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How to Effectively Market your Gym
By Drew Stevens, PhD, CFT

It is counterintuitive to believe that owners of gyms and health facilities are in the marketing business. Research illustrates that many owners would rather focus on new health and fitness practices rather than marketing, sales and finances. Let me be the first to tell you that while your clients are worrying about their CORE, you need to focus on yours!

The CORE of any successful Health Facility is marketing and sales. Simply put, the better the recognition, the more professional the service, the more clients. Let me be the first to tell you that you are not in business to make money! You are in business to attract and retain clientele. The money is the reward for the attention to detail. So how can you provide for yourself and your family as well as your trainer? Here are some tips to get your CORE strengthened.

1. Customer Service

In today’s competitive and volatile economy, clients are attracted to those that provide exemplary customer service. Clients crave attention and professionalism. Customer Service must exist within all corners of the facility. This includes answering telephones succinctly, greeting all clients upon entry, and having a tidy facility.

2. Differentiation

There is much ubiquity in the gym business. Very little distinguishes one from another. Or is there a dinstinction? The key today for any organization is service differentiation. Owners need to look at their value proposition, their strategy, and even their marketing materials to determine competitive differences. Refrain from being like all others when doing something different to stand above the crowd. Like a bodybuilding competition, the audience loves uniqueness!

3. Loyalty Programs

Airlines and restaurants use programs to entice clients to return. Loyalty programs are terrific ways to ensure top quality service for long time members. Loyalty programs illustrate gratefulness and they do little to impact margins.

4. Seminars

In the age of infomercials and mass marketing, potential clients require knowledge on how your organization can assist. In recent research with over 50,000 individuals, they were found to fear public speaking, dying, and exercising in a new facility. Informational seminars are great methods to acquaint your staff, your background, and your knowledge to the wants and needs of potential clients. This gains immediate client attraction. If you think not, just ask a lasik or back surgeon in your area!

5. Advocacy

In every seminar I conduct, I obtain frightened eyes when I stipulate that entrepreneurship is a never-ending position. You must constantly market your services wherever and whenever you are. You must be active in your community. You must be interfacing with people, and you must illustrate your concern for health. The more individuals know you and your knowledge, the more attraction you will gain.

6. Blogs/Websites

In today’s economy, it is essential that you have successful tools. Clients seek methods to discover you before the call. Illustrate your expertise through blogs and Podcast.

Content is King. Clients conduct business with those they trust. The tool you have that others don’t is your expertise. Share the knowledge with the world. Let others know your formulas, your techniques, your training regime, etc. Your desire to share your knowledge will instill action and desire in others.

Clearly, this list is only a microcosm of the numerous ideas that you need to conduct daily. Ownership is a serious business and marketing is the largest part. If there is one piece of advice to leave you with, it is: don't refrain from marketing – you must start today. The only one to make the change is you, and the only one accountable is you. Similar to your clients, the road to health and wealth begins once you place this article down. Go get ‘em!

Drew Stevens PhD, CFT is a management consultant and thought leader on sales and customer service with over 25 years of professional experience. His consulting firm, Getting to the Finish Line dramatically assists organizations and business owners to accelerate business growth with no capital investment.

His speaking and consulting enables him to travel over 50 days per year to clients and conferences around the globe. In the last several years Dr. Drew has provided advice to well over 60,000 professionals. Drew’s prolific publishing includes over 100 articles on sales and selling strategy and seven books including Split Second Selling, Split Second Customer Service and Little Book of Hope. Some of his works appear in Chinese and Hindi. He is interviewed and quoted frequently in the media, with prestigious periodicals such as Personal SellingPower and Sales and Marketing Management.