The annual issue of inspiration is filled with 109 tips and tricks from 30-plus industry experts. The purpose is to help educate operators, improve business operations and, in return, help you help more people in your communities to achieve their goals and improve their overall health and well-being.
Advocacy
Advocacy and engagement with regulators should be seen as insurance to protect your business. So much so, it’s one of the three pillars of the Health and Fitness Association (HFA) — formerly known as IHRSA. Here are tips from Liz Clark, the president and CEO of HFA, on things you can do to become an advocate for your business and the industry:
01. Be engaged locally. Join your local chamber of commerce. Engage with your mayor and city council members at meetings and through emails and phone calls. Go to events where your state representatives are speaking. Invite your policymakers to your facility and to join new location openings, ribbon cuttings and other major club announcements so they understand how you serve the community they represent.
02. Get the facts. Learn about the issues that are impacting the health and fitness industry. HFA monitors all policy threats at the federal and state level. Stay informed so you can understand what impacts the industry from a high level.
Bonus: Join in grassroots efforts. You don’t have to travel to Washington, D.C., to ensure your voice is heard. HFA’s Team 435 campaign offers a simple way to get involved. HFA sends Team 435 members correspondence about pending legislation that members then send to their legislators.
Aquatics
When most people think of aquatics their mind goes to warm days and sunny weather. However, as a business you need your revenue to flow in from your pools year-round rather than have it dip in winter months. Mary Frank, the vice president of sales and marketing at Cincinnati Sports Club, explains how they utilize their pools every month of the year and gives tips for other operators to do the same:
03. Utilize water-based exercise programs. Our club strives to offer a diverse range of group class offerings to have options on both land and in water. The transition of traditional land-based exercises into the aquatics environment for enhanced health benefits and reduced impact on the body are benefical for all ages at the club. Here are a few examples of what the club features: aqua barre, aqua cardio, aqua boot camp and aqua arthritis. In the summers we offer deep water exercise classes at the outdoor pool.
04. With four primary aquatics pools on our campus — two indoor pools and two outdoor pools — swimming is a year-round experience for members. We prepare our summer swim team members with indoor swim team clinics focusing on skill refinement/technique. This increases retention and adds value to the members with families. We also offer members three free indoor triathlons a year at the club. This is both experiential and encourages members to find a new passion or try something new while adding value and connecting members to other employees/instructors.
Bonus:There’s also an emphasis on preventative maintenance. The facility and operations team along with the three certified pool operators have collaborated, budgeted, purchased and installed redundant pumps, heaters, etc. to eliminate downtime if a pool were to have an issue. Members have an expectation that the facilities they want to enjoy will be properly maintained.
Architecture and Design
Having a beautiful space can be key to getting members in the door. While you may not realize it, architecture and design can have a direct impact on member experience. That’s why it’s important to put yourself in members’ shoes when remodeling or building a new facility. Anton Conlon, the CEO of Gold’s Gym El Paso, shares two tips he learned while opening a new location:
05. Green spaces are a good idea in transition areas from one zone to another instead of doors or walls or not having anything at all. They can be planter boxes with fake green plants, which are easy to clean and maintain.
06. Acknowledging your club’s history or legacy gives you an opportunity to tell a story. Gold’s Gyms are especially good at doing this with the famous Venice wall and the history wall acknowledging Joe Gold and all those legends who made Gold’s Gym what it is. We just implemented this in our newest club and received positive member feedback.
With strength training on the rise, some members may be shying away from your cardio machines. However, cardio workouts are still vital for enhancing cardiovascular fitness, increasing endurance and promoting overall health. Here are two tips to keep cardio top-of-mind for members:
Michele Wong the COO of Active Wellness
07. Cardio training to improve metabolic health is designed with frequent bouts of low-end aerobic training (Zone 2), occasionally followed by short intervals at peak aerobic capacity (Zone 5). Cardio training in these zones complemented with strength and stability training provide a complete longevity exercise training program.
Lindsey Canty the fitness director of Healthworks Coolidge Corner
08. To improve cardiovascular fitness, I find it helpful to increase my step count by chatting with a buddy or listening to an interesting audiobook or podcast. In addition to increasing steps/walking throughout the day, consider group fitness classes like cycling or swimming to have fun and encourage consistency.
The Marketplace: CMS & Technology
09. Club Automation
Reaching your community with the right message at the right time has never been more important. Club Automation offers digital marketing and website services to drive leads, improve search rankings, automate communications and improve member retention. Club Automation’s expert team can help optimize your digital reach, leaving you free to focus on your club and members.
847.597.1740 — clubautomation.com — info@clubautomation.com
10. ClubReady Franchise Management
ClubReady all-in-one fitness management solution enables entrepreneurs to navigate growth with a purpose. With a built-in corporate portal, onboarding expertise, brand assigned account specialist, royalty management and more, ClubReady empowers operators to execute their strategies and achieve their goals. Learn more and see the fast-growing brands scaling with ClubReady.
