How to Sell Out Your First (or next) Pilates Pop-Up…and Make at Least £100
You’ve qualified as a Pilates instructor—or you’re getting very close—and now comes the slightly terrifying part.
You need people to teach.
Perhaps you don’t have a studio job yet. You don’t have hundreds of followers. You certainly don’t have the budget to open your own space.
That doesn’t mean you have to sit around waiting for somebody to give you a class.
You can create your own opportunity.
One of the simplest ways to begin is to hire an inexpensive space, sell a limited number of spaces and teach a one-off Pilates pop-up.
You don’t need fancy lighting, expensive equipment or a huge marketing campaign.
Your participants can bring their own mats. You can promote the class using your existing contacts and free platforms. And if you plan the numbers properly, you can earn at least £100 after paying for the hall and your transaction fees.
Here’s exactly how I would do it if I were a newly qualified Pilates instructor starting from scratch.
Stop Waiting Until Everything Looks Perfect
New instructors often believe they need a polished website, professional photographs, thousands of followers and a perfectly curated Instagram feed before they can begin.
You don’t.
You need:
An appropriate Pilates qualification
Suitable professional insurance
A safe and suitable venue
A clear class concept
A simple way to collect enquiries
A way for people to book and pay
A small group of people who trust you enough to try it
Your first event doesn’t need to resemble a luxury wellness retreat.
It needs to feel organised, welcoming and worth the ticket price.
The objective isn’t to pretend you already run a global Pilates empire.
The objective is to get real people into a room and teach them well.
Build Your Simple Sales System First
Before announcing the class, create a simple system that allows you to collect leads, follow them up, book their places and take payment.
You don’t need a website.
You need four basic tools:
Stripe to take payments
Linktree to collect potential clients’ details
A simple set of brand guidelines so everything looks consistent
Calendly to manage bookings
Your customer journey should look like this:
Social post or personal invitation → Linktree interest form → personal follow-up → Calendly booking → AND/OR Stripe payment
This part is important:
Don’t send everyone directly to your booking page.
If someone looks at your booking page but doesn’t purchase, you may have no idea who they were or how to contact them.
When they complete your interest form first, you’ve created a lead. You can call them, answer their questions and help them take the next step.
You also have their permission to contact them about the event—and, if they separately consent to future marketing, you can tell them about your next class too.
Step 1: Create a Stripe Account
Create a Stripe account so you can take secure card payments.
There is no setup or monthly fee for Stripe’s standard UK account, but you will pay a transaction fee whenever somebody pays.
Stripe currently lists its fee for standard UK cards as 1.5% plus 20p per successful transaction, although you should always check the current pricing before calculating your costs.
You can create a simple Stripe Payment Link for your class without needing a website.
Make the payment description clear and include:
The name of the event
The class date and time
The ticket price
Your cancellation and refund terms
Your name or business name
A client’s space should only be considered confirmed once any required payment has been received.
“I’m definitely coming” is lovely.
A completed payment is a booking.
Step 2: Create a Free Linktree Account
Next, create a Linktree account.
This becomes your simple mini landing page while you’re establishing your business. You do not need a website.
Before you design it, ask ChatGPT to help you create some basic brand guidelines.
Your guidelines should include:
Two or three brand colours with hex codes (these are the codes used to decsribe colors)
One font for headings
One font for body text
A simple logo or wordmark direction
A preferred photography style
Three words describing how your brand should feel
A short description of your brand’s tone of voice
For example, your brand might feel:
Warm. Strong. Welcoming.
You might choose a soft neutral background, one confident accent colour and clean, modern typography (aka font).
Use those choices consistently across your Linktree, event graphics and social-media posts.
You don’t need to spend weeks designing a complicated brand.
You simply want people to recognise that every part of the experience belongs to the same instructor.
