Tips for Running a Successful Fitness Business from Mayberry Athletic Club

From Daryl Hataway, General Manager of Mayberry Athletic Club

“Your focus on health and fitness should not feel like an item on a checklist, but rather your favorite appointment of the day, a home away from home!” This one sentence on the Mayberry Athletic Club (MAC) website provides a brief understanding of the gym’s focus and approach to running a successful fitness gym.

Situated alongside the Truckee River on the west side of Reno, NV, the MAC is a 5,000 square-foot fitness facility that focuses on five core values: Service, Ethics and Integrity, Innovation and Adaptability, Hard Work and Family. The MAC prides itself in providing the unique balance of a challenging fitness experience within a family atmosphere.

We had a chance to speak with Daryl Hataway, General Manager of the MAC, about what makes the MAC a place people want to come to and work out. We wanted to know those little tips that help them stand out as the preeminent fitness facility in their area. His advice is clear and connected to their five core values.

Keep Your Clients Happy: This may seem like a given, but you can’t be in this industry if you don’t have the ability to deal with people, money and time. Treat them well and create a community with them. Build a community by showing them you care. Listen to them and respond to them. Take the time to connect with them in person, even if you your schedule is crazy. Try to find 30 minutes to spend with them. They will notice and appreciate it.

Keep the gym and bathrooms clean: Customers don’t want to walk into chaos. Every class deserves the same clean atmosphere that the first or the last class had. Every member needs a great experience, and this begins with an atmosphere that is clean, professional and prepared.

Every new client gets a $100 MAC gift card to give to someone: This is by far the greatest referral program we have. Every now and then, we’ll do this with current members, but for the most part, this is a referral program that works great and is very inexpensive.

Training is tough, so make the experience as comfortable as possible: Provide towels, cold water, and post-workout snacks, and make them available every time your clients come in to train. “Our beautiful locker room facilities include spacious showers and shower products, ample locker space to store clothes, valuables and towel service,” Daryl added.

Much thought and detail also went into the design of the MAC so their team could provide many different types of fitness workouts for their members. But at the end of the day, it’s Hataway’s highly energized team, inspirational workouts and core values that allow MAC to build the fitness community they envisioned.

Looking for additional ways to improve your gym so your members continue coming back? