2013
Staying Competitive in 2013
BY BRIAN BAHM O
ver the past years, I’ve toured fitness clubs in many different markets and with a wide range of demo-
graphics. What I’ve noticed is that, no matter where I am, club owners are ex- periencing or talking about the same issues. One big challenge is how to stay
competitive as increasing numbers of American clubs enter our market
With this issue in mind, here are four tips for a successful year:
1) Roll with the times Get out of the dark ages. It’s true
that we now communicate with one another more via technology than face to face. It’s a necessity to have at least a website. You also need a Facebook page; 250 million people use it to stay updated on what's happening around them and to share this information with their friends and families.
2) Hang on to members We all know that it’s more cost ef-
fective to retain current members then search for new ones. But when did you last do a member survey in your club? Do you really know what members like and dislike about your facility? How often do you leave your office, walk the gym floor, greet mem- bers and shake their hands? I’m sure they’re greeted nicely by your front desk employees, but imagine the im- pact it has when you take time out for them. People don’t really care how much you know or what degrees or
certificates you’ve earned – they care that you care.
3) Determine your niche Is your club known for CrossFit,
MMA training, semi-private train- ing, hot yoga, or something else? If so, why are you still offering traditional one-year memberships or some type of short-term membership? Have a vari- ety of membership presentations that include your specialties. For example: Basic Membership: includes all-
access to the facility and all group classes. Silver Membership: includes the
above but also access to all semi-pri- vate group training or CrossFfit. Gold Membership: includes the
above with an additional 12 personal training sessions. People know what they want, so
create a menu that simplifies your of- ferings for the consumer.
4) Focus on the community not yourself Stop thinking that you need to be-
come more successful or more edu- cated. Develop partnerships with local businesses and experts, like doctors, restaurants, your chamber of com- merce, schools, etc. These partnerships will give you access to more people than any weekly newspaper ad. Think outside the box and, for example, have your personal trainers conduct warm-ups for races, help a restaurant create a healthy menu that will ben- efit you both, and let high school gym classes use your facility during down times. There is so much you can do. Empower your employees to develop ideas that they take on with you over- seeing them.
Brian Bahm is the owner of The Bao Institute for Healthy Living in Georgetown, Ontario. Contact him at
brianbahm@baoinstitute.com.
membership presentations that include your
specialties.” January/February 2013 Fitness Business Canada 27 variety of “Have a
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