How to Slay the Summer Slump!

STRATEGIES TO SLAY THE SUMMER SLUMP 

If the dreaded dog days of summer have your wallet looking empty or you’re feeling victim to your clients' vacations, some deep insights from Pros at our most recent Arrive Hive may help perk you back up! We reviewed seasonality trends across various disciplines (Hint: do booking patterns vary between Physical therapy patients - who may schedule differently than people working out with a trainer, whose behavior is different then folks who work with a massage therapist…? We’ll share those scheduling insights in an upcoming blog!)

The consensus from Pros with at least several seasons of experience is that, while there are key tactics to proactively reduce seasonal slumps (ie memberships, incentives, in-season referral programs,  remote sessions, outreach to clients who now have more time, and more) if your clientele does reduce time with you from June-August, rather than bemoan or expect a Summer slump, you can lean into it instead.  Reframe the reaction, and proactively train your brain to leverage time you can apply to: projects, travel adventures, leisure, creative time, etc.

Quick ideas to reduce seasonal slumps as an independent fitness + wellness professional:

• Shift to a membership/subscription model rather than a per-session model

• Extend discounts for new client bookings before Labor Day - sparking proactive action to offset those who’ll be away…

• …speaking of: organize remote sessions for traveling clients to help them stay accountable to their goals with you

• Ask for referrals from clients and pros, as you’ll have more time to meet and greet - and potentially onboard - any new clients

• Take steps to coordinate your ideal schedule - ie move folks who can routinely do off-peak times to open up your high-demand prime-time slots; block off your days off, stack clients back to back to make your day more effective, etc.

• Offer a time-based, discounted, summer-only package or series for new clients to increase bookings before Fall.
  

Ways that expert independent Pros at Arrive take advantage of a lighter summer schedule:

• Content Photo / Video shoots

• Outreach to old and new clients to track progress, make a plan for Fall, get them back on their schedule, etc.

• Revamp that Website or Socials

• Schedule a strategy session w/Jared, Arrive’s CEO, to plan for + improve your business in Q3 and Q4

• Vacation. Downtime. Travel. Nap.

• NYC Adventures - grab tickets to that show you’ve been meaning to see, soak in culture, make that reservation

• Update your pricing 

• Networking events, meets ups, activations, and socializing

• Continuing Education - it’s never a bad time to learn new skills

• Trades with Other Pros to learn about their work, boost your referral network, and get some expert self care

To practice what we preach, one of our own Summer projects at Arrive was the… 

LAUNCH OF THE ARRIVE SPOTLIGHT! 

We brought a diverse, dynamic group of independent fitness and wellness pros together to learn from two of our exceptional trainers and therapists! The spotlight is designed for Pros to share their background and experiences - not only physical techniques they train clients with in our well-designed space, but also business tactics, strategies, and tips they’ve learned in order to run a better business as an independent wellness professional.  

Anne-Marie Duchene and Conor Wagar gave an overview of their unique (Canadian!) backgrounds, as elite athletes and performance coaches (Cirque du Soleil and Junior Olympics, anyone?!), what got them into wellness, and who they are passionate about serving. 

We learned that transformations don't come lightly, but can be a powerful driving force for both Anne-Marie and Conor, who shared their hands-on techniques, evidence-based nutrition advice, and coaching structures they use with clients to help them not only meet their goals but to make a lasting impact in their communities. 

“Be in the verb of life. Take action!” said Anne-Marie, who went on to share that she’s built up her extended professional network by being a “big believer in networking. I talk about my work every chance I get. If I'm out having dinner, out dancing, at a party or a bar, I speak about the type of work that I do. There's always a connection that can happen - they become a client or connect me with someone else who does. With purpose, I’m active on social media, with intention: I respond to people in my environment or others, and I'll do things like leave a thought-provoking comment that supports them in their work. When i do that, they usually respond in kind, and the door is open. Oh - and I go to the gym, I go every day, and i always talk to everyone there!”

Attendees at the first ever Arrive Spotlight included Pilates teachers, Personal Trainers, Alexander Technique teachers, Physical Therapists, Neuro-feedback practitioners, group exercise instructors, Yoga pros, and more! We love to see the diversity, breadth, and depth of knowledge.

It was an inspiring session and we can’t wait for more!

Missed out? 

Next up this month! Learn how Jane VanderVoort and Arturo Pacas focus on their niche’s to bolster community and improve performance. 

BUILD EACH OTHER UP

We’re also slightly obsessed with Pros helping Pros - cause collaboration is way sexier than competition, right?! I mean, we love a little friendly competition, but NY is competitive enough, so here at Arrive, we build each other up. For fellow Pros, that looks like: doing Trades with each other, sharing client notes, actively sending well-suited Clients to others for expert sessions, and making active intros to boost referrals and build community.

HOT-TIP: The Triangle Intro

Ever try to connect two people only to wonder why they never actually reached out?

It’s a head-scratcher: a client says they have a friend they’ve been raving about you to,  you let them know you’d love to work with them at Arrive, you give them the green light to share your info, the client says they sent them your way… and…… crickets!
You never hear from them.

Well, here's one of our favorite simple but effective tips:  Send or ask for the triangle intro.  Simply have your client send an email/group text to both you and their contact, and say that you’ll take it from there (ie, schedule a discovery/intro call, book a first session, etc).

This simple technique for executing referrals has saved dozens of Pros approx. 6 months otherwise spent waiting for that new client to remember to reach out! We’re all busy, so make it easy to connect. Let your client know how to make an effective intro - and show them how you’ll take care of their peeps to make them look good in the process!

Want more of these insights and to meet some cool peeps?

Come to the next Arrive Hive:
Thursday, August 7th!
RSVP here. Bring a fitness friend!

Come to the next Spotlight:
Wednedsay, August 20th 1-2:30p
featuring Jane VanderVoort and Arturo Pacas. 
RSVP Required.

Show Up. Be You. Make Moves. 

“Be in the Verb of Life.

Take Action. Share your work with everyone.”
- Anne-Marie Duchene