Episode 5: How do I market myself without feeling salesy?

Tania Huddart: Here's what I'd say to any studio owner who hates marketing. You already know how to do it. You do it every day. You greet someone at the door. You remember their name. You ask how their back is. That's marketing. So when you sit down to write a post, write as you would speak in your studio. Warm. Encouraging. Down to earth. If it wouldn't sound right said out loud to a client, don't post it.

Host: Welcome to Build Confidence and Purpose with Pilates. I'm here with Tania Huddart: Pilates teacher, teacher trainer and author of Pilates & Purpose. Both voices you'll hear are made with AI. Every word Tania says is her own, and she's approved each one.

Last episode, we talked about what your studio stands for. Today is the next step: telling people about it. Plenty of teachers would rather clean the studio than post on Instagram. So, Tania, how do I market myself without feeling salesy?

Tania Huddart: I understand that feeling. Most of us came to Pilates through our bodies, not through business. We trained to teach. Nobody trained us to sell.

And there's something else going on. Clients sometimes find it hard to see you in two roles. You're the person who cares about their back. And you're the person who sends the bill. It can feel like those two people shouldn't be in the same room. But they have to be. Your studio needs both of them.

Host: So how do you get them in the same room without it feeling awkward?

Tania Huddart: You stop thinking of marketing as selling. Think of it as telling people who you are. Clearly enough that the right people can find you.

Your brand isn't your logo. It's your values, your story, and what someone can expect when they walk through your door. We worked through that last episode. Marketing is just saying it out loud, in more places.

Online marketing done well is about trust and connection, not promotion. If you're building trust, you're not being salesy. You're being useful.

Host: Useful how?

Tania Huddart: Think about one of your favourite clients. What would help her this week? A tip for her back when she's been at her desk all day. A reminder that there's a gentler class on Thursday. A photo of the studio first thing in the morning, before anyone arrives. None of that is selling. It's looking after her a little, between classes. And the people who don't know you yet get to see what that care looks like.

Host: You talk a lot about story. But most teachers don't think they have one.

Tania Huddart: Everyone has one. Why did you start Pilates? What was hard? What led you to open your doors? That's your story.

There's a second story that matters even more. What change do you want for your clients? Where do they start, and where would you love them to end up? When you tell both, people can see themselves in your studio.

I told mine in the first episode of this show. A friend in a hospital room. You don't need anything that dramatic. "I hurt my back lifting my toddler, and Pilates was the first thing that helped." That's a story. It's a good one. Somewhere out there is a mother with a toddler and a sore back, and she's looking for you.

Host: What about the look of it? The logo, the colours, the photos. Does that matter as much as people think?

Tania Huddart: It matters. But it comes second. Get clear on your story first, and then let the look follow it.

Colours say something before anyone reads a word. Soft greens and blues feel calm. Warmer colours feel lively. So ask what you want people to feel, and choose from there. Then keep it the same everywhere. Your website, your posts, your emails, the sign on the door.

And use photos of real people. Real moments. Someone laughing in class. Someone getting a move for the first time. Your clients should be able to see themselves in your pictures. A perfect model in a perfect pose on a white background tells a nervous beginner, "This isn't for you." That's the opposite of what you want.

You don't need a professional to start with. A phone and good daylight go a long way. There are free design tools now that make simple graphics easy. Always ask before you photograph a client, and tell them where the picture will go.

Host: And how should it sound when you write it down?

Tania Huddart: Like you. The line I keep coming back to is in the book: "Write as you would speak in your studio: warm, encouraging, and down-to-earth." Clients should feel the same energy in your posts and emails as they do when they walk through your doors.

A lot of people sit down to write and turn into someone else. They get formal. They use words they'd never say to a client on the mat. So read it out loud before you post it. If you wouldn't say it to someone lying on the reformer, the sliding bed with springs, change it.

Host: But at some point you do have to ask people to book.

Tania Huddart: You do. And that's fine. Every email should have one clear next step. Book a class. Come to the open day. Tell me what you think. One. Not five.

Asking someone to do one simple thing isn't pushy. It's helpful. People like knowing what to do next. What feels pushy is a message that's all asking and no giving.

So give first. Share something useful, or something true about your studio. Then ask for one thing. If you get that order right, most of the salesy feeling goes away on its own.

Host: There are so many places to be. Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, email. Do I need all of them?

Tania Huddart: No. Please don't try. Choose one or two, where your clients already spend their time. Then do those well.

Before you choose, think about who you're trying to reach. Busy professionals, new parents, older adults and athletes don't all hang out in the same place. Each platform has its own personality. Instagram is good for short clips of class and client stories. Facebook is good for groups and events. YouTube suits longer videos. Pick the one that suits your people, and that you'll actually keep up.

