The summer months are a great time to enjoy time off from work, go on vacation with family and friends, and take your fitness outdoors. As a gym owner, June through August is a time notorious for low client count and membership rates. Everyone tends to see a dip during the summer months, and if not prepared, could lead to stress, anxiety, and desperation. So how exactly can we weather the heat and keep our gym operating smoothly during the slow summer months?
Failing to Prepare is Preparing to Fail
One positive to your slow season is that it’s super common for gym owners to experience, which means it’s not surprising when it comes. When creating your yearly budget at the beginning of the fiscal year, make sure to plan for the possible dip in client/ member engagement. Maybe instead of offering 10 group exercise classes per week during the busier months, you drop to 5 or 6 during the summer months to save revenue spent on instructors.
You also want to analyze your numbers from years past. Look at previous years’ membership rates by month, monthly income trends, incoming leads from advertisement campaigns, and any other statistics to formulate your prediction for how this year’s slow season will turn out.
You can use these metrics as guidelines for moderating your year-round budget and expenses to predict the probable summer dip.
Client Retention is Integral for Long-Term Success
Your existing clients should be your top priority during the slow season. Trying to generate new leads during the dead of summer can feel like an uphill battle, which is why your focus should be on the members you currently have.
Outdoor classes can provide a fun and motivating atmosphere for members who would rather spend time in the fresh air than be stuck indoors.
Themed “vacation” challenges keep members actively participating – by logging on to your website or app – even when they are away on vacation. Fun vacation themes can include uploading a GPS route map of a jog or bike ride along a beach or tourist destination, a “maintain your weight on vacation” challenge for users on a weight loss journey, or hotel room workout challenges designed to be done with minimal space and equipment. With some creativity, you can motivate your existing clients to stay involved and active, maximizing the chances they will return to your gym once they come back from vacation.
Catch Up on Other Tasks to Prepare for the Fall Rush
Take advantage of the extra time by focusing on various administrative tasks that set you up for the future. When you are running a gym or another fitness business, there should rarely be a time when you feel you have nothing to do.
When business is booming, some tasks tend to fall to the back burner:
Even when your checklist is complete and you feel like you’re just waiting around for more clients to walk through the door, it’s important not to be stagnant. Taking a proactive approach toward coming up with new and different strategies for your business is something you can always improve on, regardless of how much you have already done.
The summer is the perfect time to hire and train staff and pull together all the materials to get your new ventures off the ground. Even better, revenue streams like paid online exercise or nutrition tutorials from qualified trainers will earn money for your business passively and help offset the lack of membership dues coming in during the summer.
Focus on Maintaining Staff Morale and Performance
With times feeling slow, it can be difficult for your staff to maintain motivation. Look to invest in ongoing education, certifications, and workshops to keep your staff up to date on the latest trends and techniques. This can also help your staff feel rejuvenated and hungry once the busier months approach.
It’s also important to recognize and reward staff members for their contributions and dedication to provide a positive and motivated work environment. Those who work hard and contribute should be recognized and appreciated for their actions, especially when times are slow and there may not be a ton of work for them to do.
Conclusion
If you learn to use the slow season to your advantage instead of viewing it as a huge obstacle in your business plan, you will be miles ahead of the competition. Regardless of the strategy you end up pursuing, the key is to think of the slow months as an opportunity that allows you to expand and try out new strategies, while catching up with the basic administrative tasks that pile up over the year. The last thing you want is to slack off during the summer and give yourself a huge task list as new leads start coming in during the fall and winter.