The UK fitness industry continues to go from strength-to-strength, with more people than ever now having a gym membership (2024 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report).
With a range of fitness options available for consumers across different offerings and price points, leading fitness franchise Snap Fitness continues to achieve significant cut-through in the market.
Our most recent opening in Whitstable, Kent, achieved a UK presale record, meaning it opened with more members than any of our previous 90+ UK locations.
How did we do it? Here’s a glimpse behind the scenes of the great teamwork between franchisee and franchisor to get there:
A 10/10 location
Location is integral to a gym’s success and despite the competition and continued growth of budget gym operators, there are plenty of areas with latent demand for gym memberships. We worked closely with our franchisee to utilise his local knowledge and apply detailed location data and insights to pinpoint an area with untapped potential for a gym.
The result was Whitstable’s first-ever 24-hour gym, providing the community with a facility and offering they wanted and needed.
Gym design and experience
Gym franchising allows you to capitalise on a winning blueprint but at the same time, an element of flexibility to create a facility in line with the demographics of the area. By leveraging our own insights, as well as our franchisee’s key learnings from his previous four sites, we created an experience that appealed to the local market across this three-floor facility, offering more than the competition.
Operating within our brand design guidelines, we collaborated with the franchisee on additional ideas to elevate the member experience. This included incorporating a a state-of-the-art recovery area with massage guns and compression boots. With our guidance, Whitstable became the first Snap Fitness gym to introduce an infrared sauna, providing added value to members.
Creating a buzz
You only get one chance to make a first impression when you open a new gym. Working closely with our Support Office, the club achieved great awareness with a well-rounded marketing strategy. With a combination of targeted digital advertising, on-the-ground marketing and local PR, they created a significant buzz in the local area and capitalised on the level of interest.
Recruiting the right team
Our franchisee used all his experience from previous openings to support the team in achieving a fantastic presale period. Having a Club Manager in place early on meant the team were able to execute the presale plan effectively.
Having a team recruited well in advance of opening (we recommend 12 weeks out) gives them the time to build rapport with the community, as well as being familiar with the brand and the systems involved. This makes the whole process more seamless and takes the pressure of you as a franchisee.
An efficient and high-quality construction process
Working with our leading contractors and fitness equipment partners that know the brand so well meant a clear vision and timeline for the build-out of the gym.
Our trusted partners knowing the Snap Fitness brand so well meant a streamlined and high-quality build process completed in under 12 weeks after landlord works. This meant the gym opened promptly and on schedule, creating a strong first impression by meeting the expectations of the local community.
This article comes courtesy of Snap Fitness 24/7 the fastest growing fitness franchise in the UK, with a network of 99 franchises in the UK & Ireland and over 1,000 globally.
