Essentials Of A Gym Business Plan

The turn of the decade has seen a rising number of individuals focusing on their health and fitness. 

People are now aware of the immense benefits they stand to gain when they enroll in a gym and are regularly visiting it to build their strength and muscles while losing unwanted fat and getting into shape. 

A greater number of people are visiting the gym or looking for a gym in their neighborhood because-

• Going to the gym is good for health and fitness. The exercises performed at the gym helps increase cardiovascular fitness through strengthening the heart and lungs and increases muscle strength through creating lean muscle.
• A gym has several equipment targeting specific body parts. It is not possible to have access to so many equipment at one place, whether at home or elsewhere, other than at the gym, thus making the gym a feasible option.
• Going to the gym helps build friendship since members meet other people there. Additionally, it has been seen that working out in a group is more beneficial.
• While working out in a gym, individuals are constantly challenged and thus motivated to give their best and workout at their best capacity, which is not possible while working out alone. 
• A gym provides access to trainers who have the expertise and knowledge to guide the members to exercise in the correct manner. Trainers provide guidance as to which exercise is needed to target a particular body part and ensures the members get exercise various body parts to get all round results.
• Visiting a gym regularly helps set a healthy routine. If individuals were to exercise on their own, not everyone could be bestowed with great will power and dedication to workout regularly and without any shortcuts. For the majority, a gym is the ideal place to workout and set a healthy and dedicated routine. 

A gym has a number of benefits which a rising number of individuals are making use of. The gym business is therefore a great business opportunity to explore. However, to beat the competition and to have a successful business, the gym business requires thorough planning at every step and this can be achieved via business planning service which ensures that all the factors are considered and included. With the help of business planning, the entrepreneur can have a clear vision of the proposed business and follow this vision whenever he feels like he is straying away from the goals. Additionally, a thorough business plan is especially important while applying for funding for the gym business, such as a loan from banks or NBFCs or seeking investors, because the business plan helps give a detailed description of the proposed business which can help the loan officials judge the entrepreneur’s vision and dedication towards the business and approve the loan if they like what is presented in the business plan.

Gym Business Plan

A gym business plan is an important document that is a great starting point. A business plan is defined as a written document that describes in detail how a business, such as a gym, is going to achieve its goals. The business plan lays out a written plan from a marketing, financial and operational viewpoint. Each business plan has some essential factors that must be included. These essentials include- 

Executive Summary

• • The executive summary mentions the goals of the business, such as why the entrepreneur wants to start a gym (probably he is passionate about fitness or wants to bring about a change in the lives of people) and who is the gym business going to be for, the target audience or the demographics. 
  • The executive summary also includes the mission of the business, which is mentioning the reason why the entrepreneur wants to start the gym- it could be because they want to make a difference in the lives of others or encourage individuals to lead a healthy and fit life or earn a living doing something they are passionate about, the mission could be anything. 
  • Along with the goal and mission, the executive summary also includes the vision for the business, in the future, the milestones set for the business and the achievements envisioned can be mentioned in the gym business plan.

Overview Of The Business

• • The business overview of the gym includes a detailed description of the purpose of the gym, speaking a little more elaborately on the mission, vision and goals.
  • This part of the gym business plan can throw light on the type of members the gym wishes to target, for example young teens and adults who wish to attain a sculpted physique or middle aged adults who aim to stay fit and healthy to keep future ailments at bay or older adults who need assistance with exercise forms and need trainers to help them meet their fitness goals.
  • Further the overview can describe the way the gym plans to meet its goals. This could include having certain cardio exercises and weight training equipment along with skilled trainers. It could also include applying holistic health activities by providing yoga and meditation classes, aerobics and zumba sessions, spinning classes or aerobics and dance sessions. 
  •  The gym can even conduct group activities and provide sports facilities such as basketball courts or squash courts or tennis courts which can attract different type of members, right from kids to adults keen on physical fitness via sports. 
  • The company overview of the business plan will have all these details elaborated in the document.

Operational And Management Details 

• • This section of the gym business plan must include details regarding the operational aspects of the gym. This includes details of the location for the gym, which needs to be decided keeping in mind the demographics, the spending capacity of the neighborhood, the accessibility of the location and whether the place fits into the budget.
  • Further, the details regarding the type of equipment the gym will purchase must also be mentioned in the operational details. It could be machines for cardio exercises along with weight training equipment and special facilities for specific classes such as Pilates, kick boxing, high intensity work-out equipment etc. 
  • The operational aspects also cover the details such as how many trained instructors to hire at the gym, the working hours of the gym, the number of cleaning and maintenance staff to hire, the monthly maintenance of equipment, etc.
  • The management details include information regarding who will manage the gym, the responsibilities of each staff member, the upkeep of the gym and it’s equipment, the handling of electricity and other bills, the management of the members, etc. All these details of the business need to be included in the business plan.

Market Analysis And Marketing Strategies

• • Another important aspect of the gym business plan, along with the details regarding the structural plan for the gym, the facilities to be provided, the financial, operational and management aspects, is the market analysis and marketing of the gym.
  • Market analysis refers to studying the other competitors and the market. This includes finding answers to questions such as What are the other gyms offering? Why are customers going there? What are the competitors subscription charges? How can the proposed gym business be different? What unique features or services is it going to offer? 
  • It even includes study of the locality, the demographics, the targeted audience and their likes, preferences, etc.
  • The market analysis also gives an idea about the kinds of fitness trends that are in demand and popular and why are they so. The business plan can include the proposed plans of the gym that are in keeping with the latest fitness trends.
  • Apart from market analysis, the business plan must include marketing plans for the business. This can include strategies to be applied for attracting more members such as special discounts, promotional offers, couple or group membership offers, etc. Further the gym can even mention social and community activities it plans to undertake to advertise about the business and also be socially responsible and relevant.

Capital Requirements

• • The financial requirements and how they will be fulfilled must also be mentioned in the gym business plan.
  • The business plan is written in such detail with the intention of presenting it to interested investors or loan officials who get a clear understanding of the proposed gym business because of the business plan. 

The gym business plan must be prepared meticulously, ensuring that all the above mentioned essential factors are included. Entrepreneurs who are starting a new gym business might be inexperienced to write a detailed and thorough business plan. Entrepreneurs can concentrate on setting up the gym business, which is worth the money and the hard work invested, given the entrepreneur is passionate about fitness and starting a gym. The other aspects such as creating a business plan can be outsourced by opting for business planning services, whether for a big or small gym business plan. Entrepreneurs who are wondering how to start a gym can thus ensure that their dream becomes a reality, with the help from experts at deAsra for every aspect of the business.