Joanna’s top tips for facilities keen to make a difference:
- Make your facility easy to find. Fortunately The Energy Source is located in a very popular retail and commercial complex. It’s part of a large international community and there are several major schools nearby. To make the most of the great location the studio has clear, eye-catching signage. To ensure there are no barriers to access, maps and directions feature on all promotional material.
- Invest in the right environment. The studio has been fitted out to be an engaging, safe and secure setting. To help make the experience enjoyable for everyone there’s a separate reception area so that accompanying parents can relax while waiting and older children can socialize after classes. Having a pleasant setting means more people come back more often.
- Tailor your timetable. Commercial success relies on making it easy for children and parents to attend a class. Make best use of the day by recognizing the different time preferences for the different age groups. Well thought out scheduling and a flexible pricing structure helps smooth out some of the demand peaks and troughs.
- Put effort into promotions. Keep your Facebook pages well updated with announcements on class times and general product information. There a many other media channels that can be leveraged to spread the word – Instagram and websites, magazines and local community events.
- Create repeat business. When children enjoy what they do and parents can see the physical and emotional benefits of regular physical activity you’ll have them both hooked. Encourage children to request their favorite tracks, help them master their favorite moves and connect with parents to share the positive changes you see.
Feeling inspired? Follow these steps to success:
1) Create community connections. Speak with parents and facility members about the physical and emotional benefits of regular physical activity for children. Share stories about the positive changes you’ve seen as children increase their activity.
2) Identify what success looks like for your facility. How many young people can attend each week? What time could you run classes? Is it an extension of your existing offer, or are you looking to attract a new audience? By setting goals at the outset you can more effectively plan for business success.
3) Be patient. Many parents say BORN TO MOVE enables their kids to express themselves in an exciting and active way without 'knowing they are exercising' and that it’s great for expelling excess energy! These insights don’t’ happen overnight and one of the secrets is making classes easy to access and being patient as the word gets out.