As a combat gym owner, you may be looking for ways to bring in more business.
On a surface level, you might think that adults make the best clients. After all, they have more money and they’re more likely to be able to commit to a long-term membership.
In contrast, teenagers may seem like more of a risk. They’re still in school, they have less disposable income, are usually dependent on their parents to make financial decisions, and they’re not always at your gym of their own accord.
However, there are actually several reasons why teenagers (as opposed to adults) make the best clients for combat gyms. In this post, I’m going to discuss:
- the pros and cons of having adult and teen clients at your gym
- the challenges combat gyms face in recruiting teenagers
- and some of the ways you can attract and retain more teenagers into your combat gym
Let’s begin!
The Advantages Of Having Adult Clients At Your Combat Gym
Let’s start off by talking about some of the advantages of having adult clients at your gym.
Adults are more Financially Able and Independent
Adults, on the one hand, are more likely to be able to commit to a long-term membership. They also often have more money at their disposal, which means they’re less price-sensitive than some other demographics.
This also means they’re more likely to purchase private lessons, personal training sessions, and higher-priced membership packages.
Adults are also generally more independent than teenagers. This means that they’re less likely to need to rely on their parents to make decisions for them, and they’re quicker to sign up for classes.
Adults are Easier to Teach
Adults are also generally easier to teach than teenagers. They tend to have longer attention spans and they’re more likely to be able to understand complex concepts.
This is especially true if you’re teaching adults who already have some experience in combat sports. They’ll require less explanation and demonstration than someone who’s starting from scratch.
The Disadvantages Of Having Adult Clients At Your Combat Gym
Now, let’s talk about some of the disadvantages of having adult clients at your gym.
Adults Have More Demanding, Inflexible Work Schedules
The biggest disadvantage of having adult clients is that they generally have more demanding, inflexible work schedules. This means that they’re less likely to be able to commit to a regular class schedule, and they’re more likely to cancel classes at the last minute.
This can be a particular problem if your gym offers classes during the day, as many adults will be working during those times.
Adults Can Be More Demanding
Adults can also be more demanding. They may have higher expectations for customer service, facilities, and results. Additionally, adults are more likely to be vocal if they’re unhappy with something at the gym.
Adults Can Be More Likely to Quit
Adding on to the previous point, adults are also generally more likely to quit than teenagers. This is because they’re more likely to have other commitments and hobbies that take up their time, and have the financial ability to switch whenever they want.
However, this largely depends on the individual and whether they’re serious about combat sport or merely view it as a workout throughout their week.
The Advantages Of Catering To Teens More In Your Combat Gym
Now that we’ve talked about some of the advantages and disadvantages of having adult clients, let’s talk about why teenagers can be such good clients for combat gyms.
Teens are More Likely to be Serious About Combat Sports
Many teenagers are actually quite serious about combat sports. This is because they often view it as a way to build confidence, learn self-defence, and get in shape.
Additionally, teens are often more competitive than adults, which can make them better clients in terms of results and retention.
Teens Have More Free Time
Another advantage of having teenage clients is that they generally have more free time. This means that they’re more likely to be able to commit to a regular class schedule, and they’re less likely to cancel classes at the last minute.
This can be a particular problem for adults who often have work or family commitments that take up their time.
Teens Are More Likely to Refer Friends
Teens are generally more social than adults, and they’re more likely to talk about their experiences at the gym with their friends, especially as they spend 6 hours daily interacting with their friends from school. In contrast, adults tend to be more individualistic and isolated in their daily lives.
Consequently, if you’re able to create a good experience for your teenage clients, they’re more likely to refer their friends, which can help you grow your business.
Teens Turn Your Gym Into A Family/Tribe Community
Having teens at your combat gym can facilitate a family or tribe-like atmosphere. This is because teens are often more likely to form close bonds with each other than adults, who tend to be more individualistic – often showing up at the club for a quick workout, and then leaving immediately afterwards.
This can create a sense of community at your gym, which can make it more enjoyable for everyone, and can also help you retain clients.
Teens Are More Malleable
Teenagers are simply more malleable than adults. They’re still in a phase of their lives where they’re trying to figure out who they are and what they want to do with their lives.
