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Secrets To Building A Successful Fitness Business

by Angela Lau Honour Consulting Pty Limited (Business Consultant)

In order to succeed in business, you must first understand what makes successful businesses work.

Successful businesses don't just happen…they are
MADE to happen. All effective and profitable
businesses share three basic strengths:

  • They are totally sales and profit oriented.
  • They use effective people, systems and methods.
  • They sell quality products and services that someone actually wants to buy.

    The four most important goals for your business should be:
  • Creating new customers
  • Making sure they keep coming back
  • Turning them into advocates for your business
  • Having fun while you're doing it!

    FACT: Most businesses spend 6 times more to attract new customers than they do on keeping the ones they already have.

    Here's a simple way to calculate how much money you have spent on acquiring each of your customers:

    Calculation:
    Your annual overheads e.g. rent, wages etc.? (do not include advertising)
    Eg:$195,000 Plus The amount you spend on advertising anually:$5,000
    Multiplied by the length of time you have been in business Eg: 4 years Divided by the number of members/clients you currently have Eg:1,200

    In this example the cost of acquiring a new member/customer is $666.00

    Do you treat every customer as a valued client?
    This calculation illustrates that customers are expensive to acquire. So it makes sense to hang on to them once you've got them. Let's explore some of the reasons why customers leave.

    Customers leave for three primary reasons:
    1. Financial - This can mean that customers believe they are being overcharged and under-
    delivered, or it can simply be budget issues, unjustified rising price points, etc.

    2. Needs -They believe that what they need is not offered or is no longer offered by their present supplier e.g. they may have joined the gym to lose weight, achieved this objective and no longer feel the need to continue their membership.

    3. Perception -The customer arrives at a belief that they are no longer appreciated or valued
    by the service provider. In 68% of cases, customers leave when they feel that YOU DON"T
    CARE    .

    How to show your customers that you care:
    1) Keep a database
  • A database is an essential tool for every modern business
  • A well-maintained database invaluable and will increase the value of your business in many ways
  • A database is a work in progress and should constantly be updated

    Your database should include information such as: customer names, addresses, phone numbers, date of births, how they heard about you, what benefits they seek from being your customer, how often they are buying your services, names of friends or family they have referred, any complaints or compliments they have given you.

    2) Have a communication strategy which says "You care"

    Think of how you can say "I care" in the following instances:
  • The way your phone is answered including your tone, your language
  • The manner in which a customer is greeted when they walk into your business
  • The methods you use to contact your customer

    3) Audit your customers

    Ring your customers regularly and ask them "What did you really think of us?" Although this may seem daunting, the benefits of doing so include the possibilities of:
  • Getting a really honest perspective of your business
  • Reactivating "dead" clients
  • Getting ideas for marketing your business
  • Strengthening the relationship you have with your customer
  • Discovering how your business was built

    Ask your customers who they heard about you and record the results. This will yield
    powerful insights on where your marketing budget is best spent.

    Other tips on how to show your customers you care:

    Send your customers birthday cards - everyone likes to be remembered on their birthday!

    Make regular calls to touch base with your customers - Are you achieving your fitness
    goals? Are you enjoying the services we are offering?

    Give unexpected gifts - a free personal consultation, or a free month's membership.

    Make "Thank you" telephone calls - when a customer has paid you on time or renewed a subscription

    Educate your customers - send out a regular newsletter,show them that you are knowledgeable and good at what you do. They will think more highly of you and trust your advice.

    The more you treat your customers like friends, the more they'll talk about you and want to do business with you. You spend more time at work than at home, so make it fun for you, your team and your
    customers!

    If you would like more ideas on "How to get more customers" or "Winning the customers heart", please contact Angela at angela@honour.com.au

    Angela Honour is the managing director of Honour Consulting - a marketing consulting firm based in Sydney which specializes in helping businesses increase their profits, providing more financial freedom for the business owners and increasing the value and attractiveness of the business to potential buyers. These results are achieved by teaching business owners and managers proven and powerful sales and marketing strategies.

    Honour Consulting Pty Limited is offering Gymlink.Biz Fitness Business subscribers the chance to win one of five FREE marketing consultations. Simply Subscribe to the Free Fitness Business Newsletter to go into the draw!



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