Maximize your gym’s potential by offering your members the most that you possibly can. It has been said by many that there is a direct correlation between the amount of cardiovascular equipment a club has to offer and the number of members that it can accommodate. Not having enough cardiovascular equipment is probably the number one complaint that club members have. Being able to offer the most cardiovascular equipment that your wallet can handle can increase your memberships drastically, thus increasing your profits. Cardiovascular pieces are the most attractive items in a health club. More cardiovascular equipment in your club is in a way, like a huge billboard advertisement for your club stating, “We can accommodate you!”
Club owners are constantly asking me and my sales associates how to increase their “member potential.” I always reply with, “How many cardiovascular pieces does your health club currently have?”
It is usually not enough. While having the proper amount of strength-training products in your facility is extremely important, many clubs don’t realize that cardiovascular equipment is what sells memberships. When potential members go on tours of your facility, they do not want to see people waiting to use machines, especially ellipticals, treadmills, and bikes. Most everyone in your club uses these machines, sometimes resulting in a wait, understandably. But there is a way to avoid this problem…Place more cardiovascular equipment in your facility. This does not mean that you need to go out and purchase the brand new treadmill with all of the “bells and whistles.” Even purchasing units that are two to seven years old will make a significant improvement on the number of members that you can accommodate.
Now that is an easy statement for me, and even your members to make. We are not the ones “footing the bill” for this equipment. But, there is a cost-effective way to go about all of this: Don’t buy the equipment new! Buying new equipment is usually the most expensive option, costing upward to $5,000 per unit. It would be difficult for club owners to even want to spend this money, let alone afford this amount.
Instead of purchasing the cardiovascular equipment brand new, look into reconditioned/remanufactured goods. This is the most affordable way to “stock” your club with excellent quality fitness equipment. Reconditioned fitness equipment can cost as little as a third of the price of the brand new unit. This affords you the opportunity to place as much as three times the equipment that you would be able to afford if it was new…for the same total price! Let’s say that you can purchase a Precor C846 upright bike for $2,995 brand new. Guess what? You can find these units for $995 completely reconditioned. If my math serves me right, you could buy three of these units for a total cost of $2,985…actually less than the cost of one brand new bike!
As I stated last month, maintenance costs are the same across the board, whether purchasing brand new, or quality reconditioned products. Do your best to save that initial dollar when buying fitness equipment. Most fitness equipment companies are flexible, and prices are somewhat negotiable, depending upon their starting price. Some offer extremely high prices, and will cut a deal with you, offering a significant discount. Don’t be fooled by this! Much like the automobile industry, there is a “going price” for certain items. Some respectable companies will offer you that going price right away, not fooling you with meaningless discounts. And, as always, do your own investigations on the company from whom you are purchasing your equipment.
Basically, the more cardiovascular equipment that you have in your club, the more members you can accommodate. The more members that you can accommodate, the more EFTs, counter sales, and other sundry sales that you have – all contributing to your profits. It is a significant investment, but the return on that investment is large, and ultimately rewarding to you, your club, your employees, and your members. It is a continuous cycle. Purchasing your club’s fitness equipment reconditioned will save you the most money on that initial investment, and it will offer you the potential to place up to three times the equipment in your health club. As always, don’t hesitate to give me a call with any questions or comments about this article. My contact information is below.
Joshua Martel is a Sales Associate with Fitness Deals 1. He can be contacted at 877.442.2635, or by email atfitnessdeals1llc@hotmail.com, or visit www.fitnessdealsone.com.