Step 3: Add an Interest Form to Your Linktree
Add a contact form to your Linktree and ask people for:
Their first and last name
Their email address
Their mobile number
Permission to contact them about this particular enquiry
Why do you want their name, email address and mobile number?
Because your contact list is one of your most valuable business assets.
Social-media followers can miss your posts. Your account could be restricted. An algorithm can suddenly stop showing your content.
But when someone has actively expressed interest and given you permission to contact them, you can have a real conversation.
You can answer their questions.
You can help them feel confident.
And if they’ve opted into your marketing, you can tell them about your future classes instead of starting from zero every time.
Add a clear message above the form:
“Interested in joining my beginner Pilates pop-up? Add your details below and then you’ll be directed to the booking page. Also, don’t be alarmed if you get a call from me, I always like to personally say hello everyone entering my orbit”. You can add whatever message you’d like :-)
Don’t hide what will happen next.
Let people know that you may call, text or email them about their enquiry.
Step 4: Create a Calendly Account
Now create a Calendly account and set up the class people will use to reserve their place. You can create a free Calendly account and the paid version is super cheap…like £12/mo.
People can pay directly on Calendly, but that’s on a paid account only — in order for people to pay directly on Calendly you just have to link your Stripe account with Calendly…it takes 5 mins.
If you don’t want to pay for Calendly…here is a workaround: once someone books through Calendly, send them your Stripe Payment Link and explain that their space will be confirmed once payment has been received. This is going to take a lot of admin on your side so I would just pay the £12 to use Calendly so people can book their spots. You don’t really want to be wasting your energy chasing people to pay you for a spot they reserved.
Once your Calendly is set up create an event type that details:
The name of the class
The date and time
The duration
The full venue address
What people need to bring
Who the session is designed for
Any necessary participation information
Your cancellation terms
The maximum number of spaces
Before launching, test the whole process yourself.
Complete your Linktree form.
Open the Calendly link.
Make a test booking.
Check every email and confirmation screen.
You don’t want your first potential client discovering that a link doesn’t work before you do.
Step 5: Follow Up Every Lead Personally
When somebody completes your Linktree form, don’t simply email them the Calendly link and hope for the best.
Call them first.
A short conversation allows you to welcome them, understand what they’re looking for, answer their questions and help them feel more confident about attending.
If they don’t answer, leave a short voicemail where appropriate and send them a text.
You can then follow with an email so they have the full information and booking link in writing.
This isn’t about harassing people or endlessly chasing them.
They’ve expressed an interest in your class. Your job is to help them make a decision.
If someone asks you not to contact them again, respect that immediately.
Your Call Script
Hi [name], it’s [your name]. You recently registered your interest in my beginner Pilates pop-up at [venue], so I wanted to call you personally and see if you had any questions before booking.
It’s a really welcoming class and you don’t need any previous Pilates experience. Is there anything you’d like to ask me about it?
Allow them to answer and listen properly.
Then say:
Brilliant. I can send you the booking link now. Once you’ve booked and completed payment, your place will be confirmed. Would it be easier for me to send that by text or email?
Don’t turn the call into a ten-minute speech.
Ask a question. Listen. Address their concern. Then help them book.
Your Text Script
Hi [name], it’s [your name]. I’ve just tried to call because you registered your interest in my beginner Pilates pop-up on [date]. I’d love to have you there! You can reserve your place here: [Calendly link]. If you have any questions, just reply to this message. [Your name] x
Your Email Script
Subject: Your Pilates pop-up booking link
Hi [name],
Thank you for registering your interest in my beginner Pilates pop-up at [venue] on [date] at [time].
The class is designed to be welcoming and beginner-friendly, so you don’t need any previous Pilates experience.
Please bring your own exercise mat and some water.
You can reserve your place here:
[Calendly link]
If you have any questions before booking, reply to this email or call me on [number].
I’d love to see you there!
[Your name]
If someone still hasn’t booked, follow up once more with a genuine booking deadline or the accurate number of remaining spaces.
Work Out Your Numbers Before Booking the Hall
Let’s make the goal clear:
You want to earn at least £100 after paying for the venue and transaction fees, but before tax.
Hiring a community hall or similar space may cost approximately £25 to £30 per hour, although prices will vary depending on the venue and location.
Before you book anything, calculate how many paying clients you’ll need.
If You Charge £7 Per Person
If your room costs £25, you’ll need 18 people to generate £126. After paying for the room, you’ll have £101 remaining before transaction fees.
To give yourself a small buffer for those fees, aim for 19 paying clients.
If your room costs £30, you’ll need 19 people to generate £133. After paying for the room, you’ll have £103 remaining before transaction fees.
In this case, aim for 20 paying clients to give yourself a little extra breathing room.
If You Charge £10 Per Person
If your room costs £25, 13 people will generate £130. After paying for the room, you’ll have £105 remaining before transaction fees.
Aim for 14 paying clients to cover those fees and create a small buffer.
If your room costs £30, 13 people will generate £130. After paying for the room, you’ll have exactly £100 remaining before transaction fees.
A fourteenth client brings your total income to £140, giving you £10 to put towards the transaction fees while protecting your £100 target.
Which Price Makes the Most Sense?
Charging £7 may feel more accessible, but you’ll need to attract and teach approximately 19 or 20 people to reach your goal.
At £10 per person, you only need to sell 14 spaces.
For a new instructor running their first event, 14 clients paying £10 is probably the simpler and more manageable option.
Your calculation should always be:
Ticket income − venue hire − transaction fees = estimated earnings before tax
Work out your numbers before choosing the venue, setting the capacity or advertising the class.
Don’t choose your price because it sounds nice.
Choose it because the numbers work.
Make Sure the Room Fits Your Financial Target
Don’t hire a hall for 40 people simply because it can hold 40 people.
A room that comfortably holds 14 mats and contains 14 clients feels full and successful.
A room set up for 40 people with 14 clients can feel empty—even though exactly the same number of people attended.
However, the capacity still needs to support your financial target.
If you need 14 paying clients to make the numbers work, don’t hire a room that only accommodates 12 mats safely.
Check:
How many people can move safely in the space?
How much room will each exercise require?
Will you be able to see everybody clearly?
Can you supervise that group confidently?
Does the room capacity apply to an exercise class?
Will everyone be able to enter and exit safely?
“Only 14 spaces available” feels specific and believable.
You aren’t trying to attract everybody in town.
You’re trying to find the 14 people needed for your first successful event.
Find an Affordable Venue That Still Feels Good
Look at:
Community centres
Church halls
Village halls
Dance studios during quiet hours
Local sports clubs
School halls outside teaching hours
Meeting or function rooms with clear floor space
Ask about off-peak prices.
A Sunday morning, weekday evening or quiet weekend time may cost considerably less than a premium slot.
Before paying a deposit, visit the venue and check:
Is the floor safe and suitable for exercise mats?
Is there enough space for everyone to move comfortably?
Is the room warm, ventilated and well lit?
Are toilets available?
Is the entrance easy to find?
Is there suitable parking or public transport nearby?
Is the venue accessible to the people you want to teach?
Where are the emergency exits?
Where are the first-aid supplies?
What does the venue provide?
What are you responsible for?
Does the venue have rules concerning music, insurance or cleaning?
Affordable shouldn’t mean unsafe, freezing or impossible to find.
Keep Your Equipment Costs at Zero
For your first event, don’t buy a room full of equipment.
Ask everybody to bring:
Their own exercise mat
Water
Any small personal items they require for comfort
Design a class that uses body weight and the mat.
This keeps your upfront costs close to zero and prevents you from spending your profit before you’ve earned it.
You don’t need weights, resistance bands, rings, blocks and a collection of colour-coordinated accessories to teach a good Pilates class.
Your teaching is the product.
If you want to introduce one inexpensive prop later, start with a small Pilates ball.
Pilates balls are relatively inexpensive, easy to transport and can be used in so many different ways.
You can use them for:
Feedback and alignment
Adductor work
Abdominal exercises
Upper-body connection
Support during certain movements
Adding challenge to familiar exercises
But you still don’t need to buy 20 balls before your first event.
Prove that there is demand. Earn the money. Then reinvest some of your profit into equipment as your classes grow.
Create One Clear Event
Don’t market it as:
Pilates Class—Everyone Welcome
That’s too vague.
Give people a specific reason to attend.
For example:
Beginner Pilates and Coffee Morning
Sunday Reset: Pilates for Beginners
Pilates for Desk Workers
Strong Core Foundations
Pilates, Stretch and Reset
Mums’ Morning Pilates Pop-Up
The name should tell people who the class is for or how they can expect to feel.
For a first event, a 45- or 50-minute beginner-friendly Mat Pilates session works well.
You could then leave ten minutes afterwards for questions, conversation and an invitation to join your next event.
Don’t try to make the class sound more impressive by cramming in six different activities.
A well-taught Pilates class with a warm welcome is enough.
Make the Offer Easy to Understand
Your event information should answer:
What is it?
Who is it for?
When is it?
Where is it?
How long will it last?
What should people bring?
What does it cost?
Is previous Pilates experience required?
How do they register their interest?
For example:
Join me for a welcoming, beginner-friendly Mat Pilates pop-up designed to help you move, strengthen and reset. No previous Pilates experience is required. The session will last 50 minutes and places are limited so everyone receives support. Bring your own exercise mat and water. Complete the short interest form and then you’ll be directed to book your session.
Clear copy converts better than clever copy.
Sell to Warm People First
Your first clients are unlikely to appear because a stranger discovered your brand-new Instagram account.
Start with people who already know, like or trust you.
Make a list of:
Friends
Family members
Former colleagues
Parents you know through school or nursery
People from local community groups
Gym contacts
People who have asked about your Pilates training
Followers who regularly engage with your content
Local businesses whose customers may suit the event
This doesn’t mean sending one generic message to every person in your phone.
Personally invite people who genuinely fit the event.
Try:
Hey! I’m running my first beginner-friendly Pilates pop-up at [venue] on [date]. It made me think of you because [genuine reason]. There are only 14 spaces and tickets are £10. Would you like me to send you the interest link?
Notice that you’re sending them to the interest form first—not directly to Calendly.
That gives you the opportunity to collect their information, call them and answer any questions before asking them to book.
Aim to secure your first four or five bookings through personal invitations. And ask them to bring a friend.
It’s much easier to promote an event that already has momentum than one sitting at zero.
And don’t be weird about asking your friends and family to support you…if your friend reached out to you to ask you to support them at their first event, wouldn’t you show up for them? So don’t worry about asking people to show up for you :-)
Use Local Marketing, Not Just Instagram
Instagram can support your launch, but your ideal clients also exist in real life.
Promote through:
Relevant local Facebook groups where promotion is permitted
Community noticeboards
Local WhatsApp groups
Neighbourhood newsletters
The venue’s social-media accounts
Coffee shops
Salons
Independent businesses
Parent communities
Running clubs
Local wellness groups
Your own Instagram Stories and feed
Ask the venue whether it will share the event.
Ask one or two relevant local businesses to display a small poster or share your post.
Don’t spend £80 printing hundreds of flyers for a small class.
Create one clean digital graphic on ChatGPT using your brand colours and fonts. Print a few copies only for places where you know your audience will see them.
Give Yourself Four Weeks to Sell It
You don’t need to promote your event for three months.
A focused four-week launch is enough for a small first Pilates pop-up.
The first Fourteen days
Announce the event everyday in different ways and share a link directly to your LinkTree Interest form.
Once someone expressed interest, call them, text them and email them about your event.
Send your first personal invitations
Ask the venue and local partners to share it
Explain who the class is designed for
Fourteen days before
Address a common objection such as “I’m not flexible”
Call everyone who has completed the form but haven’t answered
Text and email anyone who didn’t answer (yes, again)
Follow up with people who requested the link but haven’t completed it
Seven days before
Share the accurate number of places remaining
Show the venue
Introduce yourself on video
Explain what participants can expect
Post in appropriate local groups
Three days before
Share a final reminder
Emphasise the genuine booking deadline
Contact anyone who expressed interest but hasn’t booked
Start a waiting list if the session sells out
The day before
Send booked participants a reminder
Confirm the venue and your access time
Check your class plan
Check your music
Prepare your attendance and emergency information
Marketing isn’t one announcement followed by silent hope.
People may need to see an offer several times before the timing, message and confidence align.
Don’t Discount It Into the Ground
New instructors sometimes price their first event at £5 because they don’t yet feel experienced.
But a £5 class requires far more people to reach the same financial goal.
A very low price can also make it easier for people to book casually and then fail to attend.
You aren’t charging for perfection.
You’re charging for:
Your training
Your preparation
Your teaching time
The venue
Your administration
The experience you’re creating
A £7 or £10 ticket can still feel accessible.
But remember that a £7 ticket requires more participants, a larger space and more leads.
If you charge £10 and aim for 14 paying clients, your first financial target becomes far more manageable.
Make It Feel Special Without Spending Much
People don’t need expensive gift bags.
They’ll remember whether you knew their name, started on time, gave clear instructions and made them feel welcome.
Low-cost touches could include:
A simple welcome sign
A considered room layout
A good playlist where permitted
A group photograph with everyone’s consent
A handwritten thank-you card
Tea or coffee if the venue already provides it
Priority booking for your next event
Don’t spend your profit trying to look established.
Professional doesn’t have to mean expensive.
Turn One Event Into Your Next Event
Your first pop-up should do more than earn £100.
It should help you create:
Teaching experience
Client feedback
Testimonials
Photographs or videos, with consent
A waiting list
Interest in your next class
Proof that local people will pay for your teaching
At the end of the class, don’t pack up awkwardly and allow everyone to disappear.
Thank them.
Ask how they found the session.
Invite them to join your priority list.
Tell them what you’re offering next.
You might say:
Thank you so much for coming to my first pop-up. I’m planning the next session now, and everyone here will receive priority access before I advertise it publicly. If you enjoyed today, I’d also be incredibly grateful for a short review or testimonial.
Follow up within 24 hours while the experience is still fresh.
If 14 attendees each tell one suitable friend about your next event, the second class becomes significantly easier to fill.
Don’t Skip Your Professional Responsibilities
Keeping the event inexpensive doesn’t mean skipping your responsibilities as an instructor.
Before teaching, make sure:
Your qualification covers the class you’re delivering
Your professional insurance is active and appropriate
The venue accepts the activity
The venue has received any documents it requires
You understand who is responsible for different risks
You’ve completed appropriate participant screening
You have an emergency procedure
You have access to relevant emergency contact details
You know how to record and respond to an incident
Your equipment is safe and suitable
You have consent before taking or publishing photographs
You’ve checked whether your use of music requires permission or a licence
Your privacy, cancellation and refund terms are clear
You should also keep accurate records of your income and expenses.
Your £100 target is the estimated amount remaining after the event’s basic costs and before tax.
It isn’t automatically £100 of tax-free spending money.
Your First Pilates Pop-Up Checklist
If I were starting again as a new Pilates instructor, this would be my plan:
Create a Stripe account and test a Payment Link.
Ask ChatGPT to help define my fonts, colours and brand direction.
Create a Linktree and apply that branding.
Add a form collecting names, emails and mobile numbers.
Include clear contact and optional future-marketing consent.
Create the class booking in Calendly.
Find a suitable hall for approximately £25 to £30.
