Don’t Call it a Comeback... Call it a Renaissance!

The Fitness Industry is set to grow post pandemic. Are you ready?

By Scott Wildeman

THE PANDEMIC WAS BRUTAL TO THE FITNESS INDUSTRY.

At the time of drafting this article, we still have clubs and studios closed in Ontario. The fitness industry has been the industry most impacted by COVID-19. We have been shuttered the longest and will continue to have customers wary to come back once restrictions are relaxed.

HOWEVER, there is reason for hope. Reason for optimism. We know that people crave a sense of community. We know people will look to professionals for their health and wellness. BUT, to capitalize on these factors, we need a strong plan. It is not just going to happen because we are allowed to be open.

The pandemic caused consumers to think differently about their health and fitness. Some were able to successfully train at home or outside. Some were not. Some were able to adopt online solutions, some were not. Some are ready to burn their masks and run back to their studios, some are still wary. The pandemic has impacted your staff and your suppliers / partners. So, what does this all mean to you as an owner/operator?

Here are four key items to think about as we emerge.

1. Take time to re-think your offering and your value proposition. Has your strategy statement changed? Companies should have a mission statement (your purpose), a vision statement (who you are and aspire to be) and a strategy statement (the how). As consumer behaviours and demands have changed, has your strategy changed?

Do you offer solutions that cater to the client who enjoys online or working out at home? Pre pandemic, Peloton was the fastest growing industry player. Can you be the local online offering for your clients who prefer to workout at home, or will you offer a solution to the member who would like both in club and at home? Remember, the number one factor with retention is sustainable habits. We have seen countless times where clients have the best intentions, only to be derailed by life. They were registered for that 5:00 p.m. class but their boss asked them to work late, or their child was not feeling well, or they got a flat tire - these are the small things that can derail an active lifestyle.

If you are now able to offer an omni channel of services, you have solutions to help members overcome these speed bumps. So, you could not make the 5:00 p.m. class….so what. You can now do that 5:00 p.m. class at 7:34 p.m. as it is available on demand. We will see you tomorrow! Do you cater to the personal training client who instead of coming in three times a week, will come in once per week and will have the rest of their program pushed to them, so they can do it at home or on their own schedule?

Remember, the key to retention is long term behaviour change. The key to behaviour change is having a plan and a schedule, but they need to be able to change that plan or schedule based on life’s speed bumps. Do you have a solution to adapt?

2. What about our team members? They have been impacted by this pandemic too! They have been laid off, recalled, laid off again. Many of them have seen their classes or client bases cut in half. Many have looked to other industries to find “stability.”

Really, you cannot blame them. It has been incredibly difficult on your employees. However, in the quest for stability, are they happy? Will they come back eventually? Do you have an olive branch for them to take hold of? Despite a good network of education providers, we all know that talented fitness professionals do not grow on trees. They are unicorns and we need to ensure we follow up with those that have moved on from the industry. Provide that avenue so they can come back, get recertified, and do what they love. Just because they took that life insurance job does not mean they are gone forever.

3. What about your suppliers and partners? You may not have been able to keep whole with all invoices or rent. Do you have a strategy to get whole? Have you negotiated a reduced amount? Do they know that their services are important to you, and that you value them as a business and a human? You will do what you can to get whole but it will take some time. Remember, they are struggling too.

4. Do you have a support network? It has been amazing to see how our industry came together over the past 18 months. We have competitors working side by side lobbying the government. We have built new relationships in our communities, as well as coast to coast. I know I have built new friendships not only in my city, but I can pick up the phone and call a friend in a different province to see how they are doing, and how they are doing things.

FIC is here to support you, the commercial fitness owner. We are a collective of owners, suppliers, and educators who all want to see the fitness industry in Canada flourish. We will continue to meet on a regular basis, both provincially and nationally. We will continue to lobby the government for incentives specific to our industry, and we will continue to help you as an owner / operator find solutions to help your business.

Some of our key initiatives this fall and next year are:

A. Continue lobbying federal and provincial governments for fitness specific supports such as making fitness tax deductible.

B. Continue providing you with continuing education opportunities. We are so proud to have partnered with canfitpro to deliver timely and meaningful content to you each month.

C. Continue providing you with business solutions. FIC has partnered with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). As a FIC member, you automatically are a CFIB member. CFIB has a full suite of services to help you as an entrepreneur. From insurance savings to management and leadership education, to networking opportunities.

So do not go at it alone. We are stronger together. It has been an absolute honour and privilege serving this industry association as president for the past three years. As we usher in our new president, I will continue serving on the board as past president, I am more excited about our industry’s future than ever before.

Scott Wildeman is the current president of Prescription to Get Active, a non-profit corporation that links primary care to fitness and recreation. Scott is also the past president of The Fitness Industry Council of Canada, where he was instrumental in lobbying federal and provincial governments on behalf of the industry.