Let’s get back to an old but favorite topic: Starting a Fitness Business. That’s why you’re here, right? Because you either own or are thinking about starting a fitness business?
And even if you are a personal trainer already running a business out of a local gym, have you ever considered branching out and renting your own space? I think most of us working as trainers come to a point in our career when we feel it’s time to make the move from a big box gym to something that provides us with more sense of independence and control.
Maybe you’ve been considering starting a Boot Camp business, maybe even a Fit Body Boot Camp if you think you’ve got what it takes. Maybe you want to open up a traditional but more community oriented gym?
Well, for those of you considering getting into this industry as an entrepreneur, and for those already owning a fitness business, I’ve got some real, practical tips that will be a huge help. As you are starting out and getting everything established with your new business there will be what seems like an endless string of options and obstacles. The decisions you make and the way you handle these obstacles will make or break your new business.
But you don’t have to go it alone. To help, I want to cover a few of the biggest issues new fitness business owners encounter and provide you with some advice that can save you a whole lot of time, money, and stress.
#1) My first tip begins with the basics: Finding the Right Location.
This is an incredibly difficult process and crucial to ensuring your success. I spend a lot of time and energy assisting my Fit Body Boot Camp owners when it comes to this issue. The biggest misconception I am constantly training out of people’s understandings is the idea that your boot camp or studio needs to have great street visibility.
Let me say this now so we all understand once-and-for-all— you do not need to worry about street visibility. Please, never pay ridiculous amounts of money to get into a commercial strip mall in a desirable, affluent area.
You aren’t Starbucks. You won’t be selling sandwiches or trinkets, you don’t need to be seen by tourists or drivers unfamiliar with the area. And residents never get in the car and drive around aimlessly looking for a fitness studio. Your location will be discovered by those who are actively looking. They will find you online, on Yelp, on Google Maps, all the places prospects look for services like yours. So don’t spend money you don’t need to spend on getting a hugely visible location. Instead, spend that money on resources that actually get people in the door. (More on this in a minute.)
#2) This second tip is crucial to making sure your business starts at the right size with sustainable expenses, but has a reliable plan for growth: Properly Setting Up Your Location.
Always start small. There’s nothing wrong with bursting at the seams. You want your studio or boot camp to have the appearance of being the hip, happening, busy place packed with tons of clients. So keep it around 2,000 to 1,500 square feet in the beginning.
A Sub-Lease is also a great option for those seeking the first location that will house a Boot Camp business. Often with other businesses like karate studios or dance studios, classes don’t start until later in the day. That’s perfect for those of you looking to start off with a Boot Camp. You can get in there when the building is normally closed and hold Boot Camp sessions from 6:00am to 10:30 or sometimes even noon. That is plenty of time for you to pack lots of clients in there and get your business started.
This way, you can make money while you save money on an inexpensive lease. Have a plan that will get you out of that temporary situation in four to six months. You should be able to save all the money you need to find and build out a permanent location. But when you make the move to a bigger and more expensive location, there will be less worry because you will already have a reliable client-base that will allow you to afford those changes.
It is also vitally important that you don’t spend all of your time, money, effort and energy making the place look expensive. Do whatever you can afford, but remember, these aren’t the types of things that get clients in your door— that’s marketing.
#3) The third, and possibly most important tip I’ll give you today, is: (you saw this coming, right?) Using the Right Marketing Tools.
First of all, you’ve got to get online. It isn’t an option. Remember when I said that no-one will be out looking for your location? That’s because they are at home, right now, searching the web for places to workout and get in shape. If you aren’t online they’ll never find you. So explore all of your online avenues. Find out about search engine ads, social network ads, Groupon and other Deal-of-the-Day sites that will allow you to get your name out there for relatively cheap. I have so many resources here and on my YouTube channel that delve into more detail so check those out if you need more help.
Now, for anyone out there thinking you can get by without one, you absolutely, positively need a website. There’s no getting around it, you need to have an established and constantly accessible online presence that is more than a periodical ad or even a Facebook page. But this is more affordable than you might be thinking. There are so many different ways to get a website up and running, not all of them cost exorbitant amounts of money, so do your research and find out what is going to work for you.
When you do get that website up and running, be sure to optimize your website for the keywords that relate most to your business. This is essential for making sure people can find you when they search for you or businesses like yours.
You’re also going to need to start building an email list of clients and prospective clients. Without an email list you will be missing out on droves of clients and lots of money making opportunities. When you build an email list of prospects, of people in the community who are interested in burning fat or learning workout tips and healthy recipes from you, over time they will get to know, like and trust you. Once you establish those three essential prerequisites, they will keep coming back to you for fitness and fitness products over and over again.
Alright, let’s take a quick look at some offline strategies that you can read here, prepare over of hours, and implement in a matter of days.
One of my favorite offline marketing strategies is called a lunch-and-learn. Pick a small 
business that has anywhere from 5 to 15 employees, maybe a chiropractor, dentist, real estate office, hair salon or something similar, and offer them a free or promotional package in exchange for letting you put on a short presentation. This will get you new clients and establish great relationships with your communities local businesses.
Consider doing a 14-day fat furnace program for $67. Or consider a 28-day flat belly program for $97. Those are the best promoting offers. Less than 30 days and less that $100 is the sweet spot for these kinds of deals. Send postcards out to houses that you feel are in the demographic that should have your ideal client. Include one of the above promotions and sweeten the deal with some giveaways or an additional free workout.
So these are the three most important tips I can give anyone planning on starting a fitness businesses, anyone who has recently started a fitness business, or anyone who needs some fresh ideas for their established business. These aren’t the only helpful tips out there but they are some of the most important. For more awesome articles and advice, check out the rest of my blogs and videos, there’s tons of resources there for you.
Committed to your success,
Bedros