The Top 5 Reasons to Buy a Big Blue Swim School Franchise in 2019

Since its founding in 2009, Big Blue Swim School* has helped thousands of children become more confident swimmers. Through its superior curriculum developed by two former competitive swimmers, proprietary front- and back-end technology and sizable footprint, Big Blue Swim School has established itself as a force to be reckoned with in a fast-growing segment.

As the brand begins implementing its accelerated plan for national expansion through franchising, there's no better time to invest in a Big Blue Swim School. Here are the top 5 reasons to join the brand in 2019.

In-demand industry

The $20 billion swim school industry is primed for a national player to emerge. While athletic participation for young children is declining nationally, participation in swimming is growing, with 52 percent growth in year-round swim memberships from 2000 to 2017, according to USA Swimming.

This increasing market demand for swim schools capable of teaching basic skills at a high level gives way to strong financials for swim schools when compared to other franchises. Plus, the industry provides the opportunity to contribute to the health and well-being of children. Big Blue Swim School’s proven concept and already impressive growth put the brand in a favorable position to take hold on a national scale.

“Swim schools stack up financially against other top-tier franchises but offer a much more rewarding franchise opportunity, and have a longer lifetime customer value,” said Scott Thompson, Chief Development Officer at Big Blue and Level 5 Capital Partners. “We have a strong Item 19, but beyond that, we are attracting people who want to make a difference in their communities and be a part of life’s big moments for families. You're not just investing in a business, you're investing in a lifestyle and a community, and swim school franchising gives us the opportunity to do that on a larger scale.”

Experiential service with staying power

The ability to swim is an indispensable skill, making swim lessons an essential investment for parents when it comes to their children. While athletic activity trends come and go, Big Blue Swim School offers a service that will never cease being absolutely necessary. The brand’s personalized offering can’t be outsourced or automated like so many other franchise opportunities losing their position to Amazon.

“Parents are willing to invest in our concept because it’s a vital life skill,” said Big Blue Swim School co-founder, president and CMO Chris DeJong. “Once they are introduced to our mission-driven service that seeks to improve the lives of children, parents are able to rapidly see not only that their investment has paid off, but more importantly, that their children know how to keep themselves safe in and around water.”

Superior curriculum

Big Blue Swim School’s proprietary, results-based curriculum was developed out of DeJong’s and fellow co-founder John Lonergan’s experience with swim lessons themselves. The two swam competitively through college, and in DeJong’s case, came four-tenths of a second shy of qualifying for the 2008 Olympics behind Michael Phelps.

Their experiences taught the pair what was wrong with swimming, especially at the entry point, so they used their combined expertise to develop a swim lesson curriculum that measures progress in the ways that actually matter and is unmatched in the industry.

“Big Blue Swim School’s four points of execution -- explain, demonstrate, mimic, correct -- allow our child engagement specialists to deliver an experience that actually helps kids learn how to swim, more quickly achieving better results,” said DeJong.

Available real estate in high-traffic areas

Faced with increasing competition from Amazon and other e-commerce sites, retailers across the U.S. are struggling. With stores closing across the country, prime real estate opportunities are available. With their anchor tenants gone, landlords are experiencing the ripple effect as shopping centers’ traffic declines.

Big Blue Swim School’s real estate footprint falls between 10,000 to 14,000 square feet and is the perfect filler business for these vacancies. Its ability to attract families and drive-by traffic to other businesses makes it an extremely attractive business option for landlords. While competitors in the swim school space typically connect new education franchise owners to local real estate brokers who source Class C or Class D locations, Big Blue Swim School has a team of eight dealmakers that use data-driven real estate assessment methodology to identify prime real estate in trade areas across the country that fit the brand’s member profile.

Proprietary technology

Lesson Buddy™, Big Blue Swim School’s easy-to-use lesson management software and customer self-service mobile app, puts franchisees ahead of the competition. The proprietary technology operationalizes the business and provides a tool that parents love using.

Lesson Buddy can be used to track progress and manage lessons via mobile device, allowing families to visualize their children’s skill advancements as well as reschedule lessons at the touch of a button.

Conversely, the platform’s dashboard gives franchisees the ability to create optimized class schedules, keep employees on track, manage swimmers, and update billing. With more than 10 lanes across two 91-degree pools, owners can map out class times by age group and make it easy for parents of multiple children to attend classes at the same time. The customer relationship management tool ensures nothing falls through the cracks while helping managers maximize profitability.

With so many elements working in its favor, Big Blue Swim School is more than ready to put its nationwide expansion plan into action in 2019. The brand is already seeking franchisees interested in signing multi-unit development agreements in a number of key target markets, most notably in Florida and Texas. To learn more about franchise business opportunities with Big Blue Swim School, visit YourBigMomentStartsHere.com