800.784.0313 — clubready.club/#companies — sales@clubready.com
11. EGYM
EGYM’s new innovation, Gameday, brings real variety to your club with a new and interactive workout experience designed to supplement the regular workouts of your members. The results of Gameday instantly transform the workout routine. With each Gameday, members receive results they can use to compete on their clubs’ leaderboard, AI-based workout recommendations, and analytics about workout progress.
720.900.2526 — egym.com/us — us-sales@egym.com
12. Exerp
Streamline your membership sales process with Exerp GO, eliminating the need for paperwork. Focus on building connections instead of struggling with complex software. Boost sales and simplify your daily operations with Exerp GO.
13. Jonas Fitness
Compete Club Management Software by Jonas Fitness is a comprehensive suite of tools that allows fitness, health, and wellness facilities reach, engage, service and retain members. With best-in-class 24/7/365 customer support, integrated billing, 99.9% system uptime, continual R&D and over 30 API partner integrations, Compete is the obvious solution for your club.
888.590.0026 — jonasfitness.com — salesinfo@jonasfitness.com
14. Paramount Acceptance
Pulse from Paramount Acceptance is the gym management platform to manage your entire club. From your front desk to your back office, Pulse software has an array of features to elevate your gym. Paramount is also equipped with a full-service customer service department with over 6,000 positive reviews on Google. Contact us today to elevate your gym.
800.316.4444 — gymsoftware.com — sales@paramountacceptance.com
15. Radianse
Tag. You’ve got it. Imagine you never lose another piece of equipment, and maintenance is so well kept you never have a breakdown. With Radianse’s custom-fit RFID tags and integrated cloud, we’re giving you the power to track your most vital resources, including real-time location, maintenance alerts, rental history and even member usage.
603.994.2222 — radianse.com — inquiry@radianse.com
16. Spivi
Spivi Arena is an easy-to-implement, robust Heart Rate Tracking system. Compatible with most wearables and smartwatches — including Apple and Samsung watches — it allows all members to track progress, reach milestones and win challenges.
800.900.9917 — spivi.com — sales@spivi.com
17. TrainerMetrics
Supercharge your personal training operations with the only productivity software built by trainers, for trainers. Integrate with membership management systems to keep client data synchronized and forecast sales. Deliver workouts, track progress, and automate reports and workflows to deliver the consistent brand standard that will keep your members engaged.
424.241.2318 — trainermetrics.com — sales@trainermetrics.com
18. Twin Oaks
Twin Oaks’ web-based online software product and mobile app delivers efficient tools to generate and maximize revenue and save on costs. Bottom-line boosting features include real-time reporting, online join, a complete member portal, returns management and new gamification elements to increase member engagement — all designed by club owners for club owners.
866.278.6750 — healthclubsoftware.com
19. Uptivo
The Uptivo solution for the combat world tracks the number, power, and speed of left and right punches, creating involvement and competition. The solution is based on comfortable wrist sensors and tracks workouts in real-time, transmitting the data to the Uptivo receivers and allowing members to see their performance on the displays installed at the club.
415.413.3182 — uptivo.fit — info@uptivo.fit
20. Zenoti
Streamline operations, boost staff efficiency and delight members with Zenoti, the complete fitness software solution. Easy-to-use, innovative features powered by AI automate and simplify gym and studio business management, from marketing and new member acquisition to billing and collections.
877.481.7634 — zenoti.com/fitness-cs — sales@zenoti.com
Culture
Brian Chesky, the co-founder and CEO of Airbnb, once said, “Culture is simply a shared way of doing something with a passion.” Everyone knows culture can make or break your business. To build a great company culture, you need to have a host of motivated and enthusiastic performers to support it. Three industry leaders share tips to help you achieve that goal:
Mark Miller the COO of Merritt Clubs
21. Culture today is like a Bonzi tree: it takes years to cultivate. It must be nurtured, pruned, fed and cared for. In 2024 it’s imperative clubs get the right teams and employees, cut the anchors and energy vampires, and nurture and grow the team.
22. Strengthen the roots of the culture and seek guidance and help to ensure you’re building a healthy and smart organization. Doing so will increase your business success times 10. As a leader, tend the garden of your culture.
Sara Verbeck the general manager of MAC Premier Fitness
23. Our club does a “Member Spotlight” every month to showcase our amazing members and club culture. We pick all ages, accomplishments and backgrounds. Our members love it and we love to post them on social media. It truly keeps us connected with our community.
Heather Thompson the fitness director of The Houstonian Club
24. Invest in your employees. Ask them how they are, remember their birthdays, recognize them for performance and say thank you. Little things lead to a strong team.
Continuing Education
A win-win for both employees and employers, putting an emphasis on continuing education will allow your company to upgrade skills, knowledge and overall production. Learning new skills broadens perspectives, adds to knowledge of the industry, and can boost employee’s confidence and self-esteem. Investing in your staff can also help keep them around longer.
Here are tips from three industry leaders on how to create a culture of continuing education:
Lindsey Canty the fitness director at Healthworks Coolidge Corner
25. There are three areas to focus on for continuing education: impactful career development meetings, offering learning and development reimbursement, and creating an educator program. Make sure your team has the opportunity to expand their employee benefits or earning potential.
