Every day at Wodify, our team fields questions from gym owners about the steps they can take to market and grow their membership base and make more money. We are in a unique position, because we are also exposed to hundreds of smart, experienced affiliate owners who have plenty of advice to share. For everyone’s benefit, we thought we could pass along some of what we’ve learned.
No, we’re not talking about your gym floor (although that’s not a bad idea), we’re talking about your website, one of the best marketing tools you have for bringing customers into your gym. Our friends at Two-Brain Business have some opinions on this subject, and they involve rethinking what your website does and does not include. Get rid of the bells and whistles that clutter your message: the blog, the dead links, even the schedule! Redesign your website into an active marketing engine that helps you track, follow up, and convert leads with a simple interface, easy navigation, and just enough relevant information to entice clients to book that first consultation. Ultimately, a more streamlined gym website will increase conversions, generate more leads, and get more members coming in the door.
You may have gotten into the game because you enjoyed group classes so much, you wanted to start an affiliate or group studio of your own. But to stay profitable and attract new members, you need to add new product & service offerings, and make sure you promote them! Adding personal training services and satellite programming will boost your income during non-class times, while offering nutrition coaching and events, (like boot camps, competitions, and challenges) will increase your average revenue per member and keep them around longer.
(BONUS: our free-to-use event software can help you run competitions, challenges, and seminars.)
If you’re using software to help run your gym, make the most of the tools you’re already paying for. Take advantage of an Online Sales Portal to sell memberships via your website, or use a scheduling tool to lock in consultations before clients have even stepped foot in your gym. Once you’ve built your membership, enforce a 100% sign-in policy so you can run accurate attendance reports and learn which classes are earning the most revenue. This will help you staff your classes appropriately and cut classes that might even be losing you money. And finally, check your financial reports frequently so you know where your revenue is coming from and where it’s going!
We hope these tips help you run a more profitable gym. If you aren’t already a Wodify Core user, you can book a free software consultation to learn more about how we can help your gym grow!