The Calm Before the Storm: Setting Up for Success

Take the opportunity this month to set yourself and your business up for certainty and success. Here are five proven strategies to ensure you are ready for the wave of new and returning group fitness members in September:

Create the space to get strategic and creative. Block time in your work schedule for strategic planning. Carve out times when you are free from interruptions and deadlines so you can create the right environment to focus, and the right mindset to be visionary. This is the most critical step in programming for success.
Construct a vision for your program based on “Strategy #1.” When you take the time to reflect on what has worked and not worked previously and combine this with what you have that is new and available to you this season, you can create a great program.
Communicate your vision with a select group of influencers at least one month ahead of the start of your schedule. Collaborating with instructors, trainers and even members will ensure you receive objective feedback. More heads are better than one, especially when it comes to programming group fitness and small group training schedules.
Curate a marketing plan for how you’re going to promote your fall programs and schedule, and consider ways you can utilize the instructors and trainers to help you promote. Remember that instructors and trainers who will be teaching these programs are invested in their own success, so naturally they should want to help market. You should be prepared, however, to guide them along with a marketing plan they can participate in.
Consider possible last-minute changes you might have to make and have a “Plan B” ready to go. Last-minute changes in availability of instructors are very common and if you have a suitable replacement plan, then you will experience less chaos and personal stress — and still feel confident about the product you have created for your members.

Mo Hagan is vice president of program innovation for GoodLife Fitness and canfitpro.