Are you wondering how to open a gym? Are you in the process of starting a fitness business of your own? If you’re passionate about health, fitness, and people, then owning a gym can be a very rewarding experience. Starting a gym is an exciting venture, but being a successful gym owner takes more than just choosing a location and filling it with equipment! Follow these 12 steps to successfully start a fitness business of your own:
- Find Your Niche
- Get Certified
- Write Your Business Plan
- Fulfill Legal Agreements
- Develop a Budget
- Choose a Location
- Equip Your Gym
- Build a Strong Team
- Invest in Powerful Gym Software
- Start Marketing your Facility
- Open Your Doors
- Build a Community
1. Find Your Niche
The first step to opening a gym is to find your niche, or in other words, find your competitive edge! It is crucial to understand what other gyms in your area have to offer and how you can stand out. It can look different depending on the target audience, geographic location, and your existing experience with different areas of fitness. For example, if you have 5 years of experience as a yoga instructor and you live in an area with a lot of younger women, you should open a yoga studio!
Start by deciding which part of the fitness market you want to serve, and work from there. It pays to do some research beforehand, so you’ll know if there is a demand for the service you plan on offering. Additionally, it is smart to speak to gym owners who specialize in that type of training to see what their experience has been!
2. Get Certified
Once you have officially decided you are opening a gym, researched your target audience, and determined your niche, it is time to get certified. Knowing more about the job means you can talk to your staff on an even footing, which is helpful when interviewing. Also, you can step in and take over if any of your trainers are out sick. Most importantly, if you tend to train clients yourself, you must be appropriately certified! Although it is not mandatory to be certified when starting a gym, being certified is extremely valuable and can open a lot of doors!
3. Write Your Business Plan
As you likely know, there is more to running a business than just having a unique idea! That is why having a thorough plan that considers major details is crucial when opening a gym. Once you have understood how to open a gym of your particular niche, you’ll need to develop a comprehensive business plan. A well-written business plan is a great way to stay on track, keep ideas and goals organized, and build a source of truth to always refer back to. Here are some main components to incorporate:
- Summary: Think of this section as your gym’s one-minute elevator pitch. Outline what your business is as well as the specific services and products it will offer. Include your location and mission statement.
- Business Description: In this section, go into detail about the problems your business will address and the specific audience you plan to serve when opening a gym. Name some competitive advantages that will give your gym a leg up compared to other gyms in your area!
- Market Analysis: Research the competitors near you and perform a SWOT analysis. Identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of your fitness business.
- Marketing Strategy: Explore how you will attract and retain members at your gym through marketing and advertising campaigns. Go into detail about specific channels you will use, how you will brand your gym, and which messaging tactics you will use.
- Financial Plan: Lastly, calculate how much funding you’ll need to start, and include any existing financial statements and analyses. Be sure to consider the costs associated with running a business!
4. Fulfill Legal Requirements
Like any responsible business owner, you know that remaining compliant with the law is vital when it comes to how to open a gym! Legal compliance protects your customers’ and staff members’ safety and ensures your business practices are transparent and moral! The most critical license you need to obtain before opening is a standard business license or a permit from your state or local government that permits you to open and operate a business. Be sure to check with local regulations to learn more about your state’s process for procuring a license. Below are a few more licenses to consider:
- Building and Use Permit: If you’re converting an existing building into a gym or constructing a new one, you’ll likely need a building permit. Also, ensure the chosen location is appropriately zoned for gym use.
- Health and Safety Licensing: Given the fitness industry’s nature, you might be required to meet certain health and safety standards, which could include procuring specific health and safety permits.
- Music Licenses: If you plan on playing music at your gym – which is highly likely – you’ll need a music license.
5. Develop a Budget
The cost of opening a gym can vary greatly! Your budget depends on the type of facility you want to open, the size, location, and whether you buy or lease the building and equipment. Whatever the amount of money you think you’ll need to set up your gym, it is important that you add even more to that. It is always better to have more money than you need than need more money than you have. It is crucial to remember that your business could take weeks or even months to start meeting your financial responsibilities. When it comes to starting a gym, you must be prepared and create a clear budget plan from the very beginning.
6. Choose a Location
There are many crucial decisions to be made when it comes to how to open a gym. One of these include choosing a proper location! You’ve heard it before, location is everything! The location will determine your client base, your rent, the purchase price of the building, and what sort of premises are available.
If you set up in a place that has a lot of foot traffic, you’ll see more potential members coming in. You should also consider the target demographic and their preferences. For example, if your gym caters to young professionals, a trendy neighborhood or a business district may be the perfect location. Likewise, if your gym caters more towards young families, you will want to consider a community-oriented neighborhood. In addition, it is important to analyze the competition in the surrounding area. This allows you to find gaps in the market that you could capitalize on and therefore differentiate yourself from other gym businesses! Consider the following:
- Parking and access– how easy is it for users to enter the premises?