26. Provide potential education opportunities at the management level or be a mentor within the fitness team. Leaders, you should be conducting career development reviews to know their current and future goals, so you know how you can best support your most valuable teammates.
Chris Stevenson the founder of The Empower Group
27. Investing in the development of your employees through continuing education will also lead to increased performance and engagement of your staff. Make it a priority.
Noël Nocciolo a boutique fitness consultant and program designer at NoelCycles and founder of Boutique Fitness Talks
28. It’s less expensive and better overall to retain than to consistently find and train talent. Ask yourself, “Are you upskilling your people?”
Data and Security
Data security is important for several reasons, and it plays a crucial role in today’s interconnected and digital world. Mark Harrington Jr., the president of HealthWorks, shares three tips below on how to protect your member and club data:
29. Club owners should ensure all their software vendors which store or have access to member data are contractually obligated to protect that data. The software contract should include that the vendor maintains a third party certification — i.e. PCI — and if it lapses they’re required to notify you.
30. All computers which have access to member data should follow all PCI standards including up-to-date software, virus software and other required security protections.
31. Require employees to use strong passwords, change them every three months and use multifactor authentication.
According to Glassdoor, 67% of job seekers consider workplace diversity an important factor when searching for employment opportunities, and more than 50% of current employees want their workplace to do more to increase diversity. With hiring challenges growing with time, it’s important your facility is taking the right steps to make DEI a priority.
As such, here are three practical DEI tips to implement at your workplace from CultureMonkey, an employee engagement platform that lets leaders listen to their teams and act on employee feedback:
32. Inclusive remote work. Ensure remote work policies are inclusive and accommodate the needs of employees with disabilities, caregivers and those who may prefer remote work for various reasons.
33. Implicit bias training. Offer training to recognize and mitigate unconscious biases.
34. Inclusive benefits. Offer inclusive benefits, such as family support, mental health resources and gender-neutral restrooms.
Franchising
Franchising is an appealing business growth strategy for fitness facilities. For the franchisor, it’s a financially low-risk way to quickly establish their brand and expand across new areas. Lumin Fitness is one facility actively seeking potential partners to help accelerate the expansion of the revolutionary concept through franchising. Recently signing a 13-unit development deal with its first franchise partner, Verge Fit Holdings (Verge), shares two tips on why they were chosen:
35. “We were actively exploring opportunities to diversify our portfolio, seeking a concept that not only aligned with our investment criteria but also presented a substantial growth opportunity,” said Raheel Suria, a partner at Verge. “When we were introduced to Lumin Fitness, it immediately resonated with us. The uniqueness of the business model and technology, the experience of the team, and the potential for scalability were exactly what we were looking for.”
36.“Verge understands single unit economics and they were seeking to get into the fitness space,” said Brandon Bean, a co-founder and CEO of Lumin Fitness. “They were seeking a fitness partner that provided an alternative that was easy to operate and also had a low-labor model, which obviously increases the EBIT on margins on a single unit economic side. So they were very interested in the model we built, understood the concept behind why we were building it, and fell in love with the team and the product we’ve built.”
Group X
Group X can be an attractive offering to both new and long-time members. It provides participants with variety, motivation, accountability, community, time-efficient workouts and much more. Here are two tips to help keep your Group X program flourishing:
Staci Alden the fitness director and consultant of Alden Fitness Solutions
37. Offer short 20 to 30-minute mobility or core classes around your longer classes. These add opportunities for your instructors and entice clients in the fitness center to join classes to enhance their own workout.
Marisa Hoff the partner of The Empower Group
38. Consider that Group X is not just an expense. A good Group X program will increase member retention and referrals which leads to higher revenue.
According to the Employ Quarterly Insights Report from Employ, a provider of recruiting and talent acquisition solutions, 72% of recruiters have encountered candidates who have received multiple offers simultaneously. With candidates in the driver’s seat, it’s important your facility is offering transparency regarding role responsibilities, pay, remote work flexibility and company culture to make the best decision.
Here are four tips to help you hire the best candidate:
Sarah Klebo the director of human resources at Fitness Formula Club
39. Job ads, not job posts. Highlight what differentiates your company from the others such as incredible benefits, cultural focus on inclusion and belonging, and any resources available — i.e. ways to get continuing education at little or no cost to them. Sell your brand.
40. Speed equals excitement. Keep the applicant engaged and excited about the opportunity by moving quickly and keeping the lines of communication open. Nothing hurts a good connection more than a lag in communication. Stay engaged.
41. Reference checks. We love to hear what former colleagues and bosses have to say about our applicants. In doing so, we get to learn what differentiates them from others to solidify our decision in welcoming them to the team or not. Seal the deal.
Brent Frueh the general manager of Rochester Athletic Club
42. If you’re having challenges with employees after they’re onboarded, instead of being frustrated ask yourself if you have a consistent and focused onboarding process that provides clear expectations. If yes, it’s on them. If not, design one.
