As a long time educator, I’ve learned some lessons that have been very valuable to me as I added ‘Cycling Instructor’ to my resume. One of the things that I’ve learned over my years in education is how much my students and parents appreciate being connected to what’s going on in the classroom. In addition, my students are made to feel like they are a part of a family. Getting to know each and every one of them on a personal level is a goal I have in my classroom each school year. It builds camaraderie and it lets them know that I care. In return, I’m greeted with happy parents and almost 20 beautiful smiling faces every day.
This concept can be translated into your indoor cycling class in several ways. Connecting with your students can be as simple as sending out weekly emails. Or if you’re really ambitious, you can connect by blogging or through your own personal website. Your options are limitless!
How many times has a student come to you after class and asked you , “Now, which days/times do you teach”? Even though it’s surely posted on every wall in the facility. How often do you hear, “Wow, I loved that one song, what was it”? Or “I wish I had known class was cancelled-you added a class-you were subbing for so and so.”
Your students want to know what’s going on, and the easier you make it for them to get that information, the more they are going to appreciate it. In return, you WILL see your class size grow.
If you have a computer and five minutes a week, you’ll be off to a positive start. Here are a few simple ways that you can connect with your students:
Weekly Emails:
Bring a sign up sheet on a clipboard with you to class and ask your students for their email address if they would like to receive updates and important information regarding your class.(Of course let them know that you would never share their information with anyone first.) As new members join and become consistent in your program, they will appreciate the connection, so keep that clipboard in your gym bag at all times. Every so often, make an announcement to see if anyone would be interested in receiving emails. If a member comes to you with a question about your classes or teaching schedule, suggest that they join your email list.
Send out a mass email once a week. In the email give your students information about any closings or cancellations or special classes that you might be teaching that week. Your students will also appreciate the heads up when you’ll be subbing for another instructor or if another instructor will be filling in for you.
If it’s a slow news week in your cycling world, add in a link to a good article about indoor cycling or a funny clip or picture.
If you have your weekly playlists on iTunes or Spotify, add a link so your students can have a listen.
It doesn’t have to be elaborate, but I promise you-your students will appreciate you for it!
Connecting Through Facebook:
Facebook Groups
You can easily create a group through Facebook where members can post, share and ask questions about your indoor cycling program.
Creating a Facebook ‘Group’ is really pretty simple. If you have a Facebook account, click on ‘Groups’ under the ‘Applications’ menu on the left side of your home page. Enter your group information and invite members from a list of your Facebook friends.
You have the option of keeping your group private or open to the public. Facebook members that are not already your ‘friends’ can search your group and request to be added to it.
You can customize who can post on your group page, but it’s fun to keep it open for all group members to post.
You can add photos and links to your Facebook groups. This is a good place to post your cycling playlists for your students to view.
Facebook Pages
A Facebook ‘Page’ differs from a Facebook ‘Group’ in that it allows only the page administrator (you) to post. It is open to the public and anyone that ‘Likes’ your page can see your updates on their newsfeed. It is not as interactive as a ‘Group’, but still a great way to get information to your students. Page administrators (you) can also track your page’s activity.
To create a Facebook ‘Page’: Go to this link which will take you to the Facebook page wizard. It will lead you through the steps and you will have your very own page in no time! You can view my Facebook page here.
If you’re feeling ambitious, here are a few other ideas for staying connected:
Of course you could always create your own blog or website. I originally created my blog, Chrispins, with my students in mind. And while they still check it out, it has really blossomed into place where I communicate with other instructors around the globe.
If you’ve never checked out FitGuru, it is a good (free!) tool for communication with your students as well. It takes a little bit of time to set up, but once you have it rolling, it is quick and easy to maintain your site. It allows you to easily email all of your members with the click of a button and you can post your teaching schedule there along with important news.
If you are not already connecting with your students in some way, give one of these ideas a try and see the difference it can make in your classes.
How do you communicate with your students? Are you already using some of these methods or do you use a method that I did not mention?
If you are interested in improving your class numbers or making your studio more profitable, I feel Chef Ramsay could help a lot… let me explain.
On the remote chance you have never seen his TV show (he must have over a dozen to date) Chef Gordon Ramsay is a very successful and very foul mouthed Celebrity Chef who makes his on-screen living criticizing other Cooks, Chefs and Restaurant owners. He's also very successful restaurant owner in real life. I'm certain that the producers of any show he appears need to hire an extra hand, who's sole job is to hit the “Bleep” button until their index finger is bloodied and bruised.
And yet his shows are very popular and have been for years. I have to say I find Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares (either the BBC or US versions) very entertaining once you understand his objective for each episode of the show; saving a troubled or near bankrupted restaurant from failure through brutal honesty. NOTE: The BBC versions are a little lot more foul than those produce for the US markets. Language Warning on the video below
Each episode of Nightmares follows the similar ebb and flow of most any dramatic TV show or movie for that matter:
Intro: Chef Ramsay is called in save some floundering restaurant and his first action is to sit and be served as a normal customer. Inevitably he finds his meal un-editable which sets the stage for…
Initial Confrontation: Ramasy confronts the Owner, the Chef, wait staff and anyone else he can find over the poor quality of the food + (take your pick) the service, decor, prices, etc… His next step is…
Observation: “Let's see this F*&#&^% place in action” has Ramsey observing the operation of the kitchen and dining room service to get an understanding of where the problems lie. This tends to be one of my favorite parts of the show, especially when he finds rotting food in some dark, walk in freezer.
Candid summation of the problem: Like many reality shows, Ramsey appears outside the restaurant and speaks directly to the camera, offering what is clearly visible to all of us watching… “The place is all F$%#@& up” delivered with a very sullen expression and a less than an optimistic appraisal of his chances for turning the business around.
