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Increase Your Memberships: Four streamlining techniques Gyms can use to smash stagnation in a challenging and changeable economy!

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Increase Your Memberships: Four streamlining techniques Gyms can use to smash stagnation in a challenging and changeable economy!

This week we are continuing our focus on the fundamentals, this time by exploring the potential for streamlining and optimisation available to independent gym and fitness club owners. All of these techniques can be reviewed and considered with near immediate effect by owners and management, though some may require further commitment after the initial review to be fully effective. 

Our goal here was to create a quick and instructive article that will get gym and fitness club owners thinking about certain BAU (business-as-usual) operations within their fitness facilities that they may have taken for granted or let stagnate accidentally.

It is no secret that the fitness industry has been through a period of intense change over the last four years, and that trend shows no sign of abating. Whether it is a reorganising of power and profitability amongst the big chains, ever-greater technological innovation or the shifting of consumer habits and member priorities, this industry does not stay still and neither should its denizens! 

As such, we are here to find where chaff can be cut, where orthodoxy can be overthrown and ultimately where we can create the most value for members and the most profit for owners!

Jump Ahead to see our 4 techniques!

(you can also click to skip ahead!)

Technique 1

 

Independent gym owners should be questioning the 24-hour opening time doctrine

Technique 2

Effective, Intuitive, Contextual Automation

Technique 3

 

Demographic Messaging

Technique 4

Systems, Systems, Systems

Technique 1

Independent gym owners should be questioning the 24-hour opening time doctrine.

Is it worth keeping the lights on?

 With energy costing more and more, it is time to ask whether the 24 hour model is still optimal, aspirational or even viable in the 2023 landscape. 

We have seen significant discomfort being caused to the likes of PureGym and The Gym Group through their insistence, or rather, dependence on the 24 hour model.

 Whereas the large, budget chains may have locked themselves into the 24-hour model, independent gyms and fitness clubs have no such obligation.

 With technology making the adoption of the 24-hour model increasingly viable, it was gradually becoming seen as the optimal mode of operation. The Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine may have heralded an end of this increase.

 Indeed, it now increasingly seems like the 24-hour model could soon be viewed as a luxurious remnant of a more prosperous age. There will still be gyms where it can operate and even thrive of course, such as the eternally busy city centres. But the time where it could be viewed as the norm irrespective of location seems to be quickly fading. 

Is there truly any need for a PureGym or any gym to be opening in some sleepy dormitory town all night, every night. Do the membership fees of the five night owls that come in to work out really justify a full night of operation? It is dubious as to whether they ever really did, but the energy crisis has put the answer into black and white. 

As such, we are seeing many gyms either revert back to, or away from, 24 hour operation. The benefits to this shift can be numerous. Saving electricity, increased security, diminished risk to equipment, dedicated repair times, the list goes on.

Technique 2

Effective, Intuitive, Contextual Automation

Perhaps it is fitting that for an article based entirely around streamlining processes for independent gyms and fitness club owners, this next technique is another ‘just because you can, doesn’t mean you should’.

 This time we are focusing on automation. While there are many, many forms of automation in even the most basic gym or fitness club these days, one area where this is becoming increasingly normalised is the entrance/exit area of any given fitness facility.

The benefits of automation in this area can seem numerous and apparent. There is the potential for decreased staffing costs, increased security and increased flexibility. 

But the wrong system can cause issues. Too often we’ve seen a system get implemented and abused. One of the most common shortfalls that occur is with keypads. While a unique pin that opens a gate or unlocks a turnstile may seem like the sleek image of the future, it is highly susceptible to abuse and exploitation. 

This helps to highlight that it isn’t enough to automate and innovate. It is about doing so with an end goal in mind, and with an output that you wish to see.


If a gym or fitness club is operating in an error that is prone to breaches in security or abuse, the implementation of a full-height turnstile has been proven to reduce the amount of incidents remarkably.

 Equally, if there is a large amount of pin code/passcode sharing, a fingerprint system can eliminate nearly completely and instantaneously. 

Only with the specific contextual application of automation with specific goals in mind can automation yield impactful results. Without this vital step, it might create more issues than originally intended!

Technique 3

Demographic Messaging

Too often we find that gyms and fitness clubs are not aware of the messaging they are sending out, the brand identity they are cultivating and how it can affect the overall tone and success of a fitness facility! 


This is a trap that is easy to fall into. We have all seen posters, flyers and banners that haven’t been updated since before the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. It is safe to say that the lockdowns, followed by the subsequent energy prices put many businesses into a sort of fight or flight survival mode. The rolling crises that have followed have kept many businesses in that mode of operation until today. 

This can have a knock-on effect in many different aspects of a fitness facility’s daily operations. It can reduce staff morale, damage member retention rates and ultimately start to impact the bottom line. 

However this is only half the issue we wish to raise today. The other half stems from the effect that this trend has on demographic messaging. The time period between 2019 and 2022 saw one of the most rapid societal and economic shifts since the second world war. People moved in unprecedented numbers, routines shifted and priorities changed.

 With all of this, gyms and fitness clubs must also change. Take stock of the local area, work out who is there now that wasn’t before. If a gym is located within a suburban town, understand whether more people are working from home and whether the population increased as people fled the city centres. Conversely, if it is in a more central, urban location it is equally as important to understand the new, post-Covid landscape. This information will be available and acting upon the changes in the area could be vital to understanding whether the brand identity and messaging of a gym needs to change.

One thing that has become increasingly clear across all demographics since 2019/20 is the rise in the desire for functional, low-impact workouts that boost long term health. 

 While we appreciate this will not blend with every gym or fitness club’s chosen aesthetic and brand, it is a remarkably broad and versatile message that is finding more and more purchase out there amongst potential gym and fitness club members. 

It is important to examine the brand identity of a gym. If it has a name that invokes words and concepts such as ‘XTREME’, it will obviously attract a certain type of person and that is fantastic. But it is equally important to think about who is being pushed away. In an increasingly challenging economic environment, the decision to hyper-focus on specific demographics while neglecting others cannot be taken lightly. 

Technique 4

Systems, Systems, Systems

Our final technique represents a big change and a big step for many gyms and fitness clubs, but that makes it no less important.

 The systems that power a fitness facility are the beating heart of the operation. Without the ability to efficiently organise and track membership, collect payment, pay staff and allow access, the operation essentially ceases to exist. As with any business, it is much more than just a building. It is an organisation trying to create the greatest value and experience for its members, a complete service. 

 And in the last twenty years, perhaps more so than any other point in human history, the definition of what constitutes a service has changed rapidly. This is especially true in the fitness industry, where an unprecedented application of technology has rendered many gyms nearly unrecognisable from their 1990s counterparts. 

With this in mind, our final consideration for independent gyms and fitness club owners is to earnestly review the systems that power and enable their facilities.

  1. Are they allowing your staff to operate as efficiently as possible?
  2. Are they maximising the feedback and data available to the operation?
  3. Are they giving staff and management the control to implement that feedback?
  4. And most importantly, is the system giving your members the best experience possible?


If the answer to any of these is anything less than an emphatic “Yes!” then it is time to at least consider other options. We have seen time and time again independent gym and fitness club owners settling with sub-optimal and sub-par gym membership management systems because they either believe, or can’t conceive of a better system out there.

But gym membership management software is a sector which sees development and innovation year on year. Settling on a system because it is ‘good enough’ could be holding a gym (and by extension their members) from experiencing something truly game changing!

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Top 8 Must-Have Pieces of Gym Equipment To Appeal To All Ages!

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The top 8 must-have pieces of equipment for independent Gyms and Fitness Clubs to appeal to all age ranges, including the increasingly valuable 50+ demographic!

 

Are you a forward-thinking independent gym or fitness club owner? Do you pride yourself in always considering what steps are necessary to ensure the growth of your facility, the happiness of your members, and the future of your business?

Then our blog today is for you! 


Today we will be going over one of the fundamentals of any independent gym or fitness club operation, equipment!

But we will be viewing equipment, something often taken for granted and viewed too simplistically, and examining it through a new lens! 

And that lens is to focus on the demographics that will be using your equipment. Specifically, we will be focusing on what will appeal to the more low-intensity workout-oriented older demographics. 

While there are obviously many factors (some of which we have already explored!) that help determine whether a gym or fitness club will appeal to certain demographics, one that is oft overlooked is the actual equipment within a gym. There is a habit of viewing gym equipment as a relatively static entity within a gym or fitness club. One that requires repair, updating, and occasionally replacing, but rarely anything else.

As such, we’ve put together this list of must-have equipment that favours older potential members, as well as those interested in more Recovery-based or low-intensity workouts. 

 

Just want to see the list of our must-have equipment. We won’t keep you waiting any longer!

Type 1! Step Machine & Pedal Exercisers

Type 2! Stationary Bicycle

Type 3! Rowing Machine

Type 4! Balance Trainer & Resistance Bands

Type 5! Pressurised or Low-Impact Treadmill

Type 6! Appropriate Dumbbell Sets

Type 7! Cross Trainer/Elliptical Machines

Type 8! Training Bench

Type 1! Step Machine & Pedal Exercisers

The key strength of the Step Machine has always been twofold.

First, it is a surprisingly effective, relatively low-impact workout that can be utilised at the pace the user desires. 


The second? Equally as important but just as overlooked. Nearly everyone knows how to take a step and is capable and confident of taking one. It is a satisfying and safe piece of equipment that people can easily operate while listening to whatever they want.

When someone who is interested in low-intensity exercise walks into a gym or fitness club for the first time, this is one of the pieces of equipment they will be looking for.

 

The same is true of pedal exercisers. They are a piece of equipment sometimes more commonly associated with private use than gyms or fitness clubs, but we have found they make a great addition to a low-intensity workout area.

 

 

Type 2! Stationary Bicycle

There is a similar logic that can be applied to our second piece of equipment. The Stationary bicycle!

Low impact, eminently popular, simple and safe to use. 


Cycling is becoming an increasingly popular method of transport for older people the world over, and stationary cycling offers all the benefits with none of the risk (or actually going anywhere!). 

While it is, of course, a staple of gyms and fitness clubs. When it comes to Stationary bicycles it is about asking two key questions.