Mark Durall the general manager of Olympic Athletic Club
Bonus: Hiring front desk staff. Without a doubt, I recommend recruiting from local colleges. We’ve tried recruiting from many sources but the quality of employees we have recruited from local colleges has been consistently high. They’re smart, cheerful and helpful. Moreover, they’re stable and the wages meet their needs. Most of them work for us for three or four years and refer their friends. They all have things in common, respect each other and work well together.
Bonus: Finding membership staff. Whenever possible, we try to recruit internally by promoting someone from the front desk to work in membership. This works ideally for us because they’re already familiar with members and staff, and trained to support the front desk whenever necessary. Also, we have a chance to observe how well they interact with members and other staff. If we can’t recruit from the front desk, we use Indeed. When we do, we mention industry experience is a plus, but it’s not necessary. We believe in hiring people who are outgoing and passionate, as well as genuinely kind, polite and caring toward others. Our motto is, “It’s easy to cancel a membership; it’s hard to cancel a relationship.” Our front desk and membership staff are the representatives and ambassadors of the club who people interact with first.
Bonus: Hiring personal training staff. We’ve had great success posting on Indeed. Also, we post on the job boards at three local colleges that offer degrees in exercise science. In many instances, we’re able to offer jobs to students planning to start a career in the health and fitness industry before they graduate, which often leads to them continuing their employment with us after they graduate.
Leadership
“A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go but ought to be.” – Rosalynn Carter, a former first lady of the U.S.
This quote perfectly summarizes the essence of being a leader. You have to take action to support others and motivate them to always do the best thing for your organization, which might not always be the easiest path forward. Here are various tips from industry leaders to help you navigate being a leader in today’s world, and how to keep your employees motivated and engaged:
Craig Cote the CEO of Mountainside Fitness
43. When you’re lucky enough that your managers bring you a problem, you should work to understand it and the circumstances. Then help them fix the problem rather than directly telling them how to fix it or worse, fix the problem for them.
44. Commit time and energy toward childcare managers. If you have multiple clubs, then commit at least quarterly meetings offsite/outside of a physical club in order to conduct a professional meeting culture with agendas, discussion items, and take away items for the manager and their staff.
Kristen Green the general manager of Aquafit
45. Take care of your team. As Theodore Roosevelt said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” It’s critically important as a leader to take care of your team members and support their personal and professional goals.
46. Effective communication is essential as a leader, as it enables you to convey your vision, inspire and motivate teams, provide clear instructions, and build trust among team members. It helps generate trust, builds rapport and encourages collaboration toward a common goal.
Bonus: Lead with integrity and be a positive role model. Integrity is the foundation on which leadership is built. Those who lead with integrity gain the trust of the team, and create a positive and inclusive workplace culture where everyone feels valued.
Shawna Winters the vice president of operations UFC GYM
Bonus: A good leadership tip is to lead by example. Demonstrate the values, work ethic and behavior you expect from your team. When your team sees you actively embodying the qualities you promote, it fosters trust and respect. This approach can inspire your team to follow suit, and creates a positive and cohesive work environment.
Bonus: When someone approaches you to shake their hand, always stand. It shows respect and professionalism. In leadership, small gestures like this demonstrate attention to detail, respect for others and an understanding of social norms.
Locker Rooms
Locker rooms play a vital role in providing individuals with a secure and private space to change, store personal items, maintain hygiene, and prepare for or recover from physical activities. Few things can be more off-putting to a member than a dirty, outdated locker room. Kiley Mutschler, a regional manager for Active Wellness, shares two tips on how to elevate your locker room experience:
47. Improve the quality of your locker room smell by replacing toxic air fresheners/ fragrances with a modernized and clean scent. Use a glass diffuser and reed set with a non-toxic essential oil — try eucalyptus, lavender or lemongrass — for an instant upgrade.
48. Elevate the aesthetic in your locker rooms by providing wooden clothes hangers and remove all of the dry cleaning and/or wire hangers that are left behind. It will instantly enhance the look and feel of the space.
Marketing
Marketing is the process of getting the public educated on and excited about an organization’s products and services. In a saturated market, having a great marketing strategy could be what sets your gym apart from others in your community. A marketing team is essential to consistently meet the needs of today’s consumers. Here are various tips to improve your marketing efforts in today’s digital age:
Tiffany Levine the vice president of marketing and public relations for Club Greenwood
49. Invest in an in-house marketing team, one full or part-time graphic designer, a photographer and videographer, or someone comfortable using an iPhone. An in-house team helps elevate your brand and keeps your branding consistent. Be sure to interview people and find out if they’re comfortable walking into a group fitness class to take pictures.
50. Purchase an iPhone for your marketing team so they don’t have to use their personal phones. The club retains all of the photos, and another benefit is you can use the iPhone to create shared albums with other instructors or managers so they can share photos that will go to the club iPhone and be used for social media.
51. Search Engine Marketing is crucial for health club sales, so stay on top of it. People will always search for a gym or pool near me. If you work with an agency, meet with them monthly to inform them what departments need to be promoted. For example, we increase our camp budget as soon as the new year hits and increase pools in March. If camps fill up early, we can move funds to other campaigns.
