2020 has changed the rules for a lot of things – and working out is for sure one of those. Clubs and other fitness facilities across the country are, for the most part, open and adapting to the new safety protocols and socially distanced classes. But what if many of your residents aren’t ready for that? What if they’re working from home and want to work out from home too? How can you best make use of your fitness facility and streaming content to create truly great experiences for your renters and residents on their very own doorstep? Read on.
The Two C’s – Clean and Communicate
Whatever the status of your physical fitness facility in the building, open, closed or operating under strict guidelines and reduced hours, you cannot over communicate with residents and renters. You’ll have followed CDC and government mandates to post information and updates throughout the building, but make sure you do the same for your on-site club too. Ensure residents know it’s cleaned all the time with EPA-certified disinfectants, that machines are socially distanced and when and where masks are absolutely required.
Use Virtual Fitness to Control Crowding
No building fitness facility can handle a rush or a crush of people trying to stay fit (and sane) at the same time in the same limited club footprint So help your residents find their favorite fitness classes and workout activities virtually instead – and control the numbers in your already socially-distanced fitness club. Market your content portfolio of classes and specialty workouts through email, in-lobby signage or direct flyer drops outside of apartment doors or in common areas, showing residents just what classes and workouts are available and how to easily access them over streaming devices and your building’s server.
Create Fitness Challenges and Engage Residents
Once residents are more familiar with accessing fitness content over their mobile devices and in-apartment TV’s (if that’s an offering in your building) think about creative content marketing. Virtual spin challenges during the Tour de France. Virtual marathons either in building or a building challenge “at” a national event. Market themed content weekly, bi-weekly or monthly and solicit feedback from your residents about how they’re using fitness content or taking part in activities to improve your efforts. As we go into the winter months, these forms of engagement will be even more critical.
Think Wellness not just Fitness
FitnessOnDemand’s content portfolio for multi-family buildings include a wide diversity of both fitness, and just as importantly, wellness content. Stress levels, depression and anxiety are all trending up across the nation, but focused wellness and workouts can help. Try recommending a daily seven minute short dose of meditation or yoga to residents to help them unwind or get their day started in a good state of mind. And as you do with fitness classes and workouts, make sure they know where to find and how to access mindfulness, wind-down, stretch and mind-body programming to help fight the anxiety that many are feeling.
Combine Virtual and Physical Fitness Offerings
Lastly, are there opportunities to bring your on-site physical fitness offerings closer to your virtual programming? If you’re conducting on-site instructor classes in your building – or were – can those instructors now conduct group fitness virtually. Encourage them to use the building’s or their own social media channels to stream “live” classes and fitness get togethers. Make those instructors available on your social channels and website to offer residents’ workout advice and answer questions anyone may have.
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