How to Start a Gym Franchise

Opening a gym franchise is one of many small business opportunities for investors or anyone looking to become an entreprenuer. Starting a gym franchise requires research and most importantly the beginning capital to open your gym and keep it open until profits begin coming in. Although gyms are popular in any city in the United States, they can meet with heavy competition and an unreliable customer or client list. Arming yourself with knowledge about gym franchises will help in your venture.

Things You'll Need

• Exercise equipment (such as weight benches, elliptical machines and treadmills)
• Free weights
• Dumb bells
• Real estate listings

Instructions

1. Shop for a building in the city of your choice. There will likely be many different spaces available for lease or for purchase. Contact the selling or leasing party to see each space. Find space that is on the first floor of a building because of the heavy equipment and tendency for weights to hit the ground. Decide how many machines you will need and how much space your equipment and other gym supplies will take up. Once you have picked a location, settle on the terms of the lease or sale.

2. Buy or lease workout equipment. This equipment can be purchased from many different workout retailers and wholesalers. Find the products and prices that are right for you, and determine whether you have enough capital to purchase or lease at this point. Have them shipped to your gym or rent a moving truck to pick them up.

3. Add special touches to your gym. In addition to the gym equipment, add free weights, exercise balls, resistance cords and a number of other types of workout gear to complete your gym. Also add special touches to the gym such as mirrors, water fountains or machines and lockers.

4. Purchase advertising space on local community channels, billboards and community newsletters or newspapers. Advertise your gym online through social networking sites and through the Yellow Pages and city related sites. Put up fliers at schools, doctors' offices and sporting goods stores.

5. Develop a deal and payment plan to attract customers to your gym. It helps to get customers in cheaply at first, and allows word to spread from person to person.

6. Hire employees to work at your gym when you are not there, and increase the credibility of your gym by hiring trainers or by obtaining training and certification yourself.

References

• Your Time Fitness
• Jose Rahama, owner, Your Time Fitness, St. Clair Shores, MI