And don't forget email. Social media gets the spotlight. But email is still one of the best ways to keep in touch. The people on your list asked to hear from you. Invite them to sign up in class and on your website. Offer something useful in return, like a short guide, or a first class at a lower price.

Host: What goes in the email, though? That's the bit people stare at.

Tania Huddart: Keep it warm and personal. Use their name if you can. Mix the practical things with something human. Here's what's on next week. Here's a little tip for your shoulders. Here's a story from the studio that made me smile.

The goal is to keep people connected. Not just to sell. And on social media, it's the same. Ask your followers a question. Run a small challenge. Go live now and then, and answer their questions. Those touches make people feel part of something, even before they've met you.

Host: How often, though? That's where people seem to give up.

Tania Huddart: Decide that first. How often can you post, or send a newsletter, without feeling overwhelmed? Or annoying people? That's an honest question. For most owners, the honest answer is less often than they think.

It helps to give each day a theme. I put a sample calendar at the back of the book. Monday might be a client's story. Tuesday, you introduce one of your teachers. Wednesday is a wellness tip. Thursday, a photo from the studio's early days. Friday, a local business you love, or what's on at the weekend. Saturday, a community event. And Sunday, something calm about rest and looking after yourself.

Host: Seven posts a week sounds like a lot.

Tania Huddart: It is a lot. So spread it out. Take those seven ideas over two or three weeks instead. Nobody's counting. What matters is that you keep showing up, in your own voice.

Host: And how do you know if any of it is working?

Tania Huddart: Pick one simple thing to track. Just one. Maybe it's comments on your posts. Maybe it's how many people open your email. Maybe it's how many classes get booked. Look at it once a month.

And ask your clients. What do they enjoy hearing from you? What helps them stay motivated? They'll tell you. Then you can put your energy where it matters most.

And every so often, step back and look at the whole thing. Does this still sound like us? Does it still match what our clients care about? Studios change. Your brand can change with you. A fresh photo, a new line on the website, a different kind of story. Small changes keep it honest.

Host: There's a whole chapter in the book on client stories. Is that where testimonials come in?

Tania Huddart: It is. And this is where marketing stops feeling salesy, because you're not the one talking. Your clients are.

Picture someone who came to you nervous, with a sore back and a lot of doubt. And now she can't imagine her week without class. Her words will do more than any ad you could write.

But be gentle about how you gather them. Chat after class. Ask open questions. What brought you to Pilates? What's changed for you? What do you enjoy about being here? And keep the hard parts in. What was difficult, and how they kept going. That's what makes a story real. Progress isn't about perfection. It's about persistence and care.

Host: Do you need permission to share them?

Tania Huddart: Yes. Always. Tell them how you'll use their words or their photo. And get their agreement in writing. There's a simple consent form at the back of the book. It protects them, and it protects you.

Host: And where do the stories go, once you've got them?

Tania Huddart: Lots of places. A few lines on your website, or in your newsletter. A short video, if they're happy to be filmed. Some studios have a client of the month. Some hold an informal evening where clients share how they got here.

And look at whose stories you're telling. Young and old. Beginners and advanced. New parents and athletes. If every story is from the same kind of person, the people who don't look like her won't see themselves in your studio. So spread them around.

Host: You also mention something called the One Hundreds Club.

Tania Huddart: I love this one. You keep track of how many classes each client comes to. When someone reaches one hundred, you celebrate them. A card, a small gift, their name on a board in the studio. Whatever suits you.

It isn't a marketing trick. It's a way of saying, "We noticed. You've turned up a hundred times for yourself. That matters." And here's the lovely part. It does market your studio. A new client sees that board and thinks, "I could be on there one day." That's belonging. And belonging is what keeps people coming back.

Host: So if someone's listening on their way to teach, what are the three things to take with them?

Tania Huddart: One. Marketing isn't selling. It's telling the right people who you are.

Two. Write as you would speak in your studio. Read it out loud before you post it.

Three. Pick one or two places, at a pace you can keep. And let your clients' stories do the talking.

Host: And the question to sit with?

Tania Huddart: Who are the three kinds of people you most want to reach? And where do they spend their time online? Start there. Everything else follows.

Host: If you'd like the seven-day marketing calendar from the book, it's free on Tania's website, taniahuddart.com.

Next episode: your teachers. How do I find good teachers, and keep them?

Tania, last word?

Tania Huddart: Just this. You don't have to become someone else to market your studio. The people who love your classes already love the way you talk. Let everyone else hear it too.