Renegade’s Path to Marketing Enlightment

Introduction

Thank you for choosing Epic Nine to help you conquer your marketing mountains in 2024. Below is a summary of our recommendations and a proposal for our services. We look forward to working with you!

Goals

1. Increase monthly memberships from 89 to 125
2. Grow teacher training attendance to 20-25 participants per session
3. Establish a clearer brand identity that maintains the studio’s edge while being more welcoming to beginners

SWOT Analysis

Strengths:

• Established reputation for challenging, authentic yoga practice
• Specialized asana adjustment technique that distinguishes the studio
• Premium “zebra flooring” for superior comfort and stability
• Larger studio space than competitors in town
• Boutique, bohemian atmosphere versus corporate feel of competitors
• Open-air capability with garage door
• Strong core following of dedicated practitioners
• Teacher training program that generates significant revenue

Weaknesses:

• Hidden location with poor visibility and signage
• Intimidating reputation as an “advanced” studio
• Skull logo creates mixed responses and potential religious pushback
• Inconsistent front desk experience and first impression
• Lack of organized follow-up with first-time visitors
• No beginner-specific classes
• Limited digital marketing presence beyond basic social media
• Underutilized email marketing
• Non-functional shower facilities

Opportunities:

• Rebrand while maintaining edge but increasing accessibility
• Create dedicated beginner pathway and marketing
• Expand teacher training regionally with hybrid virtual/in-person model
• Tap into UT student and Knox County teacher demographics
• Develop branded merchandise line
• Create workshop subscription package for additional revenue
• Implement “teacher assistant” model for beginners
• Establish Master Classes to attract experienced practitioners from other studios
• Develop strategic partnerships with health food stores and relevant businesses
• Utilize massage therapy presence as a cross-promotion opportunity
• Create video content library for additional revenue stream

Threats:

• Competition from Real Hot Yoga, Yoga Six, HiLo and Glowing Body
• Religious stigma against yoga in Bible Belt region
• Limited retention of new customers trying yoga for first time
• Proximity to corporate studios with additional amenities
• Potential loss of business in transition to new ownership

Strategic Overview

Renegade Yoga stands at a pivotal moment with the transition to new ownership and the opportunity to refine its position in the Knoxville yoga market. Our analysis indicates you have a strong foundation with dedicated practitioners who appreciate your challenging, authentic approach, but growth is limited by accessibility barriers and branding confusion.

We recommend a strategic evolution rather than revolution of your brand identity – maintaining the rebellious spirit of “Renegade” while creating clearer pathways for beginners and casual practitioners to enter your community. This balanced approach will preserve what your core audience loves while expanding your reach to achieve your membership goals.

Brand Evolution: The Death and Rebirth of Practice

You have built a strong culture around your current branding and that foundation should not be placed. Rather than abandoning your skull imagery, we recommend evolving it through connection to the Hindu goddess Kali, who symbolizes death and rebirth and traditionally wears a necklace of skulls. This powerful connection maintains your edgy aesthetic while anchoring it meaningfully to yoga tradition – transforming what might be seen as arbitrary “darkness” into a profound symbol of transformation through practice. There are many options to represent this from a visual perspective as well as integrate it into how you speak about the practice.

Recommended Tagline Options:

1. “Death to Limitations. Rebirth Through Practice.” – Embodies the transformative journey while maintaining edge
2. “Challenge. Transform. Transcend.” – Emphasizes the progression and rewards of difficult practice
3. “Where Discipline Meets Liberation” – Speaks to the balance of structure and freedom in yoga

This repositioning allows you to embrace your intensity as a distinguishing strength while creating more accessible entry points. It reframes the challenge of your classes as an invitation rather than a barrier. Committed communities form better around high standards. While the intensity of Renegade Yoga is currently seen as a hurdle, we recommend leveraging it as an invitation to come on a journey of transformation.

