Do you have the right tech tools in place for 2021?
Is your already full inbox suddenly overflowing with demo requests from studio scheduling softwares?
Do you find yourself wondering if the buzz is worth listening to... worried you’re missing out on the newest and greatest tool out there?
Or maybe, instead of looking at switching to a new tech tool, you’re desperately looking for ways to cut expenses. After all, 2020 has left its mark on all of us - and our businesses.
It’s time to look forward to 2021. We’ve talked about the Studio of the Future and what that means for your studio:
It means making online offerings a regular part of your business - and your brand.
It means upping your customer experience game - starting with your website.
And it means communicating your brand and the unique value you provide to your members and prospects alike
The tech tools you use to operate your studio, engage with your members, and grow your business are more important than ever. So, let’s talk about how to make sure you have the right tools in place to meet your studio’s needs—now and into the future.
Is it time to reevaluate your tech tools... or is it just FOMO?
Trying to keep up with the constant changes and new products/apps/software offerings in the tech industry? Impossible. And if you try? Confusion and overwhelm are almost sure to be the result. Nearly every day brings something new. Something exciting that sounds like it just might be the answer to your problems. But is it?
New tech tools can bring on a bad case of Shiny Object Syndrome. Sure a new tech tool looks slick and it may do some things better than what you’re currently using. But don’t get too caught up in the hype. Take the time to figure out what you would realistically gain by adopting a new tool - and what you might lose. It’s possible you’ll realize that what you already have is working just fine and you’re not actually missing out.
This article will walk you through that process.
Essential types of tech tools to run your studio business
Here’s the bottom line: there is no one magical tech tool that is the right solution for every studio. There’s not even one tool that will meet all of your studio’s needs. As much as we’d all like that to be true—businesses, especially now are more complex than that.
So, here’s your permission slip to stop searching for that one unicorn all-purpose tool and instead, let’s talk about the essential tech tool TYPES you need. Yes, there are subtleties and feature sets within each bucket, but it’s helpful to start by considering these broad zones so you can identify multi-tasking tools and gaps within your studios operations.
Digital home base for marketing and operations: This is your website. You need one, and it needs to be flexible, easy to edit and play nicely with your other tools. It’s the portal into all your operations from your customers perspective.
Services sale and delivery system: This is your scheduler - any time your services are tied to or tracked by attendance at specific dates/times. Includes classes and appointments, virtual or in person.
Digital product sale and delivery system: When on-demand video products are being sold, whether offered as a video library subscription or bundled as one-time-sale sets or courses.
Retail product sale and delivery system: How you sell physical products. This may include both in person point-of-sale or online sales.
Communicators: Email, text, etc. How you keep your community together and in the know.
Historically, you have needed a different tool for each type of business operation. Today, many tools handle more than one thing, but there is still a core strength that tool was built on. Taking the time to understand what each tool is truly able to do well will help you cut through the marketing promises.
What should YOUR studio set-up look like?
Your studio operates differently than the studio across town or on the other side of the country. Gain a deep understanding of the business operations needs of your studio first, before selecting tech tools. Start by going through this exercise:
What services or products do you want to offer going into 2021? Go ahead, grab a piece of paper and write them down. There is a very good chance this has changed from this time last year! Don’t forget things like retreats, retail, workshops and any digital products you’ve got floating around your idea bank.
Now draw a vertical line next to that list and match each offer to the tool(s) you currently use to make that transaction happen. A transaction includes both the selling and delivery of the offer. Don’t have one yet? Add a question mark.
On a second piece of paper, list your current tool set. I recommend getting a list of your actual expenses from your accounting software or bank account to confirm this. Sometimes we forget about small tools we signed up for! Now compare this list to the first sheet:
Is there overlap?
Is there anything you are no longer using?
Are you utilizing the tools you already pay for the best way possible for your business?
What gaps do you need to fill? What’s no longer serving you?
If you left question marks, does one of the tools you’re already using have a feature to fill that gap?
Can you upgrade or downgrade a tool to make it fit your current business model better?
Can adding a new specialty standalone tool be the solution to easily fill that gap?
Should you simplify or even remove some of your studio’s tech tools?
How has your business focus changed in the last year? Do you have more tools than you need to run your studio in it’s planned state for the next year? Are you considering simplifying or even removing some of those tools?
