As gym owners, we’re rolling full steam into “the busy season.” And just because we probably need a nap, we can’t sleep on the potentially-massive revenue opportunity happening right now. Today, we’re talking about upselling high-ticket gym services.
If your gym is like most, January brings an influx of revenue and new faces. Many are inexperienced or looking to get back in shape after (often too many) years away.
At the same time, you probably have an established community of people who’ve set 2023 goals. Even though the new folks and the veterans might have different resolutions, your opportunity is the same.
Stu Brauer, gym business consultant and owner of WTF Gym Talk, says there are three key services to upsell to your members. All three will drive revenue and increase value for gym members.
Three High-Ticket Gym Services To Launch In 2023
1. Personal Training.
When it comes to client results, it’s no secret that personal training (PT) will get people to their goals faster than group classes.
With that in mind, there are two options for gym’s to explore with personal training: A fundamentals program or an add-on to group classes.
As a one-time, introductory package, PT is an effective way to prepare clients for group classes. This is especially true for those who are brand new to working out.
The other option is a hybrid gym membership, where members do a mix of group classes and PT sessions. Hybrids are set up as recurring billing, so they offer a tremendous, longer-term revenue opportunity.
So how do you start? Brauer has three tips to roll out your high-ticket gym sales:
Set The Right Price.
Brauer recommends charging at least 40-45 percent of your base monthly fee for this type of high-ticket gym services. “That’s the low end,” he emphasized. For example, if your monthly fee is $200, your PT rate should be between $80-90.
Don’t Discount.
Simply put, discount products but don’t discount services that rely on someone’s time.
“Personal training cannot be sold like bulk prices at CostCo,” said Brauer. “Do not discount based on a large order.”
The reason is simple: You’re paying a coach to conduct the session for a specific rate. So if you discount the session, it likely leaves less money for your business. Therefore, Brauer recommends requiring clients to commit to a minimum number of PT sessions. For example, a ten-session intro package for a new client. Or for existing members looking for skills coaching (e.g. muscle-ups), require a minimum of five sessions.
Plus, you’re selling high-ticket gym services to make money, not give it away.
Sell Per Session, Not For Time.
Personal training is most often sold in one-hour blocks of time. But sometimes, a coach may run through things quicker than anticipated. With a one-hour session, the coach is expected to fill the time, simply for the sake of filling the time.
Brauer recommends selling per session, rather than by the hour.
“Because you’re not selling time, you’re selling a solution,” he said. So if you’re finished in 45 minutes, then so be it.
2. Nutrition Coaching.
Nutrition coaching is one of the obvious high-ticket gym services to pair with a fitness plan, for good reason: Nutrition can significantly impact results in a way that fitness-only simply can’t.
The goal is to get members to make long-lasting nutritional changes. The reality is, these clients are then more likely to stick around the gym, driving your retention and revenue. In fact, PushPress data shows that nutrition clients are worth 2.5 times the amount of fitness-only clients.
Despite the revenue potential, Brauer warns gym owners not to dive in blindly. He recommends asking yourself, ‘Do I have the education and knowledge? The passion for nutrition coaching? What is my business plan?’
Further, he cautions gym owners to expect a lower success rate than fitness-only clients. Because even if workout results come slower than expected, “you sure as hell will still have a dopamine kick,” Brauer said.
Conversely, “Nobody has ever gotten a dopamine kick from eating broccoli,” he joked.
The bottom line is, nutrition coaching can yield thousands in monthly revenue, but you need a proper plan. When you’re ready to roll, check out these three steps to launch a successful nutrition coaching program.
3. Personalized Programming.
Designing a training plan specifically for each individual is a huge opportunity to drive revenue. It’s one of the more hands-off high-ticket gym services where sales don’t have to add more to your plate.
And like nutrition coaching, there are a few things to consider:
First, do you have the space to accommodate this? If you have personalized programing members who want to train at the same time as classes, is this feasible? As Brauer says, asking clients “to sequester themselves to a corner” is not going to work.
So if you’re going to charge people more for personalized programming, you also have to offer the space for it. Allocate adequate time slots and designate enough space for them to effectively follow their program.
Finally, Brauer says $100 is the minimum cost for personalized gym programming. He recommends charging a minimum of $100 more for an individualized program than you do for group class memberships.
“There are way more factors to consider than that,” he said. “But at minimum, if you’re charging $200 for group classes, $300 a month of individual design is the minimum.”
In Summary: More Help Means More Revenue.
It’s the perfect time of year to upsell high-ticket gym services to new leads and current members. Three to consider are personal training, nutrition coaching and personalized programming. Take the time to design a plan for the options that you’re able to execute well. Then launch the programs and watch your revenue climb for 2023!
