If you’re like most gym owners, you opened your business because you wanted to coach. Not because you wanted to be a salesperson or a social media master. And as gym owners ourselves, we’re willing to bet that you definitely weren’t aiming to be a gym technology guru.
But the reality is, each of those other skills can only benefit your business. Recently, we’ve talked about how to build a solid gym social media strategy and how to improve sales closing rates at your gym. Today, we’re focusing on technology.
Below are some options for improving client experience, retention and revenue at your gym.
Six Game-Changing Gym Technology Options:
1. Apps.
For a gym owner, apps open up a world of possibilities for member experience. Here are just a few ways app technology can help you boost revenue streams and increase member engagement:
24/7 Access.
Offering gym access around the clock can be a huge membership perk. But it could also be a tremendous burden without the help of technology. By utilizing a 24/7 app, members can safely and securely enter the gym with their own private code or fob. For a gym owner, this provides trackable peace of mind. Surveillance video gym technology is an added piece that ensures visibility of the premises at all hours.
Social Engagement.
Social media is a great way to build brand awareness and attract more members. But building a strategy and maintaining a following take time and effort.
For a long time, private Facebook groups were the way most gym owners engaged their community. But these days, less and less people are even on the platform, let alone engaging. using a private Facebook group was a great way to engage the community.
Kurt Miller, owner of South Mountain Community Fitness in Pennsylvania, said his Facebook group was “just short of collecting dust.” When it wasn’t moving the engagement needle, Miller switched to using the PushPress Social Feed app. Now, his community connects daily, celebrating each others’ birthdays, PRs and more.
Workout Tracking Apps.
Data shows that clients who track their workouts are more likely to stay accountable and stick around long-term. This is where gym technology can be a huge upgrade from the old pen-and-paper option. The PushPress Train app is designed to improve client accountability through tracking.
Train also saves the gym owner time, directing all communication that was previously done on other platforms (email, text, social media, etc.) through the app. Coaches have just one platform to field member questions and comments.
As an added bonus, Rachel Wilson, owner of Terrain Fitness in New Jersey, also uses Train for challenges at her gym. For example, Wilson ran a glute challenge and a 10-week pulling challenge through Train. Members simply purchased the challenges as an add-on through the PushPress store kiosk.
2. Wearable Gym Technology.
Speaking of tracking data, wearable technology is getting a lot of hype these days. And with good reason: People like data. Here are two great examples:
Myzone - According to the website, Myzone is an accurate fitness tracker and online social platform that rewards effort for all physical activity. Further, it has social elements and challenges, to foster member engagement and build community.
WHOOP - Another popular wearable technology, WHOOP monitors sleep, recovery and daily effort around the clock to deliver actionable insights on optimizing performance. that measures strain, recovery and sleep. For coaches who offers lifestyle coaching, this is a great gym technology tool to provide feedback for your client’s overall wellness.
3. CRM Software.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is one of the most powerful tools a gym owner can employ. A good CRM helps automate and systemize processes that were once done manually, saving an exponential amount of time.
PushPress Grow is a CRM that creates marketing campaigns, connects with leads and converts them into clients.
CRM For Lead Generation And Follow-Up
As the owner of All Fit Orlando in Florida, Robert Schwartz found himself wearing 20 different hats and constantly searching for new clients. He felt like he was “just trudging along,” barely making enough money to make it worth his time.
When Schwartz switched to PushPress, he quickly found that automated gym technology was the help he needed. In just nine months, he doubled his membership and revenue, and increased his average monthly client value from $95 to $220.
“Sometime people have to see or hear or be in touch with you 50, 60, 70, 80, 100 times before they make a decisions to join your gym,” said Schwartz. “So there’s no way one person can get a lead in and then remember to reach out to this person one week, three weeks, one month, two months, three months out.”
Without the technology, he said, “It’s just impossible.”
CRM For Member Retention
From automating lead follow-up to holding current members accountable, no one slips through the cracks with PushPress Grow.
Carl Neidholdt, owner of CrossFit Cerberus in Kansas City, learned this when he because a Grow client. He found that it immediately increased his client retention and saved him a ton of time on tasks.
“People used to fall through the cracks all the time because we didn’t have a good follow up system,” Neidholdt explained. “Or sometimes something would happen like their credit card would bounce for four months and we didn’t even notice.”
Now, when a client doesn’t come to the gym for a couple weeks, he receives a notification to follow up. Further, the software helps him automate many other tasks, allowing him to devote time to other areas of the business.
4. Your Website.
Although it might seem like social media is your most forward-facing online platform, your website matters A LOT. Potential leads might find you on social media but chances are, they’ll head to your website for more info. Your website should make it simple and quick for them to take the next step.
For a lot of gyms, leads are asked to fill out a form and wait for a coach to respond. But that’s not an ideal way to turn a lead into a member, explained PushPress Co-Founder Chris McConachie. Prospects need to be able to sign up immediately for their first visit and that’s where the gym technology comes in.
“You have to understand that the motivation for someone looking for fitness is typically not a two-week window,” said McConachie. “It is eating ding dongs on the couch at 10:00pm with great regret going, ‘I’m making some changes.’ They’re probably through two glasses of wine and they’re like, ‘Yeah, I’m doing it now.’”
5. Paid Advertising.
An organic campaign online is obviously the most economical route, especially when gyms are just starting out. But when done correctly, paid campaigns can return some impressive ROI. Here are two examples:
LASSO.
LASSO is a lead-generation and sales-optimization company. They work with gym owners to craft offers designed for each unique gym. Then they turn these offers into online ads, aimed at capturing high-quality leads willing to pay big bucks.
Gym owners who have used LASSO say the integration with the PushPress Grow gym technology makes it especially easy.
“When someone sees the ad and they click on it, it goes straight to Grow,” said Ibrahim Funmilayo, the owner of Vibe Boxing in Iowa City. “So we have automated messages that we were able to design ourselves. And then the person can book in right then and there.”
Funmilayo jumped from 106 to 142 members after using LASSO.
Google Ads.
Jason Yule is the owner of Harbor Park Health and Fitness in Wisconsin. In 2022, Yule has generated $110,000 in annual revenue by marketing his intro program. The program costs $200 for 12 weeks, and is designed for people who want to lose 15 or more pounds.
Yule attributes the success of his advertising to targeting a specific demographic with a specific marketing message on social media and via Google ads. He says it has been “easier to sell” than CrossFit was for $150 a month. So far, the intro program has helped more than 50 people lose an average of 20 pounds in their first 12 weeks.
6. Use Gym Technology To Live Stream Events.
Streaming events on social media channels like Facebook or Instagram can be a great way to attract new members.
For example, gyms can offer an at-home workout for prospects who might be too intimidated to get started. Streaming the workout gets their feet wet and helps them feel more comfortable for an in-person session. Or, if you’re already hosting an in-person nutrition seminar, why not record and live stream it? You might end up attracting new clients in ways you didn’t anticipate.
In Summary: Get Your Tech In Check
Embracing the various technology options available to gym owners can be a game changer. From saving you time and effort to providing valuable benefits for your members, the options are definitely worth exploring.
Design an effective website, employ some helpful apps, set up a CRM and run a paid advertising campaign. Then watch your results and your revenue skyrocket.
