Owning your own gym is the perfect way to combine your passion for fitness and changing people’s lives with your drive to achieve optimal success. Becoming a gym owner could change your life and the lives of your customers. That’s why it is important to ensure that you are running your business as effectively and efficiently as possible.
Whether you are a new gym owner about to explode onto the fitness industry scene or a veteran looking to brush up on the basics, here are a few best practices that we feel will help any franchisee in his or her mission to create a fitness empire.
1. Keep grounds clean.
One of the first things that customers will notice about your studio or gym is the cleanliness of the grounds. Simply put—no one wants to work out in a dirty gym. Not only will your members feel safer and more comfortable in a clean environment, but you will also extend the longevity of your fitness equipment when you keep it clean and sterile.
We suggest wiping down your equipment often and thoroughly, especially after a class or in between sets. If you run group classes, it may be beneficial to work cleaning into your class or sets. Asking your members to clean their equipment after they are done using it will put your mind at ease. Not only will you know that your equipment is clean, but your members will feel safer working out in a fitness facility that cares about the sterilization of equipment.
It is also important to ensure that every night or every morning (or both), you take the time to make sure the common areas are mopped or vacuumed, the trash is disposed of and the dressing rooms and bathrooms are cleaned. It may seem like a lot, but all of the effort you put into cleaning and sterilizing your studio or gym will be noticed tenfold by your members.
2. Create an atmosphere members will LOVE.
In order for you to recruit and retain your members, you have to show them that your gym is worth their time and money, and how you are different from the others. There’s no better way to differentiate yourself from the competition than with an atmosphere that is high-energy, inclusive and infectious.
You can easily reflect inward to get an idea of the type of atmosphere you want to provide to your clients, and then execute accordingly. We suggest finding the things that work for you and your fitness business, such as music that sets the tone for a workout, high-energy employees or trainers that will motivate your clients, and technology that will set you apart from other gyms and give your space an ‘ahead of the curve’ feel. Your clients should feel like they are stepping foot in a gym that is unlike any other, and it is your job to make sure of that.
3. Deliver high-quality products.
There are so many different types of gyms out there for members of your community to choose from. Ask yourself, why my gym? Simple answer: what you are giving them cannot be found anywhere else. Look beyond the smiling faces at the front desk or the amazing workout playlist you curated. What are your members there for? The workouts!
No matter what type of training you specialize in, be the best at that particular type of training. Take pride in your work and offer your members only the best. If you are constantly offering your clients mediocre training programs or classes, they are going to get mediocre results out of them, and guess what? They will only give you mediocre reviews!
What you put into your business is what you get out of it. Always deliver the highest quality products, because that is ultimately what makes you, you!
4. Always look for ways to improve.
This last tip is extremely important because it can set you up for long term success in the fitness industry. One of the best things that you can do for yourself and your business is understand that you aren’t perfect, and things will have to shift over time. We encourage you to look for ways to improve. Always chase perfection, and never settle for mediocrity. That will allow you to prosper in the fitness industry.
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