This means that they’re more likely to be influenced by your teachings, and more likely to try new things. Additionally, teens are less set in their ways than adults, which makes them easier to train.
From my experience as coach, this is the most intrinsically rewarding aspect of being a combat coach – is seeing teenagers grow and develop under your guidance, not only in terms of combat sport, but more importantly, in terms of their self-confidence and maturity.
The bonus is, when you’re able to facilitate this connection with teenagers, they’re much more likely to stick with you for the long-term well into adulthood.
You Can Maximise Their Talent From An Earlier Age
If you’re able to start working with a teenager at an earlier age, you can help them to develop their skills and talents much more effectively. This is because their brains are still growing and developing, which means that they have a greater capacity for learning new things.
Plus, if you’re able to identify talented teenage clients, you can nurture and develop them into professional athletes who go on to compete in major tournaments such as the Olympic Games – which reflects well on your gym and can reap rewards for both them and your business in the future.
The Challenges Of Having Teenage Clients At Your Combat Gym
Of course, catering to teenagers comes with its own set of challenges.
They Can Be Quite Unpredictable
The biggest challenge of having teenage clients is that they can be quite unpredictable.
This is because their moods and energy levels can change very rapidly, which can make it difficult to keep them engaged in class. I talk about this in my post about why teen emotions get out of hand (it’s not just hormones!)
This means that you need to be prepared to deal with a wide range of emotions and behaviours from your teenage clients, and you need to have a good understanding of how to handle them.
They Can Be Distracting To Other Clients
Another challenge of having teenage clients is that they can be distracting to other clients. This is because they often have a lot of energy, and they may not be able to sit still for long periods of time.
This can be frustrating for other clients who are trying to focus on their own workout, and it can also make it difficult for you to teach classes.
You Need to Be More Careful With Your Language
Another challenge of having teenage clients is that you need to be careful with your language. This is because teenagers are still developing their sense of identity, and they’re often quite sensitive about the way they’re viewed by others.
Plus, because their brains aren’t fully developed yet, they don’t always hear what you say, but rather how you say it – so tone and body language play a bigger role in your communication with them. I explain this in more detail in this post here.
This means that you need to be mindful of the way you speak to and about your teenage clients, and you need to avoid using language that could be construed as derogatory or insulting.
Focusing On Teenagers Will Help You Better Engage Your Adult Clients
While there are some challenges associated with having teenage clients, if you know how to address them effectively, the benefits far outweigh the challenges.
Plus, I believe that focusing on teenagers will also help you to better engage your adult clients. This is because adults, at the end of the day, are really just older kids – everyone has an “inner child” with the same psychological needs of Power and Belonging.
Quite often, because adult clients are much more predictable with how they behave in class, coaches can become complacent and ‘lazy’ with their lesson plans. However, just because adults are paying for those classes and continuing to show up doesn’t mean they’re fully satisfied – quite often it just means they’re satisfied enough to keep coming back, which makes it easier for them to jump ship if they find a different gym.
When you’re able to effectively meet the needs of your teenage clients, you’ll be better equipped to meet the needs of your adult clients as well.
So if you’re thinking about starting a combat gym, or if you already have a gym and you’re looking to attract more clients, I would encourage you to focus on teenagers. They may be a challenge at times, but they’re definitely worth it!
Sláinte,
Merc
P.S. if you’re convinced that targeting teenagers more is a good strategy to improve your combat gym, but you’re a little unsure of how to deal with some of the challenges associated with having teenage clients (such as the fact that they can be quite unpredictable and distracting to other clients), then I’d like to invite you to check out my CounterPunch™ Facilitator Certification program.
It’s a 3-day program, and in it, you’ll learn:
- an evidence-based method of helping teens learn emotional regulation skills through combat sport
- how to differentiate your services to teenagers from other gyms by tackling mental fitness
- how to charge more for your combat coaching services
- templated lesson plans designed to help you keep teenagers engaged and coming back to your gym
- and much, much more
If that sounds like something you might be interested in, then check out the CounterPunch™ Facilitator Training program, and book a chat with me to see how we might be able to help you.