1. Does a gym or fitness club have enough stationary bicycles?

2. Are they being marketed and associated with low-intensity workouts through social media, classes, and posters?

 

Type 3! Rowing Machine

While more of a surprise hit, you only need to ask a gym regular to get confirmation that the venerable rowing machine is a hit amongst the venerable demographics.

When viewed through our existing criteria though, the appeal is not surprising. Once again it is a relatively simple and safe exercise machine that can be operated at the pace of the user. After an explosion in popularity due to technological advances in the 1980s, it would seem that many from that era are still using the noble rowing machine to this day!

 

 

Type 4! Balance Trainers and Resistance Bands

Our next one is not even traditionally thought of as gym or fitness club equipment, even less so than the pedal exerciser. Some would argue that would mean exclusion from the list. However, we would argue that this makes its inclusion all the more important.

Though not exactly machines, balance trainers and resistance bands have become a hit among beginners and upwards when it comes to low-intensity and recovery workouts.

Resistance bands have many positives. They are simple, portable, and lightweight. Perfect for more senior members. 


They also focus on areas that many older gym members are very interested in. Muscular health, blood flow, and most importantly (and perhaps obviously, given the name) balance! 

Given their relatively inexpensive nature compared to other, heavyweight gym equipment. We think that these should be high on the list of purchases for any low-intensity push a gym or fitness club attempts!

 

 

Type 5! Pressurised or Low-Impact Treadmill

From one end of the spectrum to the other, this next piece of equipment certainly isn’t inexpensive but it will certainly be impactful! 

Or should that be not impactful? The goal of the Pressurised, anti-gravity, or low-impact treadmill is to reduce the impact that running or walking on a treadmill has on the body. 


While this may seem of trifling concern to some, for those with injuries or impediments such a treadmill can be a massive selling point. 

The quality of life improvement that such a piece of equipment can bring to certain demographics and gym members is so potent. For that reason alone it made it on the list!

 

 

Type 6! Appropriate Dumbbell Sets

Much like the stationary bicycles, this tip isn’t so much about getting dumbbells, or a perceived lack of them. 


Once again the focus is more on their availability within any given gym or fitness club, and how they are being utilised, marketed, and promoted within that fitness environment. 

The availability of lighter weight dumbbells is often not sufficient. Some gyms we’ve worked with have addressed this by having dedicated dumbbell racks within their lower-intensity area with specifically lighter weights. 


This is a fantastic idea! As it helps set the tone for the area as well as providing plenty of additional weights of an appropriate weight. This makes it easier to incorporate them into classes, promotional material, and events.

How the equipment is presented is half the battle!

 

Type 7! Cross Trainer/Elliptical Machines

Another modern classic that needs little introduction. The cross-trainer, also known as an elliptical trainer has the potential to be the poster child for low-impact exercise. Designed and released in the 1990s, it doesn’t have the same pedigree as the rowing machine or the treadmill, but it is ready to be introduced to a new (or rather, old) generation. 

 

Designed to fulfill the role of a treadmill but without the repetitive leg/foot impact or noise, the cross-trainer is a perfect piece of equipment to advertise low-intensity, life-improving exercise regimes and training classes.

While, to the uninitiated, it can initially look like a mass of moving parts, we all know that the cross-trainer is easy to teach and operate.

It is becoming more common that cross-trainers are just purchased and deployed within a gym or fitness club because it is ‘the type of equipment all gyms have’. This is done without reflection on why it should be purchased and how it should be promoted.

If we do actions simply because it is what ‘all gyms do’, we risk missing the reasoning that this equipment caught on in the first place. Perhaps more importantly still, we risk not being able to correctly message and promote that equipment quickly to members.

 

 

Type 8! Training Bench

The last piece of equipment on our list isn’t a new innovation like the pressurised/anti-gravity treadmills, nor is it a classic fitness machine like the stationary bicycle or rowing machine. In fact, it isn’t a machine at all.

You know already because it is the section title, it is the noble training bench. 


If not saving the best until last, what we did was save perhaps the most overlooked until last.

Training benches often get forgotten, they become part of the furniture.


Which is almost forgivable…After all, they are furniture.

But as anyone who has spent time in a gym (or more vexingly, trying to work out at home without one) knows, they are incredibly useful. The Swiss-army knife of gym equipment.

They might not do everything for you, but they provide an incredible amount of versatility and support. With a bit of training or instruction, these can become a staple of low-impact workouts, allowing older members to access and train muscles that would otherwise take significant strain to train. 

 

Interested in how to innovate and grow your independent Gym or Fitness Club?

 

If our article has got you questioning and reflecting on parts of independent gym and fitness club management that sometimes go unchallenged, you are in the right place! 

The latest Gym Owner’s Workshop conference will be covering equipment, where to purchase it, why to purchase it and how we promote it for independent gym owners across Ireland and the United Kingdom! 

 

Taking place at The Talbot Hotel Stillorgan, Dublin The Gym Owners Workshop is a focal point for fitness industry knowledge, specialising in techniques and knowledge for independent gym and fitness club owners. 

Building on the momentum of the Gym Owners Workshop 2022, the 2023 event is promising to be even better, with more talks and more sponsors!

Our partners for the event over at Balance Leisure will be giving an event-leading talk entitled “How to Navigate Suppliers and Contracts To Get The Best Deal On Your Gym Equipment”


If our article has convinced you that a re-examination of how your business approaches gym equipment then don’t delay, tickets are live now!

 

The Best Marketing Tips For Your Gym In 2023

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The Best Marketing Tips For Your Gym In 2023

Need Quick Help With Your Marketing? Here are 6 tips for marketing your gym or fitness club in 2024!

Some call it networking, some call it community engagement. Irrespective of what you decide to call it, it is very effective and it is largely free! 

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns, we have seen a greater shift towards the local economy and community-driven initiatives. This has only been compounded by the suffering caused by the cost of living crisis. While the tightening of budgets and belts has people looking for value, it also has people looking beyond faceless corporations. 

This renewed focus on the local area seems to have only strengthened as we move through 2023 and it made an already unique selling point for independent gyms and fitness clubs even more appealing. 

So today we will be focusing on tips that will help maximise this in-built advantage that we’ve seen independent gyms and fitness clubs already capitalise on! 

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Our Top 6 Marketing Tips Are...

(you can also click to skip ahead!)

TIP #1: Build A Brand Identity

 

Build a brand identity that will appeal to your local area, culture and surroundings.

TIP #2: Get Known Locally

Thrust your brand into the local community and intertwine your story with theirs.

TIP #3: Foster A Community

 

Actively foster your gym’s community, both online and offline!

TIP #4: Reward Loyalty

 

Ideas to help you create reward programmes who keep your best customers around.

TIP #5: Legitimacy, Authority, Reviews

Use the power of data from your online platforms to accurately track your success.

TIP #6: Use SEO and Metrics

Use the power of reviews and referrals to build authority and legitimacy.

TIP #1: Build A Brand Identity That Will Appeal To Your Local Area, Culture & Surroundings

We cannot understate the importance of a strong identity for your gym business.

Too often when building a brand identity for a gym or fitness club we find that many owners didn’t prioritise consideration of their local area nearly enough.

While connecting with your local community is always somewhere on the list of concerns, it should nearly always be much higher!

It is an understandable trap to fall into. Certain other parts of brand identity are more exciting, more dynamic or more interesting to the people involved. 

But ultimately the area that every independent gym and fitness club will find themselves operating in will be their surrounding area. If the brand identity is consistently aimed at attracting locals and mobilising the community, the gym is leaving money on the table. Money that rivals will happily collect!  

TIP #2: Thrust Your Brand Into The Local Area

Goodwill and support for local business is at an all time higher and running an advertising campaign or social media campaign that reflects that could pay dividends. 

Focusing on the story behind an independent gym or fitness club. The people who made it possible and their connection to the area, the building, the community events it has hosted. 

These are all things that the budget chains will never be able to replicate. What is the story behind its existence? Rigorous data analysis informed a panel that this was the best location for a gym….

...HARDLY MAKES FOR A COMPELLING SOCIAL MEDIA STORY, DOES IT?

As we are seeing across many sectors, there is a portion of the population which receives this sort of marketing and messaging very positively. 

At the same time, pushing the name of your gym or fitness club into the community’s consciousness through hosting events and making deals with local businesses is a great way to generate awareness. After participating and hosting events like these, we have seen time and time again that locals say things such as ‘I didn’t realise it was so nice in here’ or ‘I can’t believe this has been here the whole time!’.

A lot of local engagement is about breaking members of the local community out of an apathetic routine and into your gym or fitness club.

Once that barrier for entry, the reluctance to enter the unknown, has disappeared then the sky’s the limits. 

By holding event days for the local community such as charity fundraising and sporting activities a gym can not only get free advertising, but start a chain of positive word of mouth. News spreads fast in a community! 

In addition, business partnerships with local sports clubs, spas, cafes or even the local council can go a long way. Anything that gets the name of your gym out there and gives you something to post and tweet about!

Attending unrelated community events, genuinely befriending members of the community and making your gym or fitness club a part of the community’s social fabric are all great ways to spread the message of your facility.

This will help present a friendly, accessible and non-corporate image to the area. 

TIP #3: Foster A Community, Online And Offline!

How can hiring or incentivising influencers to endorse a fitness business boost their digital marketing campaigns?

Work on creating a Community both Online and Offline: Activities, Events and a shared forum as a key pillar of an independent gym or fitness club owners marketing strategy. 

It is an arena where we see comparatively little competition from the corporate chains!

It is an authenticity issue! Whenever a large chain attempts to engage in that sort of thing, it has to fight against looking inauthentic.

However independent gyms and fitness clubs do not have this issue within their advertising and marketing strategy, especially when it comes to forming communities.

Gym members are more likely to identify themselves with an independent fitness facility. In turn, they are more likely to want to engage in the community that forms around that facility.

Afterall, people crave authenticity in all things...

...And in an era where corporate brands attempt to dominate even our social spaces, belonging to something like an independent gym or fitness club can create a powerful feeling within people.

