What do you do to attract members to your club who feel self conscious while working out?

Karen Jashinsky, Nicki Anderson and Phil Wendel discuss what do you do to attract members to your club who feel self conscious while working out in this week's Ask an Industry Leader. 

Q: "How do health clubs handle obese members who feel self conscious while working out in public?  What do you do to attract these members to your club?”   

A: I think the key is to make the member feel comfortable and to recognize that it might not happen right away. The more information the club has before the customer shows up, the more they can help this potential member. We connect them with someone that makes them feel comfortable and also help them get started without feeling like they are being judged. To really make a lasting impact, it is important to get them started quickly but not put emphasis on getting a scale from the get go.  We work closely with our clients so they are comfortable with their workout building their confidence so they never feel self-conscious at the gym. We insure they understand the fundamentals of the program we create with them always reminding them their fitness goals are a process not perfection

Karen Jashinsky
Founder/CEO
O2 Max Fitness 

A: I have said for years that Health Clubs tend to turn away the exact people they need to attract. I believe that is why small boutique studios are doing well, they are attracting those that feel self-conscious in larger settings. I have a studio with all private rooms to accommodate those that have had a bad experience at a gym. This population needs to feel valued. In a larger setting, they tend to get lost and feel like a face in a crowd. I’m sure there are some clubs that “get it” but for the most part, larger health clubs are still falling short of creating programs that not only attract, but retain this population. New Year’s is a perfect opportunity to create a retention program for those hoping to actually stick with their resolutions. Imagine if larger facilities created a “Buddy system” or a mentoring program that could take these clients (who typically drop off in a month) and actually retain them. It is programming and customer service that’s seems to be lacking in some larger facilities.

Nicki Anderson, AFP, CPT
Reality Fitness

 A: Let's begin with this premise:  65% of Americans are overweight and half of those, around 32% are obese.  If that type of individual wasn't welcomed, didn't feel comfortable, you would be virtually eliminating two-thirds of your potential market. 

Now some specifics:

1. Hire some staff that look like 'overweight individuals'...they can be trainers, front desk people, salespeople, etc.
2. Provide encouragement, especially from the Fitness Team....make sure you fitness team spends as much time with these individuals, if not more, than the already fit individuals that frequent your club

Summary:  if you truly want to grow your membership, make sure that your welcome mat is broader than those individuals that are already very fit! 

Phil Wendel
Owner
ACAC Fitness & Wellness Centers

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This post is a part of our weekly Ask an Industry Leader series. We post a new question and answer every Monday morning. If you have a question you'd like our Industry Leaders to answer, submit your question today.