When Julian Littleford first opened the doors of J.L. Body Conditioning 16 years ago, he never imagined that some of his first clients would still be with him today. But, in Del Mar, California, an area that has an ever-increasing number of Pilates studios, Littleford has an extremely devoted roster of clients. Just how does his studio keep such a loyal customer base? Littleford shares his five key operating principles:

Quality:
At the very least, every new session has to be the same quality as the previous session. One must be consistent.

Value for money:
No one likes to be taken advantage of; I believe quality and value for money go hand in hand.

Convenience:
Location is important. Clients like to feel ease in getting to their sessions. This can make Pilates an easy part of their day.

Personnel:
The appearance of the teachers needs to be professional. Also, details of the instructor’s personal life should remain outside the studio. The session is about the client, not the teacher.

Results:
People want a huge variety of things from a Pilates session, which can include improved body shape, peace of mind, stress reduction or pain relief. The teacher needs to be sensitive and compassionate to what the client wants at all times, and try their best to deliver.

Readers and studio owners, how do you keep your clients coming back for more? Share your suggestions using the comments below, and read on to see what others have to say.