Personal Fitness Professional - March 2008 - (Page 17) Track Progress with a Visual Log One of the ways that a community challenge works effectively is having each challenger log into a secure section on the facility’s website and keep track of their progress. At the end of the competition, they can print out graphs and charts to visually compare their progress with other participants and clearly see their own results. Being able to see a line graph of their progress will further motivate any non-members to become a member at the end of any challenge. This charted progress allows the facility’s sales team to discuss the before and after statistics with potential new members. Imagine how much more effective this could be if you were to send out an email to each participant congratulating them on their efforts and reminding them of the personal training or membership specials that are offered! Here are a few easy steps to begin: ➊ Start with a sign-up sheet, where participants provide their health history and full contact details. ➋ Each challenger can then be provided with a facility pass, perhaps for one week, and a free session or two with a personal fitness trainer. ➌ Implement an eight-week program, allowing optimum time to assess some goals, and identify reasonable changes to make in their lifestyle. ➍ Include before and after body composition testing, resting metabolic rate analysis and a weekly motivational email from you. Provide information and education on topics such as how to handle food-filled holiday parties, body image, portion control and grocery shopping with weight loss and strength gains in mind. ➎ Make sure the facility or the assigned personal trainer keeps a record of each participant’s weight and/or body fat measurements. ➏ Upon setting up the parameters, have the participant at the end of period who achieves the greatest fat loss, body percentage loss, strength gains, etc. receive a free month or year membership to the facility as well as a local newspaper acknowledgement. Since non-members experience the facility’s energy and social network, motivating them to diet and train, it is likely that they will see greater results than a walk-in visitor. Results are what turn a free visitor into a paying client! A Quick How-to Community-based weight-loss programs or get-healthy challenges are rapidly becoming more common. Normally, they last about eight weeks in conjunction with two nutritional seminars. Each participant or team is encouraged to wear a pedometer, log their steps and work toward the goal of attaining a certain number of steps a day. Use some creativity, planning and support from the staff who attend fitness conferences and trade shows. Facility management looks closely at fitness trend reports to see what equipment is used the most and what classes are showing the most growth. Unquestionably, challenges and contests are very rewarding, and they increase potential revenue and client prospects. Your community involvement should provide excellent customer service and ➤ MARCH2008 · WWW.FIT-PRO.COM 27 17 http://WWW.FIT-PRO.COM
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