STUDIO NOIR

Private · Master Plan · v1.0
STUDIO NOIRJOURNEY MAP

STUDIO NOIR · Member Journey Map

The end-to-end experience, from first hearing about STUDIO NOIR to becoming an alumni ambassador. Phase 1 first. Phase 2 additions noted.

The eight stages

  1. Awareness — first impression outside the club
  2. Consideration — waitlist, tour, sign-up
  3. Onboarding — the first 90 days
  4. Practice — the ongoing membership
  5. Community — belonging beyond the training floor
  6. Milestones — moments that anchor loyalty
  7. Retention — signals we watch, actions we take
  8. Alumni — for members who move away or take a break

Stage 1: Awareness

Where members first hear of STUDIO NOIR:

Phase 1: - Taj’s IG audience (primary Phase 1 acquisition channel) - Trill’s IG audience (secondary) - Triangle word-of-mouth through Tia’s network - Small press coverage (WALTER Magazine, Raleigh Magazine, RALtoday, INDY Week lifestyle) - Referrals from founding cohort members - Waitlist signup landing page (built by Tia)

Phase 2 adds: - THE NOIR INVITATIONAL press and streaming - Corporate wellness referrals from anchor accounts (Cisco, IBM, Epic Games, Red Hat, Fidelity Cary, MetLife) - Broader editorial press (Business North Carolina, national wellness publications)

Touchpoints owned: - Website (visual + copy standard per 01_BRAND) - IG @studionoir (curated by Tia) - Waitlist landing page - Press mentions

Standard: Every touchpoint reads as one brand, one voice. No noise. See 01_BRAND/02_VOICE_AND_TONE.

Stage 2: Consideration

Waitlist (pre-open, Phase 1)

Landing page collects email, phone, referral source, and one-line “what draws you to STUDIO NOIR.”

Waitlist members get: - Confirmation email with brand story (from 01_BRAND/01_BRAND_STORY) - Monthly progress emails during buildout (behind-the-scenes) - Early access to founding member offer 90 days before soft open - Guaranteed offer for The Founders charter cohort (first 30 members) if they sign up before we hit cap

Target Phase 1 waitlist size at open: 200+ names.

Tour + sign-up (Phase 1)

All new members tour by appointment. No walk-ins.

Tour Phase 1: - 30 to 45 minutes with Taj personally for The Founders charter cohort - 30 minutes with the Studio Manager for post-charter members - Full studio walkthrough with the arrival ritual delivered as if they were already a member (they leave having experienced STUDIO NOIR, not been sold) - Discussion of practice goals, availability, tier fit - Sign-up on the spot or within 48 hours via Mariana Tek

Phase 1 acceptance rate: we accept everyone who’s a fit for the brand. Reject only for clear misalignment (someone who wants a $99 gym experience, or wouldn’t respect the room). Approximate accept rate: 90-95%.

Onboarding kickoff (Phase 1)

Accepted members receive: - Welcome email + first-visit confirmation - The Founders charter cohort gets a physical welcome package via mail (STUDIO NOIR-branded cream-stock folder, hand-lettered welcome card from Taj, membership wristband, first-visit reservation card) - Digital: Mariana Tek app access, class schedule, membership profile setup

Phase 2 additions: - Courier delivery of welcome package (not USPS) - In-house apparel voucher - Personal call from Director MX to schedule first visit

Stage 3: Onboarding (first 90 days)

Phase 1 onboarding

Day 1 (first visit): - Full arrival ritual (01_ARRIVAL_RITUAL) - 15-minute conversation with Taj or the lead instructor: goals, current experience level, class recommendations - Recommended class (Pole Foundations for pole newcomers) booked on the spot - Departure ritual (05_DEPARTURE_RITUAL)

Days 2-30: - Personalized class recommendations via email or app - First class attended, warmly greeted - Instructor introductions across all classes attended - One-on-one check-in at day 30 with the lead instructor or Taj: how’s it going?

Days 31-90: - Attendance patterns observed - Invitation to first quarterly members’ event - Referral offer activated (bring a guest, waived guest fee)

End of day 90: - Card from Taj on member’s next visit - 5-minute check-in with Trill or Tia (if in market) - Referral bonus activated (one free month per 2 referrals accepted)

Phase 2 expands this with instructor introductions across pole, dance, gym, PT; complimentary first recovery session; first complimentary personal training session; retail credit for feedback interview at day 60.

Stage 4: Practice (ongoing)

The primary state. Most members spend 90% of their STUDIO NOIR lifespan here.

