Are You The Only Choice?

Over the last few weeks we have been digging into the Profit Level on the Business Hierarchy of Needs. Question #3 relates to Transaction Frequency.

"Do your clients repeatedly buy from you over alternatives?"

As I considered how this question related to the fitness industry, I realized there are some layers to work through when it comes to answering that question.

It's no secret that there are many different options and modalities of training in our industry. Weightlifting, Powerlifting, Crossfit, Yoga, Pilates, HIIT; just to name a few. Attracting clients is one thing - keeping clients is a different thing altogether. We as consumers have pretty short attention spans, and are prone to chasing the "latest and greatest". In the fitness business it seems like there is some new fad coming out all the time. How do you keep clients from jumping ship and heading across town to the newest shiny object?

1. Know Who You Serve.

We have talked about finding the "sweet spot" in your business. Sometimes this is called a "Niche", but it's more than that. It's knowing what you do best and why, and finding clients who speak that same language. When you walk into our gym it looks very much like a Crossfit, but a dedicated Crossfitter would be very disappointed after a very short period of time training with us. That's ok. It's just not what we do, and trying to put a square peg into a round hole just isn't going to work. You can't be the only choice to everybody, but you can be the only choice to your ideal client.

2. Think Long Term Relationship

Relationships take work. It's not just a matter of signing up a new client and "setting and forgetting." Live up to your brand promise. Listen to what clients are saying. Genuinely care about your people. Remember details. And educate, educate, educate. If you don't want people "gym hopping" on you, you must be prepared to tell them why you do what you do, how that benefits them, and why alternatives may not suit them. You don't have to bash a competitor to explain why loaded box jumps might not be good for 60 year old knees. And it doesn't cost extra to care.

3. Build In "Longer Term"

There has been a move away from longer term contracts in the industry. "No commitment" is attractive to the consumer, after all. Now I am not saying you have to beat your customer over the head and try to force them to stay because they have a contract, but it does provide you some leverage. And it's more than that. From a training standpoint you know your clients need consistency over the long term to see results. Does it serve them well to offer punch cards and class passes, or would educating them up from about the importance of a training program be more beneficial? I can't answer that for you, however I believe the gyms that are setup for success long term don't just have random classes, they have a unified training philosophy. Yes, this requires more effort from the training staff and commitment from the client. That is a good thing because the client gets better results and you can charge more for those results.

4. Find Ways To Do More Business With Current Clients

What other ways can you serve the clients you already have? What are they purchasing elsewhere they could be buying from you? Supplements, equipment like foam rollers and bands, and nutrition coaching are just a few of the things you can bring in house and increase your revenue.

Creating a business where you are the "only choice" in the minds of your prospects and ideal customer will attract better clients, reduce churn, and put more money in your pocket. There are four ideas in this article. Which one can you put into action today?

Dean Carlson

Dean Carlson believes that health & fitness professionals and gym owners do some of the most important work in the world, and deserve to make a great living doing what they love. Having scaled and sold one training gym in a seven-figure deal, he is still an active co-owner with his wife Nancy of another training gym, which keeps his knowledge of the fitness space current and practical. His mission is to help health and fitness entrepreneurs and gym owners create businesses that are wildly profitable and easier to run. Dean is a certified advisor and founding fixer for Fix This Next, and an advanced level Profit First Professional coach. In 2016 he was recognized as the High Performance Business of the Year, and in 2018 earned the MindBODY Visionary Award. He is a featured columnist in Personal Fitness Professional magazine, writing on the topic of business cash management.