So many entrepreneurs open a gym business thinking that they will automatically attract members, only to realise later down the line that it takes a lot more than just opening a gym that has exercise equipment.
The gym business is a competitive industry and entrepreneurs can choose to thrive by implementing marketing activities that will build their audience, or suffer the same fate that millions of other gyms around the world face as they try to get by. Commercial gym equipment suppliers Little Bloke Fitness offer the following tips.
Gym members are key
It’s important to recognise that gym members won’t automatically be strolling through your door. You will actually need to engage in marketing promotion activities to build up your gym clientele. You should identify your audience and then engage in a direct marketing campaign with them.
For example, if your gym provides weight areas for bodybuilding, then your ideal target market will be men aged from 16-40. You could then target schools, higher learning centres, work centres and homes as a part of your direct marketing campaign to get people to sign up and become clients.
Invest in staff that can help attract new members
Many gym owners neglect the impact that their staff will have when it comes to attracting new clientele. It’s important that the you hire people who will help sell your gym’s message. That means if you are hiring personal trainers that will use your gym that they have the physique and skills that your gym clientele desire.
Establish a gym culture
People will be attracted by the culture that your gym provides. This will be reflected in the gym’s aesthetics, the staff’s personality and the overall perception of the gym. You can see some examples below.
Gymbox
Gymbox positions itself as a gym for the white-collar working class. They gym is setup with a DJ area, new equipment, celebrity trainers and a funky atmosphere. You can see one of their YouTube videos below.
David Lloyd
Alternatively, the David Lloyd gym and fitness club in Hampton in the United Kingdom offers a luxury experience with spas, pools and tennis courts.
These gyms have positioned themselves as, ‘luxury’, however the culture that you set can be aligned with anything. But you should stick with the culture that you are pursuing and carve out your business’s niche.
Invest in gym equipment that will help members achieve their goals
One of the ways to incentivise people to sign-up to your gym is by demonstrating the equipment that your gym provides to help members achieve their physical goals. This will usually be a combination of free weights, weighted machines and cardio machines.
Establish an authoritative presence
One of the easiest ways to market your gym is by marketing the gym and its trainers across the web on social media. By using platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, web forums and blogs, you can build an online audience and attract more people to join your gym.
Chontel Duncan who owns HIIT fitness with her partner has recently expanded her brand of gyms due to the high demand caused from her large social media audience. She has built an Instagram following of over 500,000 followers, which allows her to sellout her gym’s membership and bootcamp events.
Make your gym unique
This is where a lot of gyms go wrong. There are so many ways people can exercise and achieve their physical goals, however your gym needs to be unique so that it doesn’t compete with the other gyms. You can brand your gym in the following ways.
- Women’s only
- Men’s only
- Sport specific (Body Building, Soccer, Rugby, Athletics)
- Activity specific (Dance, Yoga, Crossfit)
- Age demographic (Teenagers, Under 30s)
- Working class (White collar, Blue collar)
These 6 tips should help attract more people to your gym and increase its overall clientele. Start implementing these tactics today to position your gym in the market and start attracting a loyal client base today!