There are many dimensions to wellness, but technology is the one evolving at the steadiest pace. And one technology that’s changing the way fitness professionals evaluate and educate members on wellness is 3D body scanning.
3D body scanning is a relatively new development in the fitness industry, and as a result, many clubs are still learning how best to use it. Figuring out the ideal way to integrate it into your club’s experience, however, will be a big benefit.
“3D body scanning, like the Styku model utilized by Cowboys Fit, is an invaluable tool for personal trainers to elaborate on the importance of their service and to help define the goals and needs of our members,” said Johnny Delavaldene, the CEO of Cowboys Fit.
The convenience and immediacy of the scan results are a major selling point for consumers. “In 30 seconds, the Styku 3D imaging is able to generate a wealth of information that is accessible to the trainer and the member,” said Delavaldene.
The key to maximizing the effectiveness of 3D body scanning in your club is to make it as visible and accessible as possible. Allowing more members to see the scanner itself and see members using it will create a lot of excitement about what it can offer.
“Highlighting 3D body scanning throughout a club’s entire marketing and sales cycle provides more member exposure to the technology and thus provides more opportunity for the club and its staff to build value in it,” said Nicholas Trosko, the director of sales and strategic accounts at Fit3D, Inc.
Increasing member’s exposure to the technology will increase your chances to convey its benefits. “There are multiple opportunities for clubs to monetize 3D body scanning,” said Trosko. “The most successful cases show clubs fully integrating 3D body scanning into their operation and providing their staff the tools to create a better customer journey for their members.”
Through full integration, clubs can use 3D body scanning services like Styku or Fit3D to complement personal training services, improve retention and operate as a profit center, thus elevating their overall performance.
Complementing Personal Training
“3D body scanning can be an incredible value addition to any personal training department,” said Trosko. “The hardware serves as a non-invasive, efficient and autonomous method of capturing a member’s baseline metrics, including circumference measurements, body composition and medical wellness ratings.”
Delavaldene echoed the same sentiment — members love 3D body scanning’s accuracy and lack of invasiveness. “Styku gives precise measurements that are provided quickly and with minimal inconvenience to the member,” he said. “It has replaced the invasive process of calipers and tape measures.”
This technology can help remove the element of discomfort from initial personal training sessions, allowing trainers to confidently dive straight into conversations with clients about their goals.
“Personal trainers are able to help members understand their current level of fitness and health, then set a reasonable and measurable timeline for their success,” said Delavaldene. “The amount of time assessing fitness levels contributes to the trainer building rapport and trust with the client.”
That level of trust between a trainer and client builds as the client sees results. 3D body scanning will deliver tangible results, which the trainer can use to create actionable steps for the client.
And from there, you can use those success stories as a springboard to land even more sales. “With the ability to track progress by comparing each scan and its metrics, the accompanying software serves as a virtual catalogue of success stories,” said Trosko. “Fitness managers and trainers can use this powerful tool to generate leads, create uniformity through the sales process and create a complete vision of success for members and prospects.”
Improve Retention
“Client retention is definitely aided through the use of 3D imaging, as it creates excitement and encourages the client with its clear and precise measurements,” said Delavaldene.
Tangible results, as discussed above, are very encouraging for anyone on a fitness journey. When they can see they’re making progress toward their goals, personal training clients and members become more motivated with each session.
“When effectively used, the technology can provide enormous value at each step of a member’s journey at a club,” said Trosko. “From Day One, a new member can comfortably capture a baseline snapshot of where they stand and continue to track their progress over time.”
3D body scanning can even help fight fatigue that members may get from not hitting goals. “Often, personal training clients can become frustrated by seemingly slow or unperceivable changes in weight during the initial phases of training,” said Delavaldene. “The information gathered from Styku 3D imaging will reaffirm the personal trainer’s programming and client’s efforts by showing precise changes in body composition.”
And if changes need to be made to the client’s workouts or eating habits, the 3D imaging will give trainers the information they need to make the appropriate adjustments.
“The accessibility to easily track progress provides members the ability to either stay motivated or know they need to pivot from their methods due to a lack of progress,” said Trosko. “This opens the door for club staff to engage with members who may not be seeing the progress they want. It can also provide the opportunity for upselling services such as personal training.”
Most importantly, 3D body scanning technology is exciting. Members enjoy seeing their body’s composition and the specific areas they need to work on — this is a major selling point for continued gym attendance. “It’s new and innovative — our members appreciate the elevated experience,” said Delavaldene.
Operating as a Profit Center
“3D imaging can also be a source of stand-alone income for a club,” said Delavaldene. “Members who are training on their own can pay a nominal fee to track their progress.”
When framed as an additional method of achieving fitness goals, members should be more receptive to the idea of adding this service to their membership fees or paying a one-time fee to see their body measurements.
“3D body scanning can be an incredibly efficient profit center,” said Trosko. “The technology carries a novelty to drive member curiosity and initial engagement, but at the same time, opens the door to a plethora of tools to increase revenue and create entirely new revenue streams.”
According to Trosko, there are a few ways clubs can integrate 3D body scanning into programming and memberships to create profit, some more direct than others. “A direct form of ROI is charging per scan or reoccurring memberships that include a number of scans in a given time period,” he said.
There are also indirect ways clubs can generate more revenue from 3D body scanning. “These are more prevalent methods,” said Trosko. “They could involve making the service a value addition to memberships and packages, as well as using the software to establish a paradigm of operation to generate more revenue through services such as personal training.”
As members seek more specific answers to their fitness questions, clubs need a way to provide better fitness assessments — and 3D body scanning is a great solution.
