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by Laurie Cingle, M.Ed.
 The programs you offer will set your club apart from the other clubs in your area. Programs can fall into several categories:
a.) Core programs (group exercise, personal training, racquet sports and aquatics)
b.) Membership-oriented programs (guest passes and new member integration)
c.) Retention-focused programs (special one-time or quarterly offerings that are outside of what is normally offered at your club).
Retention-focused programs may be unconventional, fun and unusual, or they may be educational, targeting members’ health concerns or special interests and hobbies. These programs should be planned several months in advance because they require special considerations that are different from your other programs.
Here are 8 steps for developing your retention-focused programs for the next 12 months.
Step 1. Locate a blank calendar. A 12-month planning calendar can be purchased at any office supply store or can be printed from the calendar wizard on your computer. Make sure the date squares on the calendar you choose are large enough for you to write in. During the planning stage, you may find that writing your ideas on the calendar is easier than typing on the computer.
 Write in the month and specific days of the week, national and religious holidays and other special dates. Contact your local school district for a copy of their teacher in-service days and mark them on your calendar; kids are out of school on these days and this will impact your program offerings and participation.
Take into account your own schedule — your sister’s wedding in October or your vacation to Cancun in April. You will be asking for trouble if you will be out of the club during one of your scheduled events or if you are just returning from being out.
Step 2. Determine categories of programs. It is less work for you and much easier to develop your calendar if you establish consistent program categories that you repeat each month rather than randomly picking specific programs and events that you think are interesting. Categories will provide you with a consistent framework.
Here are few examples of categories that will work:
• Fun, one-day fitness activities
• How-to clinics
• Nutrition education seminars
• Health screenings
• Alternative health seminars
• Motivational fitness programs that are several weeks long (and offer a BIG prize)
Start making your own list of categories. From your list, choose two or three categories that you will offer each month. This will help you hone in on what will work at your facility and make it easier to grow the calendar in the future.
Step 3. List specific topics for programs within each category. Make a list of specific programs and events that fall within the categories you have chosen. For example:
• One-day fitness activities such as special group exercise class in a nearby park; indoor triathlon.
• How to massage your pet; boost your metabolism; meditate.
• Nutrition education seminars like healthy lunches for kids; vitamins and minerals; dining out.
• Health screenings for gait analysis; body composition; cholesterol; bone density.
• Alternative health seminars such as acupuncture; cranial-sacral therapy; herbs.
• Motivational fitness programs with themes like a 3-week Honolulu Marathon theme; a 4-week Commit-to-Get-Fit theme; an 8-week Biggest Loser theme.
Step 4. Find experts to deliver your programs and events. Specific programs and events should be selected based on the experts available to you to deliver the information. Experts can be your own staff, physical therapists, physicians, alternative health care practitioners, chiropractors, nutritionists and community business people. To ensure that their intentions are honest, check their references. Also, try to find out if they have good speaking skills — this is very important!
Step 5. Fill in the blanks. Choose dates for the programs and events that you want to offer. You will need to coordinate with your experts. Write in the details of the program on the calendar including the title, time, location (conference room, lobby, fitness floor, off-site), who is delivering it and any needed equipment or supplies. You will need this written plan as backup for your next step.
Step 6. Determine the budget. Now that you know what you want to offer, find out what is possible to offer by determining your budget. Excluding your time to administer the calendar, determine what you will need to make it happen.
• Will you need to contract a nurse to administer a cholesterol test in February?
• Will you need to pay a registered dietitian to teach a class on creating healthy lunches for kids or will you trade out membership?
• What expenses are associated with your special group exercise class in the park?
• Will you need additional insurance?
• What is the cost of refreshments such as muffins, juice, fruit and water for your indoor triathlon?
• Will you be responsible for paying a room rental fee? (Some clubs charge an in-house rental fee to other departments for utilizing conference space.)
• Will you charge members to participate in specific events? How much will you charge?
• Will your supervisor require you to make a profit on all programs or can you budget the program expenses for the purpose of creating energy and excitement in the club? Have this discussion with your supervisor before the budgets for next year are final. If you miss getting your programs into the budget, assure your supervisor that you will at least break even on every offering so the budget is not negatively impacted. And make sure that you do.
Step 7. Save room on your calendar for later additions. No one can predict future hot topics — ground-breaking research, a new best-seller, environmental events, new diet crazes. When an opportunity presents itself, schedule a program around it on your calendar as it occurs.
Step 8. Make your calendar available to your members. Each month, print a copy of that month’s calendar and have it at the front desk for members to pick up. Publish it in your newsletter. Email a copy to all members. Print large 2-foot-by-3-foot copies, put them in frames and place them on easels around the club.
Physically highlight any special programs on the printed calendar and advertise each one separately; just publishing the calendar is not enough. Be sure to track attendance. Some programs will work and some will not. Identify the offerings that are not going over well with your members and discuss making changes with your team. They may be able to provide feedback that will make a difference.
Laurie Cingle, MEd, is a fitness business success coach and club consultant. She is recipient of the IHRSA Fitness Director of the Year award. In addition to her 25 years experience in the club industry, Laurie holds a masters degree in Exercise Science from the University of Houston and is certified by ACSM/HFI, NASM and Les Mills International. She served on IDEA’s Board of Advisors, ACSM’s Health and Fitness Journal Advisory Board and is a judge for Fitness Management magazine’s NOVA7 award. Laurie is also a frequent contributor to Club Success, Club Industry’s Fitness Business Pros and Fitness Management magazines. She can be reached at laurie@lauriecingle.com.
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