Author: ezfacility

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4 Customer Support Myths You Need To Drop

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Customer service has one goal. To be helpful. You know this, but want to make the experience better within your sports or gym management system. How does this happen? How does one make customer support more accommodating? By not cringing at the sound of it and disregarding these 4 crazy myths.

Myth 1:

FAQ Guide’s Aren’t Necessary

Au contraire. Otherwise, this example would not have a happy ending! Picture a member of your facility in a crowded train car. They want to know your facility’s policy on bad weather for outdoor classes. They could pull out their smartphone and make a call, but all that noise could make the conversation difficult. What they can do instead is look up the FAQ guide on your gym or sports facility website and—there is the answer. In a manner of minutes, this member has their answer and your facility management staff can continue their tasks with less chance of an interruption.

Now, take this member and multiply them by 20. Maybe 50. Chances are your members have the same questions on their mind. With an FAQ readily available, most will have their questions answered and, as a result, your gym management has the time to address other priorities.

Often times, we can forget the simplest of tasks, like removing a stain from a carpet or threading a needle. Today, many people research online about subjects that range from gym management software to e-cards. Your website should act the same in regards to common questions regarding your facility. It is this reason why FAQ guides are a time (and breath) saver.

Myth 2:

Less Incoming Calls Means More Happy Clients

Silence isn’t always golden, especially in the case of customer service at your gym or sports facility. For those members you know who sit on the fence of initiating a conversation—the initiative is on you! Make the phone call or send a quick email.

 

“I always take a few minutes out of my day and just check in with clients – whether they have been active in their account or not. It’s always nice to have someone reach out and make sure things are going well. My clients have been very receptive to this and love that we truly care about them.” – Daina DeBellis, Customer Success Administrator, EZFacility.

 

There’s still plenty of value for in-person communication too! Ask for a quick review after a member checks in about their experience with your facility. If members don’t have time, ask for a quick score of satisfaction and then reach out to them later in a follow-up to discuss the details behind the number or star rating given. Additionally, keeping record of these reviews makes for an excellent presentation to new members considering your facility.

Myth 3:

Support Guides Organize Themselves

New example! So you pull open a drawer and it’s full of hammers, rubber bands and nails. You’re only looking for one thing and you can’t find it until you clear out the entire area. No support guide should look or feel like this for any member. Diving into a mess of words without any assistance or organization to your gym management support is a horror show. Don’t settle for horror. Make it a feel good experience for your members with an organized and accessible support layout.

EZFacility Online Support Center

Myth 4:

No Need For Surveys

No surveys? This sounds like a fantastic idea for someone looking to run their facility into the ground. For a better customer experience, you need proper communication in place for feedback. You. Need. Surveys! Send those surveys however you’d like (and make sure to keep records). They can be in a follow-up email sent through your gym management system or at the end of a customer service conversation. If you happen to prefer less tech focus methods of communication, use more traditional methods like luncheon invites and personalized letters. A survey doesn’t have to be in the form of a test sheet!

At any point, a member may require help regarding your fitness or sports facility. Whether it comes from a staff member or a specific department, customer support is not solely an opportunity to help your credibility—it’s about helping build a strong bond between your staff and your members.

That being said, what advice do you think we should add about customer service? Please let us know in the comments!

If you have any questions you’d like to ask EZFacility, click the button below.

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6 Crucial Steps To Starting A Sports League

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Do you feel that? Flowers blooming in a field… Dandelions settling on the bleachers.. That’s right, league season is almost upon us! How’s your plan coming along? You have your team qualifications? Your staff hired? Your contact info all finalized?

Don’t worry. You’re here because you care about your players and want to make sure you have the best sports league ready to go. To do that, the fundamentals of a sports league need to be satisfied—and we’re here to help you out! Let’s begin by asking these six questions.

1. Do I Have A Permit?

Permits are vital and not something to wait on. Why? They are a general requirement and grant you legal permission to reserve space at public parks, sports complexes, community centres, etc. for your sports league. Without one, your league is more or less trespassing into a park and runs a risk of getting permanently banned from a perfectly nice location for your league. To check the requirements for permits in your area, contact your town’s department of parks & recreation and reach out to the facilities you wish to rent from for specific details.

