5 Tips for Running an Outdoor Fitness Franchise

If you think you’d love to work in the outdoor fitness sub-sector but you’re interested in exploring some of the specifics that come with running a franchise and running your own business, you’re in the right place. Read on, and discover Point Franchise’s five top tips for running your outdoor fitness business effectively and efficiently.

Launching a fitness franchise and becoming an outdoor fitness coach takes a huge amount of effort. Exercise habits during COVID-19 shifted outside [Polar] and many are now choosing to stick with their outdoor routines, so there’s never been more consumer demand for a great outdoor fitness business. But with that demand? There comes competition, making it more challenging to build a successful franchise, achieve profitability and continue to thrive. 

Why start an outdoor fitness franchise?

There are so many reasons to consider starting an outdoor fitness franchise, not least a love of the role of an outdoor fitness business owner. If you’re an active person with a passion for fitness and a lot of time for the great outdoors, you’re probably perfect for an outdoor fitness franchise like SportsCool (especially if you’re also business-minded, driven and determined to succeed). Besides the high demand and lots of time spent outside soaking up vitamin D, here are the biggest advantages of running a fitness franchise:

• The huge amount of scope and space to find a specialism that suits you
• The ability to follow your passions (for the outdoors, for fitness, for business, etc.)
• The availability of lower-cost investment options that still yield high returns
• The ready access to franchisor support and training
• The dynamic and diverse working life that includes flexible working hours
• The endless room to grow and develop your franchise with time
• The access to a proven business model and an existing customer base
• The chance to help others and become a cornerstone in your community.

5 tips for running an outdoor fitness franchise

With a stronger sense of whether investing with one of the top fitness franchises in the UK is the right professional move for you, it’s then time to answer that all-important question: How do I run my outdoor fitness franchise well? Generally speaking, hard work and plenty of effort are the answer, but the following five tips get more specific. These tips will keep you on top of your game, or even a few steps ahead of your competitors...

1. Prepare for all weather conditions with your service provision

When you’re running your fitness business fully or primarily outdoors, you’ll come across a unique list of pros and cons. On the one hand, you’ll find that your overheads and running costs are considerably lower. On the other, you’ll need to be far more prepared for the changing seasons, whether that means heading indoors, closing up shop or changing your offerings in the chilly UK winter months.

Kixx, for instance, is an outdoor fitness franchise focused on the provision of football coaching services to kids between the ages of 18 months and 10 years. In the words of this franchise, taken from its website FAQs, “Sessions are held both indoors and outdoors and most sessions do move indoors during the winter months. [...] Any worries about the weather, you can contact the office or view your relevant academies’ Facebook pages for any updates that may have been placed.”

2. Dive headfirst into the world of digital marketing, especially SMM

Marketing is an increasingly digital game heading into 2022, and if you want your business to thrive in your local community, you need to build and maintain a strong online presence. Use Google My Business to put yourself on the area’s map, and then create a high-quality, easily navigable and SEO-optimised website. Plus, make sure you utilise SMM (social media marketing) in order to connect with customers on a deeper, personal level. Doing so will breed brand loyalty and trust.

3. Consider your target customer profile at every turn

In order to properly market, sell to, and offer support to customers, you need to understand them and get to know them. And you can do that effectively by building a customer profile and developing a system for creating and auditing those profiles.
- Jack Matsen, HubSpot

Never stop thinking of your target customer. They’ll never stop mattering to your business, and they should be at the heart of every service you offer; every new move you make and every marketing campaign you run should keep them in mind. If it’s not going to be absolutely loved by your ideal customer, why are you doing it?

4. Stay up-to-date on all the latest outdoor fitness industry trends and developments

Like any industry in today’s fast-paced world, the outdoor fitness industry is constantly evolving. New outdoor fitness trends pop up each month, and though staying up-to-date can be time consuming, it’s 100% worth it to stay on the ball in terms of what consumers want currently and what they might grow to want in future. Right now, for instance, things to pay attention to in the outdoor fitness space include:

• Tailor-made training programmes
• Virtual workouts and hybrid workouts
• Mini and high-intensity workouts
• Fast-evolving fitness technology

5. Incentivise new customer interest and existing customer loyalty with discounts and giveaways

Don’t think about offering discounts or freebies as losing money. Think about it as investing in your future. Incentives get clients in the door and give you the chance to show that your expertise is worth paying more for in the long-run.
- Tyler Spraul, Exercise.com

If it pays off in the end, it’s not a waste of money or effort - and if there’s one thing the consumer absolutely loves, it’s a free gift or a discount. Special offers are a great way to pull in new customers and generate loyalty within your existing customer base. What’s more, they can encourage a higher referral rate, bringing you yet more business with less active effort on your part.

Become a franchisee in the outdoor fitness sector with these tips for running an outdoor fitness franchise fresh in your mind

Hold these tips close as you browse the range of outdoor fitness franchise investment opportunities available to you and start the investment process, and stay on Point Franchise to continue your research. Discover five tips for marketing your outdoor fitness franchise and three tips for building a business plan for a successful outdoor fitness franchise.