5 Things Americans Consider Before Joining a Gym
Location. Location. Location.
Does Your Gym Offer the Right Equipment?
Does Your Gym Provide the Right Value Equation?
Is Your Gym Clean?
Does Your Gym Have a Great Atmosphere?
Location, location, location
Location may seem like a no-brainer, but a convenient location is still key to attracting and retaining members. Americans don’t want to travel far to get a workout—and this is even more true now that so many can also get a good sweat from their living rooms.
Now, location still may be number one, but it has actually fallen in importance over the past two years. During the 3rd quarter of 2019, 60% of gym members said this was an important factor in their gym selection. Only 44% said so during the same period in 2020, and 47% this past Q3.
So location still matters to your members, but it shows that the consideration process has changed from pre-pandemic times. Gym-goers are weighing more factors more evenly—making it crucial to understand the other factors at play.
Takeaway for Fitness Professionals
If you own or operate a health club, gym, or studio, focus your marketing efforts and offerings on the businesses, homes, and clientele in your immediate area. Go hyper-local.
Does Your Gym Offer the Right Equipment?
Coming in hot on the heels of a convenient location for consumers considering a gym is getting the equipment they want. For many fitness-engaged consumers, equipment is the key reason for joining a gym in the first place, so it makes sense that this would be an important factor.
However, the “right” equipment varies according to your clientele. For example, if your clients skew male, that means you probably need more strength training options. Men are 1.4 times more likely to lift weights at the gym than women. If your members are older, they will be looking for a wider variety of cardio fitness options, particularly low-impact equipment.
Takeaway for Fitness Professionals
Understanding your consumers is key to understanding their equipment needs, so keep an ear to the ground for unmet needs.
Does Your Gym Provide the Right Value Equation?
Technically, the data says that low membership fees are the third most important consideration in a gym. But there’s more to it than that.
Low fees were much more important pre-pandemic; from Q3 2019 to Q3 2021 the number of gym members who report that low fees influenced their gym selection fell from 52% to 35%. The drop in how important low fees are when choosing a gym is the biggest change across all measured attributes.
Low fees are now on par with cleanliness and a nice atmosphere.
Takeaway for Fitness Professionals
Low fees matter, but not to the exclusion of other factors. The key is the right combination of location, equipment, and atmosphere, including safety and cleanliness. Once again, today’s gym consumers are weighing more factors more evenly—they’ll pay more if the value equation is right.