Choose one beginner-friendly Mat Pilates concept.
Ask participants to bring their own mats.
Charge £7 or £10 and calculate the number of clients required.
Add one extra person to the target to help cover transaction fees.
Send every interested person to the Linktree form first.
Call every lead.
Text and email if they don’t answer.
Send interested leads the Calendly link.
Collect payment through Stripe.
Promote locally for four focused weeks.
Deliver an organised, welcoming class.
Collect testimonials and feedback.
Invite everyone to the next session.
It doesn’t need to be more complicated than that.
Your first class isn’t the final verdict on your career.
It’s an experiment that gives you information, experience and momentum.
Frequently Asked Questions About Running Your First Pilates Event
Still wondering whether you’re ready to run your first Pilates pop-up? Here are the answers to some common questions from new instructors.
How much should I charge for my first Pilates event?
Work backwards from your costs, desired earnings and realistic capacity.
A £7 ticket keeps the entry price low but requires more participants.
At £10 per person with £30 room hire, 13 attendees leave £100 before transaction fees. Targeting a fourteenth participant gives you a simple buffer for those fees.
How many people do I need to make £100?
With £30 room hire, you need 19 people paying £7 or 13 people paying £10 to leave £100 before transaction fees.
Add one extra paying participant to create a simple fee buffer.
That means targeting 20 people at £7 or 14 people at £10.
Why shouldn’t I send people directly to the booking page?
If someone visits your booking page but doesn’t book, you may not know who they are or how to follow them up.
Collecting their details through your Linktree form first allows you to call them, answer their questions and help them make a decision.
It also helps you build your own audience for future events when people have given the appropriate marketing consent.
What if I don’t have a large social-media following?
You don’t need one to fill 14 spaces.
Start with personal invitations, existing contacts, community groups, venue promotion and small local partnerships.
A warm, engaged audience is often far more valuable than a large group of strangers who rarely interact with you.
Should I make my first class free?
Not if your goal is to test whether people will pay for your teaching and earn money from the event.
A paid booking creates commitment and provides better information about genuine demand.
If you invite one person as your guest for a specific reason, include that decision in your budget.
Do I need to buy Pilates equipment?
No.
Ask participants to bring their own mats and teach a body-weight class.
If you later want to introduce one inexpensive prop, a small Pilates ball is versatile, easy to transport and relatively inexpensive.
Earn first. Reinvest second.
What if someone completes the form but doesn’t book?
Call them first.
If they don’t answer, text them and send a short email containing the booking information.
Follow up once more using a genuine deadline or the accurate number of remaining spaces.
If they still don’t book, don’t chase them indefinitely. But do keep them on your email list :-)
What if the event doesn’t sell out?
Decide your minimum viable attendance before launching.
If the event is still financially and energetically worthwhile with fewer people, you may choose to run it.
Afterwards, review:
The offer
The event name
The date and time
The venue
The price
The promotion
The number of leads collected
Your follow-up process
A slower first launch is information.
It isn’t proof that you can’t build a successful class.
Should I run the same event again?
If clients enjoyed it and there is demand, yes.
Offer attendees priority access to the next date and use their feedback to improve the experience.
Repeating a clear, successful format is usually more efficient than inventing an entirely new event every time.
Ready to Turn Your Qualification Into Income?
You don’t need to wait for a studio to hand you the perfect opportunity.
Start small.
Keep your costs controlled.
Collect your leads.
Call people.
Answer their questions.
Teach an excellent class.
Then use the results to build the next one.
One hired hall, 14 clients paying £10 and a simple offer can be enough to earn your first £100 after room hire and transaction costs, build your confidence and prove that you can create paid teaching opportunities for yourself.
At ROC Lab Pilates Teacher Training Programme, we teach our instructors this exact strategy to start making money quickly with their new qualification(s).
Looking for a mentor to help you grow your freelance pilates business? Book a call with our team here.