After watching a half dozen or so shows, it's obvious that the problems the restaurant is experiencing fall into one these general catagories:
Owner/Chef Un-Professional Arrogance – “I serve my customers what I want to serve them.”
Owner denial – “problem? I don't have any problems…” as he or she stands in an empty dining room at half past 12:00.
Lack of business / managerial experience – being a good Chef doesn't make you a good business person.
Not truly understanding and then delivering what customers want – typically based on what can only be described as willful ignorance
Proposed Solution: Here Ramsey lays out his proposed solution. It maybe a new menu or cooking method that he feels will address the problems that he sees. In most episodes everyone seems to agree, which sets up the…
Second Confrontation: Whether by design, or simply human nature, someone refuses to go along with the suggested changes. This is by far my favorite part, but it typically includes a lot of Bleeping. Here Ramsay gets to the real reason for most, if not all, of the what's causing the trouble in this business. Time and time again, what Ramsey has to shout, swear and yell his way past is the defensiveness of the person who needs to give up the excuses, swallow their pride and accept responsibility for the current state of the restaurant.
Acceptance of the Solution: After Ramsey has successfully broken down the walls of; arrogance, insecurity, stubbornness, etc… that are ruining the business, everyone is finally on-board with his new changes.
With the new menu and other changes in place, Ramsey stages an event to “Re-Brand” the restaurant to the community. This is crucial to a profitable future, as the success of any local business is word of mouth! There's a very good reason no one is eating there and bold action is needed to inform past customers that there have been substantial changes. “Please try us again!”
Rebirth of optimism: It worked! The atmosphere in the restaurant is buoyed by a now full dining room of happy customers and a till full of money. Better days are ahead as Ramsey makes one final statement to the camera before walking off to save another restaurant.
Happy (sometimes) Ending: Much like a recovering alcoholic who's fallen off the wagon, the strong personality of an entrepreneur is difficult to change and then maintain, without slipping back into old habits. This sets up a whole other series of shows where Ramsey returns to steer the business back on course yet again.
It took me a while to understand why I (and obviously quite a few others) like Chef Ramsay. Despite his foul mouth, abrasive personality and endless arrogance he demonstrates a refreshing belief in the capability of the people he's trying to help. Every expletive laced criticism, accusation or heated confrontation he delivers is based on his honest belief that the recipient can do better.
By now, I'm guessing that you have figured out where I see a potential similarly between a struggling restaurant on Kitchen Nightmares and a class or studio with consistently low attendance. Winter is coming for many of us and your chance to Re-Brand your class if necessary is right now! If you are frequently looking out over a room with empty cycles, can I suggest that you watch a few episodes? Chef Ramsay doesn't just show up by accident, someone sent out a request for his help. Pay attention to the disconnect between the reality of the situation and the early behavior of the business owner. And then decide if any of this could apply to your situation.
I'm going to follow this up with a few ideas on how you could find your own version of a “Chef Ramsay” next week.
ICI/PRO members Zack and Joey record their first podcast as part of the ICI/PRO team.
Both Joey and Zack are master indoor cycling instructors, and they both currently race and actively ride outdoors.
Take some time and listen to Joey and Zack as they lay out their vision for the future of the ICI/PRO Podcasts and how this unique tool can help you to elevate your indoor cycling teaching career.
ICI/PRO member Joey, a Cycling Fusion Master Instructor and routine contributor to The Weekly Ride on ICI/PRO, delivers a ride. THIS IS THE COMBINED FILE THAT INCLUDES THE MUSIC AND THE VOICE. IT IS NOT AVAILABLE ON ITUNES.
What an exciting day, this is our first ride recording. We will certainly get better at the audio, but you should still find this enjoyable. Take a few moments to listen to my ride. The instructions for the audio files are below.
Meet Dave Goss – Graduate student and Indoor Cycling Instructor at the University of Florida!
While working on his music education graduate degree at U-Florida, Dave enrolled in the college's group fitness instructor development program. There he earned his AFAA Primary Group Fitness Certification and then completed his Schwinn Indoor Cycling Certification. Now Dave has scheduled classes at both the colleges rec centers 🙂
Dave originally responded to my request for Instructors who teach at both Big Box and Boutique Studios. He asked if I would be interested in learning more about what it's like to teach in a college – to college students, which of course I was.
My biggest surprise during the interview? When Dave explained how his early AM cycle class is very popular! My experience with college kids is they all (given the chance) will sleep to noon. Listen to the interview to learn who, exactly, he's riding with @ 6:15 in the morning.
Here's the to our free Podcast.
You can connect with Dave through his multiple social media platforms:
FREE ICI/PRO PODCAST: What an exciting day, this is our third ride recording. ICI/PRO member Amy Smith, a Cycling Fusion Master Instructor and routine contributor to The Weekly Ride, delivers a ride.
“This is a race week. On this course I have less hills so we have to keep them on target in the saddle pushing to zone 4 with some high zone three's for them to catch a drink or two. As always allow them to ride their own ride /race to be at their own pace. Hope you enjoy the ride.” Amy
As a long time educator, I’ve learned some lessons that have been very valuable to me as I added ‘Cycling Instructor’ to my resume. One of the things that I’ve learned over my years in education is how much my students and parents appreciate being connected to what’s going on in the classroom. In addition, my students are made to feel like they are a part of a family. Getting to know each and every one of them on a personal level is a goal I have in my classroom each school year. It builds camaraderie and it lets them know that I care. In return, I’m greeted with happy parents and almost 20 beautiful smiling faces every day.
ICI/PRO members Zack and Joey record their first podcast as part of the ICI/PRO team.
