Welcome to this issue of the Bootcamp Ideas Boost which is all about restarting your bootcamp and getting your sessions filled to the brim with campers once more.
There has been a lot of pain and many tears shed by trainers over the past 15 months. Restrictions have forced group fitness businesses to shut down or adapt.
Meanwhile, trainers in other parts of the world have been feeling guilty while their sessions have taken off. The continued closure of gyms has people looking for alternatives… like outdoor group fitness.
Let me take a moment here to mention something: No one wins by comparing suffering. Hard times are hard times. Don’t feel like you can’t reach out for support just because you know someone has is ‘worse’ than you.
Facing utter burn out because you’re trying to keep up with too many clients is still a valid struggle in a world were other trainers are having to close their doors permanently.
So we know that it is possible right now to fill your sessions and I want to help you do that. I’ve put together 4 steps in this Bootcamp Ideas Boost to help you put your best foot forward.
Step 1: Start With A Great Workout
As this is BootcampIdeas.com after all, so let’s start by looking at your workouts.
It’s possible that after weeks or months of no live sessions that you might be a bit rusty when it comes to running face-to-face sessions. Or restrictions around equipment and physical distancing may have you falling back on the same few drills and exercises.
But remember that the workout you run is the key part of your product. So you must be nailing every single one and reminding them why they are coming.
I’ve put together 5 full, done-for-you workouts to use:
Step 2: Your Back-To-Bootcamp Checklist
Once you’ve got your workout ready to go, you need to ask yourself: Am I doing the right things by myself and my clients?
We’ve put together a handy checklist for you to help you navigate running your group fitness sessions smoothly in a pandemic world.
Step 3: Send A ‘Reactivation Email’
At this point you’ve got a great workout lined up and you’ve got a plan in place to make sure you’re following your local regulations.
Now you just need some people to come to your sessions!
If you’re like most trainers out there, you’ll have noticed that many of your clients have lost the habit of regular exercise. You need a way to motivate and inspire them back to your sessions.
A perfect way to do that is with a ‘reactivation email’. This is a personal email that helps you connect with your missing client and invite them back to sessions.
I’ve written an email template for you that you can find here:
Step 4: A checklist for your clients
The last step – and perhaps most important step – is communication with your clients.
If your client likes to watch the news every night and has done so for the past 12 months, well it’s just possible that they’re terrified to even step outside their door.
Great communication from you can help reassure them and move through those nerves.
Trainer Theresa Prior has compiled an excellent set of objections and concerns your clients might have right now and how to respond to them:
A great way to implement this is by writing a short newsletter on each of these points.
Bonus steps:
Great work on completing those 4 steps!
When things are uncertain, it’s best to focus on the things that are under your control. Planning great workouts and communicating well with your clients are two things that are always under your control.
If you’d like to do even more, here are my suggestions:
Bonus 1: Be Sure To Bring Your Game Face
Just like you need an amazing workout, you also need to make sure you’re showing up and being amazing at each session.
Check out my article on the importance of bringing your Game Face.
Bonus 2: Listen to These 2 Podcast Episodes
Last year Dale and I sat down to record a podcast episode on re-launching your bootcamp. It turned into such an epic episode that we split it into two parts:
Bonus 3: Complete 31 Days to a Better Bootcamp
If you’ve completed the 31 Days to a Better Bootcamp course, this is a great time to go back and start the course from the beginning.
If you haven’t done the course before and you’re interested, let me know by joining this wait list and I’ll run it again.
Kyle Wood created Bootcamp Ideas in 2010 when he was hunting around on the internet for workout ideas. He ran a successful bootcamp in Victoria, Australia and spends his spare time managing this site, adventuring (or lazying) with his wife and find new ways to make bootcamps even better.
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