One of the best ways to build and grow a loyal community for your fitness business is through special, multi-week programs that address a specific goal or need that’s important to your target audience.
With the right strategy and planning, you can add tremendous value for your existing customers and attract new customers who are looking for more advanced training and specialized experiences.
Plus, spending several days or weeks with a smaller group of clients can be a tremendously enriching experience where you and the people in your community can form lasting bonds. What a great way to come out of the recent isolation of the pandemic!
Here are some creative ways to set up fitness and lifestyle series that will sell. Remember, a truly buzz-worthy special program will create that “fear of missing out” (FOMO) that’s key to attracting new community members and building positive energy. So think about what types of programs you would want to take time and money from your busy schedule to attend.
Progressive “How-To” Series Focused on Learning a Specific Skill
Multi-day series are perfect for teaching your students the step-by-step process to gaining a new skill. Little by little, with time to practice in between sessions, your students will learn how to achieve that peak experience.
For example, you could teach a series of classes that culminate in your students being able to do a handstand. Or, provide your students with the tools and drills they need to work their way up to a 5-mile run with a personal best time. You might start with a goal of doing an open-water swim of a certain distance, start with one-a-week training for six weeks in a pool, and graduate with a super-inspiring group ocean swim.
When creating the theme of your special fitness program, think about the more challenging postures, maneuvers, goals and sport-or-lifestyle-specific aspirations of your students. Your workshop series then becomes a precious gift they’ll be clambering to get. And, at the end of the course, the payoff is so rewarding, when you see the smiling faces of your students who’ve worked so hard to finally achieve their goal.
The Bodhi Tree Studio in Quincy, IL offers a three-day progressive training that culminates in a certification in Buti Yoga. On its website, the studio promotes this special series as a “Structured class progression [that] meets the freedom of an organic practice guided forward by the beat. Transform your entire body from the inside out and tap endorphin-fueled Buti Bliss along the way.”
Rehabilitative Class Series
Another great way to provide value and support to your customers, and attract new members from outside your current customer base, is to offer a series of sessions focused on recovery and rehabilitation from common fitness problem areas.
For example, a progressive series of trainings to address low back pain, joint issues like shoulder, elbow and knee injuries, tight and painful hips and hamstrings or other sport-specific chronic pain and fatigue areas.
You can also create injury avoidance and conditioning programs that will appeal to your clients who run, participate in triathlons, golf, ski, play tennis, by offering a multi-day or multi-week series that breaks down the strength and flexibility regimen that can be used to boost performance and build injury resiliency.
Central Yoga School in Surry Hills, Australia is offering a Yoga Study Group that runs from mid-April to mid-Sept and meets once a week. Here’s how the studio describes the program: “Yoga Study Group has two components: the first involves reading, listening to lectures, and discussion of yoga philosophy; and the second is more practical, directly addressing Iyengar Yoga Teacher Certification requirements.”
What a great way to engage students who are interested in becoming yoga instructors and giving them a taste of teaching training!
Get Back in Shape Themed Bootcamps
Again, these special programs are built with the customer’s end goal in mind. So many consumers, homebound during the pandemic are feeling out of shape and overweight. Any program that offers structure and accountability over time for regaining their post-COVID bodies is sure to be popular.
Two big distinctions that can be used to create the material and class description and title for your series are:
- Fitness and Strength
- Weight Loss
Build your series with those goals, intensity and ability levels in mind. A popular way to schedule these “get fit” programs is daily for a shorter time period, say 10 days, or a few times a week for several weeks. Just make sure that you design your program to yield demonstrable results, without too much fatigue.
For a great example, check out how 4theWilling in Fort Worth, TX taps into the mental and spiritual value of its community to create a unique approach to weight loss with its Ready & WILLING! Course
12 Week Video Course with Personal One-on-One Coaching.
Here’s an excerpt from the course description: “The concept of 4theWilling’s format was birthed in 2006 through Debbi Robertson who had experienced her own life-changing health gain by weight loss. 4theWilling: Health Gain by Weight Loss; Wellness, Health & Nutrition Coaching is a faith-infused environment for the willing heart, mind, soul and body.”
Restoration, Recovery and Anti-Stress
Now more than ever, mental health and wellness is linked to physical fitness — and savvy fitness business owners are blending the two into their programming. Here are some ideas for multi-day or week programs:
- Meditation Series
- Restorative Yoga/Pre-and-Post-Workout Stretching and Conditioning (You could make this sport-specific)
- 6 Weeks to Better Sleep
Inspirational Lifestyle Programs
Here’s your opportunity to roll multiple aspects of special programming into one amazing program. Think 4 to 6 weeks with a combination of in-person and on-demand supplemental content. For a well-rounded lifestyle package consider including these elements:
- Group coaching and discussion, including sharing of personal breakthroughs.
- A specific number of workout training sessions or group classes (which can be private for your special program participants, or regularly scheduled classes that are simply provided as part of the package price).
- Nutritional plan and a cleanse program (Host these as downloadable PDFs, maybe sell or provide products like shakes and bars)
- Meditation and restorative practices (Offer an on-demand guided meditation recording or recordings).
- Use Punchpass’ email feature to easily send communications with links to all your program resources to program registrants.
Exceptional Fitness Experiences
Outdoor fitness is another big trend in 2021, and hosting a special series a way to tap into this demand. Here are a few ideas for popular outdoor fitness experiences that you can set up. Keep in mind that it’s super easy when using a fitness business software platform like Punchpass to have customers prepay and register ahead of time so you’re not handling cash and credit card outdoors before your event.
- Yoga + music in the park or on a rooftop or patio (partner with a local restaurant or like-minded business)
- Hike, walk, or run + workout combo
- Swim with conditioning pre-and-post workout on-deck or on-shore
- Bike with pre-and-post ride conditioning
Pro-Tip: Set Up a Special Events and Workshops Webpage to Promote Your New Programs!
- Set up your Series in Punchpass, which will add it to your Class Schedule and Calendar – color code it to stand out from regular, daily classes.
- Get the registration URL for each upcoming Series.
- Create a webpage on your fitness business website just for events/workshops, add an image, description and “register now” button for each series. Put the Punchpass URL behind each button to take your customers directly to signup.
- Use a custom URL that filters to display only your Series and use when promoting your new Spring/Summer events in emails and on social media
- Bonus – add a promotional message and button to the top of your regular Punchpass class schedule.
