Marketing and Setting Up My 30-Day Jumpstart Weight Loss Challenge
With 2016 here, many individuals will once again declare their New Year’s Resolution to lose weight and get into shape! For health coaches and personal trainers, this usually means we are going to be very busy…well at least that’s our hope!
I have found that offering a short-term, lower cost program has been a great way for me to grow my business. Most of my new clients are more willing to commit to an under $100 30-day program, over one that costs more money and takes more time. Furthermore, I always invite past clients to participate in each new challenge at no cost, to showcase new services, such as meal planning and online personal training. Once they’ve seen what’s possible in 30-days, it is easier for me to upsell them on longer and/or more expensive programs.
I am currently gearing up to host a 30-Day Jump Start Weight Loss Challenge (starting on Jan. 4th) to help build my clientele. This will be the third time I have run this 30-Day Challenge, and the one thing I have learned from past experiences, is the importance of being organized, prepared and willing to add new elements!
To keep myself from being too overwhelmed, I map out the 30-Day Challenge into three parts:
1. How I will set up the 30 Day Weight Loss Challenge. (Marketing elements)
2. How I will run the 30 Day Weight Loss Challenge. (Delivery of program, tracking, keeping group engaged)
3. Client success, feedback, tips for next challenge. (Success stories or barriers clients experienced during the challenge, average weight loss for group, feedback)
For the purpose of this blog, I will give you a few tips on how I encourage clients to sign-up and tools I’ve used to set up my 30-Day Challenge. To begin, online marketing has been key in getting the word out. Some social media platforms, venues, and organizations I have used in my marketing plan include:
- My Branded Facebook
- My Branded Instagram Handle
- My Branded Pinterest Account
- My Branded Twitter Handle
- Thumbtack
- IdeaFitness.com
- Yelp
- Nextdoor
- American Council on Exercise (ACE)
- Community Events
I create posts highlighting the 30 Day Challenge and post them on my branded social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest 2 – 3 times a week. In addition, I have business profiles on Thumbtack, IdeaFitness, ACE, Yelp, and Nextdoor that allow me to post my business profile and list my health coaching services, so any interested clients are able to contact me directly (i.e. 30 Day Challenge).
In addition, I use my branded social media sites and email marketing to promote the 30-Day Challenge through a free email opt-in widget on my website and Facebook. This email opt-in widget allowed clients to sign up for emails and download a free item with one click. This year, I offered a free E-Book on how to lose weight during the holidays that also included information about my upcoming 30-Day Challenge. Clients who signed up for the free E-Book and those that are on my active email list, will receive a series of 3 emails, that will be sent 2 weeks, 1 week and a few days before the challenge starts to gain some last minute sign-ups.
Another successful method I use to promote the 30-Day Challenge has been through networking. Over the past year, I have developed networking partnerships with a local gym, chiropractor, acupuncturist, hair stylist, and even my local FedEx office. Each place of business allows me to promote my 30-Day Challenge and place brochures in their offices. In return, I promote their business on my marketing materials.
However, social media and networking will do me no good, if I don’t offer a program that has the features my clients are looking for. My clients are looking to lose weight through nutrition and fitness. Which is why this year I am super excited to be adding a new element that my clients have been asking for….MEAL PLANS! The 30-Day Jump Start Weight Loss Challenge will include a variety of different meal plans (holistic, vegan, gluten-free, and balanced) that clients can follow during the 30 days. Offering meal plans gives my 30-Day Challengers a little snap shot of how meal planning can help them achieve their weight loss and fitness goals. I love using Evolution Nutrition’s system because it makes creating a wide variety of meal plans with shopping lists with just a few clicks…DONE! This allows me to have more time and do what I love….coaching clients. I also love that it links to Trainerize, an online personal training program I recently added to my business. Being able to send my clients their meal plans and exercise routines directly to their Smartphone or email has been crucial in gaining new clients!
Running a 30-Day Challenge can seem overwhelming at first, but if you are organized and have some great services (like meal planning) to offer, then signing up clients should be a breeze! Stay tuned to find out how I ran and evaluated the success of my 30-Day Challenge to continue to perfect this successful program.
Cheers to Your Health + Happiness,
Teri Elkins, BS, CHC, CPT
Pro
Enterprise