Boston continues to stake its claim as one of the strongest and most premium boutique fitness markets in North America. Data from our recent Boston report proves that it’s high-performing, but it’s also competitive:
So, how can boutique fitness studios win in the Boston market?
As part of our recent visit to Boston on the Mariana Tek City Tour, we had the chance to step inside two of the city’s leading boutique fitness brands: B/SPOKE Studios and Higher Ground Fitness. Read on for actionable tips and insights from the voices leading these brands—whether your locations are in Boston, or anywhere else!
A tough market with high client expectations
Both operators we spoke with mentioned the competitiveness of the Boston market and how much clients are shopping around—the same thing we saw reflected in the data:
“Boston is an incredibly strong fitness market with a lot of educated, engaged consumers… What we’ve seen is that people are becoming more intentional about where they spend their time. They’re looking for workouts that deliver results, but they’re also looking for an experience and community they genuinely want to come back to.” -Shannon Murphy, Director of Marketing, Higher Ground
“Boston can be an unforgiving market—clients here know what they want, they have options, and they will leave if you give them a reason to. We’re continuing to see operators popping up around every corner, and while we stay abreast of development, we prefer to focus our time and energy on continuing to develop our team and the B/SPOKE experience.” -Brianna Libby, COO, B/SPOKE
Pilates: High demand, premium experience
Our data shows that Boston is a Pilates-led market, with 43% of studios offering Pilates, Megaformer, and/or Lagree. That creates fierce competition among brands, but there’s room for many to succeed: For B/SPOKE, the Pilates Fusion immediately ran at high utilization from launch, with almost no ramp period.
“The thing that really tells the story,” Brianna says, “is that it performs regardless of what time the class is offered. That kind of time-insensitive demand is almost unheard of.”
How does Higher Ground Fitness stand out in a crowded Pilates market? Through customization and unique experiences: “We’ve developed our own proprietary machine and custom props, which give us incredible options and flexibility when programming classes. The equipment can be adjusted for different heights, comfort levels, and movement goals, allowing us to curate an experience that feels both challenging and accessible.”
Bridging Boston’s early engagement gap
Our data showcased a gap in early engagement, likely related to how competitive the market is and customers’ tendency to shop around:
- Clients attend an average of 7.7 classes before converting to a membership.
- New clients make up 22% of the average customer base, but only 12% of the monthly visits.
- The steepest drop in retention occurs between visits 1 and 2.
Both brands we spoke with have programs in place to convert new clients to memberships. Brianna at B/SPOKE mentioned their easy and comfortable experience from start to finish. “Our New Client offer is simple: We hook them with a challenge immediately to further engage them and reward them at the end of it.”
Shannon says that Higher Ground wants clients to do more than understand the workout and build habits in early visits: They want people to form relationships. “HGF offers a 2-Week Unlimited intro offer for new clients, and requests that our team be on the lookout for anyone new to our studios… We’ve found that when clients quickly build connections, both with our team and with other members, they’re more likely to stay engaged, remain consistent, and ultimately become long-term members.”
As the client progresses through their intro offer journey, they’re followed by a series of automated SMS and emails to keep Higher Ground top of mind. “Although the journey may be automated, the second a client responds to us, all communication is handled by a Studio Lead that the client could book into class with tomorrow. Quickly switching active communication to the studio level keeps interactions personal and helps clients feel supported.”
Brianna’s advice for other studios: “The New Client journey must be supported by both your in-studio team who are creating the experience and your automated follow-up. We synchronize all touchpoints so that it feels timely and purposeful, but not overwhelming.”
We love this focus on gamification and automating touchpoints (all of which B/SPOKE and Higher Ground can manage within Mariana Tek). It’s all about the hook and creating an experience that clients want to return to, time and time again.
How to stand out in a crowded Boston market
Both Higher Ground and B/SPOKE are finding ways to succeed in this competitive market, but they know better than anyone how challenging it can be. Their advice for newer studios who might be struggling to stand out?
“You don’t have to plant your flag in one modality and never move. The studios I’ve seen struggle are the ones that either chase every trend with no identity or hold so rigidly to their founding format that they miss what their clients are actually asking for. Clients in this market are paying for the experience and the people delivering it—that’s where the investment has to go.” -Brianna Libby, COO, B/SPOKE
“Focus on the in-person client experience first. It’s easy to get caught up in marketing, promotions, and trendy events, but none of it will turn a conversion if the experience doesn’t deliver. Strong instructors, consistency in the workout, and genuine community are what create long-term members. People may come in for the workout, but they stay because of how the brand makes them feel.” -Shannon Murphy, Director of Marketing, Higher Ground
We couldn’t agree more. Thanks to both Brianna and Shannon for speaking with us! Be sure to check out a class at B/SPOKE Studios and Higher Ground Fitness, and don’t miss the full Boston report below.
by Julie Sippy Senior Marketing Manager
-
First published: August 12 2026
Written by: Julie Sippy