What if I said you could add a revenue stream that does this at your gym?
- Equals or exceeds the average revenue per member of your core program.
- Contributes 10 percent to your gross revenue.
- Reaches full capacity quickly.
- Attracts participants who have a higher length of engagement than members of other programs.
- Fulfills the coaches who run the sessions.
- Delivers on your gym’s mission of helping people live longer, better lives.
That’s exactly what’s happening at Activate in Kerry, Ireland, where Brian Foley has created and filled a thriving 55-plus program.
Don’t Do Everything!
I’ve long stated that gyms shouldn’t run every program under the sun. It’s a mistake to dilute your focus.
But a very strong specialty program is a huge win in a gym as long as the core programs are locked in place and running smoothly.
In coaching gyms, it’s very common for specialty services to target kids, older adults or people who need nutrition help. You’ve got other options, but those three are obvious winners—if you set them up properly.
Many gym owners don’t do that. For example, we have clients who generate 10-20 percent of their gross revenue with nutrition coaching. Yet the industry average is just 4.3 percent, with almost nothing left for the gym after the nutrition coach is paid.
In other cases, specialty programs start off hot and then crumble, becoming time sinkholes and money pits.
We work with a client who started a yoga program years ago with 28 people, only to have it bleed out to two regular attendees who didn’t even cover the cost of the instructor. He doesn’t offer yoga anymore—his mentor keeps him focused on fitness and nutrition coaching only.
We teach Two-Brain clients exactly how to build, price, market, staff and sustain specialty programs so they generate revenue and profit. But I want to give you a few tips here.
The first: You don’t need every program. You need the right program.
So use Goal Review Sessions to find out what your clients—and their friends and family members—need. If your best clients all have kids between 8 and 12, you’ve got an obvious opportunity. If your top members don’t have kids but mention older parents who could use help, there’s another opportunity. And so on.
Next, you’ll need to set up and price your program. You’re a fitness expert, so I won’t tell you how to help clients get results in the gym. I’ll just remind you that if you use Goal Review Sessions to show clients that they’re getting results, you’ll solve your retention problems.
And here’s a huge reminder: Specialty programs are not worth less than core programs. It’s common for gyms to charge less for kids or masters training, but they don’t need to. Expertise in special areas is not worth less than expertise in general areas. It’s actually worth more.
Then you’ll have to lay out your funnels: How will you get people into the program?
At Activate, Brian knows exactly how to get clients, and his program is at capacity:
1. He uses referrals from current clients. This is a documented, active process, and Goal Review Sessions are the key. Brian does not wait for referrals. He works for them.
2. Brian uses content in a local paper to build trust in his expertise and generate leads. He did his research and knows that a large number of 55-plus people retire to his area, and they are not receptive to ads. So he creates content for them, and he knows they read the local paper.
3. Brian created a web of high-value local connections: “We linked in with local physiotherapists, local general practitioners, orthopedic surgeons and rheumatologists—(they are) kind of main go-to’s who work with this particular demographic. So we made sure that we made a lot of referral links with these particular clinicians.”
One other big step: Use free consultations to build trust with prospective clients. This is good policy with every demographic, but it’s essential with older adults. Similarly, one-on-one on-ramps are best practice with every new client; they are non-negotiable with the 55-plus crowd.
This is simple stuff but it’s not easy. Too many gym owners skip steps, and their programs flounder.
Need Help?
If I boil it down, your specialty program will thrive if:
- You know your market and set up clog-free funnels.
- You price your program according to the value you deliver.
- You bring people in with free consultations and one-on-one on-ramps.
- You get results and show them to clients.
- You stay focused on the right specialty program, not every program.
I hope this info helps you.
Our mentors help clients set up new specialty programs fast after market research and testing. In fact, Brian—who is also one of our mentors—believes you can make huge progress on a 55-plus program in about a week, if you do it right.
Get started today! And if you want a mentor’s help generating new revenue with high-speed, done-for-you resources and accountability, book a call here.
