If you want to invest in the health and fitness sector and know how to open and run a gym effectively, this guide will help you understand the essential steps to start your business.
In recent years, the demand for a healthier lifestyle has grown significantly, driven by government bodies and the influence of social media, leading more and more people to go to gyms or seek out personal trainers, making the fitness sector a promising market.
This increase in demand is reflected in the growing number of gyms in small towns and large cities, showing that investing in this field can be a profitable opportunity. However, creating and running a successful gym requires more than just opening the doors - solid planning is essential, from market research to offering differentiating and innovative services.
If you're ready to take the next step, follow our tips to make sure your gym stands out in the market!
Tip 1: What to consider before opening a gym
Before opening a gym, the first thing on your "to do list" should be to carry out a market study on the supply of this type of space in the geographical area where you intend to open your fitness business.
Find out how many gyms there are in the area, how many members they have and what people would like to see in a new space. Learn from the failures of other gyms and innovate.
What's more, with the help of strategic data on market trends and competitorsBy using tools such as REDUNIQ Insights, you can always support your decision.
Once you've done your research, it's time to look for a space that can comfortably accommodate not only the machines you want to install, but above all the estimated average number of users. In this regard, note that flexible opening hours are a good way to avoid "peak times" and complaints.
Another decision you'll have to make concerns the type of gym. Will it be independent or do you want to franchise a chain of gyms?
If you choose to be independent, all the decisions about the operation and services to be offered will be made by you, while if you opt for a franchised gym management model, you will have to comply with the brand's guidelines, but you will benefit from a more flexible management system. marketing structure on the ground.
On top of all this, the procession is still underway and now it's time for something very important: licences.
Tip 2: Licences required to open a gym
As for licences, you'll need
- Licence authorising the use of the space for sports facilities together with a statement of responsibility attesting that the facilities comply with all regulations, a copy of the operating regulations and safety and evacuation plans;
- Training certificate from the Technical Director;
- Licence for the use of music in classrooms / training rooms and background music, requested at AUDIOGEST;
- Gym registration with CAE 93130. If you have swimming, yoga or a sauna, you'll also need a secondary CAE;
- Although it's not compulsory, you can also apply for a CrossFit Affiliate licence to open a CrossFit box in your gym.
The licences must also be accompanied by mandatory Personal Accident and Liability Insurance and, if the gym has a swimming pool, an inspection by the Directorate-General for Health and ASAE and the obligation to regularly analyse the quality of the water.
With the bureaucratic part taken care of, it's time to think about the equipment to be installed.
Tip 3: Choosing space and equipment for the gym
Going deeper into the question of space, in addition to the geographical choice, the space must offer the ideal conditions for all the services you want to offer, as well as easy access and parking.
If you choose to rent a space, it's important to pay particular attention to acoustics, humidity and even the existence or not of neighbours, as this is something that could have an impact on your business.
When it comes to services, consider offering the latest gym machines and the most fashionable disciplines, as well as physiotherapy, rehabilitation, hydrotherapy, SPA and nutrition.
As each service involves the allocation of different human, material and logistical resources, we recommend that you evaluate all the options in detail before making your choice.
One of the most important points about running a successful gym is managing investment and expenditure.
So, as you prepare to open your gym, consider the following initial costs:
- Payment of rent or loans;
- Reception furniture, safes, changing rooms, plumbing and lighting;
- Flooring and sports equipment;
- IT and management equipment such as telephones, printers, computers, management software and payment methods for gyms;
- Water, gas, electricity, telecoms, accounting, cleaning and marketing services;
- Staff costs, including teachers, personal trainers and receptionists;
- Installation of ventilation and air conditioning systems;
- Safety and security equipment: alarms, first aid kits, fire extinguishers and surveillance cameras.
Tip 4: Marketing strategies to attract and retain customers
Num business plan To open a fitness centre, it is essential that you pay special attention to the area of marketing with the creating communication strategies to increase the number of sales and, above all, retain customers and partners.
In this plan, include, among other things, a diagnostic analysis, a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats), define the brand's objectives, strategic options, marketing mix and a detailed financial plan.
Despite being fashionable, fitness is a very beaten-up market in terms of marketing, but there is still room for manoeuvre to create a brand image that is strong and identifies the culture associated with your space.
This is achieved through personalised communication that is concerned with attracting members and making them vehicles for the culture, values and ideals of your brand, and merchandising with the gym's branding.
Two extra tips:
1) be consistent in your communication, i.e. always use the same colour palette and symbols when decorating the space, invest heavily in creating shareable content on social media and promote, for example, cycling races or marathons open to the local community, preferably in a public outdoor space in a central area of the town where your gym is located.
2) offer discounts and promotions in order to encourage the public to sign up or to boost a sport that has few practitioners.
Remember, a satisfied member will always be your gym's best ambassador.
Tip 5: Financial management and payments
Of course, these tips for opening a fitness centre include elements related to financial management and the payment solutions.
As we've already mentioned, to make administration easier, invest in robust financial management software adapted to the area of activity, while for payments, the ideal is to offer a multifaceted shopping experience adapted to your members' payment habits.
To give your business greater flexibility, among the best strategies for the gym is the combination of online payment solutions the necessary TPA – automatic payment terminals.
Whether on its website or on the gym's social networks, the offer of online payments will favour customer experience and even give you another way to earn extra income.
For example REDUNIQ@Payments, a solution designed for businesses that sell without a website via social networks, offers its customers the possibility of paying for their purchases and services by e-mail or SMS, WhatsAppby Multibanco reference or MB WAY, with Visa and Mastercard, through a payment link,
An ideal solution in the case of gyms, as it enables recurring payments. In other words, if your business requires the automatic collection of monthly fees or instalments, all your customer has to do is authorise the first payment and all subsequent payments will be collected in the same way, without any complications or surprises.
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