The Five Do’s and Don’ts of Presales

A strong presale can give a new studio a jump-start if operators approach it as a structured sales and marketing effort rather than simply an early membership offer. But common mistakes can undermine its success. Here’s what you need to know.

1. Don’t Start Too Late

Waiting until the studio is nearly finished to begin marketing leaves owners trying to build awareness and sell memberships at the same time.

“Owners sometimes think they need to have the physical studio completely finished before they can start selling,” says Trinkaus. “You don't.”

Presales are complex operations, and owners can be time-crunched, explains Kuecker.

“Presales require exceptional paid advertising, exceptional follow-up, and a strong team. Most owners don’t reverse-engineer everything and have their marketing, sales systems, or teams ready,” Kuecker says.

“There’s only one time in the life of your business when you can say, ‘We are brand-new,’” Kepple says. “Use it.”

2. Don’t Rely on Discounts—Sell the Experience

Although a founding offer is an important part of the presale, discounts may be overrated.

A steep founding-member discount may generate attention, but it can also establish a price that becomes difficult to sustain.

“Use strict volume caps for your offer and exclusive value-add perks rather than slashing rates,” Thomas advises.

Kepple agrees. “I would be very cautious about deeply discounting a founding membership or promising a ‘lifetime’ rate. Your operating costs won’t stay the same for the member’s lifetime, so why would your price?”

Instead of permanently discounting your primary product, she suggests bundling experiences that expose members to ancillary services they may purchase later.

“Rather than slashing rates, use strict volume caps for your offer and exclusive value-add perks,” Thomas advises. “This can include a locked-in rate, exclusive merchandise, or private VIP launch-event access.”

Discounting isn't always necessary, Kuecker adds, especially in a premium or luxury concept, where the appeal may be access to a unique community, experience, or opportunity.

The common thread is that the offer should give prospective members a reason to commit now. The strongest presales focus on the experience and community rather than simply promoting a discounted membership.

“You're giving people a reason to want to be one of the founding members—not just a reason to get a lower price,” Trinkaus says.

3. Do Make Your Pitch Personal—Don’t Automate Sales Lead Conversion

Technology can help operators manage a large number of prospects, but personal contact is still essential today.

“Automation shouldn't replace the personal touch—it should create more time for it,” Trinkaus says. “The technology handles consistency, timing, and scale, while the team handles relationship-building.”

“Use automation for speed, consistency, and visibility—not to eliminate human interaction,” Kremer says. “A CRM can organize leads by source and stage, trigger email and SMS follow-ups, track conversion, and surface prospects who need attention.”

Kremer believes that leaves plenty of room for human interactions. “The experience should feel convenient digitally but still personal at the moments that matter. The strongest presales combine local events and partnerships with social content, email, SMS, online joining, and personal outreach.”

Speed of lead follow-up is essential, Thomas contends. This includes:

• Contacting the prospect by phone and text within five minutes of receiving the lead;
• Conducting a discovery call and scheduling a consultation;
• Following up over the next 48 hours; and
• Asking for the sale during a structured founding-member consultation.

“Strong presales require a proactive phone, text, and consultative sales process,” Thomas says.

But the most engaged prospects—such as a person who has visited the pricing page several times, opened multiple emails, or attended a preview event—should receive different follow-up from someone who has simply submitted an email address.

“Boutique fitness is inherently human, and the value is in the instructor, the community, and the experience,” Trinkaus adds.

Kepple agrees. “Use people where they matter most: creating trust, building relationships, demonstrating authenticity, and establishing the culture of the brand.”

4. Do Track the Numbers and Don’t Treat Leads as Sales

Throughout the presale, operators should monitor more than membership sales. Kuecker suggests watching:

• waitlist size;

• engagement and click-through and open rates;

• responses to outreach;

• objections;

• conversion rates; and

• how quickly founding offers sell.

These numbers can help owners determine whether their marketing and sales process is working. Kremer recommends that owners also track:

• leads by source;

• consultations booked;

• acquisition cost; and

• expected recurring revenue.

“The presale should be treated as both a sales campaign and a market test,” he says. “It helps studios validate demand, refine pricing, and inform launch decisions like class times and staffing.”

The numbers show actionable intelligence, Thomas points out. But collecting hundreds of names doesn't constitute a successful presale. Conversion is ultimately what counts.

“What separates strong presales from those that generate plenty of leads but few memberships is execution and closing focus,” Thomas says.

He recommends contacting new leads within five minutes of capture with a phone call and SMS, having a discovery call, and following a structured process to ask for the sale.

“If leads are high but conversion is low, retrain the sales team. If leads are low, adjust the marketing offer and target audience. Fix the process before opening the doors, not after.”

5. Don’t stop at opening day

A presale doesn't end when the doors open. In fact, that's when the founding members begin experiencing the product they've already purchased.

“The presale should actually begin the member relationship,” Trinkaus says. “Your founding members are the people talking about the studio, bringing their friends, sharing the launch on social media, and helping create the culture.”

According to Kepple, “Opening day should be the culmination of months of audience-building, and the day you invite that audience to celebrate with you.”

Founding members can become powerful advocates, she says, but only if the operational experience lives up to the promise made during presale.