We’ll break down the importance of planning next year’s off-season before the season has even started, building trust via tripwires, and reducing perceived risk by offering guarantees.

When it comes to football (as the example) the end of the season soon comes around. Players take their 2 weeks off and the nature of the modern game means they are ‘back to it’ before we know it.

For internationals, they head for the sun. Here at the S&C Exchange we were at the Campus in July where stars from the Premier League take over Quinta Do Lago.

But, as everything, it filters down - and there is a great opportunity further down the leagues and across multiple sports.

But the planning must start now.

Pick a theme, speed, agility, strength, rehab. Whatever fits your skillset.

Give it an identity, it’s own brand.

Plan your dates, time, and location. (You can then figure out your numbers to pair up with your target revenue).

And then you reverse engineer the process.

But it must start now.

One of our favourite examples of this was Dan Grange and his GameSpeed off-season sessions. Worth checking out, a great example of creating and owning IP around a small niche in S&C for sub-elite athletes.

Business Idea

A UK-centric, peer-to-peer marketplace where strength and conditioning coaches buy, sell, and share ready-to-use programmes and drills via monthly membership.

The concept targets practising and aspiring S&C coaches who want to save preparation time, apply proven methods, and stand out in a competitive job market. The verdict is to proceed: demand is niche but real, competition in this exact format is thin, and a lean operator can reach profitability if quality content and community take hold early.

A tripwire is a small, low-cost offer designed to get someone to take their first step with you. Think a £10 e-book, a £20 testing day, or a short plan. It lowers the barrier and shifts someone from curious to committed.

The power of a tripwire is momentum. Once an athlete or parent has bought from you once, the trust is higher and the leap into full coaching feels far smaller. Many coaches miss this step and wonder why prospects stall.

Start by creating one simple product that links directly to your main coaching. Make it useful enough that they get a win straight away, but not so big that it competes with your core service. Promote it consistently, and always show how it leads naturally to the next stage.

A refund guarantee is a promise: if the athlete completes the work and doesn’t get value, they get their money back. Most coaches fear offering this, but in reality refunds are rare. The bigger effect is trust—it shows confidence in your own coaching.

Athletes want reassurance before investing. A clear guarantee reduces hesitation and often boosts sign-ups far more than the occasional refund would ever cost you. It’s a simple lever to pull if you want more conversions.

To use it, write one straightforward statement such as “If you complete all sessions and don’t feel stronger, I’ll refund you - no questions asked.” Share it anywhere you promote your service, keep the wording simple, and hold athletes accountable to their part of the deal.

Our next weekly exchange will drop in your inbox next Monday.

Keep an eye out on Thursday’s email for a deeper breakdown of a specific area.