Summer is when many schools and other educational facilities take advantage of the vacation time to revamp, replace and install new fitness equipment.  While this tends to be a slow time for a lot of other parts of the fitness business, schools are one area that heats up with the summer season and are a great way to enhance your business.

Most salespeople probably drive past schools on their way to their big accounts.  For many fitness dealers, schools offer a wealth of product sales if you know how to work the system and get involved on the ground floor.  Understanding their typical buying cycle will create more dollars and opportunities for both small and large purchases.

Smaller purchases generally address an immediate need where relationships with an athletic director or administrator can lock in your position for quick delivery.  Make sure you make those calls and know who the decision makers are.

Larger purchases tend to follow a year long pattern of searching for potential solutions and generally include a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) from the school culminating in product installation over the summer.

Of course the above timing can change dramatically from school to school.  At the end of the day, it is best to ask and tailor your sales around your prospect’s feedback on their cycle.

When it comes to appropriate products, Body-Solid carries a number of excellent items that are perfect for school use.  The Body Solid SMR1000 Power Rack combined with the SFID325 multi-adjustable bench are a dynamic package that is heavy duty enough for any school weight room with pricing that will fit today’s tight school budgets.

Body Solid is a great choice for Olympic rubber bumper plates as well as other iron products. Both black rubber bumper plates OBPB(#) and colored OBPC(#) plates are a great value and fit in most school settings.  For the very aggressive school weight rooms Body Solid offers indestructible USA made solid rubber bumper plates OBPH(#).  To go along with your bumper plates Body Solid has an extensive array of Olympic weight trees and bars including heavy duty USA made Olympic power bars. These power bars can withstand any style of training and have solid ends which makes them great for power style lifts.  Check out OB86LPB, OB86PB, OB86PBS, OB86PBG. (1000LBS – 1500LBS weight capacity) for more information.

Body Solid also has many great tools for speed and intensity training. Body Solid training ropes are one of them. BSTBR(##) come in multiple lengths and diameters from 1.5” to 2” diameter and 30’ to 50’ long. They are made of durable poly-nylon and are great for both indoor and outdoor use. Also check out our new Plyometric boxes, BSTPB#, which are great for sports training. 

The list is too long to include here and also included group exercise products and accessories, a growing part of school fitness programs.  As always, contact your Body Solid representative for more information on school fitness products.