The gym management industry is a competitive one. In fact, it’s estimated that there are over 5 million gyms in the United States alone! With so much competition, staying ahead of the curve can be difficult—especially since most gyms only offer traditional workout equipment and classes. As a facility manager or owner, it’s important to constantly innovate and improve your business in order to stay relevant and attract new customers. Here are some tips on how to do just that:
Establish a good relationship with your customers.
As the owner of a gym, you should be aware that your customers are the most important part of your business. Your job is to keep them happy so that they keep coming back and bringing their friends along for the ride.
The first step in establishing good relationships with your customers is getting to know them better. This means going beyond basic information like name, address, email address, and phone number (though it's good to have those things on file). You want to know what motivates people in general--what has kept them from working out before? What makes them want to come back again? How often do they want or need to work out each week?
Once you've got all this information down pat--and make sure there are no gaps in between; otherwise someone could slip through unnoticed--you can start tailoring training plans based on individual needs rather than generic goals like "lose weight" or "get stronger." This will allow each person who comes through your doors to feel valued as an individual customer instead just another member who pays dues every month but never sees results because no one cares enough about helping him/her reach those goals!
Connect with your customers on social media.
- Social media is a great way to keep in touch with customers.
- You can use social media to promote events and classes.
- You can use social media as a communication tool for customer service, staff communication, and supplier relationships.
Create an atmosphere that encourages people to work out.
A positive atmosphere is key to encouraging people to work out. An inviting space will help you attract customers and keep them coming back.
- Lighting: Lighting should be bright enough to allow you to see clearly, but not so bright that it's uncomfortable or glaringly white. You want your gym's interior design to be inviting without being distracting--a balance between brightness and darkness that encourages users to focus on their fitness goals rather than on the environment around them.
- Music: Music has been shown time and again as an effective tool for improving moods in both adults and children (1). In fact, some studies indicate that listening to music can increase endurance during exercise by up-regulating certain hormones such as endorphins (2). Take advantage of this fact by playing upbeat tunes during peak hours when most members are working out at their peak performance levels!
Offer free trial classes.
Offer a free class to new members.
Offer a free class to people who are thinking of joining.
Offer a free class to people who are already members and want an extra workout, but haven't been able to make it into the gym lately because of busy schedules or other commitments.
You can also offer these classes as incentives for existing clients who refer new business to you; this way, everyone wins!
Train your staff well.
Train your staff well.
- Train them in customer service. Customers want to feel welcome and respected at a gym, so it's important that employees know how to interact with them effectively.
- Train them how to use equipment and give them a good workout. The more knowledgeable your employees are about the equipment they're selling, the better off everyone will be--and if they have experience actually using it themselves, even better! This is especially important when dealing with injuries: someone who knows what they're doing can help keep injuries from turning into bigger problems by providing appropriate advice or treatment right away (or at least knowing where else customers might find some). They'll also have an easier time selling memberships because they'll know exactly what kind of workouts will benefit each person based on their goals/needs/etc., rather than just handing out brochures and hoping something sticks!
- Offer flexibility within your business model (ease up on rules and regulations). If there aren't any hard-and-fast rules about when memberships start or end (or even how much money people need), then it makes things easier for everyone involved--including yourself! You won't waste time trying to figure out whether someone is eligible for certain discounts; instead, those dollars go straight back into improving facilities instead having been lost due to some bureaucratic quirk somewhere along the line."
Offer flexible hours and pricing options.
Flexible hours are good for busy people. Flexible pricing options are good for people with different incomes.
Flexible pricing options are also good for people with different schedules, or those who want to try a class before they commit to it. You can offer a free trial class for new customers, or discounts for returning customers who get referrals (and then provide them with tools that make it easy).
Offer discounts for members who sign up for multiple classes per week, especially if there's some overlap between those classes (i.e., the same instructor teaches both). This will encourage them to try out different types of workouts and keep coming back!
A successful gym is one that keeps its customers happy and engaged.
A successful gym is one that keeps its customers happy and engaged. Happy customers are more likely to return, refer others and buy additional products and services. If you take time to find out what other people think about their gym equipment, you'll be able to make an informed decision that will last for years.
Here are some examples of how we've helped our clients:
- A public high school wanted a new basketball court for their students and staff but couldn't afford the cost of installation or upkeep on their own. We provided them with an affordable solution by installing synthetic turf over top concrete so they could maintain it themselves without breaking the bank!
- Another client wanted something different than your typical spin bike but didn't know where else besides Amazon would sell such unique items at competitive prices--we found them one locally!
Conclusion
We hope that this article has given you some insight into how to manage a gym. It can be a challenge, but remember that the key is to keep your customers happy and engaged. If they feel like they're getting what they want from their experience at your facility, then everything else will fall into place!
