Quick question for all gym owners: What do you do when your personal exercise routine is not revving up your metabolism anymore? You know the answer. You change things up to give your body that extra boost it needs to work at a peak level of efficiency.

The same principle holds true for your fitness business. If your fitness marketing results are lagging and sagging in key areas, it is time to boost the metabolism of your fitness business and amp your marketing efforts into overdrive.

Understanding the Mindset of Your Fitness Clients

To get your fitness marketing headed in the right direction, it is important to understand your target audience. To do this, look at the clients you already have. What do they have in common, besides being members of your gym?

Think about the community around your gym. What are the people like? What are their worries, their problems, and their pain points? Figuring this out can help you design incentives that will motivate them to come and see what your gym is all about.

When you picture your target audience, what are the things that would stop them from joining a gym? If you can address those things, you will remove obstacles that are preventing your potential clients from joining.

Three Main Obstacles and How to Remove Them

According to a recent GymInsight article, the three main things that make people hesitant to join a gym are:

• Cost
• Location
• Fear of commitment

So, how can you help potential members overcome these obstacles? Here are some quick tips to get you started.

Addressing the Cost Issue

For many people, it is not the monthly fee that is daunting, but the hefty sign-up fees that are prohibitive. Consider scaling your sign-up fees back, if practical. While it may cause an initial loss of revenue for you, you may discover that revenue can be recouped with the increase in members ho join because of a reduced sign-up fee.

You might also consider running special promotions where you waive the sign-up fee altogether. While it may not be feasible to reduce your monthly rates, you can still address the cost issue by providing services and classes that are of genuine value to your members. Remember, it is more likely that members will happily pay their monthly fees if they are truly deriving benefit from your gym.

Addressing the Location Issue

This one may seem like a hard nut to crack, considering the fact that you likely cannot change your physical location. However, you can address the location issue by tailoring your class offerings and your equipment choices to the neighborhood. For instance, if your gym is in an older residential community, you might consider offering special senior citizen fitness classes. If your gym is in an industrial area, reach out to the local industries by offering special rates for their employees. In this way, location becomes an asset instead of a liability.

Addressing the Fear of Commitment Issue

People fear the unknown and are often unwilling to commit to anything long-term without some sort of guarantee that things will turn out well. How can you use this knowledge of human nature to your benefit?

Consider offering free passes to your gym to all who make inquiries. A week's pass will give a potential member time to explore your facilities without the pressure of committing to a contract right away. If you choose to offer free passes, you should ensure that those using them receive high quality customer care while in your facility. Be sure that everyone on staff puts his or her best foot forward.

It is also wise to get opt-in permissions from those to whom you give your free passes, so that you can continue to nurture their interest with emails, newsletters, and special promotions.

Another way to use free passes is by giving current members a free "bring a buddy" pass. Your current members are likely the best advertisement your business can have.

You might also consider having contracts of varying lengths and a sliding rate scale. You may be surprised by how many people will consider paying a higher fee per month for a shorter contract. If your facility is providing a great environment and great equipment, when it is time to renew a short-term contract, your members will likely do so readily.

Be Current and on Trend

After you have addressed the cost factor, the location factor, and the fear of commitment factor, there is one more thing that will set you apart from the competition and provide that extra boost for your fitness business.

To be relevant, you must be current. Keeping your finger on the pulse of fitness trends will help you adapt your services to take advantage of the excitement generated with a new type of fitness routine or a new type of equipment.

Your members need to know that you are committed to providing the best equipment, the best instructors, and the most exciting fitness opportunities in your area. Accuro offers cutting-edge solutions for gym owners who are seriously committed to providing top-of-the-line products for their members. Check out our offerings by downloading our catalog today.