Side note on sports league locations! Proximity plays a big part next to price when choosing a location that’s best for your league. If you have people interested in joining a league, survey their hometowns to establish a central area that’s best for your future sports league.

2. Do I Have a Website?

No? Don’t worry! Making a website for your business is possible for anyone no matter the level of your computer knowledge. Websites act as a central hub for your league that’s available at their convenience—and it does not need to be complicated. There are both free and paid services that can aid in building up your league online and it can be as minimal as one page with contact info, hours, location, summary description and a few images correlating to your sports league. One of the best ways to determine what website service is best for your league is to draft an outline of your league website. Then you can determine how robust or simple your website needs to be. When drafting the outline of your website, make sure what you offer is clear on the front page

3. Do I Have Staff Or Volunteers?

When you are creating your league (business or nonprofit), you may feel like you’re on top of the world—like you can handle it all on your own. You need to be careful of the overwhelming risks and taking on too much! There are a lot of moving pieces in a sports league that could slip through the cracks and hurt your league. Avoid these nightmare scenarios and assemble a team. Hire umpires, assistants, schedulers, score-keepers and other positions you think will keep the management of your league in a healthy state. Once you have a staff team, it would be a great idea to introduce them with bios on your website!

4. Do I Have Waivers?

Naturally a sports league wants a good relationship between each and every league member. One of the best ways to do get that done is to have a waiver or sports contract that both establishes the expectations of being in a league and forewarns the possible risks. Why have waivers? Well waivers are like good tires for your car. Without them, the journey of your league won’t be smooth or safe for any of your passengers—both staff and league members. You can easily write a waiver yourself or find a template online, however it is best to run the content by a lawyer so that your writing 100% conforms to your specific state or county laws.

5. Do I Have A Marketing Strategy?

Imagine starting a league with no members to play the sport. This is why marketing is important. Consult with your staff to find towns near or within the area you plan on playing. Once that has been decided, collaborate with the local newspapers, schools and stores to hang flyers, and develop online advertisements. Getting the word out in advance—both local and online—means more people will come to you.

Side note on marketing! Consider the low-cost option on social media. Set up a Facebook Page for your league and create posts that call attention to your opening—and don’t forget to list your finished website in the About Section of your Facebook Page!

6. Do I Have A Management System?

A good league management system is the glue for your sports league. For the choice of league management software, it can be daunting to sift through the options, but one thing is certain: finding the right one can mean reduced expenses, increased profits, happier members — and, more time for you. If you’re not already using a sports league software solution, start looking into the possibilities today. And if you are, consider an overall assessment to be sure the one you’ve got is the absolute best choice for your new sports league.

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The Top Successful Facility Secrets

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How likely are your members to keep coming back to you if you expose them to misinformation? Fitness trends are constantly changing, you want stay up-to-date with the most current health and wellness news. It’s not enough to rely solely on your own professional education. In order to stay ahead of the game, you should be in the know on what professional journals, publications and your clients themselves are saying. Being on top of these funnels of information will allow you to become the fact checker, refute any misinformation printed by these publications, and establish yourself as an expert. If clients feel you are the most reliable source, they will turn to you for advice on proper fitness, exercise and nutrition practices.

Be fair, but firm

We’re all only human, which means certain situations can arise where you may need to bend the rules a bit. If you find yourself in this positon, make sure your clients are aware you are bending a policy. For example, if you have a 24-hour cancellation policy but you decide not to charge someone due to illness, be sure they are aware that you are bending this policy for them this ONE TIME but it will not be tolerated going forward.

Have Trainers Assign Homework

Make your sessions last longer by continuing them outside the facility. Clients should be given certain instructions or things to focus on when they are on their own time as well. Give them mini exercises to practice at home, or require them to keep a food and workout journal. Breathing exercises, posture activities and meditation activities are some other great examples to try. Clients can discuss or show what they tracked during their next session or communicate with trainers via email.

Continue Education of Trainers and Staff

Knowledge is power. While the organizations your trainers obtained their certifications from will inform them of what they need to do to keep it current, your trainers need to continue their education in other ways as well. They can easily do this by reading verified fitness journals and publications, as well as attending classes, conventions and conferences to stay on top of fitness trends and news. These are all investments in your business, not expenses.Li

Like what you’ve ready so far? Excellent. We’ve got more tips to share in our video series.

