How to Assemble a Pilates studio?

Pilates: key business issues

By Veronica Ponieman

Betting on Pilates, not as a class further into the activities grid but as a new business unit of the gym, involves handling and analysis of various physical, technical and human ideal conditions for development and management.

Pilates is a technique that has been growing and imposing in the world, at different levels. They are distinguished in this new market activity, such as Argentina, and other more mature, we visited regularly, as the Isle of Man (where was Joseph Pilates during World War), London, Sydney, Moscow,? Amsterdam, The ? Angeles, Sao Paulo and Tokyo.

In Latin America, Brazil is the most developed country in this field by international training schools for the equipment it produces and the amount of people who have. But there are many differences with the rest of Latin America, mainly in what makes the level of training of teachers and the costs of the activity.

Under the growth and development of this technique are given, without question, the conditions to make Pilates a good deal, but only if done their homework, which essentially means not neglecting the training of professionals by classes.

Steps to follow

The first steps in developing a successful Pilates Studio in a gym or in an exclusive are seeking professional advice on technical and practical method, work on the physical space to make a proper selection and training of staff, and have a real projection costs and revenues.

- A physical space should be acoustically insulated, have their own air conditioning system, be painted with soft colors and aromatherapy have resources, no exceptions. The environment is fundamental because it is one means to achieve mental relaxation state necessary for proper Pilates session.

- To mount a Pilates Reformer Studio, with 6 teams, you need a minimum of 60 square meters of floor space. For a gym that has a room available in these dimensions, mounting the study will require an investment of about 31 thousand dollars, including: equipment, training and retraining for instructors with minimal experience, carpeting, air conditioning, painting, lighting, accessories , desk, aromatherapy, ozone therapy and initial promotion.

The monthly fixed operating costs for this case can be estimated at about 6,700 pesos, considering: salaries, rent assigned to the room, electricity, depreciation, marketing and maintenance. The potential customers in that study ranged from 80 to 110 people, who pay a monthly average share value of 120 pesos.

- Another alternative is to assemble a study tour: Reformer, Chair and Cadillac. This is a product for a slightly more mature market and a target ABC1 or higher, as it is a custom session mode. The investment required is similar to the above.

- In the case of Mat Pilates (with mattress), you can use a shared physical space, always ensuring environmental characteristics (described above), paying particular attention to the quality of the mats and the variety of accessories.

The Pilates Mat allows better use of space, as each student requires approximately 2.6 m, against the 8.4 m that requires a Reformer or Cadillac in one study. And, not being necessary to purchase equipment, this version of the technique does not require big initial investment, which can achieve a good return with relative ease.

Market Segment

Women aged 30 to 65 years of varied socioeconomic profile, market segment is the most used Pilates. Until not long ago, they developed a monthly exclusive study of more than 170 pesos, twice a week, with a target acquisition strategy of ABC1.

Today, very few can collect that level of fees and work only with higher socioeconomic segment. Pilates The product must be prepared to meet a broader range of market. The monthly reference currently ranges between 90 and 130 pesos, twice a week.

Professionals

One of the keys to success in this business is the quality of professionals that are considered in the study. Therefore, the ongoing training of instructors, both in terms of technical and customer service (from 4 to 6 hours per month), is an obligation and is the first commandment to obtain good results in terms of sales and loyalty partners.

In the major international markets in order to be a Pilates instructor should be studied technique, and practice for a year, from 350 to 450 hours of training, for which it is necessary to invest between 3500 to 7000 dollars.