Creating that “boutique experience” in your full-service fitness facility is a smart play for many big-box facilities. By mastering these six steps, you will get the most out of your space, time and financial investments and help ensure success.
Step 1 – Use a Proven & Profitable Strategy
Success starts with a clear vision of your desired outcome. Although each club has its differences, the fastest way to success is to adopt a proven strategy that has worked at many other clubs.
This must be a club-driven initiative that requires all staff to be involved.
Step 2 – Branded Boutiques Create Value
The old thinking was that the success of any new programming was exclusively dependent on the fitness training modality. But for consumers (your members) it’s about the total package: the brand, the presentation and especially the systemized outcomes.
Step 3 – Branded, Segmented Programs
This can’t just be about the push-ups or equipment.
Dedicating this department to any particular piece of equipment — large or small — is a flawed business strategy as the focus is on the equipment and not the member’s experience or results.
The trick here is to ensure the programming is outcome-based and appeals to different personality styles. Consider having competitive and non-competitive programs, or teach something new every time.
Average experiences and results will fail to create value in members’ minds and will not maximize program sales. By keeping your programs outcome-based and in an appealing environment, you’ll keep members coming back for more.
Step 4 – Immediate Scalability
To have an impact, the club needs systems and programs that can be delivered by current and future staff including personal trainers and instructors. The best way to scale this business is to get as much of the team involved as possible.
Step 5 – The Power of Outsourcing
It is much more expensive than most clubs think to consistently plan and write branded programs, train all staff, align marketing strategies and work towards their department’s financial goals. This keeps many clubs stuck in the “work in progress” mode.
Consider outsourcing. Licensing established brands, programs, lesson plans, marketing and systems gives the club “speed to market” and the ability to simply focus on the member’s experience, system execution and member recruitment.
Step 6 – Marketing to Members
The primary market for a ‘Boutique Club within the Club’ is existing members. Clubs need a proven and consistent marketing plan to launch all new ‘pay extra’ boutique experiences to their members. Members consistently have to see, feel and hear the difference.
If you cover these bases, you will be in much better position to take advantage of where the industry is currently and can contribute at least as much extra income to the club (and to its fitness pros who get involved) as does its personal training, if not more!
JP Richard is the president of TRIBE Team Training USA. For more information email jp@tribeteamtraining.com.
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J.P. Richard is the CEO of Tribe Team Training™ North America. For more information email jp@tribeteamtraining.com or call 514-554-8580.
Tribe Team Training is a difference maker in your members results and your businesses bottom line. I am so glad we went with Tribe. The business systems, training and support are amazing. As a company they jump in and learn about you, your business and your members. You can’t go wrong.