Well I have secured a location at a college less then 10 minutes away from me. The cost is $39.30/hour. We are making the contract up to run from June - December. I do have the option of cancelling it if other things should occur (facility, move, etc). Seeing the contract made me realize I will be paying out $3K over the course of these 6 months. This is just for one time slot. If I add another slot, then the same rates apply.
These rates are 40% less then standard, but I am starting to worry about paying so much without a true client base yet. I have worked out to start June 16th and end first camp on July 18th. I then go to Russia from Jul 20-31. I am not paying for these dates. Upon return I hope to start camps again August 4th. I hope I dont lose momentum with a two week hiatus. I will setup auto emails to keep people aware and hopefully excited.
Jeez... that is not a really good set-up. That's an awful lot to pay for one hour-long time slot. Your travel is going to have a negative effect on the group too. I personally only plan boot camps when I know that I have a solid 8 weeks with little to no travel scheduled, and if I do, I have someone to sub for me so they don't lose their momentum.
I don't want to rain on your parade in any way, but I just wish you could find a better situation. Is it a fitness center that you have contracted to use?
If you buy some of your own gear (bands, sand bags, k-bells) all you need is a roof over your head for the occasional workout. Take that $3K you'll be spending over the next few months and invest it in equipment.
Also, what is your plan for building a client base? Do you have your calendar for the next few months already in place? You should have a sign-up period, a scheduled orientation, and a firm start date for each camp you run, and I would stagger them by a week or two each so you have a steady income stream of classes re-upping.
If your retention is at least 80% (what it should be to grow), then the big thing is to keep your marketing out there. Your biggest target to market is your existing boot camp. Give some sort of incentive (like a small price break) to your existing clients to refer their friends/family.
I don't want to rain on your parade in any way, but I just wish you could find a better situation. Is it a fitness center that you have contracted to use?
No its my college. Its an outdoor space, which is what I am looking for. Its a grassy area with a space of concrete next to their tennis courts. Not an area that they have ever leased out. The one thing that I see as truly great is the access to over 2K college students in the fall. Since they can just walk from their dorms to the field before class.
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Also, what is your plan for building a client base? Do you have your calendar for the next few months already in place? You should have a sign-up period, a scheduled orientation, and a firm start date for each camp you run, and I would stagger them by a week or two each so you have a steady income stream of classes re-upping.
Well I have a list of people that I know "know people." I have reached out to a few and they have said they will try to bring in certain people they think may be interested, in exchange for a free bootcamp (my offer). Well my calendar has changed recently trying to figure in this vacation and how that would work with bootcamps. Like you said I am worried that after the first round, the lack of contact and two week hiatus may do serious harm.
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What are your marketing plans?
Local media and word of mouth. Ive been trying to secure location before releasing anything to the papers. I didnt think it would seem too serious if it was "hey i am having an outdoor fitness group, but I dont know where yet."
It sounds like you will spend all that money and not get to make enough back to warrant your effort, especially since you're sabotaging your ability to really kick ass and follow through with your absence. Maybe you could at the very least get someone to sub for you while you are gone.
The free camps are a great idea. I hold a cmap one Saturday a month and i usually get 2-4 campers sign up just from them attending those free camps. I also make the camps available for my regular campers who might be wanting an extra workout or to make up for a missed session. Another really great idea is to hold a charity boot camp. This will get you ALOT of media attention, so have your press releases ready a month or so in advance.
Might be some good marketing for you, but not if you have to pay 40 bucks and hour.
Well I was thinking along the lines that since I cant use park space for profit, free shouldnt be a problem. Im going to contact to be sure. I am going to continue looking for space to see what comes about. I am going to go into the next town over as well (less then 3 minute drive from me).
i HAVE NEVER RAN A BOOTCAMP BEFORE AND WOULD LIKE ADVICE ON SETING ONE UP. i KNOW THE BASICS IF SETTING ONE UP BUT TO PROGRESSIVELY PUTTING A 12 WEEK ONE TOGETHER I AM NOT SURE OF THE SEQUENCE AND THE EXACT PROGRAM SETUP
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