Many class providers start out small – one teacher, one location, and a handful of eager students. You might be running baby groups in a church hall, leading fitness sessions at a local studio, or teaching dog training in the park. At the beginning, it’s simple enough: you manage bookings, take payments, and deliver classes yourself.
But what happens when your classes grow in popularity? Suddenly, you’re turning people away, struggling to balance admin with teaching, and wondering how to expand without burning out. The good news is that scaling from solo teacher to multi-location business is achievable – and with the right tools, you can do it step by step.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to scale your class business using Book That In (BTI). From schedules and staff management to financial tracking and marketing automation, here’s how to grow without losing your sanity.
Step 1: Strengthen your foundations
Before you scale, get your systems in order. Running multiple locations means more bookings, more payments, and more moving parts – so your admin must be efficient.
- Automate bookings and payments: Switch to an online booking system so customers can self-serve 24/7. With BTI, payments are handled upfront, reducing no-shows and late fees.
- Standardise class information: Make sure class names, times, and pricing are consistent so customers understand what they’re signing up for.
- Set clear policies: Cancellation terms, refund rules, and payment structures should be defined before you expand.
With these foundations, you’ll have a solid base for growth.
Step 2: Expand schedules and locations
Once demand grows, you’ll need more classes and potentially more venues. Here’s how to manage it:
- Test new time slots: Add morning, after-school, or evening classes to spread attendance.
- Secure additional venues: Use community centres, gyms, or rented studios to expand reach.
- Track availability: BTI lets you manage multiple venues in one calendar, so you can see what’s running where, without messy spreadsheets.
Step 3: Bring in staff support
Scaling isn’t possible if you do everything yourself. Hiring teachers or assistants allows you to reach more students without sacrificing quality.
- Staff scheduling: BTI’s tools help you assign classes to staff and keep track of who is teaching where.
- Role-based access: Give staff limited access to bookings so they can manage their classes without needing full control of your business system.
- Communication: Use automated reminders to keep staff and students on the same page.
Delegation frees you up to focus on strategy instead of day-to-day firefighting.
Step 4: Track finances and growth
Managing money becomes more complex as you scale. You’ll need clarity on income, costs, and performance.
- Subscription and PAYG tracking: BTI manages recurring subscriptions, block bookings, and PAYG payments in one place.
- Financial reporting: Monitor revenue per location, class, or teacher.
- Predictable cash flow: Automated payments mean you know what income is coming, helping you plan for expansion.
Clear visibility makes it easier to decide when to invest in new staff or venues.
Step 5: Automate marketing and retention
Growth isn’t just about finding new customers – it’s also about keeping the ones you have. Automation saves time and keeps your marketing consistent.
- Email reminders: Reduce no-shows with automated confirmations and reminders.
- Re-enrolments: Use BTI’s auto re-enrolment to move students into the next term without manual chasing.
- Targeted promotions: Offer trials, discounts, or referral rewards to encourage word-of-mouth growth.
Reviews also play a big role in trust. Direct families to leave feedback, and showcase your reputation through BTI’s reviews page.
Step 6: Scale to multiple locations or franchise
At this point, you may be running several venues successfully. The next step could be opening new branches or even franchising your business.
- Multi-location management: BTI allows you to run schedules, staff, and payments across all sites in one platform.
- Franchise tools: If you want to expand nationally, BTI’s franchise solution helps standardise branding, pricing, and processes.
- Consistent customer experience: No matter where customers book, they should enjoy the same professional booking journey.
Scaling doesn’t mean losing your personal touch – it means replicating what works, with systems that keep everything running smoothly.
Final thoughts
Scaling from solo teacher to thriving multi-location business takes planning, patience, and the right tools. By automating bookings, streamlining payments, and using BTI’s scheduling, staff management, and franchise features, you can grow without drowning in admin.
The journey is step by step: start by strengthening your systems, then expand locations, bring in staff, track finances, and automate marketing. Before long, you’ll move from running a single class to managing a thriving brand with multiple locations. If you’d like to explore how BTI can support that journey, you can book a free demo today.