With the Summer solstice upon us, it may be time to rethink your business offerings. Many trainers experience a decline in program adherence and see increased client attrition during the summer months as clients choose to forego their regimented programs for the nice weather outside. In most cases, this is fueled by the opportunity to engage in activities which are unavailable during the winter and many people equate physical activity modalities to similar outcomes. It is no surprise people want to get outside and enjoy the environment that they have not been able to use for months. Taking advantage of this mentality can provide numerous opportunities to maintain a steady revenue stream and keep your clients active in your program at the same time. An important thing to realize is that it is easier to keep a client than to get them back once they have stopped utilizing your services.
The first step to cultivating an external program is to identify the resources offered in your community. Parks, lakes, hiking and biking trails, publicly accessible tracks, and even beaches can offer free landscape for training activities. This concept can be applied on the individual level or can be done in groups, small or large. Some key factors that make it successful include planning, keeping it well organized, making it fun, and for group training, making it social to generate interest for referrals. Hybrid models can also be adapted to include both gym and outdoor activities.
In the hybrid model outdoor activities can be offset by more traditional personal training. This model certainly helps with compliance and participation as the tastes of the outdoors are mixed with more familiar approaches. The downside is that meeting at parks or setting up a kayak trip can be time consuming and may make time management for other business activities more difficult. To fix this problem either 1) group your clients into activity categories or 2) offer the modified training environment activities on off times and on the weekends. Many people who traditionally use a trainer only during the week will get up early for fun, outdoor activities on a weekend. Starting early and finishing by 10 or 11 still leaves the whole day for both you and your clients. Do not schedule activities in the middle of the day as the participation will be limited; trumped by obligations and other plans.
The group model takes advantage of the social aspect of group exercise and allows more people to get instructor led training at the same time. Setting up weeknight bicycle trips or park runs can complement a Saturday morning beach boot camp or trail hike, depending on the surrounding resources. Additionally in the summer, the middle of the day during the week can be used much more effectively compared to the school year due to schedule shifts. For example, children or teenager activity programs, essentially fitness PE, allows one or two trainers to set up weekday camps for two to four hours. Generally these programs include a mixture of fitness activities and sports. Focus is placed on the health related components of fitness not winning the sport, so the program is perceived as non-threatening to all participants. For true athletes the summer provides the greatest opportunity for speed, agility, and quickness training. In many cases, high school tracks and fields are vacant and can be used legally. Ideally getting the permission of an athletic director prevents any problems, but most high schools and community colleges offer their spaces to the public during defined hours. Weekend speed camps can focus on sprint mechanics, drag training, and plyometrics with a minimal need for equipment and with excellent group turnover.
Regardless of the group or activity it is important to have a well defined plan to market and implement the program. In the hybrid model, marketing can be as easy as a simple suggestion or question of interest in engaging outdoor activities during a training session, or it can be done more extravagantly, using an email or newsletter approach. The key is being proactive to prevent attrition. But before bringing up the idea to a client have a framework to it, so that it can be easily implemented and is not a motivational build-up that turns into a letdown due to logistical problems. Make sure that what you are offering is actually feasible in your area with relative ease.
Getting the word out can also be done using flyers inside and outside the gym which may attract new attention to your services. Today designing something that looks professional is easily accomplished on a home computer and Kinko’s or Office Depot can certainly add to the presentation style inexpensively. Many people want to be active but do not know how to get started. Using your clients to get in front of new clients through invitations to participate in different activities is a good place to start. The local YMCA’s and Universities have been using this approach for years through seasonal activity programs and intramurals. Setup an outdoor function and use sign-up sheets to show space is limited. The activities can be for one time for a select few individuals, on select weekends or run every weekend from July to August. Check on availability of space and equipment and build any overhead expenses into the costs. Adding competition and team building also is effective for groups so plan to capitalize on this motivation. For instance, train in the kayaks or on bikes before setting up a relay race or set up outdoor obstacles culminating in a timed race at the end. When there is a tangible outcome people become more motivated to succeed.
Pricing these events should be based on the time spent engaged in the activity, the overhead costs, the number of participants and the pricing ceiling for the activity. If the activities are time and equipment heavy the price should be higher per person. Adding people can reduce the cost, but too many people can ruin the fun or affect the perception of instructor led activity. Decide on the need for individual attention and group price accordingly. For instance, running four Junior High School athletes for speed conditioning may warrant $25 per person for a 45 minute training session, whereas running 8 kids would likely be better priced at $15-18 per participant. Outdoor cycling groups are the equivalent of a spin class so pricing and grouping should be reflective, again the key is the perception of service or instructor.
Utilizing all the opportunities afforded to you this time of the year to get people active will certainly encourage greater program participation. Survey your clients and identify areas of interest, regardless of what they have done before and demonstrating knowledge of the caloric expenditure of the activities can also be motivational. Incentive plans through referrals can also be beneficial to get clients to market for you. Regardless of the nature of the activity maintain your professional and service edge and use feedback from participants to make the experience better every time.