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12 Event Ideas for September and October

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Need event ideas for your martial arts school, gym, community group, or another organization? With autumn approaching, you’ll have lots of opportunities to plan around seasonal delights. So be ready to pull up your schedules and start filling out your calendars.

1. Back to School/Autumn Pancake Breakfast

Celebrate the turn of the season with a themed breakfast! Use it to commemorate the start of school or the beginning of autumn. Pick your favorite breakfast place in town, or make it special with an apple pancake or pumpkin pancake recipe that you can share with your attendees later. Martial arts schools or gyms: use this fall breakfast as a way to engage prospects.

2. Costume Contest

Dress up at your office, school, team, exercise class, or classroom Halloween party. If you’re a coach or martial arts instructor, have fun with your students by creating a contest that is sport specific. Create a giveaway prize with a Halloween trick or treat bag with items that your group will enjoy.

3. Pumpkin Carving Party with Contest & Prizes

Get in this family-friendly activity by using a twist: pick categories for your pumpkin contest, like the funniest, most creative, and most unexpected. Winner gets a gift card to Amazon or a favorite local restaurant. Make sure you take lots of photos to post to Facebook and Instagram to engage your online community.

4. Fall Bike Tours

Get a group together for a fun time on two wheels as the weather begins to cool. Explore the earthy, changing colours of the trees for a weekend camping trip or day trip. If you want to accommodate all levels of cyclists, try enjoying a rail trail.

5. Astronomy Night

Make this an educational after-school event for a student science club, field trip, or as a way to build community in your young athletes. Visit an observatory, planetarium, or go outside with chairs, blankets, and a campfire. If it’s local to your location, plan a walk or jog to the destination.

6. National School Success Month

Host a seminar series for students and/or parents on good academic habits. This is a great opportunity for coaches and martial arts school owners to talk about how students can use the discipline that they learn in their sport to excel in the classroom. Offer study time, tutoring, or a way to connect students with peer study groups.

7. Museum Field Trip

Local or big city museums, in addition to their usual exhibits, usually have seasonal or special exhibits. While art museums are popular, science museums are great for kids who want a more tactile, interactive experience.

8. Ultimate Frisbee Game

Get everyone outside with an adult office league or a team at your gym. Being outside is not only fun, but it significantly impacts the way you decompress.

9. Themed Paint Nights

Create a fall or Halloween-themed paint night for kids, adults, or both. Make it fun for kids with finger painting or adult-friendly with drinks.

10. Bonfires/Seasonal Cookout

Have your group submit their favorite seasonal recipes anonymously and have everyone pick their top five favorite. Majority says what will go on the fire.

11. Plan A Farm Visit: Pumpkin patch, hot cider, hay rides

Cliché but a classic. And hot cider always tastes better in season.

12. Haunted House Visit

Get spooky with a haunted house or trail. Expert tip: make group t-shirts so you can keep track of your group.
Author: Jenn Miller, Marketing Specialist

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The Top 5 Advantages of Gun Range Management Software

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So you own a gun range facility and are considering management software. You’ve probably come across several names. Have you found a support system hub of guides to read? Instructional videos to digest at your time and live monthly webinars to engage with about questions regarding your shooting range facility? We welcome you to learn all that and more.

5. Access Control and A Secure Processing System:

What that means:

You have software that is simultaneously optimised to your needs and operations and runs securely for both you and your clients.

An efficient gun range facility requires resourceful range scheduling software. By turning your management strategy into a streamlined model of operations, you consolidate all your objectives into one accessible hub of control. Of course, good, organized control doesn’t happen without solid safety measures enforced. Safety is both an imperative and undervalued aspect to a successful facility. Without it, EZFacility wouldn’t be here writing this very article. Our commitment to safety and security is important. That’s why we teamed up with the merchant processing company CSI -CC Secure and facility access control business Brivo, to provide the best security and safety for your business. Some of these features include the following.

With CSI-CC Secure: Merchant Processing:

  • Ensured client data safety and a seamless purchasing experience.
  • Schedules automatic credit card, ACH (Automated Clearing House) and EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) payments for memberships, rentals and more.
  • Accepts Major Credit Cards

We highly recommend evaluating your current processing rates at least once a year. You may choose to speak to our experts for a complimentary consultation.

