Creating a better community
I am working at a new country club that has a nice gym (cardio and strength equip, group x, spin, yoga, personal trainers), spa, golf course, tennis, and dining. I’d like to introduce some new programs to develop a community among the members and to generate some extra revenue. I have a few ideas already in mind but would love to hear about success from other clubs.
Hi Andrew,
I would add some sort of fitness programming that involves families and their children….that could open up a new avenue for you and achieve a sense of community.
Some sort of fitness challenge with a greater community purpose could also be a good idea for you. I also like Nancy’s idea of workshops.
Best,
Christine
I am somewhat familiar with your area, having grown up in DC, and having worked in fitness there for about 10 years. I suspect your population has more money than time. To that end I imagine it will not just be a question of what sorts of programs you offer, but how flexible you are with timing, and how well you are able to figure out who wants what when.
One thing you might do is look into various stress reduction modalities. I remember having clients I had to see before 6 am as they never knew how late they were working. I assume you have massage, but you might consider offering gong baths and see how people like them. They are offered at several places I work, and they are often sold out. It is basically a technique to use sound to create a sense of relaxation and mental clarity. No water involved 🙂
Do you do cooking lessons and tastings? There is little that brings people together more than food. I would also assume your population is fairly image conscious and might appreciate a lecture from a nutritionist or healthy recipe demo.
One of the things I talk about when I work with people on mindfulness is the need to address the whole person, and to create balance between the different aspects of self… physical, emotional, cognitive, creative, social…I often offer visual arts projects in my workshops. I particularly like having people create mandalas… it is a meditative activity and a creative one at once. If you wanted to do something that is a purely social event , but like the idea of creativity you could host a painting party. These are enormously popular right now. And of course, you could have your trainers on hand to give tips, and your massage therapists, and your kitchen staff…
Good luck with this. It is great that you are trying to build energy while thinking creatively.
It would be awesome to get input from the club’s members if you could. SurveyMonkey or Google Forms would allow you to send out a survey asking about program interest. If you have some type of email or contact list through the club, this becomes even easier to do. I suppose you could always go with an old school method and post some type of announcement in a bulletin, mailer, or flyer as well. It’s always better to ask first and even if you don’t get a big response, maybe you get a general direction. Good luck!