That’s where Notion comes in—this versatile all-in-one tool can simplify your studio’s operations by consolidating tasks, streamlining communication, and helping you manage every aspect of your Pilates business efficiently.

In this article, we’ll guide you through using Notion to create a complete management system for your Pilates studio. From class schedules and client databases to financial tracking and marketing strategies, you’ll learn how to create a custom workspace that helps your studio thrive.

What You’re About To Find

1. Why to Have a Notion for Your Pilates Studios?
2. Setting Up Your Notion Workspace
3. Creating a Pilates Studio Dashboard
4. Class Scheduling and Management
5. Tracking Clients and Memberships
6. Managing Instructor Schedules and Payroll
7. Tracking Studio Finances and Expenses
8. Marketing and Social Media Planning
9. Using Notion for Client Feedback and Retention

1. Why to Have a Notion for Your Pilates Studios?

Notion is a flexible and highly customizable platform that allows you to organize all of your studio’s management processes in one place.

Instead of using multiple apps or systems for scheduling, finances, client management, and marketing, Notion brings everything under one roof. It’s a great fit for Pilates studio owners looking to simplify their workflow and enhance productivity.

Why Use Notion for Your Pilates Studio?

• Centralized Management: All your schedules, client data, instructor details, and financial reports in one place.
• Custom Templates: Design templates for tracking attendance, memberships, and class bookings.
• Task Management: Organize tasks and deadlines easily.
• Collaboration: Share pages with your instructors or staff, and work together to manage classes and administrative tasks.
• Mobile-Friendly: Access your workspace from your mobile device, enabling you to manage your studio while on the go.

2. Setting Up Your Notion Workspace

The first step in using Notion for your Pilates studio is creating and organizing your workspace. A well-structured workspace is crucial for staying organized and navigating efficiently.

Step 1: Create Your Notion Workspace

If you’re new to Notion, sign up for a free account and create a workspace for your Pilates studio. This will act as the hub for everything related to your business. You can invite team members to collaborate with you, assign different permissions based on their role, and even share specific pages with clients.

Step 2: Organize Your Workspace with Key Pages

Think about the key areas of your Pilates studio that need attention. For instance:

• Studio Dashboard: A central hub where you can quickly navigate to any part of your studio’s operations.
• Class Schedule: A page where you manage class timetables, track attendance, and adjust for holidays or changes.
• Client Management: A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) database for tracking client details, memberships, and attendance history.
• Instructor Management: Track instructor availability, assign classes, and manage payroll.
• Financials: Keep track of expenses, revenue, and other important financial data.
• Marketing and Growth: Plan your studio’s marketing strategies, social media posts, and promotions.

Once you have your key categories defined, you can start building out these pages in Notion.

3. Creating a Pilates Studio Dashboard

A studio dashboard is the central hub where you can access and manage all essential aspects of your Pilates studio. This allows you to keep everything organized and visible at a glance.

Step 1: Create the Dashboard Page

1. In your Notion workspace, create a new page called “Pilates Studio Dashboard.”
2. On this page, you can create sections for daily tasks, class schedules, instructor shifts, client inquiries, and finances.
3. Use headers to create different sections such as:
   • Today’s Classes
   • Client Follow-Ups
   • Upcoming Events
   • Instructor Availability
   • Financial Overview

Step 2: Embed Links to Other Pages

To make your dashboard highly functional, add links to other relevant pages, such as:

• Class Schedule
• Client Database
• Instructor Schedule
• Marketing Plans

You can also add icons and cover images to make your dashboard visually appealing and easy to navigate.

Step 3: Task Lists and To-Dos

At the top of your dashboard, add a to-do list or a Kanban board for tracking tasks related to studio operations. This could include daily tasks like cleaning the studio, contacting clients, preparing equipment, or reviewing the class roster.

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4. Class Scheduling and Management

Scheduling and managing Pilates classes is one of the most critical tasks in running a studio. Notion can serve as a centralized hub for planning your classes and keeping track of attendance and bookings.

Step 1: Create a Class Schedule Database

1. Create a new page called Class Schedule and add a Calendar view.
2. Input your class schedule, including:
   • Class Name (e.g., Beginner Pilates, Advanced Reformer)
   • Instructor Name
   • Date and Time
   • Class Capacity (max number of participants)
   • Attendance Status (open, full, waitlisted)

Step 2: Track Attendance

Track which clients have signed up for each class. You can add a relation field that links to your Client Database, so you know who has booked each class.

• Create a column for Attendance to check off who attended or missed the class.
• Use filters to see full classes or available spots for future classes.

Step 3: Adjusting for Changes

You can easily adjust the schedule when needed. Whether a class is canceled or rescheduled, Notion’s drag-and-drop functionality makes it easy to modify class times and instructors. You can also add a reminder or notification to inform instructors or clients about any changes.

5. Tracking Clients and Memberships

Client retention and membership tracking are key components of a successful Pilates studio. Using Notion as a CRM system can help you monitor client progress, engagement, and memberships.