With Brivo-Facility Access Control:

  • Built-in Card-Fraud Guard ensures one entry per swipe
  •  Alerts indicating invalid facility access attempts
  • Assigned resource specific controls to differentiate access for staff
  • Stay in Control. Read Our Guide that covers security of Access Control

Staying PCI compliant is important! You can always learn more about the standards of computer safety from our blog team.

4. All-Out Objective Aptitude:

What that means:

A business management solution that’s better organized and more tailored to your strategy of operation guarantees task proficiency.

A better-organized business means daily tasks made simple. Integrate your staff plan with a schedule that’s both easy to access, digest and change quickly. Features such as creating customised categories, drag and drop operations, and a built-in conflict resolution capability system that eliminates the chance of double bookings are pivotal for any shooting range management system.

Recently, we debuted our updated Package Plans feature to help clients save huge amounts of time when it comes to selling packages to their members. We invite you to watch our webinar detailing this new feature update at our Resource Guide To Package Plans blog

3. Ever Expanding Resource Pool

What That Means:

Conveniently accessible growing support

You own a gun range facility and are considering management software. You’ve probably come across several names. Have you found a support system hub of guides to read? Instructional videos to digest at your time and live monthly webinars to engage with about questions regarding your shooting range facility? Seamless means consistent. So, it would be rather silly for a seamless management software to not have a seamless support system at your access. We welcome you to learn all that you may wish to indulge at our support center.

The seamless process of any management software keeps on elevating, evolving into a better format for their users. We abide to that philosophy of an ever-growing business model. EZFacility never stops growing and neither will its resource pool.

2. A Flourishing Community

What that means:

Independent clients who can personalize their experience by your standards are satisfied clients.

Here’s an example of a fictional Fire Arm range doing membership management software right. Nathan is the owner of Purple Elk Gun Club. He wants to bring more independence into his client community so he switches to a software that includes Member Self-Service. Nathan’s clients can now book shooting range classes, lessons, pay bills and update their contact info, from the convenience of their own computer, tablet, or phone. Member Self-Service is just one of the many features that build up a community. Some other benefits include:

Some other benefits include:

  • Automated e-mail and text alerts to trainers and instructors of bookings and cancellations
  • Ability For Clients To Book Directly From Your Website
  • Prevent members with outstanding balances from utilizing self-service features

Nathan knows the benefits of management software shouldn’t just make it easier for himself but for his clients and staff as well. For more insight on our Member Self-Service, we invite you to watch our webinar: Redesigned Self Service.

1. More Time For YOU!

What that means:

More time for you.

Selecting a streamlined shooting range management software cuts away excess time that paper and pen can conjure up on a daily basis. Our clients notice the difference. Take a look at what our clients have to say.


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3 Ways Climbing Can Surge Up Teamwork.

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For every key I type there is a small sting in the “distal phalange” of my fingers. In other words, each and every joint in my fingers are aching. And you know what? For the story and team bonding experience that I am about to share—it is totally, absolutely, 100% worth it.
So, here’s the gravity of the situation. Before I was a master of fearing heights, I was a veteran of never turning down the opportunity to spend time with others. Part of having a detail oriented filter is this urge to learn more, from both myself and the people around me. So, who was I to say no, I don’t want to do this awesome thing that could potentially open my perspective? I said yes before I could remember what yes means and then spent the remainder of days dreading my amiable tendencies.
But I climbed. I climbed a fifteen-foot wall. A tanned fifteen-foot wall stapled with brightly coloured stones, some in the shapes of dinosaurs—and others, just stones. I would soon come to identify these as holds. I learned the name as our instructor waved his hand along a path of said coloured stones and said “each hold has a colour grade and route.” He proceeded to explain that the colour hold you start with helps determine your route for as far as you can go.
So, for example, you choose a green hold, you should ideally reach for nothing but more green holds. My mind has a detail oriented filter (as I’ve mentioned) so learning how much colour and design is put into indoor climbing was pretty impressive. Some holds looked like flaming heads and some looked like turtle shells. However, colour coded holds are not the part of this story that I will be detailing further. This was just an opener to explain how there’s so much more to climbing than a surface observation. What it takes to climb is courage, confidence, trust, and most of all, good teamwork because when you climb, you don’t climb alone. It takes teamwork. Yes. It takes two to climb.