- Square footage– you don’t want a facility so large that there is a lot of wasted space, but you don’t want to easily outgrow it, either.
- Layout– an open plan with side offices is best. Avoid a space with lots of nooks and crannies.
- The strength of the floor– it must support a lot of weight.
- Light and air– no one likes training in a semi-dark, hot, and oppressive atmosphere.
- Permission to make alterations to the building– for example, hanging mirrors, building a reception area/juice bar, installing a door access system, etc.
- Cost– can you afford these premises? If renting, can you get a long-term lease? What are the get-out clauses?
- Impact on and from nearby businesses or homes– who are your neighbors? Will your business negatively affect them? Will they affect your business?
7. Equip Your Gym
For many owners and trainers, this is the most exciting part of opening a gym! Truthfully, a gym is only as good as its equipment. Fitness equipment can be bought or leased, and both options have their benefits. Leasing is less expensive in the short term and allows you to test out new tech before going all in. On the other hand, buying is more expensive in the short term but saves money in the long run.
The equipment you choose for your fitness facility will depend on the type of gym you’re opening and your target audience. It is important to spend lots of time researching and picking out the equipment. You should also consider offering a variety of equipment to cater to different fitness levels and goals! Buy or rent the best equipment you can comfortably afford and look for ways to accommodate multiple users for less money. For example, a rack of dumbbells and a few benches mean that many people can work out simultaneously!
8. Build a Strong Team
A successful gym isn’t just about having the best facilities and equipment; it’s also about having a strong team! While the right staff can add quality to your gym, the wrong staff can result in a toxic environment and canceled memberships. Building an A+ team is crucial to starting a gym! Below are a few things to keep in mind when assembling your team:
- Look for Qualified Staff: When you hire qualified staff, you are able to provide quality service to your members. Your team should include certified personal trainers, group fitness instructors, and fitness specialists who have training and credentials in their respective areas.
- Offer Continuous Training: Before opening a gym and even after your facility is open, you should provide ongoing training to ensure your staff stays up to date on the latest fitness trends, techniques, and safety protocols.
- Encourage Teamwork: As the saying goes, “teamwork make the dream work!” By promoting a culture of teamwork at your gym, you are able to provide better service for your members.
9. Invest in Powerful Gym Software
As you can see, a lot goes in to how to open a gym. When starting a gym, you should invest in powerful gym management software!
Every facility needs a gym software to assist with operations. Choosing the right software is essential! Gym management software is an all-in-one platform that automates and simplifies the administrative tasks involved in managing a gym.
Built for fitness facilities, RhinoFit offers the best features at an affordable price. RhinoFit gym software comes packed with the essential features that you need to save time and money. This allows you to focus more on growing your fitness business! Some of our top features include member management, automatic billing, gym check-in, workout tracking, website integrations, and more! With our unique tools and competitive prices, it is tough to beat RhinoFit!
10. Start Marketing your Facility
Congratulations! You’ve completed a lot of the hard stuff when it comes to opening a gym, and now it’s time to show off your new facility! As a new business, breaking into the local scene and competing with established gyms can be difficult. But with an effective marketing plan, you can reach the right customers and motivate them to visit your gym!
One of the most effective ways to market your new facility is through social media. Posting on social media allows you to reach a large audience for free! You can create social media accounts on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and even LinkedIn! After you have created your profile which includes your logo, business bio, and business information, you can start posting content! Post at least once a day and include photos and videos of inside your facility. Use hashtags that are relevant to fitness and your target market to increase visibility!
Beyond social media, make sure to hang up eye-catching posters on your windows and if possible, at any local coffee or smoothie shops. It is also vital that you have a fully optimized website that works on any mobile device! Your website is one of your most important marketing tools, and you want your site to bring potential members in rather than turn them away!
11. Open Your Doors
Finally! Now it’s time to officially open the doors of your new facility. Following these guidelines when you open a gym will make the whole process a lot simpler. Remember, first impressions start at the door, so don’t forget to welcome everyone who comes in. You’ve worked hard on opening your facility, and now it’s time to show it off!
12. Build a Community
As you know, opening the doors is just the beginning! In order to retain your members and bring in new clients, you must make everyone feel like they are part of a community. A community of likeminded individuals who share similar motivations. Keep your members engaged and gather feedback from them on what they do or do not like. Put this feedback in action and continuously listen to your members. As you get your business up and running, you should think about offering a referral program, hosting fitness events, and promoting giveaways! There are many valuable ways to build a fitness community.
Now that you’ve officially learned how to open a gym, it’s time to make your dream a reality and start a fitness business of your own! Starting a gym requires some hard work and dedication, it is an exciting and rewarding venture!