When I ran my bootcamp, one of the best things I did to grow my numbers was really simple. It was to get really really clear about what was important to me and what I wanted my clients to experience training with me.
Here were 3 important elements for me:
1. Ready and waiting
When clients arrived at bootcamp (often 5-10 minutes before the session started) I didn’t want to be setting up and trying to welcome people at the same time. I wanted to be all set up and ready to go with a smile on my face.
That meant getting up extra early so I was fully awake, arriving at the park 25 minutes before the session to unpack the equipment and get it ready, and leaving any personal things going on behind so I could be 100% there for them.
2. It’s about the client
I wanted to coach my clients with a hands on approach so they felt looked after. That meant that unlike an instructor lead workout (eg. spin class or aerobic style class) I was not going to be working out with my clients during the session.
That was an intentional point of difference I made about my bootcamp in comparison to the more traditional gym classes. It helped me clearly say who my bootcamp was for, and just as importantly, who it was not for.
3. No one left out
I quickly realised, as most of us do in this industry, that a bootcamp attracts a wide range of fitness levels.
During some of my first sessions I made some planning blunders that lead to me very obviously separating out the less fit campers from the rest of the group. It was completely unintentional and I remember as soon as I explained how the drill was going that I realised my mistake and felt awful.
I made an effort from then on to plan sessions that made everyone feel included.
Plus, I started taking more time to learn and use everyone’s names and start creating a personal connection with each camper so they knew that I cared about them and that I had their best interests at heart.
By being clear about these three things that were important to me, it made it really simple when making decisions that effected my bootcamp.
I knew exactly how I wanted to market, because it needed to be in alignment with these. I knew what opportunities to say no to because it needed to be in alignment with these.
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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