Is your business ready for the holiday period?
Have a 'rest of the year free' sale. This gets new customers onto direct debit before Christmas, and sets their first billing date in the first few weeks of January—that way, you're already starting to earn revenue at the start of the year and new members may be encouraged to join knowing they're not paying for the service over the Christmas break.
Take a good look at your staffing arrangements through an evaluation process. If redundancies need to take place or if new staff need to be recruited, have the necessary plans in place to action. Get prepared to start the New Year with the right people.
Celebrate the festive season with your staff—it's a perfect opportunity to thank them for their hard work, while building a good work culture.
Make sure you post information about your holiday operating hours and closures on your website or social media platforms so your customers aren't frustrated or disappointed that they can't reach you. Also ensure staff turn an appropriate out-of-office message on before they go on leave—sending around a template can be an easy way to make this happen.
For fitness-related businesses, develop a "New Year Campaign" that you can release in January to target new members who may have had a little too much Christmas cheer! While you're at it, review your new-member leads for the past six months to capture any opportunities to increase your membership drive.
If you operate 24/7, remind your members to arrange a 24/7 tag to ensure they can access the Club over Christmas/New Year. Also, encourage your members to keep their training going to stay motivated over the holiday period—automated SMS messages or emails are a good way to do this.
Look at what your key competitors are doing and if they're doing it differently. Check to see if you're competitive in terms of price and service. This will help you understand where you want to position your business in the New Year.
Plan a training session to deliver in the New Year for all staff and include a fun activity-filled afternoon to set goals and assure commitment levels are high. This can be really great for both business owners and staff.
Offer free programs or free PT sessions over the holiday period to keep your clients and member motivated. This will help you avoid suspensions or unexpected cancellations.
Line up a session with your staff for in the New Year to set goals for the year ahead. Ensure you combine business and personal development goals—a bit like a New Year's work resolution! Think about providing some incentives so staff hit the ground running.