Fitness is an industry with constant churn in terms of people coming into the mix to workout and those who fall out of fitness – for a variety of reasons. Even with more and more research showing the health and wellness benefits of fitness, many people who would benefit from it, simply don’t start.
As businesses this leaves us with the pool of people who are actually willing to make it into a gym/fitness studio/etc. The good news? Once they start, it’s easier to get them back if they fall out.
It is a well-known fact that one of the biggest challenges facing businesses today is building an engaged and dynamic team. In my experience working in this industry, it’s the power of engaged teams that have proven to facilitate long-term business growth more than any other factor.
In my years of leading teams from smaller spans of 6-8 people up to larger spans of over 50 people, I have discovered a few universal truths that I believe are the cornerstone of success.
How do you change the world? I used to think it was through teaching people how to have a healthy lifestyle because if everyone understood the benefits of exercise and eating nutritious foods we’d have less disease, everyone would feel better, have more energy, live longer and be able to contribute more…you get my point.
I’ve since realized we actually change the world through marketing because it doesn’t matter what incredible information you have to share with the world if you don’t know how to share it with the people who need it.
Fitness studio owners and personal trainers often give very little attention to their liability waivers or hold harmless agreements because they feel they are not going to protect them from claims and they don’t want to pay for legal advice.
The truth is, state laws determine how effective a waiver may be in court, but it is important to always have a well-written waiver in every state.
We all know that we need to measure success right? Depending on your current set-up in regards to software programs, your access to data could be extremely complex or very simple. This blog is centered around making you think about what you should be measuring according to your studio goals.
Let’s take a step back first and look at key numbers in terms of what you are trying to grow within your business. From there you can decide what key metrics you want to measure.
If anybody is wondering why the indoor cycling phenomenon continues to grow at a seemingly non-stop pace, they need look no farther than the numbers.
Based on research from the Association of Fitness Studios (AFS) 2016 Marketing Best Practices Research Report, indoor cycling studios generate 55% more revenue than other types of fitness studios.
For the last 10 years as technology has expanded into and taken over other industries our industry has seen its share come and go.
There have been some solutions we expected to change the industry, others that were the next big thing, and so many that have saturated the market without much positive impact anywhere near the scale we need it to be.
Let’s face it, this is a fun industry. A lot of us get into it because it beats sitting at a desk all day, but quickly realize that it’s a heck of a lot harder than we may had previously thought.
That being said, I think it’s imperative that we first outline the business that we’re in (the fitness industry) and more importantly, how it makes money.
Market research offers studio operators valuable information that can change the trajectory of their business.
Research can provide thoughtful and impactful insights into a multitude of critical elements that influence how a studio performs.
Having just returned from the IDEA World Convention in Los Angeles, I couldn't be more excited about the future of this industry.
The energy was off the charts and the education was spot on. Growing up in the fitness industry (specifically on the association side) I know how much dedication, hard work, and perseverance it takes to develop an association. I have the utmost respect for what Peter and Kathie Davis have been able to accomplish.
• Trainer, Manager or Owner • Beginner or Veteran • 500-10,000 sq.ft.