Why sell branded products at your gym Have you ever considered selling a branded product in your gym or online? They could be water bottles, hoodies, equipment or towels. Whatever. The point is your health club’s name would be on that item, wherever it travels. All the while, reflecting your gym's unique identity and generating a bit more cash for your company. What is the difference between a product and a brand? Products are what you sell but a brand is who you are. Brands are created through advertising, intent, and creativity. Your carefully crafted flagship image is your brand. The [...]
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Every gym owner intends to run a profitable health club, but reaching that goal can feel impossible. There are, however, small effective steps you can take today to position your studio for a stronger, healthier future. These good habits start by conducting a line-by-line review of every expense and considering new ways to run an old business. Accountants and business analysts recommend printing out a 12-month profit-and-loss statement twice a year (or even quarterly) in order to accurately appraise every company expenditure. Although such effort sounds tedious, watching every penny is the only way to ensure you’re not wasting money. As [...]
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Don Roberts’ Fit 24/7 Gym keeps things simple. His gym does not boast a sauna, day care, or exercise classes. Customers know to follow the rules or get kicked out. And his club is open every day, 24 hours a day, frequently without a single employee on premise. Stripped bare of any extras and run entirely by himself, his 550-member facility in Durango, Colorado, has been profitable — very profitable, he insists — from day one. The key to making money is minimal expenses and 24 hour access. The advantage of 24-hour gyms In a time when nearly 20 percent of gyms closed permanently [...]
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Did you know most universities cancelled spring break for 2021? These students will return home for summer after two full semesters of taking online classes, alone with their computers. Wow. What a drag. As a gym owner, summer 2021 may be your best chance yet to reach these sedentary, cooped-up college kids. Take advantage of quarantine fatigue by creating marketing strategies designed to get them in shape and around friends again. College students love socializing Build a summer promotion encouraging referrals. Meeting with friends is one of the top reasons college students even go to the gym. This translates into an excellent opportunity [...]
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With all this coronavirus negativity lurking, just how likely is it an irate member will unleash online over a small incident at your club? Right. So you need to be ready for negative social media. How can you do that? First, put a good plan in place before a problem arises. Create a clear social media policy for your employees. In the simplest terms, a social media policy is a guideline for how everyone should conduct themselves online. Here’s a good template and guide. Establish a gym photography policy. Many larger national gyms have a “no photo” and “no video” policy. And while there’s no keeping phones out of [...]
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Insurance advice on what to do when things go wrong by Bill Coons, Sr. Loss Control Specialist Club owners often reach out to us and ask the question, “What do I do if someone says they got hurt in my club?” Another common question in follow up to this is, “How will I know if I’m supposed to report an incident to the insurance company or not?” The answers to these questions may vary slightly depending on the type of incident, but creating an incident response policy and training employees will go a long way in protecting your health and [...]
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Gym owners, here’s a crazy idea – how about marketing New Year’s-style resolutions in March? The moment is perfect: COVID-19 vaccinations are rolling, cities are opening, and people are venturing beyond their bubble. And most people gained a bit of weight these last months. In fact, health studies suggest the average person packed on an additional 12.5 pounds while sheltering in place. Losing weight is the #1 New Year’s resolution. No matter what study you read, losing weight or gaining physical fitness consistently tops the chart for ambitious resolution makers. Why New Year’s? It’s something called the discontinuity effect. Basically, when someone’s life changes — a move [...]
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Ever wonder why that one business owner keeps showing up on your local news station? Sometimes it can seem like reporters keep sources in their back pocket, individuals who are ready at a moment’s notice with a perfect, punchy soundbite. Well, here’s the lowdown — they do. You can get that call too though, if you just use public relations to build your own reputation as a fitness guru. First — be your neighborhood fitness expert Judge a competition; lead fitness industry forums; assume leadership roles.Write an article or (e)book that takes a stand on an important health topic.Promote your [...]
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As a gym owner, you should always be looking for the next great thing to drive your business forward. That elusive “whatever” that will give you a competitive advantage, offer tangible benefits to your members and fiscal benefits to your bottom line. You’ve probably looked at programming, explored technology, perhaps even considered tweaking your branding. But if you really want all those benefits, you should be looking at Medically Directed Fitness. Let me explain. Medical Fitness, at its core, is about health risk management and partnering with the local healthcare community. Medically Integrated Fitness is how commercial health clubs can [...]
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Inclusiveness means everyone If you want to train disabled people or your fitness club could grow by catering to special populations as a market niche, there’s a certification that enables you to do just that. It’s the Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer (CIFT) certification, which was developed by the American College of Sports Medicine, in collaboration with the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability. It’s about helping people Disability Fitness I’m sure you’d agree that, as a fitness trainer or gym owner, it never hurts to have additional tools in your toolbox. You really will benefit if you can cater to specific segments of [...]
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How does your gym sell personal training packages? Does your fitness staff avoid bringing the idea up with prospects, afraid they’ll walk right out the door? They shouldn’t. In fact, personal training services should be sold at the point of sale – when new health club members first tour your gym. We all know personal training is good for a fitness center’s bottom line. A client who hires a trainer stays on at your health club three times as long as a regular member. It’s a win-win. Selling personal training To sell personal training effectively, your gym needs a standardized [...]
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Let’s deep dive into digital fitness’s world of one-on-one coaching software products for gyms, health clubs, and boutique centers. The streaming market is broad and rich with choices. However for this blog, we explored three well-known companies. Let's look at Trainerize Trainerize is designed specifically for the fitness industry. Its software offers an integrated platform for owners to manage their fitness training from a single spot and offers a new service – online personal training. Owners can choose from a custom-branded fitness app or white-label their own to build brand awareness. Content capabilities include lifestyle, nutrition, and general wellness coaching, [...]
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Every health club owner knows they need to market their business. Advertising, seasonal promotions, social media postings, local signage, and more, all contribute to the intricate balance of maintaining your customer base. Many business owners, though, fail to plan long-term, allowing opportunities to slip as they run their day-to-day operations. These missed revenue generators are needlessly frustrating.Here’s why an annual marketing plan is so important. 1. Long-Term Marketing Strategies Prepare You for the Unexpected Vow this year to plan ahead. Building your marketing plan based on a full year’s calendar assures you are more likely to arrive prepared for a [...]
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Contacting gym members through text messaging is a great idea. Your health club is a vital part of their lives, and by keeping in touch with them, you express interest in their fitness and health while staying mindful of communication trends. So what could go wrong? Well, let’s talk about that. Text Messaging Is Communication; Every Word Represents Your Brand Studies suggest most people open their text messages. Estimates are as high as 98 percent. We love the ease and simplicity, and, in large part, prefer texting to receiving a phone call. Yet, the act itself is infused with a [...]
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Online fitness is an interesting concept for a gym. It takes a locally utilized product and turns it into a nationwide or, possibly, a worldwide consumable. It can, ideally, expand your audience well beyond a single zip code. In a sense, it’s as if you’re franchising your own brand. A daunting idea, no doubt. If you’ve risen to the challenge and now offer live streaming, or on-demand through your health club, what steps are needed to grow this business investment? Figure out how customers find you. Intelivideo, a technology company specializing in enabling subscription video businesses, collected data in the [...]
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