It is up to gyms and fitness clubs to harness that feeling and channel the positive energy into their online and offline communities 

By cultivating a dedicated community, it will increase the loyalty of existing members and potentially create new members. By engaging with and dedicating resources to this burgeoning new community, a gym or fitness club can create a real sense of investment.

It could be as simple as sporting events or monthly socials. Little things can have a powerful bonding effect.

In turn, this strong sense of community is fantastic marketing potential. The events, in and of themselves, are free advertising. When coupled with the potential tool for retention and further marketing opportunities, it is a hard proposition to pass up!

TIP #4: Create A Reward Programme To Reward Loyalty

Building on the idea of community from the last tip, we now want to focus even further. Down to the individual relationships that gym members have with other members and other potential members.

A reward/referral scheme is a great way to get people through the door. Much like the community system, it has a double benefit. Positive reinforcement for the referrer and the referred. 

It is likely to increase the loyalty of the existing member and the chance to retain the business of the referred member for longer. It has been proven that both collaboration and incentives can help motivate members toward their fitness goals and reduce attrition rates on membership.

As such, reward and referral programmes are a simple scheme with a low setup cost and potentially powerful outcomes if administered correctly.

TIP #5: Legitimacy, Authority, Reviews

This next tip falls into something we like to call ‘passive-marketing’, similar to a gym’s brand identity, it is the sort of marketing that works when a potential member comes across the gym or fitness club. 

There are certain signifiers that each of us look for when deciding whether we are going to invest in a product. Gym and fitness club memberships are no different! 

While some are highly specific to the individual, many of these signifiers apply to everyone. 

One of the most common, unsurprisingly, is online ratings and reviews. The number of consumers that base their consumption habits mostly or entirely on reviews frequently tops 90% in studies.

As such, when we think of prospective gym or fitness club members discovering a gym online, we must view it through the lens of their first impression from reviews. 

THE MORE NEGATIVE REVIEWS, OR THE LOWER REVIEW AVERAGE THAT POTENTIAL MEMBERS SEE FOR A GYM OR FITNESS CLUB, THE LESS LIKELY THEY ARE TO SIGN UP! THE SLICKEST MARKETING CAMPAIGN IN THE WORLD COULD FALL FLAT IF A GYM OR FITNESS CLUB DOESN’T PASS THE BASIC CHECKS THAT A SAVVY CONSUMER MIGHT MAKE.

Bespoke Content, Quality Not Quantity

How can AI be unsuitable for producing high-quality content, despite its ability to produce content in vast quantities?

For our final point, we will head back to AI and a sentiment that was espoused in the first section of this blog. For those paying attention, it has been the throughline of the entire article. 

We believe AI has a place. It seems that AI may even have a place in video with the recent announcement of Sora. An OpenAI product that seems to be able to produce uncannily realistic videos with only a few lines of text, in the style that we have come to expect from ChatGPT (also an OpenAI product) for text or Midjourney for pictures. 

But the ‘place’ that AI has is not only a very tentative one, but one that must be subject to constant review.

So we believe that AI and language-learning models, as they currently stand, are effective for spell-checking and the like. Menial tasks. We do not believe they are any substitute for actual people behind a digital marketing strategy.

Take our example earlier of the local influencer working with the gym. Is it better to have one actual person preaching to their fans about the virtues of their partnership with an independent gym or fitness club. Or five ‘AI’ fitness influencers, were that possible, to espouse the same.

One is full of real passion and an actual relationship being forged. Between independent gym and influencer. Influencer and audience. Human and unreplicatable. The other is eerie and soulless, even if it can be produced in vast quantities.

So while we always advocate for adopting the latest technologies, up to and including AI, we also preach caution. Use AI responsibly. Use it as the powerful tool it is, to save tedium when checking actual work. But as the centrepiece of a digital marketing strategy for independent gyms and fitness clubs? No, we don’t think so. Not yet, and possibly not ever. But as the last five years have taught us. Never say never. 

Tiktok especially feels like a platform just built for the promotion of independent gyms and fitness clubs, whether it is with a quick tour set to catchy music or a demonstration of the facility and equipment. 

Authenticity and effortlessness are what these influencers are trading on and it is a powerful tool, proven to be very effective with millennials and Gen Z. It is a great way to make the marketing of an independent gym or fitness club more personal. The recommendation of a trusted influencer feels remarkably different to a cold and calculated advert. (Especially if it was made using AI!) 

Equally, unlike some influencer advertising that we see on Tiktok or Youtube, independent gyms and fitness clubs have very real incentives to offer to fitness influencers! Namely the facility and their considerable resources. Conversely, it should not take the influencer much to get excited about a genuinely good independent gym or fitness club. 

It is worth independent gyms and fitness clubs spending the time to find interesting and motivated fitness influencers in the area, even if their follower count is relatively small, the potential for a low-cost, high-yield partnership cannot be overlooked! 

These arrangements need not end after a single video, but with the right influencer an independent gym or fitness club can weave an entire campaign’s worth of videos promoting the positive aspects of their fitness facility on a very low budget to the right audience.

It is a lesson in the face of AI marketing that creating the right content can be more important than creating huge volumes of content.

By utilising real influencers and incorporating them into a responsible, honest and ethical digital marketing campaign on platforms like Tiktok and Instagram, an independent gym or fitness club can access whole new demographics with ease while engaging with a new community. 

Our Final Thoughts

And so ends our little thinkpiece on marketing and digital marketing for independent gyms and fitness clubs in 2024. It is an exciting time for marketing in the fitness industry, with more ways than ever for even small independents to promote themselves in new and interesting ways.

It is also a time of great change, and maybe not entirely for the better. We have already seen some businesses, inside and outside of the fitness industry, taking the ‘easy route’ and generating vast quantities of content with AI. Perhaps adhering to the old adage of throwing something at a wall and seeing what sticks.

As we said, we believe AI tools can be used by independent gyms and fitness clubs to a good end even in their current state in 2024, but it is no substitute for the talent, passion and expertise required to succeed in the industry.

And speaking of those three qualities, here at Ashbourne we know how to utilise talent, passion and expertise to help independent gym and fitness club owners take their operation to the next level! 

Over the last twenty five years (back when the term ‘AI’ was mainly a concept in science fiction or chess computers), we have helped thousands of gyms and fitness clubs reach greater heights. Whether it is with our versatile and powerful membership management software or our website creation capabilities, we have the ability to help any gym reach a broader audience more effectively! 

More to Read...

Get your club in shape.

Want to discover how? Let us show you.

Simply select your preferred timeslot and we’ll be in touch to have a chat about your health club,
the goals you want to achieve, and how our system can help you.
book a demo

Get your club in shape.

Want to discover how? Let us show you.

Simply select your preferred timeslot and we’ll be in touch to have a chat about your health club, the goals you want to achieve, and how our system can help you.

book a demo

Get your club in shape.

Want to discover how? Let us show you.

Simply select your preferred timeslot and we’ll be in touch to have a chat about your health club, the goals you want to achieve, and how our system can help you.

book a demo

How Gyms Can Naturally Promote Secondary Spend Without Intimidating or Pressuring Members!

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Increase your gyms secondary spend… for the benefit of your members and your bottom line!

 

Secondary spend can be a challenging issue for independent gyms and fitness club owners, whether relative newcomers or hardened veterans. 

At the core of the issue is what sells and how to sell it. This is a problem that’s constantly shifting with no single solution that will last the test of time. As tastes change, what sells and how to sell it also changes. As technology improves, it both allows us to sell new products to our members and can render old products obsolete. 

 

As well as that, there is the question of how to sell?

 

If a gym or fitness club is too forceful or inelegant with its sales approach, it risks isolating members, coming across as desperate or just generally taking the sheen off of a carefully maintained brand.

But too little force and your member base may not be engaged with the products, or even aware they exist! Stock goes unsold, taking up space and depreciating in value. 

As such, it is understandable (if incorrect!) that secondary spend is often either overlooked or ignored. At best seen as a side-earner when compared to membership fees. 

But that is shifting. With the rise of app technology on smartphones, lifestyle brands and ethical/sustainable consumerism. The game has changed on secondary spend.

Today we will be taking a look into how independent gym and fitness clubs can elevate their secondary spend operations to the next level with a few easy to implement tips and tricks! Starting with WHY owners should!

 

Feel free to skip ahead to our 5 tips if you’re eager to find out more!

Tip #1: Understand the brand identity of your Gym or Fitness Club and sell products that complement and enhance it!

Tip #2: Sell those products in a way that is natural and consistent with that identity!

Tip #3: Train your Staff in how to sell naturally and encourage them to sell when it will enhance the experience of the member!

Tip #4: Four: Communicate what you are selling honestly and effectively!

Tip #5: Five: Encourage Members to buy and create a culture where they want to buy!

 

 

The Benefits of Secondary Spend for the member and the fitness facility 

At the core of ‘why’ it is important for gyms and fitness clubs are two concerns. The member experience and the profitability of the business. 

By denying members the ability to buy trusted brands from their gym or fitness club, management is limiting their ability to truly engage with the club and depriving them of a method to reach their goals.



It has been shown in polling that between 30% to 50% of fitness club members would be likely or very likely to buy brands from their gym or fitness club if they stocked them. 

 

As we will cover, secondary spend is an important step on the path for Gyms and fitness clubs to fully realise their role as health and fitness specialists in the life of their members. That service doesn’t just stop at providing a physical location, it must involve guiding them to and supplying the products necessary for their journey. 

In addition to the generation of significant amounts of revenue, the way a fitness facility engages with secondary spend (if it does at all) will directly affect membership retention and experience. It increases the sense of commitment that a member has in their gym or fitness club, in addition to providing them with the materials necessary for them to succeed in their goals. 

When viewed through this lens, it becomes clear that secondary spending is about more than simple profit (though that is, of course, an important factor!).

Now we’ve piqued your interest! Let’s dive into how to naturalistically implement secondary spending into gyms and fitness clubs in a way that will benefit your members and your bottom line!

 

 

Tip #1: Understand the brand identity of your Gym or Fitness Club and sell products that complement and enhance it!

Our first tip requires nothing more than planning and reflection! 

As stated above, the reason we are selling is to enhance the member experience, to strengthen their commitment to the gym or fitness club and to enhance the identity of the facility’s brand.

