Do you have an employee handbook for your gym? In my opinion, having a handbook is extremely important and relevant for large clubs and small clubs alike. As the boss it's important to play your cards close to your chest, to maintain control. However, having the rules and definitions out in the open is something that gets everyone "singing from the same hymn sheet". It's critical for staff to know how to handle difficult situations and feel confident in their actions. If boundaries aren't clearly stated, your staff could fall into the miserable habit of passing the buck and ducking [...]
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Targeted studios are the young guns of the fitness industry. As a small fitness center owner or manager, you have to respond to their potential threat, or they may figuratively eat your lunch. This type of fitness business represents a significant threat to the conventional gym model. But there are actions you can take as a small fitness center owner or manager. Read on and I'll explain how. If you have a small conventional gym with a small selection of group classes or no classes at all, you must start considering how to fulfill members' needs. Be prepared to respond [...]
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I founded Gym Insight because I wanted software that catered directly to how I manage my fitness center, and I just couldn't find that on the market. At least, not up to the standards that I expect from a dedicated business application. Insight has been so successful because other owners of small fitness center and their managers face the same demands every day. One of the most important things that the best gym management software must do is integrate with the customer experience. It has to help the curious browser or window shopper to pull the trigger and commit to [...]
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Over the past week I learned a very important lesson. For my small gym, I wrongly thought that my manager and personal trainers were enough. What I realize now is that this isn't true. Having one employee dedicated to member retention is a necessity. I had a revelation: Member engagement, satisfaction, and overall care must be the responsibility of one person alone. This role has to be completely separate from anyone that has a sales, customer service or training role. As a team that operates a small gym my staff understand that selling memberships, other services and products piggybacks every [...]
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You know that you need to establish your brand name and image in the fitness industry, but how will you do that? Giving excellent customer service and providing state-of-the-art gym equipment and facilities are just some of the initial steps. You also need to create some buzz about your gym and appeal to the public at large. While we strive to get creative promotion ideas, we tend to overlook one of the simplest and most effective promotion technique - giving out promotional products. Using branded promotional products are one of the sure-fire ways to increase brand visibility and ensure member [...]
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Flyers and leaflets give you an inexpensive way to promote your gym and attract new members. Whether or not they offer an effective solution is up to you and what you decide to do with them. Not every flyering campaign brings you the reputation that you want or the clients that you need. If your campaign is not done correctly, you might end up running at a loss and dealing with a bunch of agitated residents complaining about the littering. To ensure that your flyering campaign brings you the good exposure and business that you need, you need to ask [...]
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When running a fitness center or any other business for the matter, it is only a matter of time till you have to deal with a disappointed or angry customer. This is when you face the challenge of handling the situation in such a way that the customer discovers the best qualities about your gym. If you get lucky, you might even end up earning a lifetime member with several recommendations. Let's see how you can take full control of the situation and turn an upset customer into a loyal member. Controlling Various Forums of Complaints In addition to getting [...]
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Doubling up on employees may seem like a luxury, but when the pressure's on, you'll be glad you did. Just as Noah filled the Ark with animals two by two before the flood, you have to hire staff in twos. The alternative is that you risk being stuck at the most awkward and stressful time without someone to whom you can delegate a critical function of your gym's operation. If you own or manage a small fitness center you always need contingency plans, especially when it comes to staffing. Large companies have all kinds of luxuries that come with the [...]
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Like I've mentioned before, the fitness center market is highly competitive (as if you didn't know that already). To gain any leverage in the marketplace you have to be extremely creative in the way you attract new members. I've developed some enticements for members by experimenting, building on what works and letting all the rest go. Gym Membership Management With Self Service Marketing There's one promotion that's worked particularly well over the years. I let members work for discounts on their monthly rate by bringing in referrals, down to a certain amount. It works like this: my monthly membership amount [...]
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It seems like everybody has such a hectic schedule these days that more and more services have to be offered around-the-clock. Stores, gyms and even fast food restaurants are open 24 hours a day, to cater to the late-night crowds. Large numbers of people now work nontraditional hours. Shift workers like emergency services workers, doctors and nurses and security staff. Then, of course, along with the blurring of traditional work patterns, there are people who just prefer to be active at night. As a fitness club owner or manager it is very important that you capitalize on this market segment. [...]
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When you're aiming for success in the fitness industry, there are a number of factors to consider during the start-up period. That's why it's always a good idea to have a checklist in place for everything to ensure smooth business operations. A detailed checklist helps you keep the gym organized without unnecessary effort and also improves your chances of establishing a name in the industry. Let's find out why each of the following checklists play a role in the growth of your fitness business: Supplies By having a supplies checklist for your gym, you can see to it that every [...]
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Getting your certification as a personal trainer can propel you into a new and satisfying career. But before you launch your website, start your Twitter feed, and begin to look for clients, there is something you need to do first. Pass your certification exam. Okay, so that may seem as easy as doing 50 one-armed pushups. Which exam should you take? ACE? ISSA? NASM? AFAA? ACSM? Or one of the many other accredited personal trainer certification exams? What should you know before you take the exam? What's the exam like? Where should you start? A Beginner's Guide to Personal Trainer [...]
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When it comes to signup time most gym membership prospects want easy choices. Then, of course, there are the more knowledgeable new clients, who know what they want and love to think they got a little something extra in the deal. As the gym owner or manager, you can play your cards close to your chest and make them all happy. This strategy sells more memberships and everybody wins. I'm a huge advocate of making things simple for gym members. When people apply for a fitness club membership they're often looking to you to guide them to the right membership [...]
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Your gym may be well known for coming up with creative promotion ideas, but that doesn't guarantee your members will want to stay for a long time. The key is to provide excellent service, so that they fall in love with the experience of working out at YOUR gym. You can do this by offering and focusing on three important services that will improve their first impression and leave a lasting effect. Let's find out how health assessments, orientations, and free personal training sessions can help in retaining the newest members of your gym... 1) Health Assessments Every person who [...]
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As the Southern hemisphere experienced a change in season - from winter to spring - on September 22nd, the Northern parts of the world entered autumn. The transition, known as the autumnal equinox, from summer to fall in the North marks the beginning of a season filled with festivals and celebrations in the United States. With important holidays like Thanksgiving and Halloween around the corner, it's time to draw up plans for promoting your brand and bringing in more members to your gym. Here are a few ideas to help you with your fall promotion: Halloween Although fitness and Halloween [...]
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