You can't be all things to all people. Yes, it may sound cliche, but I see too many gym owners making this mistake. If you were to ask the average gym owner if they train fat loss clients, they'd say yes. Do they train high school athletes? Yes. Do they train bodybuilders? Yes. How about marathon runners? Yep they do that too. They would probably put your dog on a treadmill if it means you are going to pay them.
What's their gym's specialty? Who is their market?
It's anyone who will pay them. And that's their problem.
Who gets paid more the doctor who is a general practitioner, or the one who specializes in a certain area? The specialist.
In the gym business it's no different. If your market is athletes be the expert in that area. If it's lifestyle enhancement own that market.
When you own your market it makes it much harder for competition to come in and hurt your business. You've established yourself as the expert. You know who your ideal client is and everything you do is targeted to attract that client. You market exclusively to them. Your gym is built for them. And your message is geared towards them. As a result people will seek your gym out and pay more to be a member because you are the expert.
Most gyms don't know who their market and ideal client is. So they brand themselves to try to appeal to everyone, they market to everyone, and never become known as the go too gym for a specific solution. Instead they slowly kill themselves by trying to be all things to everyone.
If you try to be the gym for everybody you become a "Jack of all trades, but master of none." Therefore, you will never master one area and become the local expert and the gym known for a specialty.
Why? Well, how can you market the gym to both athletes and adults without sending a conflicting message. In one ad you're claiming you're the area's weight loss expert, and in another you're claiming to be the area's speed and strength guy. Not only does this never allow your marketing to build any traction and create top of mind awareness. The overweight female doesn't want to workout with athletes because she is self conscious and intimidated by the athletes. And the athlete doesn't want to workout with his mom.
You can build your business to serve any market you choose, but you can't be all things to everyone. Pick one, master it and then own it!
No comments:
Post a Comment