Group fitness classes have become one of the most popular ways for people to stay fit. For fitness businesses or personal trainers, group fitness classes offer an amazing opportunity to grow a loyal community. Group classes are an excellent revenue stream and are the best way to create a strong and committed member base within your gym.
If you’re a personal trainer or running your own fitness business, you need to start looking into hosting group fitness classes. Even from a mathematical point of view, you’re naturally better off teaching many members instead of just one; not just from an income perspective, but also for reducing churn and boosting member retention.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to add group sessions to your existing services, here’s a guide to setting up and running a successful group fitness class for your business.
Identify Your Niche and Audience: Understand your target market and choose class styles that align with both client needs and your expertise, ensuring you cater to the right fitness level and goals.
Set Up the Right Infrastructure: Choose an appropriate location, optimize your class schedule, and use fitness management software like ABC Glofox to handle bookings, payments, and attendance tracking efficiently.
Create a Welcoming Experience: Structure your classes with proper warm-ups, maintain an inclusive atmosphere, and offer modifications to cater to different skill levels.
Market Your Class Effectively: Embrace social media, client referrals, and promotional offers to fill your classes, and consider partnering with local businesses for additional exposure.
Manage and Scale Your Classes: Focus on client retention through follow-ups and feedback, use data to improve your offerings, and expand your schedule or services as your class demand grows, with ABC Glofox supporting your business at every stage.
1. Identifying Your Niche and Audience
Before you start, it’s essential to understand who your ideal client is. Are you targeting young professionals looking for high-energy, fast-paced workouts, or do you cater to seniors who need lower-impact classes? Knowing your target demographic helps you design classes that appeal to their fitness goals and preferences.
- Understanding Your Market: Take a look at the local fitness trends, and see where there might be a gap you can fill. Are HIIT classes in demand? Perhaps there’s room for a beginner-friendly yoga session. Think about your own fitness needs; what style of training would you like to see in the area?
- Choosing Your Class Style: From Pilates to boot camps, pick a class format that aligns with your expertise and your audience’s needs. For instance, if you’re passionate about strength training, offer a weights-based circuit class. Always choose a class type that you can confidently lead and enjoy teaching. Don’t forget to ensure you have the right fitness certifications to teach that particular class
- Defining Class Size: Smaller, more intimate groups allow for personalized attention and a tight-knit community feel, while larger classes can increase revenue and create a high-energy environment. Decide what fits best with your teaching style and goals.
2. Setting Up the Infrastructure for Success
Running a seamless group class takes more than just a great workout plan. You’ll need to have the right infrastructure in place to keep everything organized and running smoothly.
- Location and Equipment: First, choose a location that suits your class size and format. For example, indoor cycling might require a dedicated studio, while yoga or outdoor boot camps could be held in parks. Ensure you have the right equipment for the type of class, whether it’s mats, weights, or resistance bands.
- Class Scheduling: Timing is everything when it comes to filling up your classes. Early morning sessions are perfect for working professionals, while midday or evening classes might cater better to stay-at-home parents or students. Offering variety ensures you capture a wider audience. Don’t be afraid to ask your members what times suit them best, it could give you valuable insights.
- Software for Managing Classes: This is where the logistics can get tricky. Using fitness management software like ABC Glofox can save you time and headaches by allowing clients to book online, pay in advance, and even sign waivers digitally. Our platform also makes it easy to track attendance, send automated reminders, and manage your schedule from one dashboard.
3. Crafting the Perfect Group Fitness Experience
Now that your infrastructure is set, it’s time to deliver an unforgettable group fitness experience.
- Warm-Up and Cool-Down: Every class should begin with a proper warm-up and end with a cool-down to prevent injury and ensure your participants feel good post-class. This also gives you a chance to introduce yourself, establish rapport, and set the tone. Remember, fitness classes are just as much a mental service as a physical one; get your members feeling good, engaged, and involved.
- Creating a Welcoming Atmosphere: Group classes are about more than just the workout—they’re about community. Start by personally greeting each participant, learn names, and encourage people to get involved. Icebreakers or partner workouts can also help participants connect with each other. Moments outside of the studio are vitally important as well. Take the time to set up a monthly coffee morning for people to meet one another in a new setting.
- Adapting to Different Skill Levels: Not everyone will be at the same fitness level. Offer modifications for beginners and progressions for those who want more of a challenge. A great instructor ensures everyone feels included, no matter their fitness level.
Read More: Alex Hormozi on Building a Fitness Community
4. Marketing and Filling Your Group Fitness Class
To get those classes full, you need to market them effectively. The more buzz you can create, the more likely people are to sign up and tell their friends.
Leveraging Social Media and Referrals: Use social media to showcase what makes your class special. Share behind-the-scenes clips, testimonials, and highlight the benefits your clients are experiencing. Encourage current participants to refer their friends by offering incentives like free sessions or discounts.
Creating Promotional Offers: If you’re just starting out, offering a free trial class is a great way to get people through the door. Other promotional ideas include early-bird discounts, class packages, or a loyalty program where clients earn rewards for consistent attendance.
Partnering with Local Businesses: Build relationships with nearby gyms, wellness centers, or even coffee shops to cross-promote your classes. A local gym might allow you to offer a class at their location, or a wellness center might include your services in their newsletters.
5. Managing and Scaling Your Classes
Once your classes are up and running, it’s time to think about retention and scalability.
- Retention Strategies: It’s not enough to get people to sign up—you want them to keep coming back. Follow up with clients after class, encourage feedback, and build a community through challenges, events, or social media groups.
- Data-Driven Improvements: The easiest way to ensure your clients are happy is by gathering feedback and analyzing attendance. ABC Glofox makes this simple by tracking booking patterns, attendance rates, and even customer satisfaction, allowing you to adjust class times, formats, or even instructors to better meet client needs.
- Expanding Your Offerings: Once your group fitness class is successful, it might be time to expand. Whether that’s adding more time slots, introducing new class formats, or even hiring additional trainers, growth is a sign your fitness business is thriving. ABC Glofox’s tools can help you manage a growing schedule, staff, and customer base with ease.
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How to Succeed as a Group Fitness Instructor
Setting up and running a successful group fitness class takes time, planning, and the right tools. Remember, group fitness classes are also just one piece of the puzzle. You need to also offer a simple signup process, a vibrant community, and a stellar marketing experience to keep your members coming back for more. Don’t be afraid to experiment a little, and don’t forget yourself in everything as well; if you’re running a class you’re not passionate about, your members will see it from a mile away.
It also pays to keep yourself organized and free to focus on your members. With ABC Glofox, you can create an intuitive, seamless marketing and sales automation process that will keep new leads coming in month after month. We can also help you manage your members, create automated messages, organize payments, and even schedule new classes and sessions (all on your own branded app, of course).
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