Not Another Fitness Blog!
Google “Fitness Blogs” and over 40 million hits come back. Is it truly possible that there are over 40 million web entries all related to the health and fitness industry? Turns out that there may be. Interesting enough when you Google “Fitness Club Management blog” the results drops significantly, 146 to be exact. So, is it possible that there are that many more fitness “experts” and consequently people interested in fitness than those interested in how to successfully manage and operate clubs and facilities? Turns out there may be (didn’t we just say that)? A little over 2 years ago my wife and I started our own Personal Training and Fitness facility. Two years later I want the world (or at least those interested in gym ownership) to know the top 5 lessons learned.
Lesson 1: Business Plan, Business Plan, Business Plan
That’s right. Forget the days of buying some used equipment and slapping up a door sign. Invest the time, and money, to professionally prepare a business plan. Have it reviewed by friends, accountants, other industry contacts, etc. I guarantee it will highlight your weakness and prepare for the unexpected.
Lesson 2: Education and Experience counts, Sometimes
This is twofold. When hiring trainers look at their background and experience but never, ever accept it for what it says. Investigate and then spend the time, and money, (here we go again) to make sure that they fit the needs of your client base and you’re business needs. Second, do not hire outside the “area of competence”. Example: Don’t expect quality administration work from a personal trainer, don’t expect quality accounting from an administrator, don’t expect quality management from a fitness director, and so on and so on.
Lesson 3: The Client is almost always Wrong
Some people will take exception to this but when you have the data and proof, it is almost always the case. You will hear every excuse and reason in the world why they didn’t show up for a session and the most common excuse is something to do with you. You never told me, you never emailed me, you never phoned me, you didn’t make the requested change. Invest in a good client management system; it will pay for itself in the first week.
Lesson 4: Leave the Attitude at the Door
Want to turn off 90% of your clients, act like you have all the answers. Clients are coming to see you to talk about them and not about you. Listen, listen again, listen some more and then, and only then, speak. But don’t speak about you! Ask them more questions and then listen and then listen some more – you get the point.
Lesson 5: Never compete on Price
You’re not building widgets in China. If your business plan calls for the majority of your revenue to come from memberships and your plan is to undercut the competition by $2/month then save yourself a ton of work and money and get out now. You need to find your niche and the programs and tools that will allow you to stand apart from your competitors. Read the recent articles on the large chains filing for bankruptcy and you will see my point.
Five lesson in two years? Are you kidding, never would we have imagined what we didn’t know going into this adventure and believe at the end of the day and 70 hours a week later, that is what this is, an adventure.
