Let’s be real. Many gym owners run their clubs via spreadsheets and direct deposit. We call that “pen-and-papering” a gym. How do we know? Because we owned fitness studios for decades. That’s why we started Gym Insight. We know the right gym management software can help owners grow their gyms without costing them a fortune. Profile of ProFitness of Greenville, South Carolina In 2014, Pete Marston bought a small, struggling 24-hour gym with a friendly crowd ready for a hands-on owner. The recently retired manufacturing executive ran the club without gym software, manually renewing clients. It was time-consuming, but he [...]
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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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6 Short Answers To Help Simplify Your Search 1. What insurance coverage must my health club keep? General Liability Commercial PropertyProfessional LiabilityWorkers’ Comp 2. Do these policies cover every event on property? Professional liability insurance for personal trainers is a must! No! There are many exclusions, and optional coverages may be needed to fully insure your gym. For instance, problems caused by tanning beds, club events, independent contractors, or within onsite businesses may not be covered under every general liability policy. As your fitness club grows, consult with an insurance advisor first before adding such services as childcare facilities, or undertaking breakout expansions [...]
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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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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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Not all equipment manufacturers are the same! Top Product Brands for Fitness Facilities Fitness is an important aspect of our everyday lives. It is imperative for people to realize that fitness helps to keep our body strong and immune to health problems. Lack of fitness greatly reduces a person's life expectancy and increases the chances of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, and many other health problems. This is why many gyms and health clubs are reaching out to new customers by offering the best trainers and fitness equipment that will aide in reducing weight and increasing strength. Which is the [...]
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If you have opened a new gym, you must know that it is, after all, a new business. So you should be prepared to run and develop that business as a business. To do so, you must acquire knowledge about the fitness business industry, and also be aware of the pitfalls of why new gyms fail so you can be sure to avoid them. In my opinion, here are the top 10 reasons why new gyms fail... #1 - No proper business plan No business plan can be fatal to your new gym. Before starting a gym know: Successful gyms watch finances, [...]
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Keeping members comfortable makes exercise easier! If you are an owner or operator of a gym facility, I am sure you get daily, if not hourly, requests to turn the temperature down/up or to set the music at a higher/lower volume. It can be difficult to balance all of your member requests and it will be impossible to make all your members happy. The best thing to do is to follow recommended guidelines so that way to can ensure your member base that you are following the rules to ensure their health and safety. Educate members on appropriate gym clothing [...]
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What is awesome gym customer service? Customer service is important for any business to succeed. If you own a gym, your revenue source will be directly linked to your membership base. In order to ensure your gym business survives and remains competitive in today's fitness industry market, you have to consistently provide your members with high quality service. Customer service plays a vital role in member acquisition and member retention — research by IHRSA shows interaction with fitness staff significantly decreases member dropout. Gym members that are satisfied with the service being provided by your fitness business will automatically come [...]
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Best Fitness Business Owner Forums Networking through the Internet has opened a whole new world for those in the fitness industry – from gym operators to personal instructors. It enables you to reach out to potential clients and effectively address your target audience. However, there aren’t many social networking sites for gym owners, connecting one fitness business owner to another. People looking to maintain their physique can easily reach out to their peers through social communities, but what about those looking for peer support in building their fitness brand image? You may be wondering why you should communicate with your fellow [...]
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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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10 Cost-Effective Ways to Promote Your Fitness Business 10 Cost-Effective Ways to Promote Your Fitness Business Marketing your gym is an ongoing process. Placing an advertisement periodically here and there will not be enough for your business to survive. You always have to be proactively thinking about the next promotional idea, slogan, or campaign. There are a handful of ways that are cost efficient and will effectively promote your gym business your within your immediate target area. Here 10 ways to help get you started. 1. Sponsor charities Simply choose a charitable event or charity organization and do short term and [...]
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Risk Management Best Practices for Fitness Facilities Developing a risk management strategy for your fitness facility, health club, or personal training studio involves three basic steps: Proactively identifying and handling problems in your gym is an important risk mitigation tactic. Identify the potential risks;Evaluate the severity of the potential risks;Develop strategies to mitigate the potential risks. Taking a cold hard look at your facility from a risk management point of view is the first step in developing a risk management plan. Take some time to tour each area of your facility and imagine what possible hazards could possibly arise in [...]
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Should you buy or lease commercial gym equipment? Should I buy or lease gym equipment for my business? The decision to buy or lease commercial gym equipment depends on the amount of capital you have and your tax situation. There are pros and cons to both approaches. Leasing allows you to change out fitness equipment every few years while incurring lower maintenance costs, and payments are generally deductible as a business expense. It is also easier to obtain leases than equipment loans. They may, however, cost your health club more money in the long-term. New gym equipment loans though, now [...]
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There are many advantages to buying used fitness equipment. Used or previously owned commercial fitness equipment can be purchased for less than one-third the cost of new gym equipment. Since most gym equipment is made up of easily replaceable parts and rarely breaks, there is little risk for owners. Most importantly, new health clubs can pay off used equipment faster, making it easier for their businesses to quickly reach profitability. Every gym member uses some type of exercise equipment Previous posts, like “To Buy or To Lease Gym Equipment? That is the question…” and “Top Ten Ways to Save Money When Opening a [...]
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