Step 1: Create a Client Database

1. Create a new page titled Client Database.
2. Add columns to track important client details, such as:
   • Client Name
   • Contact Information (email, phone number)
   • Membership Status (active, expired, trial)
   • Attendance History
   • Membership Expiry Date
   • Special Notes (e.g., health concerns, preferences)

Step 2: Manage Memberships

Use filters to identify when memberships are about to expire, allowing you to send reminders or offer renewal promotions. You can also categorize clients by membership type (monthly, yearly, class packs).

• Use a Calendar view to track membership expiration dates, ensuring that you can follow up with clients ahead of time.

Step 3: Client Feedback and Testimonials

Add a section to track feedback or testimonials from clients. This can be useful for gathering reviews to use in marketing materials, improving class offerings, and strengthening client relationships.

6. Managing Instructor Schedules and Payroll

Tracking instructor availability, managing their shifts, and handling payroll are essential tasks for a studio owner. Notion simplifies these processes with custom databases and templates.

Step 1: Create an Instructor Schedule Database

1. Create a page titled Instructor Schedule.
2. Use a Calendar or Table view to organize their availability and shifts.
   • Instructor Name
   • Date/Time of Classes
   • Availability (open for more shifts or not)
   • Payroll Rate (hourly or per class)

Step 2: Assign Instructors to Classes

Within your class schedule database, create a relation to the Instructor Schedule, allowing you to assign specific instructors to their respective classes.

Step 3: Track Payroll

Use a simple Payroll Database to track payments made to instructors:

• Instructor Name
• Hours Worked
• Pay Rate
• Total Payment
• Payment Date

This will help you manage finances and ensure that instructors are paid accurately and on time.

7. Tracking Studio Finances and Expenses

Keeping track of your finances is critical for the long-term health of your Pilates studio. Notion’s financial tracking features allow you to manage income, expenses, and profitability.

Step 1: Create a Finance Database

1. Set up a Finance page and create a Table database.
2. Add the following columns:
   • Income (from memberships, classes, or retail sales)
   • Expenses (rent, utilities, instructor pay, equipment)
   • Category (e.g., fixed vs. variable expenses)
   • Payment Date (for recurring expenses)
   • Profit/Loss (you can use a formula to calculate this)

Step 2: Monthly Financial Reports

Generate monthly financial overviews by setting up a filtered view of your income and expenses. Create a report template where you can track key metrics like:

• Total Revenue
• Total Expenses
• Net Profit/Loss
• Top Income Sources

8. Marketing and Social Media Planning

Promoting your Pilates studio is essential to attract new clients and keep your current members engaged. Notion allows you to organize and schedule your marketing campaigns efficiently.

Step 1: Create a Marketing Plan

1. Set up a Marketing page where you can plan and track your promotions, social media posts, and email campaigns.
2. Use a Calendar View to organize upcoming social media posts or special promotions (e.g., discounts, referral programs).
3. Add columns to track:
   • Post Title/Content
   • Platform (Instagram, Facebook, Email)
   • Date of Posting
   • Campaign Goals (e.g., increase memberships, promote an event)
   • Performance Metrics (track engagement, likes, shares)

9. Client Feedback and Retention

Client feedback and retention are key elements of running a successful Pilates studio. By gathering insights from your clients and using them to improve your services, you can foster long-term relationships and increase client loyalty. Notion can help you create a systematic approach to gathering feedback, analyzing trends, and implementing strategies to retain clients.

Step 1: Collecting Client Feedback

Regular client feedback helps you identify what’s working and what needs improvement in your studio. Notion allows you to collect, organize, and analyze feedback to make data-driven decisions.

How to Collect Feedback

1. Create a Feedback Form:
   • Set up a dedicated page in Notion called Client Feedback.
   • Create a Table or Form View to input feedback fields such as:
     • Client Name (optional for anonymous feedback)
     • Class Name/Type (which class they are reviewing)
     • Instructor Name (which instructor they are reviewing)
     • Rating (1-5): Create a dropdown or star-rating system for clients to rate the overall class experience, instructor quality, and studio atmosphere.
     • Open Feedback/Comments: Include a text field for open-ended comments where clients can provide suggestions for improvements or mention specific aspects they liked or didn’t like.
     • Recommendations: A field where clients can offer specific suggestions, such as new class types, better time slots, or facility improvements.
2. Distribute the Form:
   • Share the feedback form after each class via email, social media, or directly in the studio. You can create a QR code linked to the Notion feedback form that clients can scan to fill out easily.
   • Set up a Template Button inside the feedback page that allows you to quickly generate a new feedback form for every class. This helps you collect feedback regularly and stay organized.
3. Automating Feedback Requests:
   • If you want to streamline the feedback collection process further, use Notion’s integration with tools like Zapier or Integromat to send automated feedback requests to clients after they attend a class.
   • You can also send automatic reminders for clients who haven’t provided feedback, increasing your response rates.

Step 2: Organizing and Analyzing Feedback

Collecting feedback is important, but analyzing it effectively is crucial to improving your services and client satisfaction.

