As we move toward the summer months it is natural to see some fluctuations in class numbers. Our Clubbers go on holiday, sometimes they to go to the pub garden after work, sometimes they forgot to drink all day at work and now they feel dehydrated, manky and need to go to bed at 7:30pm. They are allowed, it’s not their job to show up every week. It is, however, our job to encourage as many people as possible to stick with their fitness journey over the summer. This might sounds easier said than done, so here are my top tips to keep the joy flowing:
- Start bigging them up now. It’s already getting warmer and it’s a good time to mention after class how well they are all doing and how they are acclimatising themselves ready for the summer months. I find congratulating people for doing something works better than trying to tell them what to do.
- Mention it’s nearly the time for everyone to dust off the shorts from the summer clothing box. We know most people would be more comfortable temperature wise if they got out of their winter leggings and into something a little more temperature appropriate… that being said, we also know that can take quite a lot of confidence to do that. I like to lay the foundations now and I make jokes about how it’s my goal to get everyone in hotpants for August. Now me and my guys are unlikely to be rocking shorts short enough to be classified as hotpants BUT it does get them thinking about the possibility of wearing slightly more temperature friendly clothing to class… and gives them time to find something they like for when the moment arises and they realise everyone is wearing what they need to wear to feel cooler too.
- Keep social media happening. When we are less busy, the temptation can be to slack off the social media. It’s natural because we genuinely have less stuff to post because we take less pictures and videos… but we need to maintain the same intensity all year round. New people are still looking to get started throughout the Spring and Summer and I honestly still get good pickup around this time. It’s just that someone will always be on holiday from April through to the middle of October. This means that occasionally, even if you gain 6 new people, 6 of your regulars could be away so we always need to have slightly more people than we need on rotation… there will be that one week where everyone comes and you’re fit to burst, but then the next week 8 people will be on holiday and you’ll be back to how you were 2 weeks before that. Maintaining activity on social media helps to keep that natural flow of people happening. And don’t forget, times have changed, you can’t post a graphic with no context and expect people just to come. They need to understand why your classes are so good and make people feel so happy… and they need to be able to get to know you. So think about how you can communicate that through your social media posts.
- Talk about the adjustments you make. Not now, because it’s barely 17 degrees, but when the temperature rises and you don’t have air con, it’s good to communicate what you are doing to help people feel more comfortable in the heat and also what they can do. For example, I keep more of my tracks unmixed for the middle portion of the class so they can go and get water at any point. I ask them to bring sweat towels and plenty of water. To wear breathable fabrics. Not to smear themselves with fake tan and thick lotions before they come etc. We can let people know what to do to stay cool so they can still do the thing that they love. After all, no one wants to miss out on potentially their only form of exercise for an entire season and if they can keep going as much as possible it’s a win win for their fitness levels.
- Show your appreciation. Your clients are epic. They come to you in their spare time. The time they could be spending with their family or watching their favourite box set or lying on their new sunbed in the garden with a G&T. Instead they spend their hard earned cash on coming to your classes and sweating on a school hall/studio floor. They do it because they love you. They come because you made them feel comfortable, welcomed and your classes made them feel uplifted and full of energy. Numbers may fluctuate a little as people have a nice time over the summer and that can be frustrating, but keep shouting out how epic your clients are and let them know how much you think of them. That connection that you build with people is what is going to make them come even when they aren’t quite sure that they can be bothered.