The fitness industry has continued to grow over the last five years thanks to public health campaigns and consumer trends.
Competition is fierce and franchise centres dominate the sector, making it difficult for independents to stay afloat. However, as the number of health-conscious Canadian’s continues to rise, you can achieve healthy profit margins with the right infrastructure in place.
Increase club memberships
Partnering your health club with nearby offices and companies can help boost business and increase your annual revenue. Many employers offer their staff club memberships in a bid to increase workplace productivity and lower healthcare costs.
Offering your customers perks and incentives to continue their memberships will help increase your repeat business figures. You should also offer rewards to encourage customers to recommend friends or family members to increase new memberships.
Building a community within your fitness center is essential to ensure your members renew their memberships. Consider hosting social events in the evenings and encourage interaction via social media profiles or create an app for your centre.
Variety of services
The more facilities your fitness centre has, the more customers you will attract. Offer a variety of services and utilise the space of your business well. If you are limited on space, then try focusing on different classes, such as or spinning or pilates.
If your centre already has certain facilities, make sure you utilise and market these assets. Hire a tennis coach who can offer one-on-one lessons or offer swimming sessions for babies and toddlers to attract families to sign up to your fitness centre.
Many businesses also include a café or coffee bar where customers can relax post-workout. If you don’t have the time or money to invest in setting this up, you can still earn the extra income by renting the space to a budding entrepreneur.
Remain competitive
There are roughly 8,000 fitness centres across Canada, with total market revenue of CA$4 billion. Despite this being a competitive industry, it’s reported the annual growth over the last five years is around 7%, showing this is a strong sector to be in.
It’s important to know who your competitors are and what type of services they offer to their customers. If your competition is mainly franchise fitness centres, try to offer a more personalised service and promote the fact that you’re an independent business.
The main benefit of being an independent operator as opposed to a franchisee is that you are not bound by set rules and regulations. You can offer classes, equipment and amenities that are most successful, and if something doesn’t work, change it.
Be on-trend
The fitness sector is constantly adapting to cater to different lifestyles and trends. Wellness is currently a big focus for Canadians, with many gym-goers keen to include stretching classes in their exercise routines to improve mobility and posture.
Other fitness trends for 2019 include fusion rowing, which is usually done in group classes; cortisol-conscious workouts, focusing on LIIT (low-intensity interval training); and mental fitness, which includes mindfulness and meditation practise.
You can also boost your business revenue streams by including a small in-house store selling trend-focused activewear, fitness accessories and athleisure beauty products, such as workout-friendly mascara and skincare.
Technology is another important facet, consider setting up a custom-made app for members to track their workout regimes and evaluate fitness statistics. You can also promote classes and encourage members to interact with each other via the app.