1. Categorize Feedback:
   • Once you’ve gathered enough feedback, categorize it into different themes using a Tagging System. For example, you can tag feedback as:
     • Instructor Performance
     • Class Quality
     • Facilities/Environment
     • Class Scheduling
     • Overall Studio Experience
   This helps you analyze specific areas and pinpoint what needs attention.
2. Create a Feedback Dashboard:
   • Create a Feedback Dashboard in Notion to view aggregated feedback. You can include:
     • Ratings Over Time: Use a Graph View (via third-party integrations) to see how your studio’s overall rating has changed over time.
     • Most Common Issues: Summarize frequent comments or suggestions (e.g., requests for new class times, feedback on overcrowded classes).
     • Instructor-Specific Feedback: Filter by instructor to identify trends related to their performance.
   • By reviewing this dashboard weekly or monthly, you’ll be able to take action on recurring issues and make targeted improvements.
3. Client Sentiment Tracking:
   • You can also set up a Client Sentiment Tracker in Notion to gauge the overall sentiment of your client base. Create a column in your feedback database for each client’s satisfaction level and mark it as:
     • Satisfied
     • Neutral
     • Dissatisfied
   • Use this data to identify trends and reach out to clients who may be less satisfied with their experience.

Step 3: Acting on Feedback

Feedback is only useful if it leads to action. Once you’ve analyzed the data, you should implement changes and communicate improvements to your clients.

1. Action Plan:
   • Create a Feedback Action Plan where you list out the top issues or suggestions that clients have mentioned. For each issue, assign tasks to team members or instructors to address the problem.
     • For example: If clients frequently comment on the need for additional beginner classes, create a task to add more beginner sessions to the schedule.
   • Set a timeline for each action item and assign a responsible team member to ensure accountability.
2. Communicate Improvements:
   • Once you’ve acted on the feedback, notify your clients of the changes. You can create an Announcements Page in Notion where you list all the improvements made based on client suggestions. This shows clients that their input is valued and can improve their loyalty.
   • Use the Client Database to send personalized follow-up emails thanking them for their feedback and informing them of the changes.

Step 4: Building a Client Retention Strategy

Retaining clients is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. Notion can help you create a systematic approach to retaining clients and ensuring that they stay engaged with your studio.

Step 4.1: Set Up a Retention Dashboard

1. Create a Client Retention Database:
   • In Notion, create a Client Retention Database where you track important client retention metrics:
     • Client Name
     • Last Attendance Date
     • Membership Expiration Date
     • Number of Classes Attended
     • Retention Risk (Low, Medium, High)
     • Follow-Up Actions
2. Identify At-Risk Clients:
   • Use filters and formulas to identify clients who haven’t attended classes recently or whose memberships are about to expire. Tag them as At-Risk if they haven’t booked a class in a month or are nearing the end of their membership.
   • You can also use Notion’s Reminder feature to notify you when a client’s membership is nearing expiration so you can reach out proactively.

Step 4.2: Client Retention Actions

1. Follow-Up Communication:
   • Set up automated reminders to contact clients who are at risk of not renewing their memberships. You can use Notion’s @mention feature to tag instructors or staff in follow-up tasks.
   • Create email templates directly in Notion that you can customize and send to remind clients of their upcoming renewals or offer them a limited-time discount for renewing.
2. Reward Loyalty Programs:
   • Implement a loyalty program within your studio, and track client participation using Notion. For instance:
     • Award clients a free class after attending 10 sessions.
     • Offer discounts or special access to workshops for clients who refer friends.
   • Set up a Loyalty Tracker page where you log the number of classes attended or referrals made by each client. You can then send automated rewards based on their activity.
3. Class Re-Engagement Offers:
   • If you notice that a client hasn’t attended a class recently, create a personalized Re-Engagement Offer (e.g., a discounted class, special event, or personal training session).
   • Track these offers in Notion, and follow up to see if the client takes advantage of the re-engagement deal.

Step 5: Analyzing Retention Metrics

Once you’ve established your retention strategy, it’s important to analyze its effectiveness. Notion allows you to track the following retention metrics:

1. Client Lifetime Value (CLV):
   • Calculate the average revenue generated by each client over the course of their membership. Use Notion’s formula feature to automate this calculation within your finance database.
2. Churn Rate:
   • Track how many clients have not renewed their memberships or stopped attending classes over a given period.
   • Set up a Churn Rate Tracker in Notion that automatically updates as clients leave. Use this data to adjust your retention strategy as needed.
3. Client Return Rate:
   • Create a filtered view to track how many clients return after a re-engagement offer is sent. This can help you assess the effectiveness of your outreach efforts and refine your messaging or incentives accordingly.

Conclusion

Building an efficient system for client feedback and retention using Notion can transform how your Pilates studio engages with clients and maintains long-term relationships. By creating structured feedback loops, analyzing retention data, and acting on client suggestions, you can improve the overall experience, reduce churn, and enhance client loyalty.

With detailed feedback collection, automated follow-up systems, and data-driven retention strategies, your Pilates studio will be in a strong position to continue growing and thriving.

Make the most out of your Notion setup, and start implementing these feedback and retention strategies today!