Welcome to the first issue of the GYYMI Blog.
In some great news for the Australian Fitness Industry, gyms and fitness studios are earmarked for reopening with the Northern Territory, the first government to announce the reopening from 15th May 2020. Other states and territories are yet to announce dates for reopening indoor gyms but have started to relax restrictions on the number of people who can meet for outdoor boot camp-styled training.
As the possibility of reopening gets closer and closer, there is no better time to prepare your gym. GYYMI has put together some great handy tips to ensure you are ready to welcome back your members.
1. Complete a deep clean of your gym
This kind of goes with out saying that gyms will need to take sanitisation very seriously. First start with a complete deep clean of every surface. Consider every touch point within your gyms and clean it thoroughly. Also make sure that you use a higher concentration of disinfectant than you might ordinarily use.
2. Reinvent or refresh your gym
Why not spend some of the time to refresh your gym. If you have the ability to throw on a new lick of paint to freshen your space, then go for it. It will give you a new lease on life and provide a bright, fresh look to your exisiting and potential members. Tell your members about what you are doing and let them see the end results with social media posts to showcase the reveal. If you have lots of different types of equipment, you will need to separate them or close them off if you don't have any storage. Clearly mark and label each piece of equipment that can and cannot be used. Celebrate the reinvention with some reopening promotions and specials. Make it exciting and provide certainty to your members. They will appreciate the personal touch.
3. Keep your online classes going
If your gym had already provided online classes and training such as live stream or on-demand, then keep it going as there will be a pocket of people who will not feel comfortable to return to the gym quite yet. Don't take it personally, but if you have made that transition for your members or on a casual basis, keep doing it. Not only will it give you the opportunity to showcase your gym has thrown its doors open, you will be able to educate those who are still on the fence as to what measures you have taken to make it safe. Another reason to keep them going is that you can offer online classes to anyone, anywhere and you are not confined to locals or regulars - it has become a valuable revenue stream for you and a lifeline for those who were not gym-goers in the first place.
4. Consider new pricing models
This is the tough one and there is no magical solution here. Throughout the forced closure of all fitness centres and gyms, many members cancelled or paused their memberships. You might be one of the lucky ones retaining your most loyal members and if you moved to an online model you will have already adjusted your pricing. Why not refresh the membership model by offering casual rates, discounted memberships, freebies and value adds to woo members back into your gym. Create a model that is flexible and attractive to your existing loyal members as they are your best promoters.
5. Communicate the changes with your members
Use all means of communications you have at your disposal including social media, local advertising (if you can), emails, SMS and in-Gym poster boards, newsletters or digital video boards. If you have staff make sure they across the changes and protocols you have put in place so the level of trust with your members is the best it can be.
BONUS TIP from GYYMI
GYYMI is the best personal assistant for your gym or training business. Built from the ground up, specifically for the fitness industry, GYYMI is a powerful smart phone app that helps you run your business and make your life easier. Fitted out with many exciting and practical features, GYYMI can help you get back up to speed in preparation for your gym or fitness business to reopen.
GYYMI features include;
- Gym Search – get your gym on the map for Trainers to find you and book space instantly
- Earn extra income fast – offer gym space by the hour to Trainers and their clients
- Contactless payments - Safe and secure powered by STRIPE.
- Social Distancing calculator coming soon - Set and control your gym & studio capacity limits
- Custom booking platform for instant bookings, outdoor or indoor sessions.
- Plan sessions ahead of time by sending invitations and reminders to clients/members
- Reduce Overheads - Trainer-client sessions paid on the app are automatically covered with Insurance for indoor and outdoor workouts.
- Live Dashboard – watch your income grow - its addictive!
- Look like a pro – instant, flexible and professional.
GYYMI is free to download on iOS and Android - Visit www.gyymi.com for details
We hope you find the new GYYMI BLOG of interest to you and for your fitness business. Please share and if in the future you would like to receive the latest version as it is published, please subscribe below.
~ Train Safe, Stay Safe ~