With this in mind, the products that you sell are going to be very important.

Firstly, they need to be of suitable quality. If a gym is built around being a premium experience, then it is important that the product reflects those expectations. Your members will trust (or come to trust!) your judgement, make sure you don’t let them down by selling products you wouldn’t buy yourself!

 

Conversely, if a gym is targeted at a more discerning and budget market demographic, it will do little good to furnish your stores with the most expensive products on the market.

 

More than this though, it is important that the products support the aims of membership. If it is a high-intensity gym, sell products that will help their recovery cycle. If it is more about functional fitness and long-term health, sell products that will help them live their best life for longer!

 

 

 

Tip #2: Sell those products in a way that is natural and consistent with that identity! 

Once you have worked out what products will sell well and reinforce the identity of your gym or fitness club. It is time to get selling!

Luckily, by selecting products that the members will want, half the battle is won already. Now it is about marketing these products in a way that will speak to the membership.

 

Luckily, any good independent gym or fitness club will know its members. Run small-scale social media and in-facility marketing campaigns that generate interest in the product. 

 

Introductory sales when you start stocking a product will motivate sales and start spreading word of mouth! It will also help you get some near-immediate feedback from your members. 

React to their feedback, both positive and negative! Most people would rather buy from local businesses than from faceless corporations and websites

 

 

Tip #3: Train your Staff in how to sell naturally and encourage them to sell when it will enhance the experience of the member!

When it comes to training staff in how to sell, there are numerous concerns. While some people within the fitness industry are very accomplished salesmen, you don’t often find them on the gym floor!

And there is nothing worse than someone trying to sell you something tactlessly, or who doesn’t truly believe in the message. It puts off the member, it doesn’t secure the sale and it creates a bad atmosphere.

So that is what we are trying to avoid!

Luckily, that is quite easy! 

As we have based the acquisition of secondary spend products on what will help the membership and what is coherent with the gym’s brand identity. 

 

As such, it should be comparatively simple to teach the staff of a Gym what products are in store, what their intended use is, and case uses within the gym’s classes and culture where they could be recommended. 

 

In addition, giving discount codes that are specific to each member of staff can create an incentive for both sides. On the staff member’s side, it can be used to track sales and commission. On the gym member’s side, it creates a personal bond and recommendation from the staff at the given time. 

Reinforce that staff shouldn’t just give to every member. This will help create a naturalistic and authentic moment of recommendation, as well as secure that all important sale!

 

 

 

Tip #4: Communicate what you are selling honestly and effectively! 

This one should go without saying, but it is important to not get carried away or deceive the membership of a gym or fitness club.

 

Unlike some sales roles, gym members can vote with their feet if they are dissatisfied with a product they’ve received. 

 

This is why it is important that the secondary sell material only ever enhances the experience. Make sure that what is being sold is genuinely valuable and embodies the brand identity of the gym. 

When marketing it through social media, make sure the messaging is consistent and concise. Make sure it is pushed across all relevant social media avenues to give a sense of uniformity. Ensure where to purchase it and for how much is clearly displayed. 

By being upfront and honest, members will come to trust the recommendation of a gym or fitness club and incorporate purchasing products that enhance their life into their routine. 

 

 

Tip #5: Encourage Members to buy and create a culture where they want to buy!

Following on from communication, our final tip is to use secondary spend to make members feel valued.



There is one simple method that can be used to make them want to buy from you…

As we touched upon in tip three, discount codes are a great way to mobilise members into making purchases.

 

But we would recommend gyms and fitness clubs avoid blanket offers on social media. Announce that products are available on social media by all means. But by offering a discount code across the board, that becomes the new price.

There is no exclusivity and it loses the bespoke nature of the personally bestowed discount code.

Not only is it an invitation to buy the product, it is an empowerment. By wielding discounts as a nuanced tool rather than a catch-all net, a gym is almost guaranteed to mobilise specific parts of their member base. By placing it in the hands of employees, the people actually on the gym floor, it will ensure that the secondary spend reaches who it needs to. 

 

 

Want To Learn More About Growing Your Club?

All of this will help reinforce a fitness facility’s reputation and brand identity as one that cares about their members. This positive business model of creating additional value for the member and additional profit for the gym is powerful if implemented correctly. 

And if you are eager for a deeper look into how this nuanced but powerful form of business can work for independent gym’s and business owners, look no further!

 

 

The Gym Owners Workshop at the Talbot Hotel Stillorgan, is a nexus for fitness industry knowledge directed specifically at independent gym and fitness club owners and one of the talks relates to secondary spend! 

 

After the success of the Gym Owners Workshop 2022, the 2023 event is promising to be bigger and better! 

 

Our partners for the event over at Glanbia will be giving a talk called ‘Nutrition for Success – Driving Growth and Performance in Secondary Spend’. It promises to be a deep dive by industry experts into how to maximise the benefit for your members and your profits through meaningful and impactful secondary spend! 

But don’t just talk our word for it! Register your interest to the free event here and look into how to take your secondary spend approach to the next level!

Independent Gyms Need To Improve Their Members’ Long Term Health (and here’s 5 ways to fix it!)

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It’s Time To Change Your Club’s Focus To Long Term Health Over Short Term Fitness

 

What if we told you there is a sector for growth that large portions of the Fitness Industry is completely under-utilising? 

One that is near essential for futureproofing the industry? 

One that has only become more pertinent in the wake of the Covid-19 Pandemic and lockdowns?

One that independent gym and fitness club owners are in a unique position to take advantage of?

 

Well look no further, because there is!

 

From simple implementations to far-sweeping changes, the contribution of private and independent gyms and fitness clubs to long term, public and medical health is as critical as it is undervalued. 


We will be taking a look at a few of the causes, how to address them and how they can increase the profitability, effectiveness and attractiveness of independent gyms and fitness clubs! 

 

The main 5 factors we’ll discuss in this article are: (click to jump ahead)

Factor 1: Complacency

Factor 2: Underutilised Technologies

Factor 3: Lack of Recognition/Funding/Integration

Factor 4: Lack of Recovery Classes

Factor 5: Further Low Intensity and 50+ Quality of Life Classes

 

 

 

Factor 1: Healthy Lifestyle Complacency 

It can be tempting to feel there is complacency among many governments when it comes to recognising the role that Gyms and Fitness Clubs have to play in societal health. 

 

Outside of scattered examples such as Queensland, where Australia granted Gyms and Fitness Clubs ‘essential’ status, there is a prevalent apathy to treat fitness facilities as no more a benefit to society than the cinema or the bowling alley.

This became especially clear during the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns. 

 

While there are, of course, publicly funded fitness facilities, swimming pools and health campaigns that receive government funding, it can feel like these exist in a vacuum from the private and especially independent gyms and fitness clubs.

It seems that governments are very content to keep these on two distinct sides, denying the boons and benefits that a supported, guided, and encouraged private fitness sector could contribute to societal help.

In this article we will be looking at not just the means to achieve this practically, but what needs to change in terms of perception. 

 

 

Factor 2: Underutilised Technologies 

One of the most underutilised tools of value generation for independent gyms and fitness club owners are in our pockets right now!

The rise of the portable computer we now call a smartphone, the implementation of free and fast WiFi in most public spaces, as well as the emergence of new health and fitness technologies mean that a perfect storm of factors are forming to allow for a health and fitness integration revolution in the next decade. 

We are already seeing the smartphone application offering from gyms and fitness clubs increase in sophistication rapidly, as well as the ability of gym equipment to synchronise with external aspects of a gym member’s life.

As we said before, this process has been long in the making. Ever since the longevity movements of the 1970s combined with the technological revolution of the 80s and 90s, there have been trailblazers willing to push Gyms and the fitness industry at large forward. 

By researching the ways that portable technology can be synced up with a gym or fitness club, owners are ensuring their club remains futureproof and at the cutting edge! 

 

 

The Fit Club Redditch Members App Provided By Ashbourne

 

 

Factor 3: Lack of Recognition/Funding/Integration

The fitness industry of the 2020s might be remembered as being in a vicious cycle. One where a lack of recognition fed into stagnation and vice versa.

 

But it is up to us to break that cycle!

A large problem facing the fitness industry is a lack of recognition for the immense service it already provides and the massive role it will play in the years to come.

By reorienting our collective perspective, we can start to advocate for greater recognition and support when it comes to improving public and societal health.

 

By lending their voice to organisations like UKActive and reaching out to local councils, independent gym and fitness club owners can spearhead the charge towards greater recognition, support, funding and integration for the service and value they add to public health. 


A change of rhetoric is required to bridge the gap. One that will be explored at the coming Gym Owners Workshop! If you are interested to learn more, scroll to the bottom of this article for further information and links! 

 

 

Factor 4: Lack of Recovery Classes!

While it has risen in prominence, it is essential we do not take this rise for granted and continue to capitalise on it. Independent gyms and fitness clubs are eager to provide recovery programmes and as public perception increases, gym members are becoming interested. 

 

So what are we talking about when we say ‘recovery’? 

 

Recovery serves as a shorthand for both physical and psychological well-being. It takes the form of a workout of lower intensity than the member is used to partaking in. It is based on the philosophy that low to moderate-intensity routines on rest days can help the body to recover more effectively from working out, as well as reduce stress and improve mental well-being.

It has become so effective that people are even utilising the classes and routines outside of their usual training regime. Dedicated recovery-focused classes have become increasingly popular and are a good example of a class and routine that is designed for pure health and not aesthetics. 

For independent gym and fitness club owners, this rising format carries an opportunity to provide service and support to a variety of different members. The great thing about these recovery-focused classes is that they can target everyone from the supremely dedicated, 5+ session a week member, or someone who is simply looking to steadily improve their baseline health and way of life. 

Classes such as this are a great way to connect with members and reinforce why they go to fitness facilities. By shifting the focus to a less intense style of exercise, it will recentre the focus to a broader audience.

 

Comparatively few over 50s want to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger, but they do want to maintain their quality of life for longer! 

 

 

 

Factor 5: Further Low Intensity and 50+ Quality of Life Classes

And this desire for low-intensity and recovery workouts is not happening in a microcosm. It is part of a push towards more practical, longevity-focused workouts.

It is certainly not just for people under 40 to recover from their exercise regime!

