First of all Stef a great big HUG and THANK YOU for all the advice you have so freely shared on this forum. I ran across one of your posts while I was crusing the threads and I was so happy with what I found that I went and looked up all of your posts. Ok, call me a "lurker"
I was really impressed with the level of detail you gave and some really great tips too! You've been a blessing!
As for your class, I'd just probably call it Plus Size Aerobics or something like that. It's something I'd definitely go for if I had it available at our gym. (They usually charge a small fee - approximate to your 3 pounds for special classes). I can't tell you how many times I or people on this forum will tell you that we go to the gym avoiding the times when the body beautifuls exercise. It's tough looking in a big room full of mirrors and comparing yourself to the skinny girls. So we're more the first thing in the morning, later evening visitors. The only time I didn't feel intimidated was in Yoga class. I might be bigger but I had the flexibility to do the moves. It was a small sense of satisfaction to see that I could do things the really fit girls couldn't - which means we all can do things if we try and overcome our tendency to shy away.
I would just say that fitness is not necessarily a matter of size. These classes would focus on moves for the bigger people. Come join your peers - have some fun and get fit at the same time. Sometimes what they do at our gym is to introduce a special class at a deep discounted rate - maybe 1/2 what they'd normally charge. Just to measure the level of interest. After that you can set up regular sessions - that's how we got Yoga, Pilates and personal training into the club. And we did it by bringing in an outside instructor like yourself. You could try visiting local gyms in the area and drop off a leaflet.
As for payment, sorry Baylee but I disagree with paying as you go. If I were setting up a business, I'd do maybe a 6 week program with payment up front - after all the instructor needs to pay the rent and there are too many people who would be sporatic in their attendance. As a business person, you have to be assured that your costs are covered. I can say this because I paid for Yoga classes and then was unable to attend them because I was working with a personal trainer and found that my workout was too strenuous to support both that and Yoga and could not rearrange my schedule. So I accepted the loss myself for the 3 classes I missed.
Whatever you decide Stef, I wish you the very best of success. I just wish you were in my hometown instead of all the way across the ocean!
