I've been lucky enough at AFS to meet and speak with some of the best studio owners in the country (and some outside the U.S.). During these encounters I always come away learning more about our ever-changing, diverse, yet incredibly rewarding industry.
This couldn't be more true than my recent meeting with Brent Gallagher at the IDEA Show back in June. Brent's professionalism and drive have been evident in the success of his business venture Avenu Fitness & Lifestyle in Houston, Texas.
In their ground-breaking 2016 study, Marketing Best Practices Research Report, the Association of Fitness Studios (AFS) asked respondents which cycling certification(s) they held. As you can see from the chart below, Schwinn is #1 by a nice margin, Spinning is #2 and then there’s a big drop off to several others.
While this is great news for Schwinn and its certified instructors, it begs the question, “How can I leverage my Schwinn certification – and its #1-in-the-industry positioning - to enhance my career?” As a famous author once said, “Let me count the ways.”
Throughout my many years managing big-box health clubs and consulting with other fitness studios, the issue of how to effectively handle cancellations was always top of mind with my training teams.
How many times has this happen to you... You get up at 5am, throw on some clothes, and get to the studio or health club just in time for your 6am client. You might arrive a few minutes early and get the chance to check your email when, low and behold, at 5:40am there's an email from your 6am client stating they had to cancel. Great way to start of the day, huh?
When I was the Fitness Director of a small health and fitness facility, I dreaded the inevitable times we had to send out the “price increase” letters *insert head thumping on desk here*. It’s never pleasant to tell members you’re going to take more of their hard earned money.
Working in a neighborhood club allowed me many advantages a large scale fitness center simply could not; I was on a first name basis with most of the members, I knew what was going on their lives, heck, I even helped a member name her first child! I was IN with these people!
The healthcare crisis is a complicated issue with many layers. The big takeaways? Today, fewer than 50% of companies offer medical insurance for their employees.
Many insurance premiums have escalated to difficult-to-afford levels. And to top it all off, insurance coverage sometimes barely functions and acts more like a subsidy than a comprehensive plan. So what the heck does this have to do with you as a studio owner in fitness?
Do you ever feel like there’s a competitor around every corner? Budding entrepreneurs often hesitate to follow their business dreams because they believe their target market is already so saturated that there simply is no more room to absorb any new entrants.
However, savvy small business owners can make it in a crowded field, even one filled with a couple of big players. The key to your business' success doesn’t hinge on finding a completely empty field, but how you define your company and its place in the market.
As a trainer, you wear many different hats during a typical work week. In turn, you are pulled in many different directions among family, friends and clients.
If you are focusing on too many topics at once you cannot be in the moment, which can lead to a lack of client retention.
Wearable technology is one of the fastest growing spaces in the world. The appeal of wearable technology is part motivation, with goal setting, challenges and social recognition and part insight, with clients looking to obtain more information about their overall physical health. In this article, we will talk about meaningful insight.
As a fitness business operator or personal trainer incorporating wearable technology, you'll not only further increase your members’ lifetime value, but educate them on what makes a workout effective (meaning your clients know what the numbers actually mean when they purchase wearable technology).
Fitness has never been bigger. In fact, it's the world's biggest sport with 61% of people who exercise regularly doing gym-type activities, according to the Global Consumer Fitness Survey 2013. But retention remains the industry's biggest problem.
And where previous acquisition of new members could fill the gap, new levels of competition and industry segmentation have made gaining and retaining members harder than ever.
If you’ve noticed the fitness trend toward indoor cycling, you’re not alone. According to fitness and sports experts and the organizations that track such data*, “Stationary Cycling” was the 10th-most popular activity in America in a 2015 survey of all activities in which Americans participated.
Of course, if you’re reading these words you already know the health and fitness benefits of indoor cycling, but it’s also nice to know that you’re among the millions who have selected this vigorous, fun, and uplifting fitness regiment.
• Trainer, Manager or Owner • Beginner or Veteran • 500-10,000 sq.ft.