Opening a new gym, fitness club or fitness studio is an exciting venture, but one that requires careful planning and execution. Those who fail to plan, plan to fail, so today we will be looking at a step-by-step guide to successfully opening a fitness facility.
We here at Ashbourne have been operating in the fitness industry for over 25 years and in that quarter of a century we’ve learned a trick or two. In that time we’ve not only provided countless independent gyms and fitness clubs with industry-leading club management software, we’ve also established our own thriving gyms. And those experiences have gone directly into this guide and our acclaimed Gym Starter Kit.
So whether you are launching a yoga studio, a 24 hour gym, or a specialised training facility such as an MMA or boxing club, our guide will walk you through the essential steps to start your gym successfully.
What will we cover in this article?
(you can also click to skip ahead!)
Step 1: Define Your Gym Concept
Before you open a gym, it is vital to decide the type of fitness business that you want to run and that aligns with your goals, budget, local operational area and many other factors. Opening the same gym with the same equipment in two different areas can be the difference between financial success and failure. And conversely opening the right type of gym in the right area can lead to success where previous owners may have failed.
As such, it is always worth finding not only the best location for a gym, but also the best type of gym for that location.
It is also worth stating that for the rest of this article we will be using the term ‘gym’ to talk about any of these different types of fitness business to help readability.
- Gym or Fitness Club: Tend to have broader appeal and allow for multiple revenue streams. Will most likely involve higher gym startup costs.
- Yoga/Pilates Studio: Much lower equipment costs, can create a strong community feel. Limited scalability and ability to set up multiple revenue streams.
- Boxing/MMA Facility: Benefits include high engagement, easily marketable, loyal clientele. Will require specialisation, safety measures and the right demographics in the area.
- Small Group Training (SGT) Studio: Significantly lower overheads due to space and equipment, but capped class sizes.
Gym Owner’s Tip: The type of gym you decide on will impact location, equipment, membership and marketing. An important decision for your gym business plan. For a more detailed guide see here.
Step 2: Create a Gym Business Plan
A solid gym business plan is crucial when you start a gym, fitness club or studio. It should include:
- Brand Identity: Define your gym’s brand identity and values. Will your gym focus on high-intensity training, a sleek, deluxe experience, community-focused charm or something else entirely?
- Market Research: It is vital to analyse the existing competitors in the area you wish to establish your business in. Ascertain local supply and demand for fitness facilities, as well as price points and accessibility.
- Revenue Streams: How will you collect payment from your members? How will you utilise other revenue streams such as personal training, retail, classes and partnerships.
- Budget & Funding: This should run through your entire gym business plan. Understand how much each stage of the set up process will cost. From startup costs to rent, equipment, staffing and insurance.
Ashbourne Insight: Many gyms fail due to poor planning, business infrastructure and oversight, ensure you have eyes on all your numbers from day one AND that they add up! For a more detailed examination of how to establish the right infrastructure and procedures for a fitness business, follow this link.
Step 3: Secure the Perfect Location
Location can make or break your gym. When scouting spots, consider:
- Accessibility: Is it easy to reach by car, foot, or public transport?
- Visibility: If the location is in an area that enjoys high foot traffic, there will naturally be more walk-ins. Conversely, a larger space might be available for a reasonable price in an area mainly accessible by car.
- Competition: Considering supply and demand is vital. Are there too many similar facilities trying to offer a similar service? What is your USP (Unique Selling Point)
Pro Tip: Industrial estates and retail parks often offer affordable space for larger gyms. Look here for a deep dive into everything from gym startup costs to the best gym locations.
Step 4: Set Up Operations
As we recovered earlier, having the right infrastructure in place can be the difference between opening a successful facility and a failed one. If your staff spend the first weeks and months bogged down by time-intensive manual processes and trying to identify who should be allowed in, it will make a poor first impression!
You only get to make a first impression once, having everything functional, safe, sleek and secure from the offset is vital to forging positive word of mouth in those critical opening months.
So now it is time to make sure you open your gym with the right systems in place:
- Membership Software: Gym membership software is vital for managing sign-ups, payments and access control. Attempting to do this manually can work in the short term, but it can bring severe mid-term and long-term negatives. Manual solutions will only ever get more time-intensive.
- Access Control: Vital for security and member satisfaction. Poor access control can lead to monetary loss, lower morale and poor membership retention. For a practical demonstration of the importance of access controls to a gym, click here
- Equipment and Layout: Invest in quality machines and optimise space for flow and profitability. For a more detailed look, see here.
- Staffing: Building the right team when you open a gym or fitness club is vital. For a more in-depth look, see here.
Ashbourne Recommendation: Automation and synergy between your membership payment collection and access control not only makes every gym safer, but it also vastly improves the customer experience. Ashbourne has helped countless partner gyms install access controls such as turnstiles and link them up to fool-proof biometric access measures. The results of that automation speak for themselves.
Step 5: Gym Launch Marketing and Sales
Marketing is vital during any period for a fitness business, but never more so than within the opening months. Marketing has some heavy lifting to do in those first few months, attracting new members with a combination of promotions and partnerships, all while forging and compounding a brand identity.
- Pre-Sale Memberships: Offer discounts for early sign-ups leading up to the opening.
- Social Media and Local Ads: Showcase your gym’s unique selling points, atmosphere and brand identity.
- Referral Programs: Reward members who refer or bring friends to your facility, start spreading the positive word of mouth
- Grand Opening Event: Free classes or tours to generate buzz and push through local partnerships.
Ashbourne Insight: Partner with local businesses before and after opening a gym to spread the word, gain legitimacy in the area and build positive associations early on.
Final Thoughts: Ready to Open Your Gym? (And What Comes Next?)
Setting up an independent gym or fitness club comes with unique challenges, but you don’t have to tackle them alone. At Ashbourne Membership Management, we’ve spent over 25 years helping gym owners and aspirant gym owners like you streamline operations, boost member retention and grow their revenue, all with intuitive software backed by real-world fitness industry expertise.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to optimise an established facility, our all-in-one platform handles everything from automated billing and access control to class bookings and powerful BI reporting, so you can focus on what really matters, delivering an exceptional member experience.
What sets Ashbourne apart? We don’t just build software, we’ve owned and operated successful gyms ourselves, so we understand your daily struggles and goals firsthand. Our solutions are designed by gym owners, for gym owners, with features like real-time payment tracking, seamless access control integration and customisable membership plans that adapt to your business needs.
Add onto that our dedicated onboarding, in-house support team and ongoing training, you’ll never feel left in the dark.
If you’ve enjoyed the article, we’ve poured our considerable experience into a definitive, comprehensive document called the New Gym Starter Pack. Written by gym owners, for gym owners, it is a one-stop guide, diving into greater detail on all the subjects we’ve tackled here and covering many more! Interested? Click here to download it for free, today!
Why wait to transform how you manage your gym? Book a free, no-obligation demo today and see how Ashbourne can save you time, reduce admin stress and help your business not just survive, but thrive. Our team is ready to walk you through our services, answer your questions and tailor a plan that fits your gym’s unique needs. Schedule your demo now here and start to understand what the future
