There are tons of things to figure out when starting a new gym such as the location, the staff, and the type of equipment you’ll be using. 

You’ll also have to think about the activities you offer inside your gym once it’s built and running. These can include many different things options and can be hard to choose from. You as the owner will have to decide what works best for your gym and the image you’re trying to obtain. 

Here are some ideas for the types of things you can offer at your gym. 

Food & Drinks

Everyone loves to eat and drink. You can offer smoothies, protein shakes, protein bars, and other healthy options.  Some people have to squeeze in workouts throughout the day and might just forget to feed themselves. By offering healthy meal choices you can reduce the stress of your members.

They will thank you and it will allow you to make a little extra money on the side. The offerings of your food and drinks can be as simple as light and healthy workout snacks, sports drinks, or a full on healthy eating restaurant. Decide which works better for your gym and your budget then go from there. 

Supplements

You can also sell protein powders, vitamins, supplements, energy drinks, and more. You can buy directly from the manufacture or go through a third party source. Either way, selling these items can bring an extra amount of cash flow you may not have had before. 

It also positions your gym as a one stop shop in your member’s eyes. Where they used to have to go to the gym then hit the supplement store now they can get everything at once. 

If you don’t want to sell supplements in your gym try partnering with a local supplement store. Cross promoting is a great way to get your gym’s name out there and get more people in your door. Everyone loves coupons. You’re more likely to get business with them than with a simple ad or business card.

Promotional Items

Another way to promote your gym is by using brand awareness. Brand awareness is key in getting people talking about your gym and in the door. There are tons of advertising items such as water bottles, towels, or even t-shirts you can buy and put your logo on to sell to your customers. 

You can have a small area, typically by the entrance, where you have these items on display so people can see them. While the return on investment may not be significant, it does get people talking about your brand and you’ll essentially be getting paid to advertise.

Classes

There are plenty of classes such as indoor cycling, strength training, cardio/dance classes, yoga, aquatic, active aging, and so much more. The amount of activities and classes you can offer in your gym members is endless. You just have to find the right instructors and have a solid amount of participants for each activity.

Deciding on which classes you want to offer can also depend on the space you have available. After all if you don’t have the room for the activity or class to be taught it won’t be a success. 

You’ll also need a trained professional to dedicate time to instructing the class. Make sure before you start up a new class that the instructor knows what they are doing, cares about the students of the class, and won’t make you look bad. 

There’s nothing worse than having your members waste time on a class that isn’t producing results. 

Extras 

There are plenty of extras you can offer your gym members. These can include personal training, tanning, massage therapy, physical therapy, sports rehabilitation and more. 

Once again it depends on the amount of space you have and if you have the right staff to dedicate to overseeing these activities. 

Deciding what your gym offers can be a task. While you don’t have to decide everything up front it’s good to have the option to expand. By paying attention to your location when you build or buy a space you can leave the option to grow on the table. By allowing yourself room to grow you can implement new offerings to your members you may not have thought of at the beginning. 

The most important thing to keep in mind is the added value you’ll be bringing to your clients. By giving them more for their money you’ll be able to create lifetime members.

People who love your gym will spread the word and help you stay successful.