How small gyms have "thought outside the box" since lockdown.
A lot has changed for the fitness industry in 2 years – and most of us would not want to return to the lockdown announcement of March 2020 ever again. But seeing how gym owners responded to such a challenge has been very interesting.
While all of the large gym chains had to shut with barely a week’s notice and work on a UK-wide strategy to keep members on board, smaller operators were able to react quickly and adapt locally, coming up with some very creative solutions.
Many turned to on-line training, and outdoor exercise became increasingly popular - but some gym owners took even bigger steps which involved risk, but also brought great reward.
Embracing technology.
The speed at which life changed for all gyms meant that some were left behind – sadly, our industry has lost some good studios and trainers because they were not willing (or able) to use technology to stay connected with their members.
Even for those who were already tech savvy, it was a very steep learning curve with real uncertainty about how the future would look.
For many who put in the extra effort to create on-line content, it has saved their business. The phrase “Zoom class” soon became commonly used, and still is. (traffic through the Zoom portal increased by 3000% in 2020 *).
But it has become clear that by charging for on-line classes, the client’s expectations are raised; subscription platforms like Fiit, Peleton, Echelon and FitBit offer a huge range of workouts that in some cases are personalised. And running live video sessions only creates a reliable income stream if enough attendees join in.
Where the client can afford it, one to one training has become highly personalised, including nutritional and lifestyle advice that on-line platforms won’t have time for.
Most gyms have settled on a mix of studio and on-line training, and have worked out how to make it pay. The challenge now is producing content that is fresh and relevant to keep members loyal.
Loaning or hiring equipment to members.
When lockdown hit, this somewhat risky strategy made perfect sense, given that training at home was encouraged. In fact, the demand for fitness equipment was so high that most suppliers (including us) sold out of almost everything within 2 weeks.
And for the gyms and PTs that owned equipment, letting a trusted member have use of a bench and weights, or maybe a cycle or rower, meant that they earned some additional income and retained a happy customer. After all, why leave a room full of spinning bikes in a closed gym when they could be out keeping members fit?
The “home gym” experience was in high demand, and the opportunity was not missed by those who had stock available.
Now, much of that equipment is back in the gyms – but some has stayed out on hire and still earns money for the gym owner. It may seem crazy that anyone would hire a piece of kit for months (or even years) when they could buy - but the fact is, some people just like to hire.
Partnering with brands and suppliers.
Back to 2020, and with the prospect of having no paid work, PTs were forced to diversify. And so were some major fitness brands - GymShark even offered to pay trainers the market rate for a fitness session streamed to their customers on Twitch. ** This became a lifeline for a few, with many others finding ways to coach under brands or operators that they already worked with.
The benefit of exposure to users across the globe should not be underestimated, and a brand partnership will always hold potential for revenue. ***
The surge in equipment demand also gave an opportunity for gym owners to direct their members to a fitness equipment supplier – and some did. We were able to help many people from local gyms with equipment during lockdown.
Going forward, this could become a more formal agreement, where the gym earns a small commission on every sale (or hire). If a member knows that their trainer can recommend a supplier of fitness equipment, it’s likely that they would contact them first.
And the flip side is that the fitness shop will recommend the gym or PT to their clients too.
We believe that incentive-based partnering is an important way for small businesses to grow within any industry, and since the fitness marketplace is generally a friendly one, it doesn’t take too much effort to build good working relationships in this way.
* Source: https://www.businessofapps.com/data/zoom-statistics/
*** Source: https://www.trainerize.com/blog/using-corporate-partnerships-to-boost-sales-and-build-brand-awareness/
