Business Planning/Strategies Articles

Welcome to part three of our five-part “Crash Course in Excellence” series with takeaway strategies. This article explores performance reviews in the fitness environment, especially the often overlooked piece of the puzzle called “bilateral evaluations.”

Although my business still requires diligence, attentiveness and hard work, it is much easier now than it was then because I know so much more. I know what I want, and I am at ease and comfortable with my hours, my skills and my clients. Regardless of the economy, the weather, the decade or your age, having “the business edge” is about having a business that is organized, dependable and current and that stands out from the run-of-the-mill wellness business.

How can personal trainers cultivate Baby Boomers and make them a lasting part of their business plans?

This summer when your loyal clients take their summer vacations, jet away to long beach weekends or merely head outdoors rather than into the gym, your client base may dwindle. With your prime training times temporarily vacant, it is time to seek out a new type of clientele.

Change strikes the opposite emotion of fear in us when it happens to us and is outside our control. Nature, I realize, never gives us a 30-day notice on all that will be happening the following month. Nature follows its natural course in relation to the sun, and we humans are wise to keep our senses attuned to what is going on.

In the world of wellness and fitness programming, the days of all-inclusive services and programs are numbered. Thanks to the recession, fee-based programming has become increasingly valuable. Our industry has encountered the same financial challenges as other industries, and fee-based programming is part of our new reality.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had some opportunities in my life that I’ve let pass me by because I was afraid of failing. The good news is that I figured out the power of failure many years ago. The bad news is that I still see many people passing up opportunities, as I once did, simply because fear of failure tends to inhibit forward thinking.

According to the Center for Women’s Business Research, women own 40% of the privately owned firms in the United States. The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) reports that 19.2% of its member clubs are owned by women and 18.8% have male and female co-owners. As more women dive into fitness business ownership, it’s important to understand the unique demands placed on them.

All clubs have cardio and strength training equipment; it’s the programs you offer that differentiate you from the competition. Programs are often the deciding factor as potential members choose which club to join. Offering programs that your members want to participate in keeps them using your club, which in turn boosts retention. On the other hand, opening up your programs to nonmembers increases your chances of signing up these participants as members, because of the great experience you provide during the program.

Enormous discussion has revolved around the many financial pitfalls that loom during a struggling economy. However, there is hope for motivated self-starters interested in starting a business. According to Josephine Nicholas, chief operating officer of Published Daily™, a “tech company whose aim is to help professionals generate more referral business,” entrepreneurs are suited to thrive during a recession. Nicholas lists five top reasons entrepreneurs will succeed: