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3 Steps for Long-Term Success at Your Fitness Business

By KK Hart

We’re just a couple months into the new year, which means you may be still be looking to attract “resolution-focused” clients. However, I want to encourage you to, instead, focus your energy and effort towards long-term goals and clients—individuals who align with your target demographic and with your mission statement—instead of those looking for a quick fix, for a short time. As a Certified Mindbody Consultant, I call it a “reverse resolution” for your business!

This reverse resolution focuses on sustaining growth all year long—not just in the first few months of the year. Here’s how:

1. Focus on attracting members

Rather than focusing solely on promoting and catering to crowds of New Year’s resolutioners, target your marketing efforts on clients who have the potential to convert to becoming a part of your community with a long-term membership, not just a quick or cheap offer. Show them the benefits of your membership as early as possible and how you can help them reach their goals. A well-outlined sales process will ensure a quality experience that will make conversion simple.

2. Train your staff to welcome first visitors

When things get busy, your team may forget the importance of taking time to make every new client feel comfortable and connected to your studio. Take the time to meet with your team and reinforce each staff member’s role and how it relates to a customer’s first visit. When it comes to retaining new clients, every interaction matters. Develop a sales training manual for your team to reference that explains your sales process in detail and reinforces greeting and following up with first-time visitors.

3. Invest now; don’t be a ‘quick fix’ business owner

This is the time when you’ll likely see a sizeable surge in interest in your fitness business, but don’t let this fool you. The first few months of the year will fade and won’t aid your business goals if you don’t set the foundation and implement key systems needed for long term growth. You’ll want to take time to:

  • Review your KPIs. If you don’t know where you’ve been, you can’t plan where you’re going. Take the time to look at the metrics that matter, including revenue, recurring revenue, and retention, so you can set realistic goals for your business.
  • Create a marketing plan and budget. When budget gets tight, marketing is often put on the back burner. Don’t make this mistake! Your marketing efforts are essential to combatting inevitable client turnover and growing your business, not only in the first few months but throughout the year.
  • Think about retention. Getting new customers in the door is one thing but retaining them long-term is another. Whether it’s a referral program or a challenge, start planning how you’ll keep clients motivated throughout the year now so you can implement well before they start to lose steam.     

The takeaway: now is the time to invest, market, and ensure your business is set up for the entire year. Make this resolution to yourself—and your business. You’ll be even more successful this time next year.

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About the author:

KK Hart

KK Hart

Mindbody-Certified Business Consultant

As an innovative, boutique company, KK and the team at Hart Marketing & Communications develop, design, and execute marketing, sales, and creative services in partnership with our clients. Whether you’re a startup or an established business, we help with client acquisition and retention through specializing in effective, ROI-driven strategies to help you reach your target client in person and online, positioning you for consistent and strategic KPI (key performance indicator) growth.

 

A former sales and marketing trainer for many of the largest businesses in the world, with 20+ years of experience, KK works 1:1 exclusively and directly with fitness, beauty, health, wellness, and tech business leadership of many types: from the solopreneur/operator to corporate executives, and everything in between.

 

The driving force of our success, KK also has the tremendous privilege of helping countless independent business owners to utilize holistic best practices to implement customer-centric, authentic sales and marketing that drives results and profitability- regardless of industry or niche. She doesn't just know her stuff, she lives her values with long-time entrepreneurial experience (8+ businesses and counting!), diligent measurement, and a data-driven approach to how we work with clients.

 

With a focus on providing comprehensive, full-service support that spans every need from sales, marketing, digital ads, website, PR/press, pricing, and software optimization—our entire goal is to add less to a busy business owner's to-do list, so you can enjoy the benefits of growing and scaling professionally...without losing your soul or burning out in the process personally! Learn more and snag a free strategy session: kkhart.com

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