December is RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER… so I wanted to put together a complete checklist for you to help make sure that nothing falls through the cracks!
Alright, let’s dive into the December Checklist!
This is a HUGE time of year for your business.
What you do in December will determine if you…
#1. End the year on a high note – with no holiday lull, your clients and team motivated, and revenue UP!
#2. Enter 2019 with a rock-solid foundation and a clear plan for success.
At the same time, you need to make sure you give yourself the space to celebrate, reflect and recharge without feeling stressed and preoccupied.
Is that even possible? (Answer: Yes! It absolutely is!)
That’s where the power of PLANNING and SYSTEMS comes into play… and it’s why I put together a checklist to help you SIMPLIFY and STREAMLINE December.
***Remember, you don’t have to do everything on this list. These are just ideas!
Do what makes sense for YOU, your BUSINESS and your CLIENTS.
Get organized and then TAKE ACTION.
You’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish in such a short period of time if you focus!
Ok. Here we go…
MARKETING & PROMOTIONS CHECKLIST
- Get Testimonials and 2019 Commitments from Challengers. Finish up your current transformation challenge (if you’re running one) and make sure you get testimonials! (Consider giving them your New Year Challenge + a couple of other goodies for free with a 12-month commitment to your program for 2019)
- Set up a Charity Workout Series for the Holidays. This can benefit Toys for Tots, a local shelter, humane society, etc. This will help prevent the dreaded holiday lull by giving clients/members extra motivation to get in and do their workouts!
- Create & Schedule Seminars and Workshops. Possible topics include a “Beat the Bulge” Workshop, Holiday Survival Clinic, or a Goal-Setting Workshop.
- Post your holiday schedule. This lets your clients and members plan ahead and it helps build excitement.
- Plan Your 2019 New Year’s Challenge Marketing Strategy. Craft your social media posts, ads, marketing emails, and any other materials you need for promoting your New Year Challenge! (set deadlines to get this done.)
- Create Fitmas Gift Cards. These gift certificates for your services let your clients share the gift of fitness. You can market these not only to your clients but also their spouses and family members who might be looking for gift ideas! (****Check out 123keytags.com – they have some pretty cool stuff)
- Sell Holiday Packages. Bundle up some of your most popular services and offer them as a package (example: Assessment + 6 Personal Training Sessions + Kitchen Makeover).
- PRESELL 2019 Memberships / Your New Year Challenge!
DECEMBER CONTENT CHECKLIST
Get a jump on your content and get it written AHEAD of time! This is a perfect opportunity to create a holiday opt-in/lead gen sequence to bring in prospects for the New Year. Remember, with your content, it’s all about QUALITY vs. QUANTITY.
- Create a Holiday Gift Guide. Come up with a fun list of gifts for fitness enthusiasts at different price points.
- Offer Healthy Holiday Recipes or Swaps for not-so-healthy treats. Ask your members for input and give them credit when you publish.
- Holiday Survival Tips. Create a list of tips for getting through the holidays with less stress.
- Publish a “Maintain, Don’t Gain During the Holidays” Guide. Offer fitness tips, healthy swaps, stress-busting help, etc.
- And don’t forget…. make sure you get everything ready for your New Year Challenge! Edit your client fulfillment emails, success manual, recipes, and any other internal content that you need to prepare ahead of time. (if you need a great done-for-you challenge, I have 6 to choose from here.)
- Get Ahead: Plan out your Q1 Content Calendar (I’ll be sharing my free one with you in December in case you need ideas!)
COMMUNITY & CONNECTION CHECKLIST
- Host Your End-of-Year Celebration Party for Clients! Make it fun! Throw a traditional holiday open house or party, host a White Elephant or Secret Santa exchange, offer a Healthy Cookie Swap … basically, give your clients and members a chance to get together in a setting where they get to wear their regular clothes (not workout gear!).
- Santa’s Dozen Challenge. To help clients stay on track, offer them a gift (tee shirt, etc) after they complete 12 workouts in December. It’s amazing how something like a simple branded water bottle can be so motivating!
- Create a Goal Wall. Have your clients and team members post their 2019 goals on a wall at your studio. You can do this with colorful Post-It notes, or you can put up a big whiteboard. This creates inspiration AND accountability. (Don’t forget to post yours!)
- Volunteer Together. Serve a meal at a homeless shelter or help out with another local charitable cause.
- Holiday Workout Series for Charity. The price of admission is a toy, some non-perishable food, etc.
- 5k Run as a Group. This can be a great one to delegate – if you have a client or team member who is an avid runner, they might be happy to head it up for you!
- Publish a Cookbook Filled with Client Recipes. (next to your their recipe, post a pic of the client and share a little bit about their story!) Sell it at your front desk, and give the profits to charity.
- Client Gifting. You don’t have to break the bank on this: here’s a list of 20 different ideas for client gifts. (Click Here)
TEAM CHECKLIST
- Team Dinner. Celebrate your team and have a great time!
- Hold a Team Secret Santa! This can be a fun morale-builder! Set a price ceiling on gifts and do the swap at the team dinner.
- Thoughtful Holiday Cards. Send every member of your team a handwritten card in the mail.
- Bonuses/Gifts. Give out holiday bonuses and/or gifts to show each member of your team how much they mean to you.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
- Client Reactivations. Reach out to former clients to get them back into the studio! (This should be running like clockwork on a monthly basis regardless!)
- Client Testimonials. Reach out to clients and ask them for reviews on Facebook, Google, etc!
- Make a Date with Your Google Calendar. Schedule all your appointments, workouts, personal obligations, etc. Get it ALL on your schedule so you don’t miss anything important!
- And… this includes Scheduling Time in Your Calendar to Work ON Your Business! Keep it real and add a 20-50% buffer to the amount of time you think tasks will take. Delegate and automate whatever you can!
- Also… Block Off Personal Time (i.e., downtime, shopping, etc) in your schedule. This is non-negotiable. Make time to be with your family and friends to relax and reflect – and to also be FULLY present with them.
- Setup Your Email Autoresponder for Christmas or Your Days Off in December. Let people know you will get back to them AFTER the holiday is over!
Getting as much stuff done as you can ahead of time is EVERYTHING.
You’ll feel more organized, less stressed, and you’ll actually be able to RELAX and enjoy the moment!
Hope you found this checklist helpful!
Have an amazing rest of your day!
Alicia
