Gym ideas

[abcreations]

Sorry it's been so long since I posted. I wanted to let everyone know that I now work at my local gym.

With that in mind, I am looking for ways to draw in more customers and to really give this place a makeover.

I want to start out small. Cheep and free things first.

We are a small local gym. It's pretty crowded in here. I would like to work on getting some of the unused stuff out and eventually get a real squat rack.

Owner would like to eventually add on to the building with a gym for basketball and classrooms. This is in dream stage.

So please send me ideas.

I'm ready to start hitting the board again.

[SP1966]

If the gym is already crowded you are asking for trouble trying to add to many more people. You managing the place? Those are some pretty big dreams for a small local gym!

Good luck

[FlexinMike]

Originally Posted by abcreations

Sorry it's been so long since I posted. I wanted to let everyone know that I now work at my local gym.

With that in mind, I am looking for ways to draw in more customers and to really give this place a makeover.

I want to start out small. Cheep and free things first.

We are a small local gym. It's pretty crowded in here. I would like to work on getting some of the unused stuff out and eventually get a real squat rack.

Owner would like to eventually add on to the building with a gym for basketball and classrooms. This is in dream stage.

So please send me ideas.

I'm ready to start hitting the board again.

Wow you are putting alot of effort in considering you just work there???

[beerbar]

Originally Posted by SP1966

If the gym is already crowded you are asking for trouble trying to add to many more people.

Good luck

I agree. More does not = better if people are stuck waiting for equipment. Can do more harm than good.

[Old_Swole]

Free beer gets um everytime...wait might not be the crowd you want. Nevermind

[FlexinMike]

Originally Posted by Old_Swole

Free beer gets um everytime...wait might not be the crowd you want. Nevermind

Yeah but not before you workout or you get a DWL(drinking while lifting)

[abcreations]

We are looking to get rid of the unused equiptment. (posted above already)

We are not crowded with people just the unused stuff.

We really want to get new people in the gym. Membership has really dropped. Trust me nobody is waiting to use equiptment.

I would rather put a little effort into the gym than not have the gym or a job at all.

The dream additions are things that the town needs as it is. The park and rec group are interested in renting the basketball gymnasium. We have been asked about offering more classes and we have a weightlifting group squeezed into a small space. This way they could have their own room.

If we don't make some changes then the gym will never grow. Thats why I was asking for ideas.

[FlexinMike]

Originally Posted by abcreations

We are looking to get rid of the unused equiptment. (posted above already)

We are not crowded with people just the unused stuff.

We really want to get new people in the gym. Membership has really dropped. Trust me nobody is waiting to use equiptment.

I would rather put a little effort into the gym than not have the gym or a job at all.

The dream additions are things that the town needs as it is. The park and rec group are interested in renting the basketball gymnasium. We have been asked about offering more classes and we have a weightlifting group squeezed into a small space. This way they could have their own room.

If we don't make some changes then the gym will never grow. Thats why I was asking for ideas.

Fitness classes always seem to catch peoples eyes. Having exteneded gym hours is a big plus to get new members in the door. Good music and nice staff is a big plus too. Not many people want to listen to oldies while they work out(well not me for sure).

[redweston]

Make sure the place is clean, workout areas and locker rooms, this something that won't cost anything and goes a long way in my book. !

keeponpumpin-Powerhouse RED !

[asksmith]

You have to have something for everyone.

In the a.m. (10:00ish), you could have some type of senior citizen class. These people can be the bread and butter for a small gym.

Some type of "pit" for serious lifters/crossfit kind of things. This is another group that once established will resist change. Not alot of gyms offer areas where people can go throw (seriously) weights around.

Cleanliness is key. Hand santizers/clean up stations convientently located, and ALWAYS full. Bathroom/locker room clean.

Convienent hours. Most gyms have an established a.m. crowd (myself included) that will look elsewhere if we can't be in the door by 5 a.m.

Staff that knows everyone on a first name basis. Looks good for future clientele, when everyone knows your name.

DAYCARE...DAYCARE...DAYCARE! Nothing fancy, just someplace CLEAN AND SAFE to drop the kids off for an hour or two.

Just a few suggestions. I hope you can make your dream a reality!

[tonester]

Having a place that caters to what people are into these days and getting results for them is one way to be a success at it. The bells and whistles can come later.

Here is an article worth reading. Show it too the owner so he can plan his extensions in an informed way.
http://alwyncosgrove.blogspot.com/20...1_archive.html It's titled "Guest blog from Thomas Plummer" just before midway down. There is a shift in peoples goals and I think it will get bigger and bigger. Might as well get in on the ground floor. I am already seeing this trend at my YMCA. A lot of empty machines because of this trend.

If you intend to go for bodybuilding stuff only, you may have to keep it small.

[billybigbolocks]

Originally Posted by FlexinMike

Fitness classes always seem to catch peoples eyes. Having exteneded gym hours is a big plus to get new members in the door. Good music and nice staff is a big plus too. Not many people want to listen to oldies while they work out(well not me for sure).

On the subject of music.
Have none! That's my suggestion, other people's choice of music blaring away over speakers while I try to get my head into my workout is a nightmare.
It's not the 1980's, if customers want music they bring their i-pods.
Seriously I've quit gyms before now due to music, so give it some thought.

[J.Ho]

Just a few ideas:

P90X style classes are getting popular here...maybe with that free space you will have there might be room for classes

Offer 30 minute personal training sessions 4 sessions for the first month? (or something like that) to get beginners in

Offer post-workout drinks or pre-workout drinks or samples of free stuff ?

Referral program for existing customers...something that works not just "hey tell a buddy"...something that is measurable and rewards the customer

Offer diet plans, customizable and print them out for customers

[chodan9]

one that seems to be successful where I go is zumba cardio classes.

[abcreations]

Some really great ideas. I will let everyon know how it goes.

[backer]

Yoga

[bigvin73]

Originally Posted by abcreations

We are looking to get rid of the unused equiptment. (posted above already)

We are not crowded with people just the unused stuff.

We really want to get new people in the gym. Membership has really dropped. Trust me nobody is waiting to use equiptment.

I would rather put a little effort into the gym than not have the gym or a job at all.

The dream additions are things that the town needs as it is. The park and rec group are interested in renting the basketball gymnasium. We have been asked about offering more classes and we have a weightlifting group squeezed into a small space. This way they could have their own room.

If we don't make some changes then the gym will never grow. Thats why I was asking for ideas.

As far as the additions go look into government funding they are throwing a lot of money around for fitness based projects right now, and while i don't belive in all this spending you might as well put it to good use before some corupt union or special intrest people take it. How many and what quality trainers do you have if they are at all abitiouse (sorry i cant spell) they would be bugging you to run classes ect and working on drawing in their own clients.

[snoack]

Originally Posted by billybigbolocks

On the subject of music.
Have none! That's my suggestion, other people's choice of music blaring away over speakers while I try to get my head into my workout is a nightmare.
It's not the 1980's, if customers want music they bring their i-pods.
Seriously I've quit gyms before now due to music, so give it some thought.

^^^^^^^^^^^^this^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[snoack]

Originally Posted by backer

Yoga

^^^^^^^^this2^^^^^^^^^^^^

[bocco]

Clean the showers with strong disinfectant every night. Including the walls. If you have shower curtains clean them or just replace them. Fix the broken shower head (I know you have one).

Clean and wipe down all of the equipment. I go to a fairly nice gym and at first appearance it looks pretty good. But when you look close there is always a piece of gum stuck to a weight bench or something gross that needs to be cleaned.

[nospin]

May or may not be the best place to offer this...

I've thought about how gyms often have busy hours and dead time. Perhaps some sort of incentive to get new people in during the dead time. A reduced membership or day pass to work out between 11-3 (or whenever the dead time is).

[Bob45]

If it is a small facility you will have to decide what type of people you want. You won't be able to cater to all in a small place. Do you want the after work do a little cardio and lift on some machines type people? Or the serious lifter that wants mostly free weights, just a couple cardio machines around? A person has to walk in and feel comfortable. They usually are when people around them are doing something similar. Saying this from comments I hear from others in gyms in my area.