What will you need to do to make 2023 your best year ever in the fitness industry? 

We’ve asked this question to a lot of studio/gym owners and fit pros over the past 12 months. What we’re finding is this:

• They’ve hit a ceiling and are unsure how to continually grow their net client count, revenues, and profits.

   

• They’re not getting the team members they need and are struggling to find good people.

   

• They’re putting in lots of hours and don’t have the time or financial rewards to show for their efforts. 

Until they solve these problems, they’re stuck and 2023 will probably look a lot like 2022. If you want to step up in 2023, follow these must-have strategies.

1. Take a fearless look at the last year 

How did your last year go? Where were you most successful? Where did you struggle?

Assess your studio/gym across 6 major fitness business growth levers: Where were your biggest wins last year for marketing, sales, operations, finance, team, and business development? 

Now turn it around: In each of these areas, what did you need to do but failed to do? What do you think are the biggest lessons for each?

Your assessment and lessons learned form the outline of your business strategy for the next year. 

Where do you want to be 12 months from now with your studio/gym? What obstacles will need to be moved out of the way? 

Finally, how will you overcome the obstacles and succeed?

2. Plan to lead more and delegate more

Among the biggest reasons studio/gym owners stop growing is the owner (you) cannot carry any more of the load. You’ll need to get help. Focus on leading a team as you strategically delegate more and more of your daily operational tasks. 

The first set of tasks to offload are the management of your coaches/personal trainers. That means you hire a  “head coach” who will align your team with the core values of your organization as well as own the quality of the client experience your team delivers. 

Your next hire is a sales person (a “membership manager”). This person own the marketing and sales pipeline. They will find and drive in high-quality leads and manage the sales process to sign up more premium clients. 

Finally, as you continue to grow, hire a general manager to run the studio. This person manages the business and owns the profit/loss statement. With a strong general manager in place, you’ll be more free to focus on vision and strategy. 

3. Strengthen your marketing plan 

Double-check your marketing and sales assessments. 

What is working well in your pipeline and where is the pipeline blocked? First, look at lead generation. How are you attracting more of the right clients for your studio/gym, and how will you generate and capture contact info? Next, build a plan to nurture prospects and convert them to becoming active clients. Finally, have a system to deliver great value, and collect referrals and renewals. 

At NPE we have a 9-step Perfect Client Journey that maps out exactly how to take your “perfect client” all the way from attracting their interest to helping them reach their health and fitness goals to renewing them for the long term. 

Summary

With these 3 strategies in place, you can make 2023 your best year ever. Assess where you are across 6 business growth levers. Have a plan to delegate more so you can lead more. And get your entire client journey buttoned up, so you can attract and serve great clients who refer, renew, and help build your business!