Starting a gym is not an easy task. Making a successful CrossFit Gym can be even more difficult. Luckily, we have the tips for you. It takes hard work and dedication to make your dream become a reality. If you are looking to start your own gym, then these 5 tips will help you get started on the right foot. By reading these five tips you are well on your way to creating a gym brand as strong as you are.
Tip 1: Do Your Research
Find some of the top commercial and boutique gyms in your area and analyze what they are doing right. Once you figure out what they are doing correctly it is time to start looking at what they need to improve. Ask yourself whether you want to mimic their model or go the boutique gym route. This can be your first step to starting a successful CrossFit Gym
1. Figure out what type of gym you would like to join- a commercial gym with a wide variety of equipment may be more suited for someone who is looking to join and use the equipment regularly, while a boutique gym may have a smaller selection but offer more personalized service.
2. Review their pricing- some gyms are more expensive than others, but this can also depend on the quality of the equipment and the hours of operation.
3. Review their membership options- some gyms require a one-time fee while others offer monthly or yearly memberships.
4. Review their hours of operation- some gyms close or offer class times at odd hours.
This might seem like a daunting task at first, but it will help in the long run and help you develop your fitness niche.
Tip 2: Choose the Right Location
A successful CrossFit gym is only as good as its location. Looking at gym locations is no easy task. Sometimes you find the perfect place to rent, but the owners don't want you to "destroy their floors or be too loud". Nothing worse than a CrossFit gym with no music and a weight-dropping rule. Some of your best areas to look into are industrial parks, warehouses, or being upfront with the owners before you tour the facility.
On top of that, you also want to make sure your gym is not too out of the way for your clientele. A 30-minute drive to the gym after work might not be everyone's cup of tea. If you can't get a location centrally, look for locations that are a medium between two towns.
Strip mall gyms can do really well too. It also gives you a great in with the other local tenants to give your new gym some shameless promotion.
Tip 3: Develop a Strong Marketing Plan
Research and location are important as well, but a strong marketing plan can take your CrossFit Gym to new heights. There are tons of resources out there for marketing plans. There are tons of ways to start marketing some require a budget and other methods are free. As mentioned above you can always pound the pavement and speak with local businesses to offer some classes. Also, ensure that you have a website and social media profiles in place so potential clients and leads can find you. Other methods include
1. Facebook & Instagram
2. Google Ads
3. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
If the task feels daunting check out our Add-on service PushPress Grow. Gyms can use it to help convert leads into members and develop a full-service gym marketing campaign.
Tip 4: Utilize Gym Management Software
Once you are ready to open you will want a way to keep up with your growing client base. Luckily there is software out there that can help you do that. When I first started CrossFit it was hard to find the right software. There are a few key items listed below that will help you find the right gym software and help build your successful CrossFit Gym from the ground up.
Can you add leads and clients to the database?
One of the worst things that can happen is a lead or a client getting lost in the shuffle. No matter how organized we think we are sometimes we fall a little short of keeping track of all the new names coming in. You want to make sure your gym software keeps careful track of your client base and their current status.
Can you contact members from the system?
Once your gym hits that growth stage and you start getting a client base in the double or triple digits it can be really hard to keep up with all the contact forms. That's not even to mention all the new leads that are coming in. Being able to contact leads and clients directly from your system will ensure efficiency. It will also ensure that the email or text was sent to them.
Can you automate follow-ups?
Every successful CrossFit gym owner has had a client or lead ghost them. It's an awkward feeling, but having automated follow-ups can reduce the strain of having to contact someone for the fourth time. Statistics have shown that most people only open 1 out of 4 emails sent. Look for a system with a set and forget model of follow-ups
Does it offer any integrations with other software?
There is nothing worse than needing to link two software together, but being woefully unable to. On top of that having all your data in one place is helpful too. Luckily at PushPress, we offer a plethora of integrations that can give you the edge and help streamline efficiency.
Tip 5: Hiring the Right Employees
If you decide to hire new employees to help you run your CrossFit gym there are a few tools to help you search. If you need other CrossFit coaches two of the best resources are the CrossFit Level 1 Trainers Facebook group. From there you can put out a post and connect with other coaches in your area.
If you need something more in-depth try utilizing job boards such as Barbell jobs to find specific trainers in your area. This is a great resource for finding a list of qualified applicants.
Successful CrossFit Gyms weren’t built in a day
Starting a new CrossFit gym is both excited and frustrating. Creating a successful CrossFit gym can be even more frustrating. Look back to the excitement of taking your level 1 for the first time. Walking into that gym to get certified is a whole other indescribable experience. Remember that the owners of that gym were also in your shoes at one point. They started out with minimal equipment and grew to the point of being able to host seminars.
