Aging doesn’t have to mean slowing down, and in fact, according to recent research findings, we needn’t lose any physical fitness ground at all. Active adults age 50-plus can be as fit - or in some cases, even more fit - than those who are years younger but less active.

Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas recently rounded up a group of 50-plus males who had participated in an exercise study 30 years earlier. The objective: to compare cardiovascular fitness levels, and see what a training program could accomplish.

The men followed an exercise program for six months (walking, jogging and/or cycling), gradually increasing the frequency, duration and intensity.  By the conclusion of the study, they were exercising vigorously for about four and a half hours per week, over four or five sessions.

Aerobic power was then measured and compared with their pre-training scores as 20 year olds. It was found that while they were not able to match their post-training scores from previous testing, they had recovered the entire cardiovascular decline that had taken place over the years. In other words, they achieved the same level of fitness as the average, untrained 20 year old.

So what’s the moral of the story? Get moving! Even a half hour walk each day will help to boost your vessel functioning and keep your cardiovascular system working as it should. The bonus? You’ll feel better, look better and have the satisfaction of knowing that you’re in better shape that a whole lot of people who are more than half your age!

With thanks to the Active Living newsletter, March 2002

We have become a sensory experience economy: At Starbucks we see it made, at Krispy Kreme we watch it bake, with Harley Davidson we gather to participate in weekend events. 

 A key strategy to effective marketing to Boomers, active adults age 50-plus, is creating a good feeling about their decision to participate in a program or use a facility.   Creating a positive customer experience involves more then just delivering your services “on time, as promised”. At every point of contact with your participants, plan your operations to create positive associations and satisfaction of their expectations. Your participants’ sensory experiences have a central role in their perceptions of the value your agency provides. The sensory experiences of your agency include a broad scope of factors such as the appearance of your facilities, the location of the facilities, your logo and marketing materials, staff appearance and attitude, and the user-friendliness of your facilities and programs. By planning these sensory factors to meet, and exceed, the expectations of your participants, you can deliver experience that convert one-time visitors into long-term participants.

Walk in a Participants’ Shoes

To best understand how to improve the sensory experience of your agency, step out of your role and think about your services from your participant’s perspective.  Realize that your participants’ primary concern is satisfying a specific need and getting the best value along the way.  Your participants expect to receive good service. They want to be treated extremely well.

Understanding these minimum requirements and the options your customers have available to them is an important first step in designing a memorable participant experience. Here a few questions that will help you to objectively evaluate how well your agency satisfies your participants’ expectations. What is the primary need our participants want to satisfy by coming to our facility and programs?

• What are the main factors our participants will consider when making their decision to participate?
• What are the five most convenient alternatives (competitors) our participants have for satisfying this need?
• On a scale from one to ten, how effectively do we feel our facility and programs are doing in consistently delivering on your participant’s minimum requirements?

 Get Participant Feedback

Gathering feedback from participants through surveys, focus groups and comment forms is the best way to learn about their perceptions and plan for improvements in your operations.  Ask a few simple questions about their experience with your facilities and programs and their needs.   Then design your participant experiences to meet and exceed those expectations.

Gather feedback on the following categories:

• Facility - The physical appearance of your facility has a significant impact on the sensory experience. Think about the cleanliness, the comfort level it provides, the professionalism, the convenience - it’s all important, and it’s all about first impressions.
• Employees - The appearance and attitude of staff. We’ve all had bad experiences dealing with an employee and it severely impacts how we feel about the agency they represent.  You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
• Marketing -The appeal, clarity and design of your agency’s logo and related marketing materials.
• Competitors - Become a “Secret Shopper” and visit competitors facilities, participate in their programs, visit their website, and analyze their marketing materials. Talk with your participants about the competition. The more information you have about where the competition fall short, the better you can do at fulfilling the needs they do not meet.

 Putting it all Together

With participant feedback in hand, create a list of five improvements you want to make to your customers’ sensory experience - “touch points”. Prioritize the list and set a near-term time line to implement the changes. Revisit this exercise on a continuous basis, at least once a year, to ensure your agency is always the preferred facility and best programs.