you look at your website, are the current colors and logo representing what you want your brand to make others feel? For example, red is an active color and evokes “getting things done”, yellow is warm, friendly, and cheerful, and black is associated with strength, confidence, and stability.

Learn how you can build your brand with SportsEngine Motion
 

3. Consistency 

Whatever personality you would like your brand to showcase, make sure you keep it consistent across all your channels. Commit to your strategy! That means, if you decide to run a commercial or an ad on Facebook, it should maintain the same personality you are displaying on your website by using the same imagery, colors, and logo. This consistency allows your audience and customers to quickly identify your brand’s marketing materials from all the other promotions and communications they receive.
 

4. Craft a cohesive message

Crafting your message is the backbone of your brand’s personality. Your message should be more than just what, when, and how often. How does your mission statement sound? Do you sound convincing? Regardless of what your message is, make sure that it’s represented in the likeness of your band, and always be genuine and avoid using gimmicks.
 

5. Know your audience

If you are running a business, you should know who your potential customers and target audience are. Remember this when you are running ads, marketing your business, and posting to social media. Your message, colors, and photography should all be geared toward what that audience will identify with. If you can get your audience to identify with your brand, they are more likely to become or stay a customer of the business.

With today’s accessibility of information across so many platforms, it’s more important than ever to ensure that you put your best foot forward and make it clear what your business stands for. Building your brand can help you develop a deeper understanding of your business's personality and, in some cases, it can help you discover what your business goals and values are. Portraying this brand across your communications and marketing materials will help you engage new and existing customers for your business. Remember: establishing and portraying your brand is a creative process, so you should always be having fun!

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Empowering Your Families to be Self-Sufficient

by Andie Ostrowski

Guest Author

March 28, 2022 | 3 minutes, 52 seconds read

Refund policy

Every business has customers. Well, not EVERY business. But MOST businesses that are, well, in business, have customers. Some very few, and some up in the hundreds of thousands to millions. 

For most of you running a small gym, studio or facility, your customers are local families. Families with lots of children, families with divorced parents, families with children who have special needs, families that are every size, shape, you name it, families that all have their own unique situation and unique circumstances in their day-to-day life. 

One thing is likely constant, they are all…. BUSY. As an owner, admin or coach for your business, you know busy better than anyone. But the thing about it is, with busy families, they become much more reliant on you and your staff for information ALL THE TIME, making your work pile up further and further. 

We want to share with you a couple of easy things to implement that will allow your parents to be more self-sufficient and be empowered with all of the information they need at all times right at their fingertips.

#1 Create an “Important Links” section on your website

This first one is a biggie. There are a lot of components to a studio, and sometimes, a lot of stuff to remember. Including, but certainly not limited to items such as: Links to specific parent portals, how to download a mobile app, how to make a payment, how to access zoom for our next session, links to FAQs + Policies, etc. An easy way to determine this list is by quickly jotting down the top 5-10 “links” that your families request from you all the time and add to your site so they know where to go when they are stuck. 

BONUS: most websites allow for private or hidden pages if you don’t want this on your public website. 

#2 Set-up Auto Reminders for your families

Please say goodbye to getting texts/phone calls about schedules, training, competitions, you name it. Almost all software allows you to set-up auto-reminders or auto-notifications in the form of texts, push notifications or email. We’d recommend anywhere between 24-48 hours prior to a scheduled event, have an auto-reminder set for your families so they know where to be and aren’t left searching for answers. 

PLUG: SportsEngine Motion has a very dynamic reminder system that you can customize based on your preferences (so can families). 

#3 Create an FAQs + Policy page on your website

Okay, this one goes a little bit hand in hand with #1 but it is more elaborate. Create an FAQ and/or policy page for your website. This is intended to answer families' questions that are more intricate and situational. “What happens if my daughter gets injured and can’t compete for the rest of the season- will I get a refund?” “How do I add my spouse onto your mobile app so he/she can access our child’s information?” These questions come up a lot and are important to establish answers to. The key here is educating your families on where to go for this information. 

#4 Establish a parent chat room

Don’t freak out, I’m NOT talking a casual, anonymous, out-of-control parent chat room (are those only in the movies?). I’m talking about a safe secure way for families to help one another out with questions about participation with your organization. There may be somewhere innate within your software for families to access and chat, but there are so many other free options as well. Smart Phone group chats, GroupMe, Slack, Facebook, etc. 

EXTRA: If you establish the chat room, and describe it as “a quick easy way to get all information” most people will feel comfortable asking it, especially when some can feel intimidated calling the owner of the business for “simple” questions. 

#5 Implement a regular “news segment”

I put “news segment” in quotes because there is no right or wrong way to have a regular news segment. Most would go straight to a weekly or monthly email newsletter, which can be a great route for many people to update families on news, upcoming events, or announcements. There are also several other ways, if you aren’t the most email savvy individual, to inform your families of news - have a weekly Facebook live segment, send out a text message, hire a volunteer to assist with it, post about it on your website. Regardless of which you choose, you will help your families feel in the know and on top of it with a regular touchpoint like this. 

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