Do you have a back story to how your business started? Do your employees know the why and what-for of the enterprise they work for? Employees need a story that they can focus on and a reason to identify with your small gym business. If that story is something that new employees can buy into, they will become a more effective part of your team more quickly. Meaning is a higher human need that will override many failings. It help's people understand what you're trying to achieve and work harder to get you there. It frames the challenges and purpose [...]
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The fitness trainers that I've worked with over the years have been a very diverse range of people. They share a love of fitness and the drive to help others achieve it. Of course, I'm speaking in very broad generalizations here, but there is another thing that all too many certified fitness professionals have. I'm talking about student loans. It could sometimes be that they followed their dreams and went all out on a bachelors degree relating to fitness, followed by fitness certification. Alternatively, perhaps they majored in something like real estate management, only to find out that they didn't [...]
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Measuring Stimulation There was a lot of information that I left out of the Moscow Subway article because it was getting too long. For example, there was an interesting article on The Daily Beast Blog about how short bursts of vigorous exercise has a more stimulating effect than a cup of coffee. An intense burst of exercise such as dropping for pushups for thirty seconds has been shown to be more effective at generating the kind of focus and mental stamina of which coffee drinkers can only dream. That's all according to the study cited in the Daily Beast article. [...]
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Barcoded Key Tags Or RFID For Easy Entry RFID and Barcoded key tags are two widely used types of systems for gym access control, in common usage with gym management software systems. Gym Insight supports both key technologies, it's just a matter of which suits your needs best. Each has its uses, advantages and weaknesses. Fortunately there are two clear paths along which to tread and they match up neatly with one or the other of the access types. A small gym that has remote management and unattended 24 hour access has different needs to the one that has open [...]
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https://youtu.be/4Nc_LFR_-hI In this video, Anthony, a gym owner, shows you how to easily navigate the check-in access software by Gym Insight. He will quickly and efficiently show you how to do the following: Check-in a gym member. Search for gym member's account. View a member's status (green, yellow, or red) and what the status color represents. Edit/update a member's account. Cancel and un-cancel their account. How to accept payments via card on file, with a new card for a one-time payment, or cash. How to run a time/date search for what members where in your facility. If you have any [...]
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Social Networks are the fabric of community. I'm writing here about the social media networks that have emerged with the invention of the Internet and which connects people in a way that hasn't been possible for past generations. Like This Article on Facebook! The arrival of facebook, Twitter and other social networks like Google Plus have put social connection onto a different level. The spread of these networks into every aspect of daily life have made it possible to create targeted networks that are focused on particular interests, like fitness. There are now some great tools to make your small [...]
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The founder of the Spartan Race is releasing a book entitled "Spartan Up! You'll Know At The Finish". As I mentioned in a previous blog post, about Promotions That Take You to The Edge, I had the great privilege to meet the team behind Spartan Races a few weeks back. I feel extra-privileged that they have given me an advanced copy of Joe's book! I even had the opportunity to put some questions to DeSena, about it. I was not disappointed and I'm excited to relate some of that here. If you have heard of the Spartan Race then you [...]
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How does a small gym get the most out of its software and payment processing resources? What is the right combination of services to best support gym owners and their managers in the battle against the seemingly unlimited resources of the multinational big-box brands of the fitness industry? I have been working hard to answer those questions both for Insight and for my own small gym. The extensive market research that I have been conducting has showed me that there literally is a middle way. To that end, I am proud to announce that Gym Insight is launching a new [...]
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I last wrote about leasing one year ago and, as it's such an important issue, I decided that it's time once again. Leasing should be something that every gym owner is aware of as an ownership alternative. In fact I want to make the claim that gym equipment leasing is part of something that I think is much bigger, even a mindset. It's all part of creating your own options and being able to respond to changing situations with flexibility and agility. Your overhead and capital outlays can really be tough to meet in any business. Gym specific items such [...]
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Getting your fitness trainers and gym staff to promote products and services requires some work from you as the business owner first. This means that you're going to have to do a little selling in the form of leadership. It is up to you to motivate your team to generate sales result from the members of your gym or fitness center. Individual selling skills are very important and they will help trainers build a career in the long term. However, there needs to be a common frame of understanding within your organization. It all hinges on providing the skills and [...]
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Ever notice that gyms all seem to cluster together in one corner of the neighborhood? It's like where all four corners of an intersection each have a gas station on them. How does that work? And what does that mean for the small business owner? It works because everyone gets to maximize their presence in the market and the cluster makes everyone more visible than they would be alone. The sum of the businesses is greater than the parts. If you have no other choice but to open a gym in a fitness saturated area, here are some positive economic [...]
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Marketing your fitness center is always a battle to stand out from the crowd. The voice most likely to be heard is the one that makes the best use of media to consistently send the message that will appeal to the most potential members. Over time you will discover a whole host of methods to promote your gym. A press release is one of the most effective ways to get the word out to potential new members and to raise your brand awareness in the marketplace. If you haven't tried using this method to spread the word about your promotional [...]
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Recently I wrote about New Year promotions and also about working with and connecting to your local business community. Anything that gives you increased standing and respect in the community is a good thing, in my opinion. The importance of marketing and promotion can't be overstated. Unless you've hit on something that takes all the capacity you can produce without you lifting a finger (let me know about that please), marketing and promotions must be ongoing activities. My point here is that you have to be in the habit of actively pursuing promotion opportunities. They won't all work out but [...]
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This week I felt inspired to write about handling membership cancellations. There are several reasons that they come to mind right now. It's the season for peak sign-ups, which will be followed later by a wave of cancellations as the faint hearted drop by the wayside. Also, there have been some stories in the news about companies taking it very badly when customers cancel and complain. I think it's worth mentioning because you can't be too prepared when it comes to dealing with customer service crises. Mishandling complaints can lead to a vicious cycle that, in this age of Twitter, [...]
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The seasonal fluctuations of the gym business are familiar to anyone who's been a member of a gym for more than a year. Gym owners and managers are even more acutely aware of the seasonal changes in the business because of the changing stress levels that go with the seasons. Gyms have an annual ebb and flow, with a peak of activity with the New Year. It's the most hectic time with all of the hustle and bustle of resolutions being fulfilled in the form of good intentions and new memberships. Issues of The Resolution Cycle There are a couple [...]
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