The next generation are in tune!
"Check a young adults Instagram and chances are they're posting workout pics, are tagged in pictures from working out in your gym or from a competitors gym" says Fitness Warehouse Commercial's Brand Manager Simon Mitchell. In 2022 younger people are smoking less, drinking less, eating better, exercising more and are in tune with what's going on with their mental health.
In fact, research has shown that young people are drinking more responsibly than any generation before them. The Centre for Alcohol Policy Research states that the number of 18 to 24-year-olds who don’t drink has doubled in the past 20 years. Wow.
One thing I take from this is that young adults are ready to spend money on compelling fitness brands. What can you do to be at the front of the list for places they want to be part of? Are you on top of current trends? How much energy are you putting into your community? What is your programming like?
Incorporate wearable tech into your classes - Be on top of current trends and understand if are they suitable for your business? There's no point buying a bunch of whoop bands if your client type is not going to get excited by sleep data yet. But are they motivated by seeing their heart rate on a screen whilst doing the class?
How much energy are you putting into your community? It's an important question to ask yourself because your community is the lifeblood of your business and your clients are all wonderfully different in their own way. So how much energy should you be putting into your gym community? The answer may vary depending on the size of your gym and the amount of clientele you have, but a good rule of thumb is to just start by trying to spend at least 10 minutes a day interacting with members of your gym community. This can be done in a variety of ways, such as talking to clients while they're working out, posting on the gym's social media page and tagging clients in the posts, or sending out a monthly newsletter that adds value and includes members of the community. By making an effort to engage on a regular basis, you'll ensure that your community remains strong and thriving for years to come.
The Hustle Room in Adelaide's North Eastern suburbs is a great example of community engagement.
Finally, what is your programming like? Is it engaging, is it inclusive, is it fun and is it based on training principles? There is so much slap, dash and thrash in the fitness market. If you create programming that has a 'why behind the what' you'll bring clients along the entire journey and create brand advocates for your business. Anyone can thrash a client in a training session, but can you programme sessions that change posture and improve baseline health stats whilst being sustainable and achievable. That's the stuff that changes lives.
The great news is that the fitness industry is on the rebound following the post lockdown era. There's also a growing awareness of the importance of health and fitness, both for physical and mental health. This means that more people than ever before are looking to make health and fitness a priority in their lives and hopefully your business is the door they step through.
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