Highest-ROI Opportunities

Based on our analysis, we’ve identified the following initiatives as having the highest potential ROI:

1. Structured Beginner Pathway – Create a clear beginner program with dedicated classes and a “teacher assistant” model to provide extra support. This addresses your primary growth barrier while maintaining your standards.
2. Regional Teacher Training Expansion – Develop a hybrid in-person/virtual model for your teacher training, allowing you to reach students throughout East Tennessee and beyond. With search volumes of 2,400 monthly for “Yoga Alliance certification” and 27,000 for “train to be a yoga instructor,” there’s significant untapped demand.
3. Digital Membership Expansion – Create a video content library of classes and specialized instruction that can be offered as a standalone subscription or as an added benefit to in-person memberships, creating new revenue with minimal ongoing costs.
4. Automated Customer Journey – Implement a systematic follow-up process for first-time visitors, including personalized emails and special offers to increase conversion rates from the 86 new visitors you average monthly.
5. Master Class Series – Develop challenging, specialized sessions designed to attract experienced practitioners from other studios, tapping into your unique strength in adjustment techniques and authentic practice.

These five initiatives address both your immediate membership goals and longer-term positioning, while requiring minimal capital investment compared to location changes or facility upgrades.

Branding, Positioning, and Messaging

Renegade Yoga should embrace its identity as the “CrossFit of yoga” in Knoxville, offering a more challenging, authentic experience than corporate alternatives. However, this position needs to be made less intimidating through clear communication about the transformation process and the support available to beginners.

By evolving your skull motif to connect with Kali’s symbolism of death and rebirth, you can maintain your distinctive edge while grounding it in meaningful yogic tradition. This addresses both the “cultish” perception and religious concerns by connecting your imagery to authentic spiritual roots.

Your visual identity should maintain its boldness but implement a more cohesive color palette and typography system. We recommend pairing your evolved skull imagery with Sanskrit elements and clean, modern typography to create a balance between edgy and professional.

The customer journey should be reimagined with distinct messaging for three segments:

• Beginners – Emphasizing transformation, supportive community, and clear pathways
• Intermediate – Highlighting technique refinement and the unique adjustments you offer
• Advanced – Focusing on authentic practice and the challenging sequences that set you apart

This segmented approach allows you to maintain your standards and identity while still being welcoming to newcomers – you’re not lowering the bar, you’re building better stairs.

Customer Journey Enhancement

The customer journey at Renegade needs significant enhancement, particularly for first-time visitors. We recommend:

1. First Impression Overhaul: Train front desk staff with customer service protocols, create a welcome packet for first-time visitors, and develop a consistent follow-up process.
2. Beginner Integration: Implement the “teacher assistant” model where newer students can get extra attention in regular classes, plus add 2-3 dedicated beginner sessions weekly.
3. Digital Orientation: Create short orientation videos for your website explaining what to expect and how to prepare for your unique style of yoga.
4. Automated Follow-up: Implement a three-part email sequence for first-time visitors with increasing incentives to return.
5. Community Building: Host monthly “Renegade Community” events where beginners and experienced practitioners can connect outside of class.

These enhancements will significantly improve conversion rates from the substantial number of first-time visitors you already attract.

Mid Funnel/Retargeting

Once we’ve worked on the initial brand awareness and first impression, we’ll focus on converting interested prospects into members through:

1. Website Visitor Identification: Implement technology to identify and follow up with website visitors, even if they don’t provide contact information.
2. Retargeting Campaigns: Develop digital advertising that follows people who’ve visited your website or engaged with your social media.
3. Workshop Packages: Create a subscription model for workshops to increase attendance and provide predictable revenue.
4. Email Nurture Sequences: Develop automated email journeys based on behavior and interests.
5. Trial Membership Promotions: Implement time-limited trial memberships with clear conversion pathways to full membership.

These mid-funnel tactics will significantly improve your conversion rates from the substantial first-time visitors you already attract.

Lower Funnel

For those ready to make a purchase decision, we’ll implement:

1. Simplified Membership Options: Streamline options to make decision-making easier.
2. Member Referral Program: Reward existing members for bringing in new full-paying members.
3. Targeted Promotions: Create seasonal promotions tied to common wellness goals.
4. Private Session Packages: Develop premium packages combining group classes with private instruction.
5. Teacher Training Early-Bird Incentives: Implement substantial early-registration discounts to improve cash flow and commitment.

Conclusion

Renegade Yoga has a strong foundation and unique position in the Knoxville market. By evolving your brand messaging to connect your edgy aesthetic with meaningful yogic tradition, creating clear pathways for beginners, and implementing systematic customer journey enhancements, you can achieve your goal of 125 monthly members while maintaining the authentic, challenging practice your core audience values.

The recommended initiatives require minimal capital investment while addressing the fundamental barriers to growth. With consistent implementation of these strategies, we project reaching your membership goal within 8-10 months, with the potential to exceed it substantially within 12-18 months.