Be the Belayer. Support Your Team.

To climb, there must be two people, each with a role and title. The first, naturally, is the climber. This is the one who embarks on a journey upward. The second, is the belayer. This lucky penny is responsible for pulling a rope connected to the climber as they climb.
The more rope the belayer has under their arms, the safer the journey down for the climber when they choose to descend. It sounds easy in theory, but in action, quite stressful, yet exceptionally rewarding. Being the belayer is being both a physical and mental cheerleader for the team. Each pull on the rope is a cheer of support for your colleagues. The more support given to your colleagues the quicker they can reach their goals and also recover from any fall.

Be The Climber. Trust Your Team.

As the climber, I constantly felt the rope of my harness pulling back, ensuring my safety as I slowly reached higher and higher. It was a noticeable pulling sensation at first and then it became a second thought as I continued to climb. Later I realized that was trust. Reaching ahead towards your goals without looking back but knowing there is someone there to help.
Of course, we all have our moments of doubt that suddenly come back full force. When I reached the top it happened, I froze and my mind went blank. There was nothing I could do alone because the next step for me was to lean away from the wall as if I was…. you guessed it, falling. Except I wouldn’t fall. The rope being pulled by my belayer slowly, safely reeled me down and I felt like a bird safely floating on a tree branch. It felt easy. With trust teamwork is easy. Though full disclosure, I didn’t lean back immediately after reaching the top, but after an experience of good sound teamwork, there will be no hesitation.

Be The Volunteer. Motivate Your Team

You already know, I wasn’t on board with climbing in the beginning and I probably would have never tried it on my own. But there was something that made me agree to try and that was the enthusiasm of my friend who asked me. My friend the volunteer. It was through their energy that I agreed to partake in an experience that would completely enhance the bond between us.
So what’s the message here? It’s to be the volunteer. Be the one who ventures and asks and occasionally dares. Rock climbing is not the obvious solution to stronger team building but it is a good example of those looking for new team building activities. From freeze tag to charades, there’s a chance you’ve played a game that tests the bond between you and your coworkers. While you may think the best way to enhance that bond is to keep playing the same game, the better solution is to instead try something completely new. New experiences and challenges help us improve our skills, so why not add “rock climber” to your team player description? It’ll surely stand out on any resume!

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4 Ways You Can Turn Your Facility Into A Summer Oasis

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You’ve been there, walking in a world that’s basically the inside of an oven. And when the world is an oven, just about every place that’s cool is a refreshing break from the heat. With that in mind, turning your facility into a place to escape the heat can bring in a bit of summer profit.

So…how? Remember the second step in our Blog 5 Ways To Overcome Gym Membership Retention Challenges? That’s right, incentives and rewards. The simple act of giving a small gift can do member retention wonders and we’re going to revisit that idea but this time, under the lens of a summer season perspective.

Advertise your water

Water. Water. Water. It’s important more than ever to stay hydrated in the summer but still, we can often forget that. We go on trips without a beverage and we feel it just about everywhere in our body. When you’re craving water, you need it, now. If I was thirsty while walking in the summer heat, I’d run to the nearest water fountain or bottled water provider. In the season of scorching heat, a nice sign outside your center advertising water could very well drive some local joggers into your facility. Heck, you could do a free water period for members to encourage and reward your clients.

Summer Merch Sales

When summer is around, having an extra pair of everything is almost a necessity for anyone. There are two great experiments to try if you have merchandise to sell at your facility. The first is the opportunity for a sale on winter and fall items and the second is a tactic to increase audience engagement. The summer sale on winter merch is self-explanatory. Select which out of season products you wish to discount with the intent of retaining clients for the colder seasons now that they’ve bought workout clothes with your business on it as a reminder. There are endless approaches to a sale of course. You could even go a step further and attach discounted memberships for the fall/winter seasons if clients spend a select amount on your merchandise. Now the step to increasing audience engagement would be to make the summer sale accessible to members who sign up for a particular class or new members.