Previously we have written about how an ageing population presents opportunities and the chance for a realignment. 

Part of this will be for independent gym and fitness club owners to allocate resources to low-intensity and health-based recovery classes and facilities.



By specifying the low intensity, health based nature of the workout you increase the potential for a broader demographic uptake dramatically! 

 

The great news is that this is something that can (and should!) be utilised by younger members as well, hence the drive for both routine recovery on rest days and broader healthy living.

The potential benefits associated with running these sorts of longevity, general health, and recovery classes are numerous. Some members will be more willing to come in for a session they know will benefit them but not push them to the limit. This can increase engagement with the existing members, as well as draw in new membership. In addition, it can help members who would otherwise spend their rest day resting to come in more often, thus creating a retention cycle. 

 

In addition, it will have the benefit of increasing the health of the member base and lowering injury time. It will be an additional service to advertise and it has often been seen as one of the most community-focused class genres. While it will require some initial training and space to do correctly, the benefits that this approach can have on independent gyms and fitness clubs and their membership cannot be overstated.

 

 

Want To Learn More About Growing Your Club?

Hopefully, we’ve piqued your interest now in the potential that a greater focus on health has to transform the industry!

If so, look no further! The Gym Owners Workshop at the Talbot Hotel Stillorgan, Dublin will be exploring this and many more issues pertinent to Irish and British gym and fitness club owners.

 

 

 

After the success of the Gym Owners Workshop 2022, the 2023 event is promising to be bigger and better! 

 

One of the title talks will be particularly relevant to today’s topic. It is called ‘Health Over Aesthetics – How Rethinking The Industry Message Future Proofs Its Status, Drives Membership Growth & Increases Revenue’ and provides a deep dive into how a great focus on health will help future-proof businesses in the long run and ramp up profits in the short!

 

As we’ve explored today, health is going to be an ever more pressing issue for the fitness industry so do not miss the chance to hear industry experts talk about this and much more!

Gearing Up For The New Year: The Power of a 12 Month Contract For Successful Membership Management

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“Gym Owner’s Guide: The Power of the 12 Month Contract for Successful Gym Membership Management“

 

As the new year approaches, here at Ashbourne we are looking at how we can support our gyms as we enter 2023 and what we are able to offer members in order to stabilise a gyms income.

The 12-month contract is a concept that needs little introduction, and for good reason. A staple in the fitness industry since the 1970s, the 12-month contract became the dominant form of contract agreement in Gyms and Fitness Clubs. It reached such an extent that, to borrow a popular phrase from the time period, it seemed that ‘there was no alternative’.

However, with the rise of the internet and the budget chain gyms that have come to define city centres across the UK, the temptation has been to shift away from the 12-month contract. Is this fiscal prudence or another part of the desperate ‘race to the bottom’ that these chains have prompted?

In today’s article, we are going to examine the place of the 12-month contract in the post-Covid-19 world, determining whether it is an ailing juggernaut that is running out of steam or a pillar of the industry that should only be shunned at great risk. Few things are as vital to a gym or fitness club’s continued success as its ability to successfully manage the members and extract their membership fees. 

 

 

Click To Skip Ahead and Discover The Power of the 12 Month Contract!

1. Reliable Income, Predictability and Marketability

2. Why are 12 Month Contracts Preferable?

3. Collecting Money Methods

 

1. It is more than just a more reliable income, it is predictability and marketability.

While it is a guiding principle in many different sectors, in the fitness industry there seems to have been a slight bout of amnesia when it comes to WHY the 12-month contract was a mainstay to begin with.
This is, of course, partly understandable. With the rise of the ‘budget chains’ it has, as I love to say, come to resemble a race to the bottom. And under such pressure, it is natural that gym owners would look for an attractive, low-commitment response.

But as with all business decisions, it is important that we look at why this reaction is happening, without mindlessly citing that it is because ‘others are doing it.

The big ticket draw, especially in the pre-internet boom era, was stability. It was about creating an obligation to pay for your membership and creating an obligation that was long enough to be impactful and versatile enough to model business growth and potential sales on.

When it came to either seeking investment and buyers, the ability to state that you have X many members obligated to pay their Gym membership for the next 12 months, and Y members obligated to pay for 11 months was, and remains, a powerful pitch and testament to the value of a Gym.

 

We will cover attrition, loss rates, and non-payers (something of a specialty for us here at Ashbourne) later. But safe to say in our experience most of your members will be honest and pay on time. Most, if not all, should be signed up to direct debits so the act of manually paying has somewhat disappeared from the market.

We are now going to do a comparison of what an independent gym or fitness club owner can infer about the state and the value of their business if they engage in 12-month contracts or 1-month rolling contracts. 

 

First for our comparison, we are going to look at an independent gym or fitness club that uses 12-month contracts.

For the sake of hyperbole, we shall say this Gym only has 60 members. 

Membership is worth £30 a month. For a full 12-month span, therefore, the gym or fitness club owner in question collects £360. 


For the sake of neatness we shall assume that 5 members have 12 months remaining, 5 have 11 months remaining, 5 have 10 months remaining, and so on.

5 x 12 months = £1800

5 x 11 months = £1650

5 x 10 months = £1500

5 x 9 months = £1350

5 x 8 months = £1200

5 x 7 months = £1050

5 x 6 months = £900

5 x 5 months = £750

5 x 4 months = £600

5 x 3 months = £450

5 x 2 months = £300

5 x 1 month = £150 

Keeping in mind that this is done with an intentionally low number and a below-average, non-variable membership rate. Even still, just on these numbers alone, our gym or fitness club owner is still on track to make just shy of a contractually guaranteed £13,000. Even if he didn’t sign another member for the whole year. We will get into non-paying and loss rates later, but in our experience as a membership management company, this number pales in comparison to the majority that pay, and pay on time.

Now let us compare this gym or fitness club owner who works with 12-month contractual agreements versus another club owner who doesn’t and what happens to them if there are no 12-month contracts in place. Suddenly there is no guaranteed income and specifically, no lowest guaranteed income. Essentially this means, to both the gym owner and any relevant business interests, all that is guaranteed is the cash that is going in at the end of the month. 

So now we go to the tale of two owners who are trying to sell their gyms. The only thing they differ on is that one has primarily 12-month contracts, and the other does not. Both have assets, which are either the lease to the property or the property itself as well as any equipment and the like.

For our one-month membership gym owner, that is pretty much all she wrote. But for our 12-month gym owner, not only do they have all of the above. They also have a very pleasing stack of contractual obligations linking the owner of that gym and the existing membership. Not only is that an asset, but it is also a guarantee.

 

Without that guarantee, any potential buyer (or even investors) faces a very real uncertainty when viewing a gym. If there is a firm, legally binding contract in place across the majority of the membership, this helps provide a picture of what the immediate future of the gym looks like. This is even more vital when it comes to selling, as it means the new owner or owners will have time to convince the current membership that they should stay. 

 

The same applies to any changes that need to be made. This doesn’t need to be from a new owner but also applies to internal changes an existing owner may wish to make. Without long-term contracts, members can easily vote with their feet within a month if required. If a popular member of staff needs to be let go, or something needs to be cut back due to the current cost of living crisis. In a short-term contract scenario, members can organise in a month and leave. If they are signed into contracts of various lengths, that sort of rebellion becomes all but impossible. 


As such, you can see that the argument for securing cash flow through contracts is not something that can be discarded with the ease we sometimes see in the modern fitness industry. From the perspective of membership stability, investability and sellability, a long-term contracting system provides a lot of tangible benefits. 

 

Even if a gym owner has no desire to sell, for the simple health and stability of a gym or fitness club it is advisable to look into this method. 

 

2. Why are 12 month contracts preferable?

While 12 month contracts don’t fully protect a gym from the attrition of membership loss, they can help mitigate a large swathe of it throughout the churn of a normal business year (remember what those were like?). 

 

The reason that monthly contracts come up short in our mind is that monthly losses, by their very nature, are separated. This makes the attrition of a year look different when compared to monthly membership totals. 


To take some example statistics that have been seen. 

Opened ended, monthly renewal attrition rate  = anywhere between 4% and 8% in a given month. 

Twelve month contract attrition rate = less than 1% a month, or between 9% and 12% annually.

With even these generous figures, it becomes clear that the illusion of stability and sustainability granted by monthly open ended gym memberships is just that, an illusion.

 

The reason for the widespread adoption of this system? A short time rise in sales. Often you will hear the same story ‘We switched to primarily pushing for one month open ended contracts and our sales skyrocketed’. All well and good. Potentially even true. But as the late, great Jimi Hendrix once said, castles made of sand, fall into the sea, eventually. 

 

While the sales may skyrocket, keep in mind what they are selling is 1/12th of the value. Doesn’t sound so great does it?

 

3. Methods for collecting money, why it is important, and some thoughts on month-to-month membership.

As with any aspect of a successful business, factors flow into one another. One success can be supported by a multitude of factors. One failure can have multiple repercussions. Very little happens in isolation.


As such, it is pertinent to talk about not only the varying schools of thought on collecting monthly memberships but also the actual Collecting of monthly memberships.

 

For the amount of effort it takes to build membership on either a monthly rolling basis or a 12-month contractual term, it is important to make sure that 100% of the contractually obliged money is collected. 

 

A common mistake we see with gyms and fitness clubs that aren’t partnered with us is that they over-sign and struggle to collect. It is a story as old as time. The more members being processed manually, the more will slip through the cracks.

So ask yourself these three pertinent questions: 


Do you have enforceable contracts in place for all your members?

Do you have exact numbers on how many of these members are in each tier, be it 1 month, 3 months, or 12 months?

Is your membership being managed by a third-party financial specialist?

 

Well, we can help you with the third. Here at Ashbourne, we have over twenty-five years of experience in the fitness industry, servicing, administrating, and collecting gym and fitness club memberships from facilities across the UK and Ireland. 


From our bespoke software to our membership collection team, every aspect of our business is set up to ensure your members receive the best service and you receive every penny or cent of your contract.

With contracts built to suit you and your business, we are able to help give you the stable base for growth we’ve been discussing throughout this article.

 

Interested in finding out more? Don’t hesitate to book a demo with our team today. 

