As exercise referral coordinators and managers, the summer months offers a golden opportunity to actively engage participants in your programmes more effectively. Despite some participants being on holiday, it's still worth considering that longer days and warmer weather can boost participation rates and outcomes. Here’s how you can make the most of the summer months with the help of ReferAll’s uptake features, these can be especially good for making timely contact to harness motivation and supporting continued participation.
Embrace Outdoor Activities
Summer is the perfect time to take advantage of outdoor spaces. Organise group activities such as walks, outdoor yoga sessions, or community wellbeing events. The fresh air and natural sunlight can boost participants' mood and motivation, which is particularly beneficial for those managing chronic conditions. Take a look at Everybody Health & Leisure's fantastic summer programme illustrated here: Pop Up in the Parks
To share details about your upcoming events, consider making use of ReferAll's SMS text messaging or email tools to send out reminders and updates, ensuring optimal attendance and engagement.
Personalise Communication
With ReferAll’s comprehensive client management tools, you can easily track participant progress and preferences. Use this data to personalise your communication. For example, send tailored messages that acknowledge their achievements, for example scheduling a motivational text after a specific number of attendances. Personalised messages can make participants feel valued and more likely to stick with their programmes, but to reduce the admin time individual texts often take, a referral trigger event can be set up to ensure the message is relevant.
Reduce No-Show Rates
Summer schedules can be unpredictable, leading to higher rates of no-shows. ReferAll’s task management features can help reduce DNA (Did Not Attend) rates by setting up automated reminders for appointments and activities. Schedule SMS reminders to be sent a day or two before a session, and follow up with a quick check-in if someone misses an appointment. This proactive approach can keep participants on track and engaged, ensuring they continue to manage their conditions effectively and feel better for taking part.
Our built-in reports includes activity attendance. This provides you with DNA and cancellations by client figures, broken down for per scheme, activity type and venue, allowing you to quickly spot if there is higher than expected rates and at which location. Armed with this data you might wish to plan a summer activity with a difference to help increase community engagement!
Manage Waiting Lists Efficiently
Summer can also bring an influx of new participants eager to take advantage of the good weather to improve their health. ReferAll’s platform helps you manage waiting lists efficiently, ensuring that no one is overlooked. By streamlining the intake process and keeping track of where each referral status is on the list, you can ensure timely access to your programmes while supporting those before they get started with you, even if there is a short wait.
Promote Family-Friendly Activities
With children out of school, many parents (and grandparents) have more family responsibilities. Offering family-friendly activities can help them stay active without compromising on family time. Consider organising family fitness activities or parent/grandparent-child workout sessions. Use ReferAll’s communication tools, via email or text SMS messaging to promote these events and highlight their benefits for both parents and children. This can be particularly beneficial for families managing chronic conditions together.
Highlight Success Stories
Summer is also a great time to celebrate the successes within your scheme or programmes. Share stories of participants who have made significant progress or reached their fitness goals. Highlighting these successes usually motivates others to stay committed to their own health journeys. Use your blog, social media, and ReferAll’s messaging features to share these inspiring stories widely, emphasising how possible it is to get active, reduce risk of other medical conditions and manage pain - with fewer visits to the GP. That's a win-win!
Use Technology for Better Outcomes
ReferAll’s platform offers numerous tools to streamline your processes and enhance participant engagement. From scheduling and communication to tracking and reporting, make sure you’re making the best of all available features to their fullest. The efficiencies gained can free up more of your time to focus on what matters most – supporting your participants.
Final Thoughts
By creatively making the most of the summer season and making the best of the advanced features of the ReferAll platform, you can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your exercise referral schemes. Engage your participants with outdoor activities where possible, personalise your communication, reduce no-show rates with automated reminders, manage waiting lists efficiently, and promote family-friendly events. Celebrate successes and use technology to ensure better outcomes for everyone involved.
Make this summer one to remember with progress and positive change for all your participants, particularly those managing chronic conditions.
Until next time,
Jerry
Jerry Saddington | Sales and Account Manager
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