Free Giveaways Through Engagement

When it’s free, it’s got someone’s attention. Let’s say you have 100 t-shirts you’d like to get rid of. Put up a sign saying you’ll give them out for free to the first 100 people on a Monday. If they’re a member add a discount to upcoming classes along with the shirt. If they’re new, ask for their contact info in exchange for the free shirt . But let’s say only 50 people entered your facility on Monday so you still have 50 shirts left. Repeat your giveaway strategy to Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday but limit your supply of shirts to 10 each day. It is now Friday and you have 20 shirts left so you decide to raffle 10 to the your members and 10 to new members who previously gave their contact info. By the end of the week, you have no more t-shirts and a handful of leads to reach out to during the colder seasons.

Introduce an R&R Space

When your work out you’re not just thirsty. You’re hungry and tired and not every facility is going to have a café running inside it or a place to lounge for a few minutes. (If your facility does happen to have a café inside, share on social media #EZDoesIt and we’ll share it on our Twitter and Facebook pages!) However, the presence of a separate station for food and drink can boost the interest level among clients. If there’s no room in your facility to make a rest stop, advertise your facility as a delivery friendly location. (Sounds like the perfect time to team up with some of your local eateries near your facility!) Build a connection going and turn your spot into a place people go to workout and relax. When summer arrives, it can be quick—so there’s no time to lose! Be the first fit summer oasis spot in your town!

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Your Resource Guide To Package Plans

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What is the New Package Plans feature?

For those of you who were using our older Package Plans, you were basically going in and filling out all the necessary information: from the number of sessions to the dates and time, pricing, etc. All information basically needed to be filled out at the time of sale.

The updated Package Plans feature changes that process. Our Redesigned Package Plans will allow you to preset your usual package details prior to selling, so when it does come time for the sale—it’s ready and done—in just a few steps.

How is the new Package Plans feature?

It’s a great improvement compared to what you’ve been used to. The benefits of the new Package Plans eliminates a lot of steps during the sale, which was the goal when designing the updates to the new Package Plans feature. More steps when setting up, less steps when selling. That is our goal with Package Plans.

What can you expect from the New Package Plans feature?

  • Speed improvements
  • Ability to set end dates and auto calculate the package length
  • Bug fixes brought to our attention during the opt-in period
  • Documents can be added to packages
  • Clients can agree to the document during the sale of the package
  • Members can sign documents electronically using signature pad, touch screen, or mouse
  • Capability to effortlessly create predetermined plans using a 2-3 step wizard • Ability to quickly sell packages using a 3-step wizard
  • Flexible billing installment possibilities for your clients
  • Enhanced recurring package options
  •  Newly added option for unlimited sessions
  • Refreshed look & feel

If you have any questions or would like an overview, absolutely feel free to reach out to our support who will be more than happy to walk you through the new Package Plan. We also recommend watching our webinar: Package Plans Feature for a quick visual guide.

We want to ensure that everyone is comfortable with the updated Package Plans feature.

-The EZFacility Team

 For more support info, click above!

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3 Tips When Marketing to Moms

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Here’s a marketing 101 mistake. Focusing the bulk of your time on mastering the art of your company’s services while spending very little time getting to know your audience. The result of this approach may bring forth a basket-full of good marketing materials with no specific audience to address. In marketing, a connection is vital. Without one, the project has neither beneficial use nor significant reach. It could be something as in depth as a live performance or as simple as offering a timely promotion, but if it doesn’t connect to the right audience the success is a guaranteed low mark result. So how do moms fit into this picture? Well, moms have a lot of say in the places they’ll send their children and most of that decision depends on the human connection a mother feels between a business. If a youth based facility or a facility with youth programs supports the following values in their marketing campaigns, they are sure to make a strong impact with mom.

Be Sincere

Remember, to create captivating content, you first must know the audience member you’re trying to reach. Mom’s value honesty. In their children, family and friends, so. being an authentic voice will attract them to your business. A trustworthy connection with your audience should be an action of intention to create a sense of comfort for the mothers you are targeting. The most brilliant piece of writing material with compelling high quality photos won’t draw in moms if the content doesn’t have a concise and clear message.

