Gym and Fitness Center: How to Open Your Own Gym Business

Gyms of fitness centers are profitable business ventures when done right. An important factor to consider before setting up your gym is the location.

The location should be easily accessible to customers and your preferred target customer base. The business is open to fresh ideas and new entrepreneurs interested in the fitness industry.

Health and fitness business is huge and billion dollar industry. Fitness centers play an import role in community service, and personal care. Eating healthy alone is insufficient for total well-being hence the emergence of fitness centers.

To succeed a gym owner needs to fashion a good training program, follow current fitness trends and buy the right equipment. Other considerations are type of fitness facility and community programs.

A gym is essentially an integral part of the host community and more than a business. You have to be passionate about fitness and cater to the right demography.

How to Start a Gym Business

Certification

You need to obtain professional certification as a gym instructor. Experience, good programs,  and certification are things gym enthusiast expect before joining a gym.

Join the appropriate associations and groups for support and insider knowledge. Strive to get proper training in small business ownership including health and fitness courses.

There are a number of regulatory laws guiding gym ownership. Check your state and local laws for insight.

You need to comply with regulatory laws by applying for permits and licensing. Other requirements are CPR training, hiring qualified staff, emergency plan and insurance cover.

Insurance is very important in the fitness world because of high possibility of injury.

Write a Business Plan

You need to write a business plan to guide your startup steps. You also need the plan for future projections, funding, business structure and goals.

The plan should cover cost of equipment, location, staff wages and training. Others are yearly permits, insurance and licensing. Register your business as a limited liability company or sole proprietorship.

 Funding

Regular gym equipment's are costly while commercial gym equipment's are more expensive and difficult to handle. The major expenditure in setting up your fitness center is lease payment, equipment's and permits.

Ask your commercial bank for loans at a competitive rate. Loan approval is a difficult process and it involves collateral and upfront funding.

To reduce funds spent on equipment, gym owners use leasing or buy used equipment.

Review Services

What kind of service do you offer your customer? Services offered by fitness centers include weight loss programs, health and fitness classes, and rehabilitation services. Other training methods are high or low impact aerobics, yoga, cardio workouts and weight training.

Target Market

The target market cuts across corporate executives, housewives, sportsmen/women and youths. Make sure your program and equipment covers guided instructor seasons.

Offer bicep building, trimming, body building and cardio seasons.

Location

Locate your business in a residential area for better results. Any location with lots of human and vehicular traffic is also ideal.

Some fitness centers are located in shopping malls and large departmental stores. Make sure your gym is aesthetically pleasing and asses-sable

Marketing

Promote your business in fitness magazines, and local publications. Create community based activities in the gym to create a sense of community.

Offer free training seasons at least once a month to drum up new business. There is a likelihood that people who attend you free workshop become active paid members.

Other promotional methods are an open house party, newspaper advertisement, radio jingles and television advertisement. Use social media channels, image branding.

More promotional techniques are directory submissions and a website. Make posters, handbills and distribute them in your neighborhood.

 How Gyms Make Money

Gyms make money from membership fees and private lesions. They organize fitness programs for institutions, private organizations and individuals.

The membership fees could be a yearly fee or monthly fee. If your gym has lots of patronage you will make money.

Basic Items in Your Gym

In your exercise program you should accommodate strength and conditioning training.  Weights, gymnastic exercises and core strength movement are things to consider. Here are a list of equipment your can buy.

Rings are perfect for a variety of exercises including gymnastic exercises. Buy Pull up bars, Weight plates, Barbells, dumbbells, weight training machines.

Spend on thread wheels, jump ropes, medicine ball good for abdominal exercises including speed and power.