Business Advice Guide - Boxercise

1 Business Advice Guide Introduction Just like any other Business , setting up a fitness related Business requires a systematic approach. By completing the Boxercise course you have taken the first step to becoming trained in a skill which you can now use as your main focus or to complement other skills you have gained. However this is only the beginning to creating a successful Business ; you also need to be confident in your skills, motivated, Business savvy and have a clear operating format and marketing strategy. All managed carefully within the perimeter of a clear financial plan. Now you have completed the course ask yourself these questions: Do you know: who?

2 Where? how you will be teaching? Researching and answering all these questions will help you to focus your skills and maximise the potential in using Boxercise as part of a successful Business . These questions are only a Guide to help you start considering your Business requirements. All factors will interlink to help you come up with some ideas on how to start. Good luck! Identify your Avatar Have you decided WHO you want to teach? Determining your target audience is a major consideration this is also known as identifying your avatar. It is useful to consider the following and make it as specific as possible so you can target your marketing to that group.

3 For example Burn Calories and Torch Fat at Boxercise may appeal to a certain group of women but may put some men off in much the same way as Boxercise Beasting Get Shredded would put some people off whilst it would attract others. Consider: Sex Age Income Occupation Hobbies Location where they live (can you get a venue close to your chosen demographic?) Newspapers they read & TV programmes they watch Do they have children? Your own availability especially if Boxercise is generating a secondary income If you choose school mums as a target group you would need to be available during school hours with time for coffee afterwards as they tend to like to socialise whereas a more corporate, Business -minded group prefer to train in the early morning or evening and get in and get out.

4 The better you know your avatar the better you will be able to target them and even more importantly attract the sorts of people you want in your classes. Does all this really matter for a (relatively) low value product like a 5 Boxercise class? Not necessarily; especially if you are going to run just one class on a weekday evening where people pay as they go you should still have a busy class and make a profit but if you want to build a sustainable Business based around working with clients you love and who love you then identifying your avatar is important.

5 You may even end up running a few different classes with different types of people in each one but completing this task will still help you target each class more specifically to the types of people likely to attend at that venue/location. Location Where are you going to run your classes? If you are not going to be employed to teach within a health club/leisure centre you will need to find a venue. It can be quite difficult to find a suitable venue at the time and location you require so this will probably be the next thing you need to do based on the results of identifying your avatar as this will narrow your search down.

6 Try local scout huts, church halls, schools (although they often will only open during term time giving you an enforced break). Location: Is it easily accessible for your target group and in an area that has sufficient population density? Functionality: Does the location provide functional space and meet health and safety requirements? Does it - enough floor space? (check your Boxercise Instructor manual for guidance on this) - suitable lighting? - toilet facilities (is this essential? If training outside it s unlikely you ll have access to toilets) - parking is it free? - easily accessible local transport links?

7 - Risk Assessment? It should have its own and you should ask to see it. You will also need to risk assess your activity within the venue. Neighbours: If setting up in a new area where they have not had a fitness Business before you may need to consider the implications noise, parking. Finance: Consider rent, rates, break clauses and rental terms with land lord, insurance. Indoors or outdoors: If running an outdoor session in a park/public space - check the usage regulations with the council. You may need to sign an agreement and/or pay rent. There are massive differences between councils so do check this out.

8 How Hopefully by answering some of the above questions it will give you an idea on where to focus your attention. Your marketing strategy should target the audience you have identified. Assess carefully their needs, your needs and financial considerations. Examples: Meeting needs Working professionals: Need an early morning session or possibly a fast paced lunch break session. Consider approaching companies to encourage healthy employees. Stay at home parents: Time wise you will need to allow sufficient time for the school drop off and still get to class. Childcare for non-school age children is a primary concern so if near a nursery it would be helpful.

9 Usually this demographic tends to be quite sociable so encourage this with advertising and discounts recommend a friend. Teens: Approach schools and youth centres about after school clubs. Marketing Strategy How to promote yourself and Boxercise will largely depend on who and where you intend to teach and your budget. To help you get started the Boxercise website has a number of promotional posters you can utilise or you can download our logo to add to your own promotional material. Hopefully you have remembered to register your details on the Boxercise website so that the public can search for classes/PT sessions in their area (you must put your postcode in for this to work).

10 Advertising Ideas Advertise in area s that serve your avatar, post office, hairdressers, beauty salon, local shop, school, market, garage or any other independent local businesses that serve your avatar. It might be worth offering a reciprocal deal with them. Consider ads in local paper but only if your budget allows as there are many cheaper ways of getting your message out there. Website advertising get your own website even if it is just a single page simple Wordpress site. Set up a Facebook page for your class/ Business and post relevant, interesting content regularly. Send out regular ezines; build your email list by adding data capture to your Facebook groups and/or website.