52. Investing in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for your website is essential to saving marketing dollars. Focusing on your organic SEO and local SEO can reduce your pay-per-click spending. You can do this in-house or use an agency to ensure all essential keywords regarding the page topic are built into your web pages so your club, gym or studio comes up in the first 10 search results in Google and other browsers.
53. Are you wondering if your gym should encourage influencer marketing with user-generated content (UGC)? There’s a lot to consider. Encouraging more of it could upset other members, depending on the size of the weight room or gym. As a result, some gyms are creating UGC spaces with squat racks and phone holders in more private spaces away from their main weight rooms for content creators.
Kari Bedgood the chief marketing officer for Active Wellness
54. Email marketing remains strong. Your subscriber lists are owned unlike real estate on social media. Focus on personalization and relevancy. Strategize on how email marketing enhances a unique, branded experience throughout the customer journey.
Cheryl Barnett the chief revenue and marketing officer at Chuze Fitness
Bonus: Your first party data is the most valuable data you can utilize. Ensure you have a good CRM program in place to engage with your current members and speak to your former members. Also use your first party data to understand who your consumer is, target your prospects better and track how your marketing is performing.
Bonus: Social media is still king in marketing. Understand your demographic so you know how to adjust your messaging based on where they spend their time browsing versus purchasing. Utilizing the right social influencers for content and messaging can enhance your paid media.
Bonus: Embrace AI and proceed with caution. AI can be a great tool to help with analysis or spark ideas. Utilize these ideas as a starting point to layer on your personality and brand positioning to separate you from your competitors.
Looking to find a way to stand out in the industry, many clubs turn to fitness rooted in medicinal studies. Here, two industry operators share trends they’ve noticed in medical fitness and how they’re capitalizing on them:
Sue Boreskie the CEO of Reh-Fit Centre
55. Guidance from staff. Many people are interested in taking part in physical activity but will have some medical issues that need to be considered. They will be coming to centers wanting guidance from professionals. The background of staff is important. Staff will have to be proactively approaching clients as they use your center. They may be intimidated to approach staff so don’t wait.
56. Many are suffering with various mental health issues and are openly looking for the right environment. We always knew we had to consider the whole person but mental well-being has definitely decreased in the last three years. Members who come to your center are looking for social interaction and connecting with people more than ever. Organize regular social events where people can connect and meet others. This can also be done in combination with regular physical activity programs where you can add a coffee/refreshment time after classes.
Kevin McHugh the regional vice president of Genesis Health Clubs
57. Start ahead of the curve in providing preventative care programs to members and the community. Start with arthritis programs, but use industry experts to provide the programming. Don’t write them yourself because the medical community looks for vetting and having a vetted program will provide you access to these professionals.
58. Move to diabetes which is a universal issue for your members and community. Open your doors for the general population to attend these pay for preventative care programs. It’s not about membership. However, there will be a member benefit if you really care about achieving positive outcomes for all program participants.
Bonus: Clubs need to understand the important role they can play in mental wellness for their members and community. Show your members how they can best utilize your club to feel better every day. Mental wellness is not just yoga and mind/body classes. Invest the time and study the research. Every club can do it.
Mental Health & Well-being
Recognizing the link between physical and mental health has become crucial for fitness clubs. From messaging to programming, showing your members you want to help them improve their health in all ways cultivates a welcoming space and community they want to be a part of.
Here, two industry experts share how their clubs promote mental health:
Bryan Welch the general manager at Point Loma Sports Club
59. We spend many hours each month working with our team members on active engagement and making sure every guest at some point during their time in the club will be met with a smile, an easy conversation or guidance if needed. It’s these daily positives which over time can empower and improve someone’s mindset right alongside their physical strength and endurance.
60. We like to partner with local wellness professionals and host group health events or ongoing individual events for our members. This is sort of a farmers’ market for mental and physical health, and we carefully interview and screen the professionals to be sure their energy matches the club’s highly optimistic focus. Working on self-improvement doesn’t have to be drudgery but instead should be diverse, interesting and satisfying.
Meredith DeAngelis the chief marketing officer of Village Health Clubs & Spa
61. Create a welcoming environment. Make sure you create a safe and comfortable environment for members to focus on themselves. They should feel supported by the staff and taught how to use all aspects of the club. Have trainers give complementary fitness orientations to get them familiar with the equipment.
62. Design places for relaxation and recovery. Have quiet places in the club for members to relax, stretch and decompress. Offer stretching classes and trainer-assisted stretching. Invest in recovery equipment to assist with post-workout recovery.
63. Ensure your yoga program offers a variety of classes from beginners to advanced. Incorporate classes like sound meditation, tai chi, restorative and deep stretch in addition to traditional yoga classes. Offer specialty yoga classes each month as a unique class with specific intention.
A great profit center for health clubs is personal training (PT). A successful PT program is made up of great personal trainers. Two industry experts share what trainers should know to help them improve your program:
Zach Landry the fitness director of Cross Gates Family Fitness
64. Teaching trainers how to build value versus a hard sell will have the greatest impact on their success in getting new clients. Show them how you can improve what they’re doing, not change everything they’re doing.
