In all fairness, we’re still not completely out of the Covid nightmare, but we’re finally seeing glimmers of hope. Vaccination efforts seem to be paying dividends and we can expect things to get back to normal, or semi-normal very soon. This means that gym owners will have to prepare to get back in business. There won’t be much margin for error, however, and you have to get things right if you want a chance at surviving. Let’s take a look at a few tips for gym owners trying to get back after Covid.
Make Safety a Priority
If safety and security weren’t priorities for you before, you have no choice now. You have to make sure that you take every step that you can to prevent infections. You also have to show people that you are taking their safety very seriously.
This could be an issue that will affect your clientele way beyond the pandemic, and we still don’t know if it will be a recurring issue, so you may have to prepare to make some of these things permanent. You will have to maintain safe workout stations by using dividers, have sanitizer available near every station, improve ventilation, and also have people to enforce rules. Do not put that stress on your employees and consider employing security during opening hours.
Work on Rebranding and Marketing
You will also have to work heavily on marketing and will have to think about modifying your message. Safety will have to be part of your messaging from now on. It doesn’t have to be explicit. Simply showing people working out in a safe environment or using sanitary stations will be enough to show how your business has adapted.
Review Your Service Offering
One thing that a lot of people will be looking for from now on is outside classes. These were not curtailed as heavily as other activities during the lockdowns, and some users may have grown accustomed to them. You might want to set up an outside area where you can hold classes. This could be a major selling point.
Build Loyalty
Another thing a lot of business owners have recognized during the pandemic is the importance of having a loyal clientele and a way to stay in touch with them. Those who already had a solid connection with their audience will have much less of an issue getting them back when things reopen.
It’s not too late to build that, however. If you don’t have a newsletter, start one right now. Try to get as many people enrolled as possible and offer perks like access to special classes or an upgrade on their membership. This will be a very important tool for you in the future and will help you to get people to resubscribe.
If you want your re-open to be a success, follow these few simple tips. Making sure that you are committed to the health and safety of everyone is the most important part.