Be Swift

Mom likes getting right to the point and they want that point to be short and sweet. The bolder, more straightforward the message, the better for mom because she has a lot of things to do. In fact, according to a Pew Research study, moms have less leisure times than dads, so is the length of your message is incredibly valuable. If you need recommendations of presentation length, a study from the Pew Research Center for Excellence in Journalism reports that the most popular videos online range from 2-5 minutes, so it’s best to keep presentations within that time frame. For example, we filmed a video featuring Wendi Bulkley, Director of Washington City Community Center, reviewing our Community Center Software at 3 minutes and 2 seconds. (Hi Wendi, if you’re reading!)

Be You and Be Brave About It

What makes your facility exclusive from say the public pool? Once you discover the specialty of your facility, make sure to carry that uniqueness into your project. For example, let’s say there’s a facility called Amazing Tigerjaw Climbing School for grades 5-8 and it’s all the rage with local children. A mother named Anna has two kids, one in fifth grade and another in seventh grade, who want to go, but Anna is hesitant. To assure mom’s like Anna, Amazing Tigerjaw shares their safety standards on both their website and social media, as well as photos and videos of their sessions in accordance to their safety standards to confirm a balance of fun and safety. To make sure Anna and all their current and potential clients see this,, Amazing Tigerjaw also places their safety policy on the front of their website and at the end of every email they send out with a handy Marketing Tool.

Although the example is fictional, a facility that showcases a strong awareness of safety will have a real impact on moms. It will make them feel both comfortable and satisfied, knowing their child will be safe while having fun! And you’ll be having fun as well because having a mom as a client is having a client who values your business and you!

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Are Administration Tasks Occupying Too Much Of Your Time?

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Congratulations! You have achieved the dream of opening your own gym or personal training facility. Your initial marketing campaign was such a success that your membership numbers have gone through the roof and many of your fitness classes are oversubscribed. It all sounds wonderful, however, as your business grows unfortunately so does the administration and tasks. Administration tasks that can take you away from offering first class support to help your members achieve their fitness goals. It’s great to be kept busy by clients on the increase, signing up and joining classes but there is a price to pay if it all becomes too overwhelming. The wheels of progress can collapse in two ways:

1) The administration tasks become overwhelming and this results in mistakes.
– Too many clients turn up for a class due to incomplete bookings for previous clients, resulting in a double booking and therefore not enough space for everyone.
– So either you allow everyone to participate anyway – even though there are too many clients – resulting in a cramped, stressful environment. Or you have to turn away some clients even though you were meant to have booked them in – and again they’re stressed,
– Or maybe you’re letting clients in without a package by mistake so they are attending classes without sufficient monitoring. So clients end up coming to classes without paying. There was frequent rescheduling but the action wasn’t sufficiently monitored enough so the class ends up being surprisingly empty.
2) The other scenario is you’re on top of the administration tasks but it’s taking you forever and stopping you from actually leading those fitness classes or guiding your members to reach those fitness goals you helped them set when they joined your facility.

In the April edition of Gym Owner Monthly Magazine, Gym Owner of the month – Nick Pugliese from Bornefit – listed one of the main reasons for the success of his new facility is because they know their members on a personal level and create a family atmosphere within the gym that urges people to come and train.

However, it is possible to be up to date on your admin without it taking over your life while still engaging with your customers and ensuring they feel welcome at all times. If you give clients a way in which they can book their own classes or personal training sessions online, or through a mobile app, then they are in total control of scheduling themselves. Not to mention all of that time spent in administration tasks is now back on your side for however you see fit!

Using EZFacility’s self-service module or branded mobile app can get you there. Our clients can see what classes you are offering, how many spaces are available based off the maximum class numbers that you set and book into the ones that suit them. When a class is full, it’s full – no double bookings! No crammed classes!

You may be thinking how a ‘family feel’ of a facility stays intact if clients are not engaging with anyone when they are making a class reservation? Well, with the branded mobile app you can share facility information, photos and videos to keep your clients informed as well as sending “Push Notifications” to update clients about class availability, recent news, events and more. Keeping that family feeling 24/7 rather than whenever members pop in. Furthermore, you can create virtual coupons and market current promotions to your clients. What better way to keep engaged with your clients in the modern day at any given time!