It’s getting close to the end of the year once again and that means it’s time to look at what’s on the horizon for 2017. Any new fitness trends that help you recruit customers and earn more revenue have to be good things, right?
Well, yes, of course! So, the trends that continue to grow include group activities that are perfect for studios or any floor space, such as dance classes, yoga, and other group activities. The rising fitness trends appear to be the things that get people together to share experiences; these include dance, team training, and other small group fitness activities.
Trends You Can Dance To
These trends take gym businesses in the direction of increased structure for services and relationships. The primary business model for gym owners is one of the strongest, smartest, and deceptively simple formulas that there is for any business; sell once and collect monthly payments. Here at the Gym Insight Blog we understand that this is great, but we also know that it’s what every gym owner attempts to achieve.
The strategy that will give you competitive advantages is the one that adds premiums services; you can do better than the shed down the street that has more members than you by having a better relationship with your members, and by delivering a better experience to them on a consistent basis. The current trends that leverage group activities can be excellent elements that you can use as part of a premium strategy
As Always, Value Is In Fashion
A premium service doesn’t mean adding more of the basics; it means genuine added value that gives members what they want; members should see that you enable them to overcome their challenges and get to that next level that would otherwise remain just out of their reach. Organized classes and coaching help your members achieve their goals and also gives them a sense of connection.
With small group training, you have the best of both group and individual benefits, they help the less confident members get to the next level. You should always have a highest value premium product on the proverbial top shelf, one that is there for those members who aren’t so price sensitive and want the best. Aspirational top shelf products and services work both as a top offering and as a branding tool that raises the benchmark for the majority of your members.
General Purpose Technology Trends Deserve A Look Too
There is so much innovation in the economy now; whatever trend you investigate has some tech aspect to it. If you find an exception to this case, then you probably have an opportunity for a new business model. However, most things are being explored from this angle already, and it offers you a chance to see what can bring extra value into your small gym business.
The trends in wearables and apps continue to add exciting features and possibilities for people who want to track fitness and nutrition. Digital devices give consumers detailed information about how their progress, matches up to their plans, and suggest ways to make new plans. Similarly, e-commerce is still growing, so if you have any online sales platforms, you can hope to have more success based on growing demand.
The One True Fashion Is Service Delivered With Passion
Another trend to note is the growing importance of connecting with customers rather than attempting to sell to them. That statement may sound like a contradiction to what I have written above. However, I think that you have to have connections that stand out from the crowd to get through to your customers and that also means creating the kind of relationship that makes the hard sell approach redundant, but I do think that you will always have to apply some closing skills.
The trends continue to tell me that members want the interactions and the experiences that add value. Unless you are fortunate enough to operate a boutique that serves the wealthiest members you should maintain a mix of offerings, leverage the latest technology as much as you can handle, and help people have constructive relationships with other people as part of their quests for fitness and health.
Bibliography
Fagan, Lawerence. Gym Membership Selling And Overcoming Objections. September 12, 2016. https://blog.gyminsight.com/3934-gym-membership-selling-and-overcoming-objections/ (accessed October 17, 2016).
Fagan, Lawrence. On The High Road To Premium Gym Ownership Success. February 17, 2015. https://blog.gyminsight.com/3188-on-the-high-road-to-premium-gym-ownership-success/ (accessed September 23, 2015).
Kim, Leonard. 10 Business Trends That Will Grow in 2017 . October 12, 2016. https://www.inc.com/leonard-kim/10-business-trends-that-will-grow-in-2017.html (accessed October 17, 2016).
Ross, Jonathon. Small Group Training: The Future Of The Workout Experience And The Missing Link To Your Personal Training Career’s Success. February 24, 2012. https://www.acefitness.org/blog/2395/small-group-training-the-future-of-the-workout (accessed October 17, 2016).