Phase 1 typical week (Studio tier, active member): - 2-3 class visits (pole + movement + mobility) - 1 informal solo practice hour (Studio-tier open floor time Wednesday/Friday afternoons) - Occasional guest brought

Every visit runs the full ritual: arrival → practice → cool-down → departure.

Phase 2 typical week expands to include recovery visits (sauna, cold plunge, steam), café/lounge visits, and personal training sessions.

Stage 5: Community

Members belong to more than their calendar. STUDIO NOIR hosts programming:

Phase 1 programming: - Monthly Editorial event (first Sunday of the month, Taj-led or curated guest) - Quarterly guest instructor (Trill’s dance network brings in a guest for a weekend residency) - Quarterly members-only social (Sunday afternoon, prosecco, no formal class)

Phase 2 adds: - Monthly member mixer in the lounge (curated food + drink, Trill DJ or invited artist) - Salon Series (Taj hosts a conversation with a guest) - Monthly members’ dinner - Quarterly Founding Members’ Dinner - THE NOIR INVITATIONAL (annual, members get priority tickets + backstage hospitality) - Corporate wellness member-employer bridges

Phase 2 lounge is the third-space that makes STUDIO NOIR sticky. Design intent: members choose to arrive early or stay late.

Stage 6: Milestones

Recognized moments that create memory:

  • Membership anniversary: hand-signed card from Taj, small ritual (favorite drink brought to member’s next visit unannounced), small retail credit
  • Personal training milestones: progression cards for pole (first pull-up, first hold, first inversion). Card is embossed, presented at milestone by the lead instructor or Taj.
  • Referral milestones: first 3 accepted referrals → founder pin, small retail credit; 5 referrals → free apparel piece from next drop; 10 referrals → private members-only event invitation
  • Birthday: small dessert delivered from a Triangle café partner, no announcement, notes from staff who know them
  • THE NOIR INVITATIONAL (Phase 2 forward): members who compete or place get their own recognition ritual at post-event

Stage 7: Retention

Signals we monitor (Phase 1, simple): - Attendance frequency drop (visits per month falls below prior 90-day baseline) - Class variety collapse (member using only one class type when they used to try more) - No response to member outreach - Booking cancellations without rebooking

Signals we monitor (Phase 2, expanded): - No lounge or community event attendance for 90 days - Retail spend drop - Personal training discontinued - App engagement drop

Actions when signals fire: - Outreach from Studio Manager or Taj (Phase 1) / Director MX (Phase 2) with warmth. “We noticed we haven’t seen you. Anything we can help with?” - Offer of complimentary session (favorite class) - Adjustment offers (tier change, pause option)

Pause > cancel policy: Members can pause membership up to 60 days per year for travel, injury, or life. This retains long-term relationship. Cancel is offered honestly if pause doesn’t fit, no retention pressure. Aggressive retention scripts erode brand.

Stage 8: Alumni

Members who move away, cancel for real reasons, or take a season off remain in the alumni track:

  • Alumni-only email quarterly (Taj-signed, brand-facing not sales)
  • Alumni rate on retail apparel drops
  • Invitation to THE NOIR INVITATIONAL each year (Phase 2 forward)
  • Reactivation offer 12 months post-cancel: no re-sign-up fee, tier flexibility

Alumni are ambassadors. When they move to a market where STUDIO NOIR eventually franchises (Phase 3), they are the founding introduction to that market.

The moments that matter most (in order of retention impact)

From member interview research at hospitality-first fitness brands:

  1. Day 1 arrival ritual
  2. Day 90 Taj note + Founder recognition
  3. First real relationship with an instructor
  4. First personal milestone celebrated
  5. First community event attended
  6. First recovery experience (Phase 2)
  7. First guest brought
  8. First STUDIO NOIR INVITATIONAL experience (Phase 2)

Phase 1 focuses on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7. Phase 2 adds 6 and 8.

If any of these misfire, retention drops. If all hit, the member becomes lifelong.

The map on one page (for staff training)

AWARENESS → CONSIDERATION → ONBOARDING → PRACTICE → COMMUNITY → MILESTONES → RETENTION → ALUMNI

Owned by (Phase 1):
Marketing      Studio Manager     Taj + Trill    Instructors    Taj      Taj personal      All hands        Taj + Tia
                                                                          touches

Owned by (Phase 2):
Marketing      Director MX      Head of         GM +          Director MX  Taj personal    All staff        Taj + Tia
                                Programming     Instructors                  touches

Every member is in one of these stages at all times. Every staff touchpoint knows which stage a member is in via the profile system (spreadsheet Phase 1, CRM Phase 2). That is how consistency is delivered.