 

Conclusion

We hope we have highlighted why a 12-month contract could be the answer for these troubled times. While it may initially feel counter-intuitive, there is nothing wrong with striving for a stable income. 

 

A 12-month contractual agreement with your membership could unlock hitherto unknown stability within a gym or fitness club. And by working with a third-party membership management company, you can ensure that your foundations are solid and secured. 

 

So while the 12-month agreement may seem like a relic from a more civilised age, we would argue it has its place in the modern arsenal of gym owners. Don’t be lured by the short-term satisfaction and sales boost of a monthly contract. Both have their place in the modern market. 

 

How Can Gyms Tackle Rising Energy Prices in 2022 and Beyond?

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“How Your Gym Can Tackle Rising Energy Prices in 2022 and Beyond?”

 

It is a time of tension, both across the world and in the UK. It is hard to shake the twinned feelings of horror that one, energy prices have substantially risen. And two, that not only will those prices not go down, but they are also most likely, under current government policy, only going to rise.

 

With that being said, the last two months have seen stunning reversals by the UK Conservative Party (including the reversal of a prime minister), so it is possible that compared to the time of reading, the situation may change.


As it stands, our understanding is that the rather ‘half-measure’ cap in energy prices that has been put in place for businesses will expire in April and that ‘a more targeted alternative’ will come into place.

In a move reassuring to no-one, the specifics of that scaled-back and ‘more targeted’ scheme have not been shared.

 

As predicted by the head of the British Chamber of Commerce earlier in the year, we are already seeing businesses, both within and outside the fitness industry starting to reduce hours. In a few extreme examples, closing entirely. 

As such, we thought it best to be proactive and look at a selection of measures that businesses can take to mitigate the damage that the energy price crisis is currently inflicting on many industries. We have made sure to keep in mind what independent gym and fitness club owners can do about the rising energy prices during this coming winter and beyond. 

 

 

Click To Skip Ahead!

1. Utilise what government support is available

2. Reach out to your energy provider

3. Review your choice of energy supplier

4. Contact your bank

4. Reduce your consumption

 

1. Utilise What Government Support Is Available

Despite being the ‘party of business’, the Conservatives have never been too keen on the state directly financing businesses (unless they are banks). Now former Prime Minister Liz Truss’ response to the crisis involved an energy package that capped energy bills for businesses at the same price per unit as consumers for two years. This was later revised to six months by now Chancellor Jeremy Hunt. Alongside this measure, we have also heard talk of the capping of business rates and, we should also expect VAT and business rates to be reduced, all of which have yet to be finalised.

 

Thankfully there are multiple government schemes including a grant scheme and the offer of bespoke loans which businesses should absolutely take advantage of.

 

And while you wouldn’t believe it from government rhetoric, there are also incentives on offer for businesses that are able to show that they have lowered their carbon emission and a variety of other factors.


While we might discuss these another day and how they can be applied to independent gym and fitness clubs owners.

For now we would guide you towards the official government advice on this:

 

Environmental taxes, reliefs and schemes for businesses: Climate Change Levy – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

2. Reach Out To Your Energy Provider

Much like the government, energy providers are keenly aware of what is happening, and know that while these energy prices are currently resulting in record profits, they also threaten to wipe out many of their customers. 


As such, we have seen many energy suppliers offering initiatives and grants that encourage and reward energy efficiency. Most of the time, these can be taken in conjunction with the government schemes. This reinforces the need to keep track of any and all improvements that a gym owner may make to their facility. Often a portion of this can be recuperated. 

 

In addition, ‘business hardship funds’ have existed for a long time within many energy companies. These are, for apparent reasons, coming into the limelight now in a back way. While a business will need to prove that they qualify for this type of relief, it can be of vital importance to small businesses.

 

Business rates relief: Hardship relief – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

We are planning to do a more indepth article about business rates in the future but for now the above should help guide gym and fitness club owners down the right path. 

 

Finally, though it will not save or add additional money to a business portfolio, the option of setting up a payment plan exists. Energy companies are receiving significant pressure from governmental and non-governmental sources to enact these at the moment and they can often be a generous lifeline. As such, we believe every facility within the fitness industry struggling should look into energy payment plans for their gym or fitness club. 

 

3. Review Your Choice of Energy Supplier

If you are not happy with the support offered by your current energy supplier, the next step is to shop around. Each energy supplier is different and will offer different levels of business support. We recommend doing research on any energy supplier with an appealing energy package to see what experience other business owners had with them. We would recommend looking for other business owners within the fitness industry first, followed by other businesses that use a similar level of electricity to a gym or fitness club. 

 

Comparison websites can be useful here for getting an idea of which energy supplier will offer the best rates, but it is important to keep in mind that that isn’t the whole picture.

If they offer effective energy efficiency grants, business hardship schemes and other business supports, it might be preferable to pay a little extra on your bill to be properly supported through these trying times. 

 

4. Contact Your Bank 

Every major bank provides some form of financial advice for businesses. Santander, Lloyds, Natwest, HSBC and Barclays all spend a significant amount of money investing in their business departments. In better times, we can just forget that these services exist but they exist for a reason.

Whether you are a long or short term customer with your bank, they should be more than willing to offer business support. This advice and support can manifest in a variety of ways, it may overlap with some of the above, being able to recommend areas to save, energy suppliers that have been useful to their other client businesses and more. Banks represent a concentration of business expertise and support to gyms and fitness club owners and should be utilised as such. 

 

 

5. Reduce Consumption

And finally, the most direct solution. While we never want to impact the members that use our gyms and fitness clubs, given the circumstances it may be necessary to scale back energy usage. Some energy usage can be reduced without compromising the operational effectiveness of a gym or fitness club. 

 

Lowering the thermostat/resting temperature:


As obvious as it is effective. Lowering the thermostat a few degrees can quickly add up to large savings. It is important for any gym or fitness club to communicate this (and any measure that is undertaken) to their membership ahead of time.

Even if it is a temperature change that will be mostly imperceptible, your membership will appreciate being forewarned and that a gym is taking measures to lower costs. 

 

Using energy-efficient equipment and LED bulbs:

As discussed earlier, one of the many tools in the fight against energy costs will be energy-efficient electronics. Gyms and fitness clubs should make careful note of every energy-saving appliance they purchase to demonstrate the measures that have been taken to make the business more environmentally friendly and energy efficient. If this can be demonstrated, significant price reductions and business assistance could be unlocked.

 

Automatic sensors to endure that empty rooms do not have their lights turned on unnecessarily: 

Just as above, this is another measure that will not only save a significant amount of money after a gym or fitness club has installed them but can also be used to demonstrate energy efficiency.



Turn off powered exercise equipment/PCs/Sauna/ when not in use:

By turning off these systems when they are not in use, consumption can be reduced.

A more extreme variant of this measure would be to limit the amount of time that these systems are operational. This can be especially effective with any facility that uses heated water, such as a sauna, spa, or especially a swimming pool.

While an extreme measure, if communicated responsibly we have seen that gym and fitness club members are understanding of the hardships currently facing the industry. 


Energy Audit:

An energy audit can highlight some of the above measures and recommend where more complex energy-saving measures such as solar panels and insulation can be placed.

Both of these measures are expensive but very effective. Insulation will allow for the thermostat to be run lower, though it is important that the current ventilation also be taken into account.

Solar panels can provide massive savings on energy for a business if a gym or fitness club is able to accommodate them. 

 


Here at Ashbourne, we’ve been working with gyms and fitness clubs, growing their business and helping them reach their potential for over 25 years. While our primary domain is membership management, we’ve learned plenty along the way. Interested in seeing if we can help enhance the reach and potential of your Gym? Please do not hesitate to contact our team today here. 

 

 

Content as a Tool for Increasing Your Gyms Marketing Potency

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“Content as a Tool for Increasing Your Gyms Marketing Potency”

 

Content as marketing is not a new strategy, but it is one that has seen a marked increase. We think that part of the reason for this is that it has never been easier to get a long-form, detailed opinion out into the public at virtually no cost.

Whereas before the rise of the internet and digital marketing, there was always a prohibitively expensive cost associated with length that has started to recede and vanish. Now there is very little to stop long form, insightful content from being published online with a high chance of reaching its audience through ever more advanced search engines.

This is, in our opinion, a blessing. It has allowed companies to post valuable and meaningful content without fear it will go completely unread, or even end up costing significantly more than it generated.

Now the ability to share relevant and impactful information directly to the audience cannot be overestimated as a tool for marketing. Now rather than relentlessly and monotonously bombarding potential customers with the same message in order to build some semblance of trust, businesses can put their message, their product, their expertise and their value right where their mouth is.

Unlike terrestrial advertising, this method allows for the story and expertise of the company to be demonstrated through the content they produce. In turn, this can help create a bond with the potential customers that a business is trying to reach. 

At time of writing, it is estimated that over 80% of brands are either utilising or in some way participating in Content Marketing. It has become a tour de force that has transcended marketing and become a way to get a business into search engines while generating valuable and meaningful content. 

 

So how can a gym or fitness club owner incorporate content based marketing into their marketing strategies?

We are going to cover off a few of the most accessible and impactful methods that can be implemented swiftly.

 

1. Blogging

2. Podcasting

3. Events. Virtual, Real, Hybrid

4. Educational Videos & Infographics

 

1. Blogging

Blogs are the mainstay of content-lead marketing for a number of reasons. As we discussed previously, one of the draws is the ability to communicate impactful information and have it reach the audience for the lowest possible cost.

Blogging fits that criteria perfectly. Not only is creating it cheap, requiring only expertise and a word processor, hosting it on a website is a negligible expense. Furthermore, given search engines focus on keywords, the potential for it to be found is very high relative to other forms of marketing.

 

So that is the positive news. The downside is that, especially within the fitness industry, Gym content lead marketing is very competitive. It is an industry full of people who know their stuff and do a significant portion of their business through their websites.

 

As such, it is important that gym owners keep in mind two mantras when producing blogs as content lead marketing for their websites. 

First, it must make a real contribution. No half measures. The information that Gyms are putting out shouldn’t be contentless clickbait or a guide that has been done better elsewhere. Every gym or fitness club should be a hub of talented and experienced individuals, with valuable expertise to contribute.

