A Health Club Model for Integrated Virtual Training Options

It’s no secret that health clubs have rapidly created virtual training options in response to coronavirus shutdowns. What is lacking in most cases is having an integrated strategy for virtual training options that simultaneously achieves some important goals:

• Providing added value to existing club members and membership options. 
• Creating a sales funnel to virtual and in-club personal training, small group training and large group training.
• Creating a highly profitable new revenue generating business that has no geographic limitations. 
• Establishing a framework for selling goods and services outside the club’s four walls.

It sounds like a tall order, and it is. However, the reward for getting this model right is enormous. So, how should a club put it all together?

The first step is determining your club’s existing digital offerings, including:

• Mobile app
• Workouts
• Exercise library
• Nutrition logging
• Virtual coaching
• Digital workouts of all forms other than your app
• Live virtual training options
  • One-on-one
  • Small group
  • Large group

In an ideal world, you should create an array of services, with some being complementary to members while others are fee-based. See an example below of how you could position these services to achieve all the goals outlined:

Once you determine your strategy and structure you need to put together the three key elements required for success:

• Technology platforms to sell, schedule and deliver digital services, equipment and nutrition supplements.
• Target market(s) and develop a marketing plan to drive member traffic, digital referrals and non-member trials.
• Talent — this is absolutely the special sauce when it comes to any and all forms of virtual training and in particular, live virtual training options.

The virtual market is there for the taking, but you have to have a strategy and plan with the right team to execute and take advantage of the opportunity.