Opening-your-own-gym-5-great-tips

Opening your own gym: 5 great tips

Here at GMIB we don't just do car and home insurance. We provide insurance for all sorts of businesses; small and large, local and national. This is the second post in our series of articles with useful tips and tricks if you are thinking of taking the plunge and setting up your own business. Last week we covered restaurants: 7 Smart Tips To Get Your New Restaurant Off The Ground. If you're thinking of starting your own business, be sure to check back, or let us know if there's any particular business or topic you'd like us to cover.

Passionate about fitness? With so many people becoming more and more interested in getting in shape and staying healthy, opening up a gym could be the perfect venture for you. At GMIB we know that setting up your own business from scratch can be daunting to say the least so here are some handy pointers to help you on your way.

1. Choose your location

As with any business, location is key. Ideally you should select somewhere in or around a well-populated area where competition is minimal or at least manageable. If there are already a number of gyms in the area it might be difficult to get started but offering unique classes and highly competitive prices could be enough to entice new customers. Of course the premises itself needs to be large enough to hold all of your equipment with additional space for changing rooms, a reception and an area for classes.

2. Equipment

Choosing the right equipment is extremely important. Make sure you have the right amount of equipment for the space you have available. Too much equipment can lead to an uncomfortably cramped environment. Too little and you’re not making the most of your space. Shop around for the best deals possible but don’t just go for the cheapest option; the last thing you want is faulty or potentially dangerous machines lying around your new gym.

3. Staff

Hiring the most experienced, most qualified employees available is a vital step towards establishing a successful business. If your staff are friendly, highly skilled and passionate about fitness, your customers will spread the word and your new gym will be up and running in no time.

4. Prices

It’s important to decide on your pricing from the outset. This will allow you to plan your finances moving forward and potential customers will appreciate getting clear and consistent information regarding pricing from first contact. If there are gyms in your area, check around and find out what they’re charging for similar services. You will obviously need to take this into account.

5. Advertising

So everything is in place and your brand new gym is ready to go. How do you let people know? Choosing the right media and the right methods to market your business can be very tricky for even the most experienced entrepreneurs. Social media such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are the first port of call for many new businesses because they’re basically free, very easy to use and instantly accessible, but it’s very important that these accounts are managed carefully intelligently to maximize their reach and efficiency. Local print media may also be a good route to go down, perhaps in conjunction with special offers or discounts specific to these ads. Setting up your own independent website may also be beneficial, as might investing in radio or even television ads if your budget allows.

We hope you found this article informative. For more great advice, check out our blog.

If you’re in the market for commercial insurance please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’ll do our best to get you the best deal possible.

All the best,

The Team at GMIB.ie