It is therefore necessary that Gyms bring their A-game to all content. The blogs will be what is selling the gym or fitness club to the customer. We want them to be drawn in and understand that the organisation has something to offer them that can improve their life. That it is worth their time and money. 

 

A useful thought exercise is something we call ‘The bookmark test’. Does the blog provide valuable enough content that someone who is interested in the subject would want to bookmark or favourite it on their browser so they can return to it. If the answer is yes, the content is on the right track.


The second is the more pragmatic and marketing side, and that is keywords. The best content in the world won’t draw a business any new custom if it can’t be found. As mentioned earlier, blogs trade in keywords and that is especially true in the fitness industry.

With prospective customers often searching very specific queries, whether it is related to an exercise, or a class, or an exercise machine. It is necessary for the content to be precise and purposeful in the language that is used. 

 

In addition, a successful blog should try to mention the location of the gym or fitness club it is trying to promote. A lot of searches are locational, so the more that the gym or fitness club can be linked with the specific area, the better. 

 

 

2. Podcasting

Take it from us, making a podcast and getting it onto the big platforms that people actually use has never been easier. 

There has been a big rise in the number of brand podcasts and they are enjoying a large amount of success.

In a recent poll, 50% of content-led marketers who have adopted and utilised podcasts as a marketing tool have described it as one of their most effective content mediums they use. 

 

So then the question becomes, why are podcasts experience such an increase in adoption by businesses?

The answer is actually above, it has never been easier.

Accessibility and outreach always used to be the issue. Even as little as ten years ago, podcasting was a niche with few defined outlets. Still very much the domain of iTunes and Apple. Recording, editing and then releasing a podcast was a lot of work and there was no guarantee it would be downloaded (not streamed!) onto more than a few devices.

Now both recording and distribution has been made simple. Multiple websites can allow a business to upload a podcast once and then have it put onto all major streaming services (including the big hitters like Spotify).

As it often goes, this meant that businesses were able to test the water with comparatively little time and effort. In turn, businesses learned that there was a market for these podcasts and so a content marketing method was born.

The success factor has come from the casual nature of podcasting. A conversation between two people within the fitness industry, about the fitness industry doesn’t feel like marketing but it is highly effective at doing so. Given that people will be listening to the podcast on either a phone or a computer, they will have a search engine to hand, so any mention of a gym or fitness club that grabs their attention can be instantly followed up upon. 

 

The topics are endless and normally we find if you just set out a few topics of conversation and get the right people in the room, the conversation will flow nicely. Unlike a blog, it can be more freeform and anecdotal while still communicating valuable insight into the fitness industry.

It can also exist to deliver news about a gym or fitness club, a few minute segment either at the beginning or the end of the podcast is the perfect time to detail new equipment, renovations, classes or events. These topics could even spark a conversation themselves about the running of the gym or fitness club. 

 

The last aspect is promotion. By putting up posters and sending out emails promoting the podcast, a gym can get a core group of followers interested in the podcast. In turn, just like with blogs, this will help with discoverability. 

 

The only limitation, and it is a relatively minor one in 2022, is getting the necessary equipment together. This will include a recording-quality microphone or microphones, headphones and computers to record and edit on. Nothing particularly outlandish and with a little candid conversation and audio quality, any gym can join this exciting and contemporary content marketing avenue. 

 

3. Events. Virtual, Real, Hybrid

Hosting events may not feel intuitive to many gym or fitness club owners, but their facilities are an asset that many businesses envy. A big public space with plenty of room for activities. It has novelty value to some and lifestyle appeal to many. 

This makes gyms and fitness clubs a very attractive place to host events, whether they are in-person events, virtual or a hybrid between the two. 

It is important to take stock of every asset a given gym or fitness club has. Whether that is a spacious lobby, a central location within the town or city, a coffee bar or a large, easily emptied space for free-form events. 

 

Open Days

It is the oldest trick in the book, but it stayed in the book for a reason. Open days are a great event for the area to see what a gym is made of, invite people in, publicise it in your area, invite local people of note.

Furthermore make sure the day is filmed so that footage can be uploaded to your social media channels. It might even be a good topic for a podcast.

 

A food fair that focuses on healthy living: A universal human experience and perhaps one of the best. Partnering with local food distributors, cafes, restaurants or healthy takeaways can be a great way for a gym to act as a nexus and a hub for the local community. 

 

Online Classes: Utilise a gym’s existing class system and personal trainers to hold free online classes. 

 

Charity Events and ‘Event’ Events: It may sound slightly ridiculous but we all love a tie-in event. Whether it is for Easter or the Olympics, the Tour De France or St Valentine’s Day. Topical events are easy to market and will get people through the doors. The same with charity, everyone loves to support a good cause and for some a good cause can be the push they need to get exercising. 

 

4. Educational Videos and Infographics 

The chances are everytime you log onto social media, you see at least one instance of the following two things.


The first is educational video content. Whether it is the TikTok ‘how to’ or YouTube short ‘life advice’, short-form video is everywhere. And where the individual goes, a company can follow. Just as we discussed with podcast, this new cultural trend is just ripe for companies to get onboard with and many have already. 

 

The second is infographics. We live in a world teeming with statistics, data and advice. This is good for content-marketing because it means that the audience of today is very receptive to infographics. More than ever, people are consuming their information from individuals and businesses through the snappy combination of data, images and text. 

 

Both methods are capable of turning someone who has just stumbled across the content into an interested party right away. More people than ever before are discovering new businesses due to the informative video content that they are putting out. The rise of near limitless mobile data means that people are doing this everywhere and at every time of the day. Combine this with Instagram, Twitter and Tiktoks ever more efficient video integration and shareability and a Gym would be remiss not to capitalise on this effect and far-reaching trend. 

 

As for what to show, we’ve listed ideas below for inspiration. 

 

Facility tour: Showing off a Gym or Fitness club is a surefire way to get people interested. Unless a gym has large windows, local people can pass by every day and never know the great facility instead.

 

How to use equipment: education and entertaining: This can also help reduce gymtimidation if someone has never used a piece of gym equipment. 

 

Exercise tips from your PTs: Short-form, well edited tips are the most shared and likely to hit the biggest audience. 

 

Classes in Action: If a class is going on, ask for permission and then get filming! 

 

Testimonials from the regulars: If regular customers are content and comfortable with saying a few words, the genuine enthusiasm they display can be a powerful motivator. 

 

Meal preparation and diet tips and tricks: Whether it comes from customers or staff, a great way to share what works for the people who use a Gym.

 

As has hopefully become apparent, the 2020s have heralded a golden age for content-led marketing. Never before have gym or fitness club owners been able to put out meaningful content at such a cheap price point, and with such broad reach. There is a reason that all the methods above have seen such a rapid uptake and uptick in popularity over the last few years.

Here at Ashbourne, we’ve been working with gyms and fitness clubs, growing their business and helping them reach their potential for over 25 years. While our primary domain is membership management, we’ve learned plenty along the way. Interested in seeing if we can help enhance the reach and potential of your Gym? Please do not hesitate to contact our team today here. 

 

 

Is Your Gym or Fitness Club Primed to Capitalise on the Longevity Revolution?

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“Is Your Gym or Fitness Club Primed to Capitalise on the Quality of Life Revolution?“

Here are our tips on increasing your Gym’s age range appeal

 

The years between 2020 and 2022 have already marked multiple unprecedented events and demographic shifts within the fitness industry, but there are more to come.


And unlike Covid-19 or the ensuing lockdowns, the trend we are discussing today isn’t an anomaly. In fact it is quite the opposite, a trend that we are all aware of, one of the key criteria that we use to measure the success of modern society.


People are living longer.

 

While this should not be shocking to you, we are approaching a series of unprecedented watermarks as a society. We are reaching a tipping point that will see many areas that are traditionally marketed towards younger people as a matter of course being forced to change that habit.

The simple truth is that the younger demographics account for less than they ever have before, and will only continue to account for less. This goes double for spending power. We should all be equally familiar with the headlines about the relatively diminished spending power of younger generations.

Now while we won’t spend time focusing on the potentially disastrous long-term societal consequences of this shift, we can focus on how to translate it into short-term benefit for your Gym or Fitness Club.

 

So how will we be targeting this ever-broadening demographic?



Well, first we will need to look at what they want, and what they are currently doing. The answer to these questions are thankfully one and the same, they are staying active for longer and trying to stay active for as long as possible.


This is a significant change in behaviour when contrasted to even twenty or thirty years ago. 

 

Now not only are these people living longer, but they are also going out of their way to enjoy a better quality of life.

 

Compared to the younger demographics, people over 50 find themselves with a greater disposable income and significantly more time. This enables them to enact their growing desire to stay healthy, active and impactful within society. 


In turn this means that an entire demographic that could easily be considered ‘beyond fitness’ is returning to it in a very specific way with a very specific aim.

 

For the purposes of this article, we will be calling this the Quality of Life Revolution.

 

 

While that doesn’t mean abandoning the historic bulwark of the fitness industry, 18 to 35 year olds, it does benefit us to compare the behavioural trends of these groups. While it is likely your fitness club is maximising engagement with people under 40, it seems unlikely that you are making full use of your outreach to the over 50s.

Besides the obvious benefit of being a new demographic with great expansion and longevity potential, it also has several inbuilt purchasing habit benefits over the younger demographics. A retention study by the IHRSA that looked at nearly 1.5 million fitness club members’ behaviours found that the movement habits of over 55s varies greatly from that of their younger counterparts.

Remarkably, they found out that over 55s stay with a gym or fitness club, on average, 22 months longer than any other age group.

This makes sense given what we know about people in the latter half of their life. People tend to be more established, with a deeper connection, whether it is economically, socially or emotionally, to any given place. Younger people shift location for work, shifting interpersonal relationships and even for no reason at all. Therefore the study seems intuitive.

An older customer at your Gym or Fitness Club may well be a customer that stays with you longer!

 

And it is important to keep this in mind. With minimal restructuring of what your gym or fitness club offers and how it is marketed, it could be earning more from a more stable customer base, all while improving the longevity of the community your business resides within. 

 

What services can you offer to contribute to the Quality of Life Revolution?

Courses aimed at promoting longevity and quality of life work within different criteria to more traditional, youth-oriented courses. The metrics for success here are all about slowing down the process and effects of ageing while maximising functional fitness. Exercises are normally lower impact but with a focus on muscle health that can otherwise quickly decline in later years. 

The four areas where the majority of quality and length of life is most pertinent and focused on include:

  • Weight, posture and body composition
  • Brain functionality, acuity and reactions and overall health
  • Mobility and health of the Musculoskeletal system and joint flexibility. 
  • Cardiovascular health with a specific focus on the heart.

 

As you can tell, what is going to be important to these new prospective clients isn’t just exercise in the gym. Research has shown that they are also interested in dietary advice, breathing exercises and sleep regimes. However, all of this is rooted within a firm regime of exercise.

Results have been shown to be powerful and once someone has embraced this new lifestyle and forged the habit (habits that, as previously established, older demographics are more likely to maintain), they are less likely to relinquish that habit. 

 

Whether it is weightless or maintaining mobility, reaction training, meditation or joint strengthening, there are a host of activities that can be accomplished in your Gym or Fit Club. The opportunities for your gym or fitness club to provide solutions that increase the quality and longevity of life are limitless.

 

So let’s dive into six different ways to start catering to this demographic and their demands, today!

 

1. Adapt The Message

2. Shift Perspective

3. Social and Enjoyable

4. Outreach

5. Invest in the Knowledge

6. Make your Gym or Fitness Club PART of their Quality of Life

 

1. Adapt The Message

As we discussed earlier, the messaging of many Gyms and Fitness Clubs in the UK is inherently youth-oriented. This can be off-putting for many elderly people, when they see a Gym advertised entirely by attractive and healthy under-thirties, it sends a clear message about the target of this establishment.

Conversely, even one or two older faces in an advertisement are likely to stand out to the demographic we are trying to reach, while going unnoticed by the younger people who take their status as the core fitness market for granted. 

 

2. Shift Perspective

With that being said, we don’t mean that you should load your gym adverts full of strollers and walking sticks. The stereotypes about the over 60s that we have had are starting to disappear, and no one knows that as well as the current people within that demographic. Not feeling your age is the mantra, and as such the marketing should be aimed at people who are in extended middle age, with much of the vitality that they had at 45 or even younger!

This is a trend that has been thoroughly entrenched in Scandinavian society and contributed to a significant shift in the marketing of such fitness items as bicycles and swimming gear!

It is all about normalising the concept of older demographics working out, and that will never change if we shy away from including positive examples in advertising material. It will help you stand out and stand for positive change.

 

3. Social & Enjoyable

One opinion that crosses the generation divide (A rarity these days, it feels), is that many people young and old do not find exercise enjoyable. We have all heard polls and have had conversations where people say that they would only do exercise if ‘they found it enjoyable’ and that lifting weights or running on a treadmill doesn’t meet that marker for them.


They know it is good for them, but all that does is put it into the same category as vegetables or not spending money. 

This is a hot topic when targeting young people, but it becomes even more pertinent when targeting people for quality and longevity of life.

Luckily, the regimes and exercises that we are promoting are not about lifting massive amounts of weight or running a virtual half-marathon. The strength that functional fitness has is that it can be lightweight, unintrusive and very social.

By focusing on the more casual and social nature of it, you will be able to draw a larger crowd. This is especially relevant amongst an older demographic who frequently struggle with loneliness.

You will find many councils within the UK are keen to reduce loneliness and increase the number of active adults in the community. Work with members of the community, whether paid or volunteered to exchange ideas and inspirations on what functional fitness could achieve. This will not only help bolster the earnings of your club but contribute meaningfully to the well-being of your community. Win-win. 

 

4. Outreach

In the same way that a lot of the content of the marketing in the fitness industry is aimed at a younger demographic, so are the methods.


If I had to hazard a guess (based on data), I would say that your gym or fitness club’s main method of marketing engagement is social media. And that’s great!

But unfortunately the older demographic we are trying to target often have either significantly different social media habits, or none at all!

This presents a challenge, but not an insurmountable one. The main methods that we found effective while targeting the older demographic were more traditional (perhaps unsurprisingly). Going through the local council signposting system, as well as newspapers and leaflets distributed to communal areas within your local area all are more likely to resonate and reach your audience than an Instagram post!

 

5. Invest in the Knowledge

While many of the services that contribute towards quality of life and longevity classes are part of a standard PTs repertoire, there is always additional knowledge, technicals and qualifications to be gained.

It is also a good reason to expand the knowledge pool among your staff and potentially increase the number of classes you are running.  By undertaking training that specialises in reducing the effects of ageing and maximises functional fitness. This, in turn, will enable your gym to have a much larger and more positive effect on the people and community around you. Quality of life and longevity exercises have been proven to reduce the occurrence of certain chronic diseases within the elderly community.

Most importantly, this will give you a competitive edge over the gyms and fitness clubs in your area that are not offering this service. This is a growing demographic and a trend that is only going to become further cemented as more people from the currently under 50 demographic continue to age. It has been shown that there is a significantly different attitude in the people currently crossing the threshold and a desire to enjoy a better quality of life for longer.

 

6. Make your Gym or Fitness Club PART of their Quality of Life

The easiest way to make sure that this group keeps renewing month after month and year after year? Make your Gym a fundamental part of their Quality of Life.


Positive association is a powerful force, and staying active and youthful is a point of pride for people of all ages. It is estimated that lifestyle has a massive impact on the rate and effect of ageing, potentially over 60% to 70%. With all the services we have previously discussed, a Gym that provides all of that will no doubt be a key player in the longevity and life quality of the older demographic that frequents it. 

 

Making your gym or fitness club a place that cultivates positive mindsets, nutrition, movement, socialisation and exercise will help it become a beacon to the community. Focusing on quality and longevity of life can help put a gym or fitness club into a new light, opening up exciting avenues of business and clientele that previously didn’t seem possible.

Conclusion

In our intensely youth-centric society, it can be easy to forget that fitness should be for everyone and that everyone needs to move. We are coming out of an era where old age was seen as the end of an active lifestyle, but it has been proven time and time again that that does not need to be the case.

There is an opportunity for people to stay active, healthy and fulfilled for longer, and in turn, there is an opportunity for Gyms and fitness clubs to profit from this.


This is a revolution that has been 30 years in the making and is gathering speed. By putting your business at the forefront, there is the potential to make a meaningful impact on the community, and your staff and ultimately a profound impact on your gym or fitness club.

 

Cost of Living: Energy Costs, Power Cuts and the Fitness Industry

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“Cost of Living: Energy Costs, Power Cuts and the Fitness Industry “

 

With great economic turmoil not only on the horizon but in our midsts, we thought it was a good time to look at the context that has caused these events and what the fitness industry is doing, and can do, to endure these trying times.

 

With costs skyrocketing, even after a lackluster government interaction, quite a few gym franchises and gym owners have reported they are scaling back the amount of electricity their facilities consume. This is being achieved in a variety of ways, from lowering the temperature of swimming pools and gyms, reducing operating times and turning off Jacuzzis and spa rooms. 

 

It is important to stress that all of these actions are being taken irrespective of the flagship government measures aimed at capping runaway energy prices. Even though it was announced that they would be ‘capping’ prices for six months from the 1st of October, as it is not a solid cap this still means that gyms and fitness clubs are facing a substantial rise. 

Many gyms use large amounts of energy to keep their saunas, pools and jacuzzis warm throughout their opening hours.

 

We are seeing examples of many gyms cutting back throughout the fitness industry, from small independents to even some of the biggest chains. 

Better Gyms, well known for operating over 250 council-owned gyms and fitness facilities were one of the first to announce measures to tackle ever-rising prices.

 

 

While it is being decided on a case-by-case basis, all 258 gyms within their operation are looking at scaling back costs. So far this has included lowering the temperature of their swimming pools by a degree celsius but leading figures within Better Gym and their parent company Greenwich Leisure Limited said that they are looking at further cuts.

 

Several possible measures have been floated including turning off more facilities overnight and limiting the opening time for energy-intensive services.

 

They stressed they would be constantly monitoring customer feedback on these measures.

An important thing to keep in mind. While saving money is paramount at a time like this, it should not come at the expense of customer satisfaction.

It is important to ensure any changes are communicated clearly and compassionately.

Customers are aware of the economic situation and will appreciate money-saving measures that are taken if they are done transparently and responsibly. 


An example of this feedback in action is the Bannatyne’s group and its chain of health and fitness clubs. They tried to implement similar temperature reduction measures as Better Gyms, but their customers were dissatisfied and so this measure was reverted in short order.

It is important that this process, if made in any gym, is a dialogue between customer and business. 

 

Better Gyms aren’t the only gym and fitness chain that is scaling back their services. The national titan, Nuffield Health have announced that they will be turning off all of their 72 jacuzzis until at least the spring. 

 

While this is an extreme solution, it will ultimately save their operation a significant amount of money over the autumn, winter and potentially beyond. While it will most likely cause more customer dissatisfaction than lowering the temperature of pools by 1 degree, it will also save significantly more. 

 

The example presented by Nuffield health also has value to smaller gym and fitness clubs.


A spokesperson for Nuffield gave their reasoning behind this action. They confirmed that turning off their jacuzzi facilities nationwide would allow them to save enough of their operational funds to keep their swimming pools and steam rooms functioning over winter.

 

This is the sort of thinking that can be applied to either one gym or many. Shutting down less popular and more costly facilities can be the key to keeping others running through this period of record high prices.

 

Just like with Better Gyms, the Nuffield group have not ruled out that more cost saving measures might be necessary this winter. 

It has now been confirmed that the energy price cap in its current form will only last for six months. While it has prevented the situation from getting worse, most businesses have already seen their energy costs doubled. Given that we’ve been told that these energy prices are likely not going to shoot down again anytime soon, it is important that we in the fitness industry prepare measures that are sustainable, responsible and with the outlook that they may last for a long time. 

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Member of a gym? Simply text "HELP" to 60777 and we'll help you.

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ABOUT
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MAKE A PAYMENT
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COPYRIGHT © 2025 ASHBOURNE

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