Wait. Think carefully before making any decisions about the tools you use to run your studio. Downgrading or changing tools often means eliminating certain capabilities, so make sure you’re not scaling back on things that are essential to the operation of your business. (more on determining this below)
Canceling subscriptions or removing tech tools altogether will help reduce costs. However, make sure you consider the additional cost of doing things manually if you are still offering the service or product. Your time is valuable, too. Do you instead need to eliminate marginally profitable or unprofitable service types first in order to cut expenses and move forward? Tough questions, but streamlining is more than just cutting expenses.
Or is it time to upgrade your tech systems to add more capabilities to your evolving business?
2020 has seen you add video on demand, livestream, and online ways for members to engage with you and each other. You’ve moved more of your studio’s experience online than you ever imagined possible. You’ve added new tech tools out of necessity. Now’s a great time to evaluate what’s working and what’s not as you move towards sustainably positioning your new offers as a part of your larger brand.
Transitioning or upgrading can come with added cost. But, when you’ve properly researched your options, you may find that change is the best choice.
Now that you have a better understanding of your studio’s tech needs, you can begin to evaluate options with a calm focus. Here are some questions to ask yourself when considering new tools:
What do your day-to-day operations look like? What functions and features are essential to the way you do business? Where do you or your team spend time that isn’t necessary? What causes frustrations for your clients? What systems would this tool replace or support?
How reliable is the new/upgraded system you’re considering? What does their customer service look like? Are their help tutorials or resources available online?
If it’s a relatively new company you’re considering, are you open to being part of the feature development phase? Feature sets take time to get right for any start-up. Being an early adopter can be an exciting place to be as you may have the opportunity to influence feature releases, but also may not be for you if you’re more in the “I want it now” camp.
Tech tool recommendations grouped by type
Here’s my list of recommended tools that I’ve used myself or with client projects. This list is certainly not exhaustive, but it’s a good place to start.
Whatever new tool you’re considering, be sure to give it a proper test drive. Start by getting a demo, then move to a free trial. Play around with the tool and get a good understanding for how it would actually work with your business operations.
FAVORITE MULTI-TASKERS:
Squarespace—your digital home base. Can also be used for digital product sale and delivery, and retail sales.)
Mindbody—at its core, a services sale and delivery system. With addition in recent years of their Marketing Suite (aka Frederick) and Virtual Wellness Platform products, Mindbody now can cover digital product sale and delivery and communications functions as well.
DIGITAL HOME BASE:
Squarespace, no contest. Here’s why.
Wordpress and webflow are also good options if you have the team / know-how to maintain.
SERVICE PRODUCT SALES AND DELIVERY:
Mindbody core software (both classes + appts)
Walla* (classes only, but appointments on the roadmap)
Mariana Tek* (classes only)
FitDegree (classes only)
Booker* (appt only)
Acuity (both classes + appts)
See this post for more information on studio schedulers.
DIGITAL PRODUCT SALES AND DELIVER:
Mindbody Virtual Wellness Platform (livestream and VOD)
Squarespace Member Areas—new as of Nov 2020! (VOD only)
Uscreen* (livestream and VOD)
Vimeo OTT (livestream and VOD)
Memberspace* (VOD only)
Namastream (livestream and VOD)
Teachable ( VOD only)
Ribbon (livestream and VOD)
See this post for more on video sales and delivery systems.
RETAIL PRODUCT SALES AND DELIVERY:
Squarespace (both ecommerce and POS)
Shopify (both ecommerce and POS)
WooCommerce plugin for wordpress (both ecommerce and POS)
Your scheduler may also offer retail but this is usually best for POS only
See this post for more on selling retail.
COMMUNICATORS:
These really depend on what scheduling software you’ve chosen and what integrates best. This zone is where most studios have more than one tool.
Social media (obvious, but can be very effective, depending on your community)
Mindbody Marketing Suite (email and 1 way text)
Brandbot (email and SMS) (integrates with Mariana Tek and legacy clients with Mindbody)
NamasteLight (email only) (integrates with Mindbody and zapier)
FitGrid (instructor-student interactions, community app + more)
Zipwhip (2-way texting)
Your own app
*denotes affiliate or partner relationship. I may get a small kickback if you use that link to sign-up, or there may be an added bonus for you!
Choose the right tech tools for your studio’s success in 2021 and beyond.
You need the right tool for the right job to run your studio business. Your studio operates differently than your peers’ studio and there is no one magical tool. Take the time to research the right tools for your studio of the future - and be poised for success in 2021 and beyond.
NEED HELP DETERMINING WHICH TECH TOOLS ARE RIGHT FOR YOUR STUDIO? LET’S TALK.
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