Is Culture the Secret Ingredient You're Missing?

A Quick Glance at What Makes a Good Culture and Why It's Important.

“What kind of business do I want to run?” is likely the first question you ask yourself when you’re starting your business. And we don’t mean what industry you’ll fit; we mean the actual business itself - what will it be known for? 

Most of the time, the type of business you’ll run will stem from its culture. But what is culture? Why does it matter? And does it really make a difference to business results? Let’s find out. 

Do I Really Need to Think About Culture?

Whether you realise it or not, your business has a culture. It’s just that sometimes it’s better known as the core values you have for your business. Think of it as “this is how we do it around here!” But here’s why it matters…

The culture you instil reaches all avenues of your business; you, your staff and new/potential customers. So getting it right is crucial to keep business booming. If you get your culture right, you give people a reason to keep coming back. 

But here’s where club owners sometimes go wrong; their culture happens by chance and not because they’ve crafted it into something they desire. Creating your own culture doesn’t need to be a challenging task; you just need to remember who it affects and why they care about culture in the first place. 

Tip: Start crafting your culture by thinking about what your core values are. What matters to you when it comes to your business? Innovation? Creativity? Inclusivity? 

Who Does Your Culture Impact?

Although your culture isn’t tangible, it has a huge impact on the people in and around your business. It impacts you as a business owner; it influences your staff; it affects your current customers and even extends to potential customers. 

You, the Business Owner 💼

Creating a culture that’s based on your core values is crucial. Why? Because you can refer to these values to help influence your decision-making process. In other words, you can ask yourself, “Is this aligned with all or some of my values?” 

Ever had conflict or unwanted behaviour in your business? A good culture resolves this problem because you can refer to your core values. Whether it’s staff, students or parents, create a culture that keeps them wanting more - and protect it!

Your Staff 👩‍💻

Having a culture helps when it comes to finding the right staff. Making your values clear to potential team members sets clear expectations. You can even address your values in job adverts and interview questions. 

A culture crafted by you also helps with career development. Remind your team of what your core values are and spend time working alongside them.

Tip: Try having regular brainstorming sessions to make sure what you’re offering matches your values. Do your lessons match who you say you are? Does your customer experience live up to your values? 

Your Customers 🙋

Think of all of the places your customers can find you: your website, social media channels, Google reviews etc. - are you clear about your values across all of these channels? You want to be the same in person as you are online.

Doing this means you’re more likely to attract customers who are on the same wavelength as you. Or in other words, it means you’re the right club for them.

Tip: Before booking their child into classes, potential customers want to see who you are and what you stand for! Make sure to include your values on your website.

Your Students 🙌

We hear so many of our clubs talking about giving children life skills that go beyond the classroom. But why’s that important? Surely just classes are enough?

Well, maybe for some businesses. But going the extra mile and giving children life skills, community and friendship are all examples of clubs living out their values. Our point? Make sure that whatever your values are, they reach lessons too! 

Social Media Tip: As one of the first points of contact customers will have with your business, you’ll want to show your values on your social channels. If your value is about community, make sure to show off your classes and customers. If your value is about innovation, show how your classes are different from the rest!

And there you have it - the reason behind why culture is so important! Culture is about making sure your core values run through your whole business and impacts everyone in a positive way. And most importantly, having a great culture will keep people coming back for more.

Ready to level up your customer service?