65. To keep clients coming make sure you are “future pacing” them. Clients want to know the plan and what’s coming next. An example is what the next exercise progression is. This will keep them engaged and wanting more.
Lanie Schrubba the fitness director at Renaissance Athletic Club
66. Operators should create a close relationship between the sales department and the PT department. Those responsible for selling memberships are going to be the best source for helping trainers recruit potential clientele.
67. Encourage and support your trainers with continuing education and professional development. The fitness industry is constantly evolving and if your trainers can keep up with the demand for innovation from their clients, they will be more likely to succeed.
Mobile Apps
According to Business of Apps, a B2B publication for the global app industry, 150 billion mobile apps will be downloaded by 2025.
At Wellbridge Health, the club app gives members autonomy over their experiences and helps staff by taking care of simple tasks. Here, two leaders at Wellbridge share some of the functions the club’s app performs:
Kristi Barnes the marketing manager
68. Wellbridge gets the most out of quickly communicating with our members and instructors using our club app. We can send announcements, various programming options, referral offers, instructor substitutions and more. The carousel feature showcases a variety of options and also links to our website providing additional information. Our members love it.
Yael Dougherty the studio fitness and pilates manager
69. Reservations and touchless check-ins are the highlights of our club app. With the full spectrum of amenities Wellbridge offers — including swimming, workshops, studio fitness, live streaming, on-demand classes and more — we help members find the workout of their choice.
Outdoor Fitness
Returning to the outdoors for fitness and recreation has been a growing trend. Offering programming outdoors varies opportunities for engagement and can appeal to a new sect of members.
Here, Anne Marie Skylis, the vice president of group fitness at Chelsea Piers Fitness in New York, gives tips on how to plan a successful outdoor fitness class:
70. Pick the right instructor. They need to love being outdoors, have a history of rallying a crowd, and be flexible and creative. Their energy will bring people anywhere so make sure you’re thoughtful when deciding who represents you when outside.
71. Choose wisely the space you use. Not all classes fit in all places — jumping is tough on concrete, outdoor parks have off-leash hours, and Bluetooth and mics can be challenging in big open spaces. Plan for the challenges before you commit and know what you’re willing to work with.
Pickleball
In 2022, 36.5 million people played pickleball according to the Association of Pickleball Professionals, and that number is growing. Many clubs are looking to add designated spaces for the sport to meet the demand.
Here, two industry leaders share tips for designing successful pickleball spaces:
Wayne Morris the CEO of Center Court Pickleball
72. The colors of the court should be at least two-toned with the kitchen being a different color. The color of the walls should never be a light color as players will have a hard time seeing the balls.
73. Court size is critical. Each court should be at least 30 feet by 60 feet — if not larger — and individually fenced. Put drink rails and seating on and around the fence to allow for socialization and viewing. Great lighting is necessary for both indoor and outdoor spaces.
Chuck Osterink the president at MVP Sports Clubs
74. With the growth of pickleball and demand for court time, tennis and pickleball continue to vie for the same resources. When looking at space allocation, the investment in dedicated pickleball courts can drive membership growth as people are willing to pay for dedicated space.
75. Pickleball is so much about community that you want to design your facility in a way to maximize the opportunity for people to connect. Include social spaces and other connection points where members can meet and gather before and after playing.
Retention
The reasons to stay with a fitness club evolves throughout a member’s lifetime. Adam Healy, the general manager at Waverley Oaks Athletic Club, shares tips for how to improve the chances of retention throughout the stages of membership.
76. Make it easy to say yes at the start. Break down all fears or hesitations with month-to-month plans and eliminate the fees. Their excitement to get started fuels their success in the first 60 days. Then they’re hooked.
77. Connect new members with your technology right away. Setting them up with your app as soon as they join makes it easier for them to explore all you offer and try new things. It also allows you to better communicate with members which builds further loyalty.
78. Provide members with more than just exercise at your club. Create community through charity like food or toy drives, member appreciation socials, pop-up shops in your lobby, fundraisers like Pedal to End Cancer and Friday Night Fun events. Members want to connect with your team in different ways.
79. Give your members services that few others have and deliver excellence in these areas. It seems like a simple answer, but it takes detailed analysis of where the opportunities are, if those opportunities align with your culture and how you can establish an operational plan to be the best.
Bonus: Use a continuous communication system where members can express their feedback and ideas. Whether it’s surveys, a QR code or an old-fashioned suggestion box, giving the members the opportunity to feel heard goes a long way to keeping them coming back.
Recovery
Recovery is a growing area within the industry. New modalities are being developed, and members are realizing the importance of recovery after exercise.
Here, two industry experts share tips for offering recovery to best serve members:
Chad Shaw the COO for Fit Athletic Club
80. Practice contrast therapy. The alternating use of warm and cold temperatures in quick succession is an ancient recovery method known as contrast therapy. At our club, the sauna and cryotherapy chamber are extremely popular with members. This recovery technique is shown to relieve tension, enhance circulation, improve immunity and boost mental health post-workout.
