5 reasons kids programs fail

In today’s marketplace, parents have more options than ever for kid’s fitness. From yoga to karate, soccer to gymnastics and even CrossFit, there’s something for every active (or inactive) child. With so much opportunity though, why are so many kids programs lagging behind the competition? Here are five simple reasons your kids program may not be as profitable as you’d hoped:

#5 The Wrong Coach

Many fitness studio owners opened their business to service adults. Adult programming is their expertise and makes up the majority of their revenue. So what happens when those same adult clients, start asking you to offer something for their kids. Many owners are quick to jump into kids’ programming -- often taking on the challenge themselves or asking a parent to assume the role of “coach.” The problem is, most of the time the most obvious person for the job can be the wrong choice. Owners are busy with managing adult classes to running the business, so a kids’ program often gets pushed aside and treated as “a little brother” to more established programs.

Similarly, just because someone is a parent, or a teacher for that matter, doesn’t mean they can coach kids. The right coach should be fun, exciting, relatable and engaging. They should also be knowledgeable and motivated for the program to succeed. Take a few weeks to try out different coaches and see who kids want to learn from. Look for who gets kids excited about their health and taking on new challenges. Then, provide that person with the tools to grow the program on their own. Many businesses use a “4/9 model” that allows coaches to make 4/9 of the total revenue generated in exchange for running the program. Responsibilities include programming, marketing, and planning events. Other ideas to motivate your point person include per-member-bonuses or contract renewal incentives. When your coach is kid-approved and has the freedom and motivation to the grow the program, you’ll be surprised at the change.

#4 The Wrong Programming

Offering the wrong programming for kids is often a side effect of having the wrong coach. Most coaches started out with adult clients, so when they’re asked to program for kids, they create the same programming just dumbed-down. Kids aren’t mini-adults. They’re an entirely different population with different motivations, limitations and needs.

Instead of concentrating on more complex movements (i.e. Olympic lifting) for your younger age groups (5-8 year olds), offer more simple ways to help them with agility, balance and coordination. Another mistake often seen in kids programming is programming that caters to star athletes. These students should have greater challenges, but the majority of kids aren’t star athletes. Many who will walk in your door are normal or underfit kids who will feel alienated by programming that feels too advanced. Your sweet spot should be programming that is more challenging than P.E. class but also more fun and engaging.

#3 The Wrong Pricing

Kids are their own marketplace. Don’t base your price in comparison to the adult classes you offer, instead your market analysis should include the prices of other options available to kids. Look into nearby martial arts programs, CrossFit Kids classes, gymnastics, club sports, etc. Get an idea of what parents are used to paying for kids’ programs and adjust. It’s also okay to offer special pricing to children of your adult clients.

#2 The Wrong Marketing

Word of mouth and looking within your gym are great ways to START marketing your program, but that’s just it -- these should be your first two steps, not the only ones. To grow a successful adult program you used your website, social media, flyers, and more to get the word out. Don’t skimp on marketing your new program and expect it to be a money maker. Invest in quality designed flyers and information. Parents notice these things more when it comes to their kids than when it comes to themselves. If parents see that your marketing doesn’t reflect attention to detail, how can they expect you have attention to detail when it comes to their child’s form and safety? Making your program look like it’s worth the cost and important to your brand.

#1 Not Enough Fun

Finally, the #1 most important reason kid’s programs fail is they aren’t enough fun. If your program feels like a second helping of P.E. class, kids are feeling left out during the games, or the workouts are so hard they can’t be enjoyed, you’ll start to notice a fall off in attendance. Kids won’t ask their parents to bring them to a class that they don’t like -- in fact they’ll probably beg their parents not to “make them” go.

Your top goal should be to make your kids classes somewhere kids want to be. They beg their parents to take them- even get bummed out when they can’t go! They don’t want to miss out on the fun warm-up you have planned or the game you made up for them. Fitness is a top priority, but your #1 priority is to make fitness fun. Doing so, sets kids up for a lifelong healthy relationship with the gym and exercise. It also sets your program up for a lifetime of success!