When fitness is your passion, running your business may feel like eating a cake. However, regardless of how smooth the process may feel, you may make mistakes that are highly common in this industry. Like with any business, being a gym owner comes with its own issues. If you are new to this domain and it is the first gym you run, you’ll soon realise it’s not the cake you felt at first.
Even though it doesn’t mean this applies only to new gym owners, they tend to make similar mistakes that usually lead to business failure. Since the market is growing rapidly and the industry has high competition, it is more vital than ever for gym owners to know these mistakes before they affect your company.
It is also crucial to take the right steps to make your gym successful. While you will still make some mistakes during the process, and it is okay, it is best to know and prevent those which potentially be fatal to your new business.
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Not Having Enough Options
When it comes to running a gym, one of the key factors that contribute to member retention is client satisfaction and experience. Most gyms offer programs and equipment placed for people who are already fit. However, every gym member has their own needs and bodily factors; you should consider offering service that will fit everyone’s requirements.
Therefore you should make sure that you have a vast range of workout equipment and programs for people from ordinary ones, professional athletes and powerlifters alike. This isn’t applied to gyms specially designed for professional bodybuilders unless your gym focuses only on professional sports.
Too Much Training
As a gym owner, you may want to share your knowledge and experience with people. But training and being a gym owner are two different things. That is because you won’t have a chance to see your business from the side and will eventually experience burnout. If you want to achieve success, you will need to learn how to delegate. Having a business also means having a team. Hire specialists who can assist you with tasks and allow you to rest and refresh your mind for new ideas.
Choosing the Wrong Location
People choose a gym based on location. Although it is not the only factor, it still plays a key role in how successful your business will be. If your gym is located in a remote area, does not have parking space, or it is hard for users to get to your gym due to the lack of subway in that area.
Working out could be a hard task for most people. Although they still go to the gym to improve their health, you should offer them easy and quick access to your gym. They don’t need to struggle with finding where you are located or being parked. These issues can also ruin their experience, which reduces your retention rates.
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Ignoring the Importance of Marketing
We live in a world where people look for services and products online. So if you don’t have a well-planned and solid online presence, you lose many clients. Make sure that you have a website illustrating your services, programs, discounts, locations and other information. In addition, you will need to invest in SEO for gyms. That is because proper SEO will help you be at the top of the search in Google.
Consider creating social media accounts, like Instagram or TikTok. This will help you attract a vast audience and keep them engaged. You will need to perform competitor research and find out what other gyms use and how they help them achieve results. Proper marketing helps to grow revenue, improve your visibility and avoid wasting money on tactics that aren’t effective.
Ignoring Market Trends
Since 2019, most gyms have been forced to be closed. That is because people were not able to psychically enjoy workouts. As a result, businesses started to use technologies and software to continue offering their services. One of the ideas they offered was online training. They started to develop apps for their members and provide online training sessions from their in-house trainers.
Although users can now enter your gym, some still prefer home workouts with apps over physical gyms. That is why you should always check market trends and technologies the tech industry offers and adjust your business according to the insights you get. This will help you to increase retention rates and user satisfaction, grow your revenue and stay relevant in this changing market.
Not Taking Care of All Members
There is a popular theory in marketing – 80% of your business comes from 20% of your clients. It is a common mistake for gym owners to prioritise attracting new members. While new members definitely grow revenue, old clients are as essential as new ones. That is why you should take care of all your members equally, organising events, discounts or loyalty programs for old members and promoting services to attract new ones.
Not Introducing New Programs
The gym industry is extremely dynamic and competitive. People are becoming more aware of their health and wellness, so if you don’t keep up with trends in the domain and workout plans, you risk losing business. Always learn what your competitors do, how they attract new members and what clients want now.
It is always a great idea to ask your members to learn what they are looking for in gyms and what kind of programs they’d like to have at the gym. A successful business is driven by data. So if you are able to collect and analyse member feedback will be beneficial in satisfying old members and attracting new ones.