81. Diversify recovery modalities. It’s crucial to utilize a variety of modalities to achieve full recovery and feel your best. Some new and tried-and-true recovery therapy options include laser light, massage and aquatics. As a holistic health center, we offer these and more in-house to provide comprehensive support to help members reach their goals.
82. Implement active recovery programs. Incorporate low-intensity activities like yoga or light cardio into your exercise routine to bolster recovery after a workout without compromising your fitness goals. Active recovery aids in muscle repair, increases blood flow and reduces soreness. For our members, we offer yoga and deep stretch classes on-site at our clubs.
Sheldon McBee the executive director at Universal Athletic Club
83. Holistic wellness beyond workouts. Transform the gym experience by expanding beyond traditional exercise. Integrate recovery services, such as red light therapy, PEMF, massage chairs and oxygen training, while also emphasizing the value of recovery classes. Our well-attended athletic stretch classes provide members with a guided recovery option. Offering complimentary compression therapy as part of the membership not only adds value but introduces members to premium services. Over 10% of our weekly check-ins engage in these offerings, enhancing overall satisfaction and club utilization.
84. Branding tiers for health and vitality. Introduce membership tiers that emphasize health and vitality and offer more than just access to equipment. Enhanced memberships include a spectrum of rejuvenation services and personalized guidance from trained staff. This unique approach allows for the creation of exclusive experiences, redefining membership tiers and catering to members’ individual health goals with services like red light therapy, oxygen training, cold therapy, lymphatic drainage, PEMF and more.
Bonus: Maximize personal training impact. Elevate personal training agreements by providing up to a 25% discount on recovery services. This not only becomes an upsell opportunity but also enhances the client experience. Our trainers integrate tools like red light therapy and PEMF into programming, creating a more comprehensive and goal-oriented training regimen for clients.
Risk Management
Modern times mean modern problems club operators should be aware of when planning risk management strategies. Brian Rawlings, the vice president of FITLIFE Insurance Program, shares two tips that can prevent or help when sticky situations happen:
85. Review your lease terms. Many gyms and fitness clubs lease their buildings. Some of the key terms to review would be who is responsible for maintenance and clearing of sidewalks and parking lots and liability associated with those areas and who is responsible for property losses due to roofs that are in disrepair.
86. Use surveillance footage. In an increasingly litigious society, we are finding more and more the true value of video surveillance to often tell the real story of what happened when a member alleges to have been injured on equipment, a confrontation with another member or staff person, or a slip and fall incident.
Social Events
Social events are a great way to foster deeper connections with members and create community within your club. From holiday parties, local outings and social hours, the possibilities are endless.
Here are three pieces of insight from a study done by OnePoll, an international marketing research agency, on what social events people want to attend:
87. Some of the most popular events include those that explore local attractions or areas like after-hours at a museum or gathering at a local restaurant. In fact, 73% of responders would attend these events.
88. Though almost half also claim they wouldn’t attend an event if they didn’t know anyone attending, 42% of people would happily attend an event just to connect with others. Encouraging staff who members interact with the most to be there could increase participation and foster stronger connections.
89. Know your audience. While comedy and trivia nights are popular in San Francisco, California, live music and concerts are a bigger hit in New York City.
Many clubs are seeing success in small group training (SGT) because participants can have the community experience from big classes and still receive individual feedback from trainers.
Two industry experts share tips for designing successful SGT programming:
Steve Boring the fitness director for Rochester Athletic Club
90. Engage your staff, and the members will follow. Allow your staff to have the lead role in creating the type of small groups you offer. Let their personalities shine through. You will always be more successful marketing a great person than marketing a time slot.
91. Be aware of fitness trends but don’t hop from trend to trend without reason. Consistency is the key to long-term success. Build consistency through relationships and easy-to-follow programming. The basics are important, and they never go out of style.
Victoria Tolbert-Ashley the national director of group fitness at XSport Fitness
92. Diversify offerings with niche market classes. Go beyond the conventional SGT approach by introducing a process for curating niche market classes. These specialized sessions have the potential to generate heightened interest and swift revenue. Examples could include sport-specific or event-specific classes. Embrace current trends, as today’s clients seek not only the ultimate experience but also tangible results.
93. Emphasize intentionality in a group formation. Deliberately consider intentionality when assembling groups, aiming to connect participants who share a common cause or goal. For instance, create groups such as “Cancer Crushers,” “Pound Purgers” or “Socialite Sizzlers.” This approach enhances the sense of community and fosters a shared commitment among participants.
Social Media Marketing
Social media is a great tool to connect with members when they’re not physically in your club. Sharing well-curated content can be a way to stand out in the industry and generate leads.
Here, three industry experts share campaigns they’ve had success with:
Brea Ballard the vice president of marketing at TruFit Athletic Clubs
94. To boost social media engagement, consider hosting live Q&A sessions featuring your training staff and fitness instructors. Promote the events, invite member questions and offer valuable workout tips. This fosters a deeper sense of community, allowing members to connect with staff and build trust, ultimately enhancing the gym experience.
