The Why and How of Offering a Pilates Teacher Training Program
As a Pilates studio owner, you always seek ways to increase revenue and add value to your customer base. While adding more classes or being open for more hours is often the go-to option, finding ways to diversify your revenue streams can be a more effective way to uplevel, like focusing on adding a Pilates teacher training program to your suite of services.
Bringing a Pilates teacher training program into your studio has benefits beyond just the financial, but it isn’t necessarily something you want to attempt without a solid plan.
Let’s look at some of the benefits of offering a Pilates teacher training program, plus some of the most significant considerations you’ll need to consider before diving right in.
Why Offer a Pilates Teacher Training Program?
When considering whether or not to incorporate a Pilates teacher training program into your studio offerings, many owners are focused on how it will increase revenue. Yes, it can help with new revenue generation and boost your recurring revenue, but there are other reasons this can be effective for a studio.
Offering a Pilates teacher training program at your studio can be a great client retention tool. You’re showing clients that you’re committed to excellence and want to do what you can to enhance everyone’s experience at your studio.
Building client loyalty is essential to creating a successful, sustainable business, and adding a Pilates teacher training program is another way to make more dynamic offerings that encourage your clients to stick around for the long term.
Speaking of creating dynamic offers, diversifying is another reason to consider a Pilates teacher training program for your studio. By offering something not everyone else has, you’re increasing your studio's visibility and opportunities to attract a more extensive customer base.
Staff retention is always a concern for any business, and having a Pilates teacher training program is an excellent way to enhance the skills of your program teachers and improve your staff’s knowledge.
Your employees will have the opportunity to audit the training or participate to improve their learning. The program teachers also have the chance to hone their teaching skills. Showing your employees a commitment to continuous learning and improvement sends a message that they are valued and worth investing in.
Last but certainly not least, running a Pilates teacher training program at your studio can aid with community building and enhance collaboration opportunities with other studios. They can send you potential candidates for your program, and after they’ve completed the program and become nationally certified, they can hire them. You can also help place other participants at other studios looking for teachers. Win-win for everyone!
Pilates Teacher Training: How to Make it a Reality at Your Studio
If you’ve decided that incorporating a Pilates teacher training program is something you’d like to pursue, you may be feeling overwhelmed. There are a lot of decisions and choices to make, and this isn’t a situation where you just want to wing it and hope for the best.
Here’s a breakdown of some essential items you’ll want to consider before you start.
#1. Decide what type of Pilates training program you want to offer.
Will it be Classical or Modern?
Will it be comprehensive or by apparatus?
#2. Ensure you have ample space and equipment available.
Do you have enough space in your current location to run a class with five to ten students?
Do you have enough equipment to accommodate a group of five to ten?
What is the maximum class size you can accommodate?
#3. Consider how you will build your curriculum.
How will you ensure that it meets all of the guidelines of the National Pilates Certification Program (NPCP) so the graduates will be eligible to sit for the Pilates Certification Exam?
#4. Decide how you will deliver your program content.
Will you offer videos, manuals, lectures online, and in-person content? A mix of a few or all?
If you plan to use online content, what platform will you use to deliver it?
How will you interact with and stay connected to the students throughout the program?
#5. Determine how you will track and analyze progress to measure the success of the Pilates teacher training program.
How will students track their required practice hours — observation, personal practice, and teaching?
How will you test your student’s knowledge?
Will you use written tests online, physical test outs, practice teaching sessions, and labs?
#6. Confirm what you need to obtain licensure from your state.
Many States require you to apply with your program details and obtain a license to offer the Program to consumers. This can be a long and sometimes expensive process that requires annual renewal!
Check your state requirements and guidelines for offering vocational programming.
Get Support with Your Pilates Teacher Training Program
As you can see from the above considerations, designing a Pilates teacher training program has many moving parts and pieces. While getting your program up and running will take time and effort, the program's benefits can go a long way toward ensuring the sustainability of your studio.
If you’re thinking this may be too much to take on, help is available!
Why recreate the wheel when Defining You offers a comprehensive program for boutique students looking to start their Pilates teacher training program?
Our Pilates teacher training program has done all the work for you and allows you to add a recurring revenue stream, with you controlling when and how often you offer the training.
Our program is different as once you pay an initial fee for the program; you only pay an affordable annual licensing fee and fees per user.
The one-to-one support and mentoring Defining You offers behind the scenes while offering the program is excellent and unique in the industry, helping you take the guesswork out of creating your own program and giving you the guidance you need.
Want to see if running a Pilates teacher training program is right for your studio?
