4. Not creating systems

"Let systems run the business..."

Michael Gerber

But who has time to develop systems when they're starting a business? Well, when you consider that 94% of problems with a business are systems driven and only 6% due to people (Deming), it makes sense to work on the 94%.

Here’s the good news: you already have systems for your business, even if you haven't documented them. You just need to get them out of your head.

Years ago, I used to type up static manuals for business processes but that's all changed. Now we create an online directory of every process and fill each module with video and screenshots or easy-to-update text.

This seemingly boring task seems way more interesting when you consider the big benefits:

Improved quality

Improved client satisfaction

Improved client retention

Increased referrals

A more professional perception

Increased perceived value and higher fees

Optimised marketing

Optimised sales

Optimised training

Optimised management

Improved team satisfaction

A higher business valuation

The prospect of franchising

I'll stop there but, honestly, the implementation and continuous improvement of systems is what separates the leaders from the pack.





5. Going it alone

"... and let people run the systems"

Michael Gerber, again



Most fitness businesses are started by one or two people who are running all the sessions themselves and trying to balance all other business tasks in their down time. This is OK in the very beginning but then it's common to get stuck in 'no man's land'.

You'll become too busy to do anything properly and your business will suffer, not to mention your mental health.

There are some tasks that could actually be done better by someone else for a cost that makes sense. Consider things like cleaning, bookkeeping, social media management…

Then, imagine finding an amazing trainer/instructor who could handle 12 sessions a week. Your time could then be spent on business improvements that are much more valuable than running sessions. If you're worried about what your clients would think, don't worry, you can focus on retention activities that may make them even happier than they were before.

The business is so much more valuable to a buyer once the separation of owner and operations is complete. In fact, it's nearly impossible to sell if you haven't done this to some extent.

And one more thing about going it alone... wouldn't you like to have a holiday?





6. Thinking you can't afford or not ready for the software you need

Software can seem expensive but there are so many benefits.

I have noticed how those who make the leap and fork out for good software suddenly find themselves signing up more clients. They become busier with more clients and couldn't imagine coping without the software.

On the other hand, those who hold off seem to be constantly struggling.

Why is that? Maybe it's because the software gives a more professional appearance, which attracts customers.

Here are a few reasons it can make life easier for you and your clients.

Good software efficiently manages payments. This gives you a consistent and predictable cash flow. The majority of fitness clients actually find this better than having to have the right cash or purchase 10 packs through a weird system. Direct debit is set and forget - for them and you.

It also efficiently manages bookings or scheduling. Clear communication around schedules is vital for your business. Why wouldn’t you optimise that?

This sort of software can help you grow. Maybe it's the retention work you can do with the software that gives the competitive edge. Or perhaps it’s the marketing capabilities they include if you integrate them with marketing apps.

However it happens for you, after some growth (if not from the start) you'll need good accounting software - not only to help you stay out of financial trouble but also to know your numbers, set targets and monitor your performance.

“That which is measured, improves”

Peter Drucker



7. Thinking you're too busy to spend time on service and satisfaction

To be honest, there were tonnes of "being too busy to..." type mistakes in the survey responses, but there was a lot of overlap so I've narrowed it down to the three key areas.

I've also changed the title of the mistake from "being too busy to" to "thinking you're too busy too". My reason for this is that these things are so important in the fitness industry that if you don't attend to them regularly they will come back to bite you.

They're not just “nice to haves” - they're critical.

If you spend hours on social media each day, that's great, but it may be more effective to to spare a bit of time on:

Improving your services (REFERRALS, CLIENT ATTRACTION AND RETENTION)

You're probably already continuously educating yourself on health, fitness and nutrition. That learning is an amazing building block for new services and the continuous improvement of existing services. Service improvement is a leading determinant for referrals, client attraction and retention.

Checking customer satisfaction (REFERRALS, RETENTION)

Trying to sense the vibe of customer satisfaction probably isn't good enough. You're probably too busy to have one-on-one chats with everybody, so consider using your software to periodically send out a three question survey. This could highlight problem areas fast, shows changes over time, and let you know the winning elements that shouldn't be changed.

Checking team satisfaction (TEAM RETENTION, CLIENT SATISFACTION, REFERRALS)

How’s the team doing? This should also be systematically checked. Even if you've got bulletproof hiring and training systems, when a team member leaves it's a major disruption, and a black hole for money and your time.



Keeping your team highly engaged and proud of the business should reduce team turnover and mitigates the risk of them leaving on bad terms. You need to look after your crew so well that they don't start looking for work elsewhere or, worse still, decide to build up their own client base in direct competition with you.

Some of the fitness people who helped with this article had ways of lessening the impact of these 7 mistakes through additional revenue streams like online coaching, online training courses and product sales. I'd love to hear about your fitness business if it's immune to any of these 7 mistakes. I’d also love to know I've missed anything so get in touch in the comments section to add your experiences.

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