Is Your Fitness Business Transparent Enough?
Transparency is one of the biggest buzzwords in business today, and the fitness industry is not exempt. In fact, IDEA has declared it to be “the new standard for business success.” Here’s a closer look at what transparency is, why it matters, and how fitness businesses can improve their transparency initiatives.Read more
Is Your Health Club Offering this Popular Programming?
Today’s fitness businesses are always looking for new ways to boost member retention and recruitment initiatives. One type of program picking up in popularity is structured basketball leagues. Here’s a closer look at the phenomenon, along with whether starting a structured basketball league is right for your fitness business and top tips aimed at helping launch and maintain a successful program. Read more
What Are the Biggest Factors Changing the Fitness Industry?
The fitness industry has been undergoing a major boom over the past decade. Growing at a rate of three to four percent annually, the $30 billion industry appears to be unstoppable at the moment. In fact, 20 percent of American adults currently have memberships, and this figure could double in the imminent future, proposes Crunch Franchise CEO Ben Midgley in a recent Forbes article. This begs the question: what’s fueling this growth?
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Tips for Addressing Awkward Situations with Members
A gym in Michigan recently made news when a member was asked not to wear a shirt that expressed his political views while working out. Another gym received negative press after asking a member to change her clothes because her chest was too big for the shirt she was wearing. While these stories are very different, one thing is clear. Uncomfortable issues are bound to arise within the fitness industry. How you deal with the problem not only impacts its resolution but can also have lingering effects in terms of your fitness business’s relationships and reputation.
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Why Your Fitness Business Needs an Internal Social Media Policy
Social media is an invaluable tool for fitness business marketing. However, if your staff members aren't using it correctly, they may be doing more harm than good. Here's a closer look at why your fitness business needs a social media policy, along with what it should include.Read more
Are You Using This Key Marketing Resource for Your Fitness Business?
Keeping your members happy isn't just about member retention; it’s also about recruitment. When it comes to spreading the word about your fitness business, your members may be one of your greatest -- and most underutilized -- tools. Here’s a closer look at why your members are a key marketing resource, along with tips for maximizing their potential. Read more
How Your Gym Can Help Tackle the Obesity Epidemic
Adult obesity rates in the US now exceed 35 percent in seven US states, according to the annual report, The State of Obesity. Even in states with the lowest obesity rates, however, the numbers are approaching 25 percent. The takeaway? As the country’s collective weight increases, so do the problems associated with an obese population. But there is good news, however: Health clubs are uniquely positioned to help reverse the trend. Read more
Member Appreciation: Are Your Members Feeling the Love?
Building member loyalty is a big part of succeeding in today's intensely competitive fitness industry. One way to boost how they feel about your gym or health club is to show them some love. Here’s a closer look at the member appreciation mandate, along with tips for making the most of your member appreciation initiatives.Read more
Fitness Business Locker Rooms: A Key to the Member Experience
When you talk about the member experience, you often talk about equipment, programs, services, and people. But there’s one aspect of cultivating a positive member experience that often goes overlooked: the locker room. Here’s a closer look at why your fitness business locker room matters, and what you can do to make yours a selling point for member retention and recruitment. Read more
What Workouts Do Members Want in 2019?
Fitness trends come and go. If you’re a fitness business owner looking to position your gym for ongoing success despite the dynamics of the industry, understanding what your members are looking for at any given moment can make or break you. The good news? There’s plenty of intelligence out there offering actionable insights into how people will be working out around the country in the year ahead. Read more
Should You Franchise Your Fitness Business?
Fitness business owners face many decisions in today’s competitive fitness business landscape. One option that often arises for people looking to grow their businesses is franchising, and with good reason. According to the US Commercial Service, franchise businesses are responsible for a whopping $674.3 billion of economic output for the US economy and represent three percent of the GDP. Read more
Should Your Fitness Business Take a Stand Against Bullying?
Bullying has been deemed to be a public health issue with potentially lifelong consequences for bullying victims. While we most often think of anti-bullying initiatives in terms of what schools can do, organizations from other sectors can also contribute to bullying prevention, including gyms, fitness studios, and health clubs. Read more
What Is Functional Fitness and Why Does It Matter?
Are your members so focused on getting in their daily workout that they're overlooking the "big picture"? There's good news. Many Americans are turning away from this mindset and in the direction of functional fitness. Wondering what it is and why it matters to your fitness business? Read on for a closer look at the 411 on functional fitness.Read more
#MeToo at the Gym: A Guide for Fitness Business Owners
While the #MeToo movement in the entertainment industry has received the lion’s share of media attention, sexual harassment has been brought to light across a breadth and depth of industries in recent years. The fitness industry is not exempt from the issue or the need for intervention. Here’s a closer look at sexual harassment in gyms and health clubs, along with tips for fitness business owners looking to provide the safest spaces for their members.Read more
Will Your Fitness Business Make the Most of the New Year?
Of the millions of people who made New Year’s resolutions for 2018, 45 percent of them were focused on losing weight or getting in shape, according to Statista. At the same time, 53 percent of them resolve to save money in the year ahead. Read more
Wearables Land Top Spot on ACSM's Top Fitness Trends for 2019
The fitness industry moves quickly. Knowing the trends and staying ahead of them is an invaluable enterprise for fitness business owners. Wondering what to expect in 2019? Wearables claimed the number one spot in the American College of Sports Medicine’s (ACSM) Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2019. Read more
Is Your Fitness Business Missing Out on Virtual Fitness Opportunities?
Club Solutions recently declared virtual fitness to be “transforming the industry.” While getting in on this trend can be a boon for fitness enthusiasts, there are potential concerns for fitness business owners -- particularly with regard for what a shift toward virtual fitness may mean for their gym communities and for how to go about integrating virtual fitness into their current operations. Read more
Six Personal Training Client Retention Tips
Personal training is a great source of income for fitness businesses. But are your personal trainers reaching their full potential in terms of retaining clients? Read on for a roundup of six things your personal training team can be doing to keep their clients engaged and coming back for more.Read more
Should Your Gym Have a YouTube Channel?
More than 80 percent of businesses use video as a marketing tool, according to Hubspot, and with good reason. The average person spends 1.5 hours a day watching video content, while 15 percent watch more than three hours of video on any given day. Read more
Prenatal and Postnatal Fitness: A New Approach for Fitness Businesses
Gone are the days when pregnant women were expected to stay in bed and rest because they had a “delicate” condition. Not only do we now know that exercise can play a vital role in supporting a healthy pregnancy, but also that women can continue to workout while pregnant and return to their fitness regimens just a short time after giving birth. Read more