The saying that size matters is ingrained in many of us (gutter brains all of you!). As fitness instructors, we are no different. We’re programmed to measure our own value and quality by how large our classes are. We often hear, “Wow, her classes are huge! She must be an awesome instructor!” Therefore, when someone’s class numbers are consistently low, we tend to think the opposite. While this may be the case, class size can sometimes be misleading.
For example, certain locations will be limited by room/studio size so classes have to remain small as a result. More intimate classes may actually suit some instructors better. As long as participants keep coming back, one can feel confident that he or she is doing something right. People often think that teaching to a large class is harder than teaching to a small one but I disagree. Big groups tend to have a natural energy about them that makes it easy to feed off of when teaching so it takes significant motivational and interpersonal skills for an instructor to generate enthusiasm when instructing a small number of participants.
Capacity issues aside, there are also several legitimate reasons why an instructor’s class numbers may be low. If you are struggling with this problem, ask yourself the following questions:
1. Is my class a brand new format to the location?
New fitness formats often have to be marketed and promoted extensively in order to get participants to try them, especially if you are also a brand new instructor to that facility. A bootcamp or yoga class, for example, is often an easy sell because members generally know what they are getting, but something like BollyX may present a challenge since it is relatively new to the fitness scene and many of us in the BollyX community have faced (or will face) the task of having to find ways to increase class participation. In general, it takes time for a new class to grow or for an instructor to build a following so it is particularly important to allow at least 3 months before making an assessment of how successful either has been.
If you are looking for help on how to promote your new group fitness class, consider talking to your group fitness manager (or facility manager if you teach at an alternative location like a community center) about putting up flyers that give an exciting description of what participants can expect (most formats will provide marketing materials to help you do just that!). You can also suggest a campaign where members who try a certain number of new classes win a prize. Offering free demos and collaborating with other instructors is also a great way to generate awareness. For example, it’s a good idea to take other people’s classes to 1) learn from them and 2) foster relationships with your peers. If they teach a similar format to yours, they may invite you to teach a couple of songs in their class, which is a great way to promote yourself. However, be careful not to ask others if you can teach in their classes. Wait for them to offer, but if they don’t, try not to take it personally and respect their right to run their class as they wish.
2. Am I scheduled to teach during an unpopular time slot?
This can make it very difficult for any instructor to increase participation. For example, if your class is scheduled at 3pm in a largely corporate location, you may never be able to get more than a handful of participants. However, a group fitness manager may be wary of offering a prime time slot to a brand new instructor or format so this is your opportunity to rock your class and prove your worth even if you only get one or two people attending. It can be difficult to motivate yourself to teach a small class and I often see people give less effort in such situations. This may be the biggest mistake one can make. First of all, it’s disrespectful to the few who do attend and secondly, it’s just not good business practice. Word of mouth is your friend. If you teach the best you can to the few who show up, and put effort into giving them a good experience, they are much more likely to return and give you a good review. Even more importantly, they may bring friends and colleagues to your next class! We all start somewhere and ultimately, if you prove yourself to be a professional who teaches well no matter what, you will impress your group fitness manager who may eventually promote you to a better time slot in the group fitness schedule.
3. Am I scheduled to teach at the same time as another more established instructor with a similar format?
A good group fitness manager will never make this mistake but it does happen! If you are scheduled to start teaching BollyX at the same time that another popular instructor teaches dance fitness, you may find yourself fighting an uphill battle to grow your class. It’s also unwise to create a situation that cannibalizes one’s potential customer base; if someone enjoys taking Zumba for example, they are highly likely to take other dance fitness classes as well so rather than pit them against each other, it makes much more business sense to offer members the opportunity to attend all of them. If this situation applies to you, it may be prudent to discuss the issue with the group fitness manager. However, try to approach him or her in a positive manner, focusing on solutions rather than complaining about the problem. For example, you could suggest changing the schedule so that you could attend the other instructor’s dance class to support him/her vs having a conflict of teaching at the same time. This tactic will help you establish yourself as a professional and collaborative team member.
4. If you are teaching at a gym, is the membership base low?
You can’t be expected to pack a class at a facility that doesn’t have a large membership base to begin with. This was a problem I experienced when I was offered a Zumba class at a brand new fitness facility. After a couple of months teaching to about 3 or 4 regulars during a prime time slot, I discovered that the gym was struggling to gain new customers. It took over a year for my class to grow along with the membership base. You can determine whether you are experiencing a similar problem by taking a look around the gym before your class is scheduled to start – are there lots of people using the machines or walking to other classes? Or are there only a few members around? You may be able to market yourself at a location that allows drop-ins at a competitive rate but generally speaking, unless a gym has a broad membership base, you may not be able to attract more than a few people to your class.
If none of the above apply to you, then maybe you could consider….
Are my class numbers low because of ME?
In short…maybe. And that’s ok! Don’t let that get you down. Let it be the fire that sparks your drive to grow as a fitness professional. We don’t all start out by packing a room full of people – in fact, as I mentioned earlier, most of us start out very small, working over months and even years to improve as instructors and build a following. Ask for feedback from members, but also from the group fitness manager or a veteran fitness instructor. Be humble and hungry to learn. Even instructors who currently teach to packed classes once was a beginner putting in hours of work. With the current proliferation of formats in the fitness industry that provide instructors with no prior experience a license to teach, ANYONE can teach a fitness class. But to teach a fitness class WELL takes long hours of good practice.
Tune in next week for a follow-up post where we discuss how to work on improving the way you teach to help you boost your class size!
Have any other tips on growing your class size? Agree or disagree with our article? If so, leave a comment and let us know!
About the Author: Dalia always dreamed that dance would play a major role in her life but as a “good middle eastern girl,” she never pursued her passion seriously and grew up spending hours learning dance moves from music videos and choreographing to Salt ‘n’ Pepa songs in her bedroom. After 10 years of working in Finance, she found herself succumbing to an unhealthy lifestyle and decided to get fit again by doing what she loved most. She is so thankful to BollyX for making her dream come true and is truly happy to be a part of the Regional Trainer Team.