95. Boost social media engagement by promoting a fitness challenge tailored to your gym. Encourage participants to share their progress on social media platforms using a dedicated hashtag. By fostering a community of support and accountability, you’ll amplify brand visibility and inspire others to join the challenge.
Bonus: To optimize your social media strategy, adhere to the one-third rule. Allocate one-third of content to promotions, one-third to member engagement, and one-third to tips and motivational posts. This balanced approach ensures diverse, engaging content and fostering community interaction while subtly promoting your gym’s offerings.
Caitlin Daly the social media manager at Club La Maison Health and Fitness
96. Make your social media social, not a billboard. Beyond club announcements, share engaging content on social media. Interact with potential members, celebrate their milestones and create a sense of community. By fostering connections beyond club walls, you make them envision themselves as valued members, enhancing engagement and loyalty.
97. Developing a distinct club identity and online voice is key to transitioning your community from in-person to online. Shaping a relatable personality transforms your account into more than a business — it becomes a friend on social media, fostering a sense of camaraderie and community across digital platforms.
98. Feature members for personalized content, driving engagement with active participation from friends and family through comments, likes and shares. This inclusivity fosters relatability, motivating potential members and instilling a sense of belonging. Incorporating members makes workouts more relatable and creates an inviting club environment for everyone.
Debbie Lee the senior marketing director at Gainesville Health & Fitness (GHF)
Bonus: Hands down, the single most engaging topic is anything related to staff. This is a huge differentiator in our market, especially with our owner, Joe Cirulli, and our GHF ambassador, Billy Bob, who is 99 years old. We also get high engagement on highlights of GroupFit instructors and employee milestones.
Bonus: Share employee or gym events. Our participation in our city’s Christmas parade, employee award events, behind the scenes decorating for Christmas, after photos of our newly renovated sauna, plans of our upcoming 11,000-square-foot expansion and new equipment being delivered are successful things we’ve shared.
Sales
The World Health Organization defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
Here, Colleen Kennedy, the director of sales at The Houstonian Club, shares how the organization taps into all aspects of health to increase sales:
99. Since the pandemic, prospective members of all ages are very interested in belonging to a community. Therefore, each manager of every department is responsible for creating programming in their area which would foster those relationships. We call it a “club within a club.” We even have a knitting group which formed out of our yoga program.
100. We have a robust schedule of programming, social events and educational programs. We capture these impactful events and programs and share them through our website, app, social media and press releases. The goal is always to create memorable experiences with a consistent level of service that members will share with prospective members for word-of-mouth referrals.
Staffing
So you’ve hired qualified staff, but how do you keep them? Brad Houx, the vice president of operations of Midtown Athletic Clubs, shares three tips for how to create a position employees don’t want to leave:
101. Foster a culture of feedback that flows both upstream and downstream. Leaders need to be vulnerable and model the behavior of both giving and receiving feedback. When a safe space is created for giving feedback, team members will feel more empowered and connected to the success of the organization.
102. Align around your purpose. Why do you exist? Team members want to know they contribute to a greater cause beyond financial growth for the company.
103. Create a job they want. Livable wages and good benefits are table stakes. Prioritize full-time opportunities over part-time. Offer cross training, career planning and professional development. In a battle for talent, the employer offering the best jobs wins.
Strength
A Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health study found strength training can lead to better mobility and decrease risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. Because the benefits of these workouts are becoming more well-known, many people are flocking to these areas in gyms.
Two industry experts share tips for how to educate members and provide a good experience in strength areas from the first rep:
Preston Petersen the vice president of fitness at Genesis Health Clubs
104. Progressions are important. Many people are skipping basic movements in a controlled environment to perform more complex multi-joint movements before they’re ready. Moving too fast oftentimes compromises the exercise experience and deters the member from compliance. Offer an onboarding program geared toward the members’ needs and a follow-up system with your personal training team to make sure they are using the club and the programs as suggested.
105. Lower the intimidation factor. Design the strength section of the gym to allow beginners to feel comfortable. Make sure the areas that attract the more advanced lifters are not an obstruction to the areas that typically attract beginners. In simpler terms, keep the heavy lifting to one or two areas and be intentional about ease of entry for a novice.
Raphael Konforti the senior director of fitness business and operations at 24 Hour Fitness
106. Strength is popular, however members still need education on properly performing it, especially with the higher risk of injury. Provide guidance on strength equipment through your staff and digitally.
107. Plate-loaded equipment is expanding across gym floors. Ensure you’ve budgeted correctly for weight plates and been thoughtful about the placement of plate towers to make it easy for members to load and unload weights.
Wearable or body measuring technology has become commonplace in the fitness industry, but some members are reluctant to adopt their use.
Here, Mary Edwards, the director of fitness at Cooper Fitness Center, shares two tips to promote the use of tracking technology:
108. Make login/set-up a part of new member sales and orientation processes. Then, run engagement opportunities periodically to help users with questions or engage new users.
109. Create website content to support the purpose, proper use benefits, etc. of these technologies. For example, we have a page on heart rate tracking with Myzone with a video and FAQ. Plus, we’ve incorporated this content into one of the monthly Fitness Files articles our personal training staff help write.
