What Clients Look for Before Signing Up for a Fitness Bootcamp

Fitness bootcamps have grown tremendously in popularity over the years. Bootcamps have proven to be a successful franchisable fitness business model and relatively inexpensive to start up. Many trainers and coaches provide training solely through bootcamps or use them to supplement their personal training business. Nonetheless, they are flexible methods of income and can be more worthwhile for the client in terms of their own fitness goals.

So what exactly is it about them that makes them so successful in attracting clients? In this article, we will break down what clients look for when on the hunt to join a fitness bootcamp.

What is a fitness bootcamp?

Fitness bootcamps host group workout sessions that mimic military-style circuit routines used in… that’s right… boot camp. The name is a pretty clear giveaway, but that does not give us any details about what specific exercises to expect out of bootcamps. In the civilian world though, fitness bootcamps vary greatly by theme.

At their core, however, they mostly consist of high-intensity calisthenics exercises, aerobic exercises, and any other form of bodyweight exercises. They use minimal equipment which makes them ideal for trainers to start with limited resources. This is also what clients look for in well-priced training programs. It requires less investment for them as well as the trainer.

You have probably seen exactly what I have just described in a local park or any other outdoor space. The clients probably look quite exhausted hurling kettlebells or tires while the trainer fires off commands and motivation left and right. All the while, the job looks like it’s getting done coming from the pained expressions and the sweat dripping from much more than just their brows.

Why do fitness bootcamps attract people? How effective are they?

Bootcamps have an uncanny way of getting those results for the clients who participate. They are effective for a few reasons.

People are first and foremost attracted to fitness bootcamp classes because they create a sense of community around exercise. This mimics the value of military bootcamps in working as a unit to reach goals instead of as the individual. Fitness bootcamps often have exercises that require you to rely on the other participants around you.

Support systems for weight loss and other health and wellness goals are one of the single most important factors to success. When people have others to reinforce the positive behaviors and hold each other accountable they are more likely to succeed.

Themed bootcamps are the key to marketing to a specified group of people and attracting a well-targeted audience. This factor will determine how and why clients become attracted to your bootcamp.

What do people want out of a fitness bootcamp?

Clients of fitness bootcamps typically want to lose weight and tone up. Many people just need some variation in their typical workout routine.

Clients want results. Many people are willing to work hard to get them, but they want and need an accountability partner and community. An example of a successful bootcamp is Fit Body Boot Camp. It has gyms across the country, and on its website, the testimonials are abundant. One unique, shining factor to the training program is their Facebook group where peers and Fit Body professionals are available 24/7 for support and mentorship.

In fact, Fit Body clearly designates its success to their methods of generating a sense of camaraderie and support for clients’ goals.

For Fit Body, marketing testimonials from clients with their before and after photos works well for their client acquisition. They provide physical proof that the program works. All potential clients have to do is see it to believe it.

However, this just depends on the theme of your bootcamp and how you advertise it. Ideally, you want to recruit clients who will become as invested in your bootcamp as you are. This means you will need to form good relationships with your clients in order for them to become your biggest advocates.

Word of mouth is wildly helpful in acquiring new bootcamp clients. People trust the recommendation of others more than anything. In fact, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family more than any other advertising. To go even further, they can also can see the physical and mental differences in their friends and family who participate in bootcamps.

What to Show for in Your Fitness Bootcamps

So now that we have covered the whys and the whats for clients, let’s talk about what you want to present for clients from your bootcamp.

To reiterate, clients want results. They want to invest in a program or class that will get them there, so it’s important to first establish credibility. This is where, once again, testimonials will come into play as well as your air of professionalism when managing clients.

Fitness bootcamps and programs in general are attractive for clients because of the structure and the consistency that they will be held accountable for. The structure can also actually make exercising fun and social.

This is where your theme comes into play that will help you to attract clients. Structure the bootcamp around an idea and a thought process that people in a specific target audience would follow to reach their fitness goals. This can mean you attract a group of people who all have the same specific goals in mind. For example, the theme of a bootcamp could be for singles who want to get back in shape before getting back into the dating game. The name of the bootcamp could say, “Single and cutting the Pringles.”

Or maybe something not so cheesy, but you get the idea. This is a way to gather a group of people around a unique, similar goal which is typically what brings people together anyways.

Flexibility with Fitness Bootcamps

People appreciate exercising outdoors and outside of the walls of a gym where judgment is given. It’s nice to enjoy the weather when it permits and outdoor workouts can be much more beneficial because of the fat-burning effects of the heat. There is a whole world of benefits for outdoor personal training.

Establish the level of fitness required for the camp. Clients look for bootcamps where they can fit in and keep up. It would not be beneficial for clients to sign up with an ultra-high intensity bootcamp where they feel unable and compare themselves to others. Therefore, it’s good to establish the level of fitness so clients can decide if it is a good fit for them.

Other clients are looking for variation in their workout routines. The best solution to keeping people interested in reaching their fitness goals is not letting exercise become monotonous. Which, it easily does! Bootcamps are unique for their variation in daily workouts. This requires you to be as creative as possible with the bootcamp your design.