April 2010 -- Cardio Tennis continues to build its amazing track record for participation and revenue production.
Designed for fun and fitness, Cardio Tennis has increased revenue, participation, and exposure for our sport, both nationally and internationally. A key differentiation tool of Cardio Tennis is the heart-rate monitor. The HRM can be an effective marketing tool to grow Cardio Tennis and other fitness programs. When effectively promoted and communicated, it's bound to be a popular electronic tool for the tennis professional.
Let's start with a quick review of the HRM and its benefits. The heart-rate monitor is a device worn by the user that measures heart rate and calculates other elements of a workout. The most accurate device uses a chest-strap transmitter and a wrist receiver. It measures whether the wearer is meeting the target heart rate, which varies by age. It also measures whether you need to vary the level of intensity. The device gives immediate feedback on a user's heart rate and the level of heart-rate zone. The zone is defined by a person's age and percentage of what researchers have found to be safe. The big attraction, however, is finding out how many calories you can burn!
The benefits of using heart-rate monitors impact both user and coach. The users benefit because they are inputting their own personal data to monitor their workout and manage it safely. Because the monitor gives immediate feedback, users can increase their intensity based on their heart rate or decrease if they're pushing themselves too hard. By the way, the traditional method of assessing heart rate by checking the pulse is still used. However, there's a higher risk of error, and it takes longer. Immediate and accurate feedback is the result of wearing the heart rate monitor.
For the tennis professional the benefits are exciting. By having the students wear a heart-rate monitor, you're able to supervise their effort. And it's the best tool to ensure you're pushing the players at a safe level.
No question, the HRM is a phenomenal marketing and programming tool. It will intrigue your students, and it will motivate them to play more. The heart-rate monitor is also a strong revenue generator. You can sell HRM watches to your students. It stimulates interest in signing up for classes and it creates a buzz that makes your program stand out against the competition.
Here are some of the best ways to market your program, boost participation, and educate players to wear the heart-rate monitor.
- Be a HRM advocate - Wear and talk about the heart-rate monitor any time you're playing tennis. Talk about how it motivates you with the information it displays. You're the role model. The students will follow your lead.
- Become knowledgeable in cardio fitness science and all the benefits. This will allow you to become the person everyone comes to with questions. It provides an opportunity to invite them to your Cardio Tennis classes.
- Involve those wearing their heart-rate monitors in your Cardio Tennis classes. Continually ask them what their rate is during the class. Those wearing the monitors will be able to communicate to you quickly. Those who don't will start to see the value of wearing them and how easy it is to receive feedback.
- Have demos for people to try and experience wearing a monitor. You can purchase a half dozen cardio watches. In addition, this is an opportunity for you to sell watches to your clientele. Having demos will distinguish your program from others. This tells your clientele that you're committed to them and the Cardio Tennis program.
- Display heart-rate-monitor charts and give cardio fitness tips at the end of any lesson, especially Cardio Tennis. Players can't get enough health and fitness tips. As a coach, you must help them make the connection that Tennis - for the Health of it! is the way to go for a lifestyle of fitness.
- Host a Calorie Burn Challenge. Most heart-rate monitors tell users how many calories they've burned. Set a club challenge to burn 500,000 calories in one month. After classes the coach asks players how many calories they burned, keeping a public tally. This kind of promotion will increase participation and individual play time.
- "Cardio Tennis: Get Fit" contest - Looking to jump-start your Cardio Tennis program? Receive the promotional kit to help you run the exciting, innovative and profitable "Cardio Tennis: Get Fit" contest at your facility. The kit contains forms, letters, templates, tips and promotional details to help you start a Cardio Tennis team or teams at your facility, then to track team members' progress throughout the contest. To order, e-mail info@cardiotennis.com.
- Sponsor a Heart-Rate Monitor Personal Research activity. Have players wear a heart-rate monitor for all their fitness and sport activities. Each time they come to your class, they report how many calories they burned and their average heart-rate zone. This becomes a very interesting and engaging activity. Most men will burn 400 to 700 calories, and women 300-500 calories, playing tennis for one hour. During this challenge participants might also report they played golf for five hours, and only burned 450 calories. The surprise of this activity is that most people will discover how much easier it is to get a great workout playing tennis. They can't believe something that is so fun has phenomenal cardio health benefits. The secret is in the spectrum of different movements, full-body engagement, and speed required in tennis versus same-speed fitness workouts.
- Try a T-shirt campaign and promotion - Acquire brightly-colored shirts with the message "Watch Out!" This will increase awareness and, of course, it's just fun.
- Offer a certain percentage off for anyone wearing an HRM when playing Cardio Tennis. It's a message that players value the watch and the fitness. In addition, you could package the heart-rate monitor into a series of Cardio Tennis Classes for $200, as an example.
In conclusion, the heart-rate monitor is one of the most effective tools that can be used in any tennis program, especially Cardio Tennis, because of the measurable benefits to students and to you, the professional.
Today's customers want to be assured they are getting fitness improvement and health values from the heart-rate monitor.
Tennis professionals unite! Strap on your heart-rate monitors and let's pump it up! It's good for the player. It's good for you. It's good for business. And it's good for the health of your community.
P.S.: Find yourself a "Cardio Queen" or "Prince of Puff & Huff." Introducing personalities into the marketing mix is a sure- fire way to build your program.
