It's that time again. You guessed it - time for a reality check. How is your fitness business really doing? If your revenue is so low your business checks are practically squeaking, or the most common thing you see in your gym is departing members' backs, it is time to whip your gym back into shape.


Is your gym inspection-ready, or out of shape?

You know what you want from your fitness business. You want a steady income and a way to make a real difference in the lives of your gym members. But do you know what they want? Knowing what your members want is the only way to understand how to market your fitness business. Finding that out will help you know where your trouble spots are, and how to fix them.

So, what do your members really want? Here are some tips to satisfy your members:

1) Pick up a broom

The old saying goes that "cleanliness is next to godliness." As it turns out, it's also next to good profit. Name just one person who wants to work out in a dirty gym. How about a shower stall full of mildew, or a locker room that has a consistently funky smell? Nasty, right?

BodyBuilding.com observes: "You want the facility to be cleaned regularly and have some type of cleaner on hand, near equipment, or in a storage area if need be. Some gyms I have been to have towels with the cleaning products - which are washed regularly - and other gyms have paper towels loosely placed throughout, or in dispensers around the facility."

As far as expenses go, cleaning supplies need not break the bank to be effective. But having an unclean facility is a sure way to ensure a mass exodus of your members. So, keep it clean!

Bonus tip: Since you are always in your gym, it is sometimes easy to overlook cleaning issues. At least once a week, take some time for a complete walk through of your facility and make a note of any cleaning issues which must be addressed. Follow through before time for the next week's inspection.

2) Hire qualified trainers

Skimping on the quality of your hires is a surefire way to go out of business. Your personal trainers need to have the proper certifications to ensure the safety and well-being of your members. This is really a non-negotiable point.

WebMd's "Finding the Right Gym for You" advises people to question the credentials of your staff before joining your gym, saying: "People often forget how important it is to have qualified staff there to guide them on proper alignment on a machine, or proper form in a class ... You don't want to get injured doing something you shouldn't be doing, or are doing incorrectly."

If your trainers are not properly qualified, how will you answer a prospective member's question about their credentials? Avoid that unpleasantness by hiring properly.

Bonus Tip: In addition to being certified to do what they do, your personal trainers should be outgoing, friendly, enthusiastic advocates of your gym. Enthusiasm is contagious, and your members need to be exposed to it regularly.

3) Use modern equipment

Still using that Stairmaster from the 1980's? If so, it's time to put it out to pasture and try something new. Boredom is the disease that kills gym retention rates. BodyBuilder.com gives this advice to gym goers: "If you sign up at a place with 10 pieces of equipment it is better than sitting on the couch, but you will soon go stale in your routines. This usually leads to boredom, which leads to dropping out."

Consider using well-maintained equipment and adding new pieces occasionally as marketing for your gym. Good equipment is just as effective as a well-designed marketing campaign for letting your gym members know that you take pride in your fitness business and that you are interested in their continued membership.


The right equipment draws the right gym members to your fitness center.

Bonus Tip: Adding new technologies to your gym offerings is also effective. For instance, if you are using AccuroFit equipment in your gym, be sure to let your members know about the AccuroFit mobile app. Modern gym members are interested in mobile technologies that help them keep track of their fitness goals. Use that to your advantage by providing great technology in your gym.

The Bottom Line

It isn't rocket science to figure out what your gym members want. They want a clean, well-equipped facility that offers great workout options and personal trainers with the chops to get them motivated and heading in the right direction with their fitness goals.

Hiring the trainers and maintaining a clean gym are tasks we will leave to you. But, as for the well-equipped facility, AccuroFit can help you with that. Download the AccuroFit Catalog today, and browse through our great products. We have confidence you'll see just the thing to whip your gym back into shape.