There is no better time than now to break from tradition and steer from the private fitness club mold. Historically, clubs have encouraged member interaction and engagement through social events, dining, racquet sports, and of course, golf. While fitness is certainly not new to the club environment, it is important to note that today’s consumer demands more of their fitness experience, which mean there is a need to focus more energy and resources on this amenity. Clubs aspiring to break the mold must focus on the most important elements for their respective demographic and target market to make sure their fitness program excels in all relevant aspects.
In order to do this, it is important to define your brand, and use this as a foundation to help separate you from your competition. Instead of trying to offer something for everyone, determine what will be the most popular and will satisfy most of your members. Focus on engaging your members in these programs and establishing rapport with them to keep them coming back. In this era, highly trained staff, quality and innovative programs, and member engagement is key. Design your fitness club in and choose equipment in a way that drives members to personal trainers and other fitness staff to support engagement. Not only will revenue increase, but so will recurring visits and word of mouth referrals. Once credibility has been established, this cycle will continue and will keep your members involved and engaged in your programming.