Julia Dalton-Brush recently spoke to The New York Times about her struggles with finding the right gym environment.
According to The New York Times:
[Julie Dalton-Brush] is a former athlete who gained 80 pounds while taking care of her ailing mother. “I have tried to get into fitness again so many times but have given up because I have felt uncomfortable,” she said. “It might be my own insecurity, but I have walked into gyms where I see people in incredible shape and get intimidated or feel like everyone is staring at me.”
When Dalton-Brush finally did find the right environment with Flywheel, it came down to personalized attention. The New York Times reported, “She had to be dragged to a class by a friend, but said that she immediately felt at ease because the instructors got to know her by asking about her goals and limitations and showing her modifications for every move.”
Dalton-Brush isn’t alone in her struggle with finding the right gym environment. Many gym prospects are struggling with that same problem — including Club Solutions’ own editor, Tyler Montgomery, which he brought up in his blog post “Gym Membership Limbo.”
So I’d like to ask you a question — how can you connect with prospects so that they feel at ease at your gym?
First, put yourself in a prospect’s shoes and do a walk through as if you were taking a tour. What do you see? Afterwards, come up with a list of possible things that could be turning prospects away — such as aggressive sales tactics or lack of cleanliness — and come up with a plan for how you could resolve these issues. Try to be as unbiased as possible.
Think of it this way — would you work out at your gym if you weren’t the owner? Be as honest as possible in your response. The answer to that question could be extremely telling as to the future success of you club.
Rachel Zabonick is the assistant editor for Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@clubsolutionsmagazine.com. Reach out to her about exciting events or programs your club has implemented, or to share the amazing accomplishments of a member.
