As I wrote yesterday, there are many different ways to deliver your service that don't revolve around the "1-month unlimited" model. You may not be interested...but your competitors (Globos and McGyms) certainly are.
1) In Ontario, teenagers can attend GoodLife Fitness for 'free' in the summer. The service is attractive to parents, who can't spend the time monitoring their child's comings and goings. At least if they're at the gym, they can't be.....finish the sentence. Right?
This is a prime setup for service sales, however. For me, I wouldn't want my teen running amok in a new weight room; I'd get her some personal training sessions. It ain't free anymore!
2) As fitness becomes more commoditized - with tracking apps, 'personal training software,' GPS-enabled shoes, and calorie counters - we'll see a split between access (free) and attention (highly-priced.) Some gyms have very minimal monthly rates - $15 per month - but high signup fees that discourage changing gyms. "I don't want to cancel by Pump membership...I'm only paying $15 per month!"....yes, $15 per month. Every month. For life. These gyms are dependent on new clients signing up to maintain cash flow. When that stops....
"Information wants to be free..." is the rallying cry of pro-access groups like WikiLeaks. It's a quote, taken out of context, by Stewart Brand. This was the original:
"On the one hand information wants to be expensive, because it's so valuable. The right information in the right place just changes your life. On the other hand, information wants to be free, because the cost of getting it out is getting lower and lower all the time. So you have these two fighting against each other."
Your opportunity lies in the split. Charging for one-on-one attention, or attention within a small group, is your key. Don't like the one-on-one model for total time spent?Fine...do CrossFit, but make sure every member has personal time with a coach every month to review goals and make recommendations.
Offer specialty groups for people who want to work on specific elements. Offer premium Attention services, like Personal Training, even if you don't want to do it YOURSELF - through subcontracted coaches. Spend TIME with people - something that's hard to do in a simple class-based model. Build relationships with clients, not groups. Demonstrate the gap between 'free' and 'expert,' and offer both. Celebrate the gap; widen the gap.
You are in a unique position to help people: by publishing quality free content, and then offering personalized solutions.
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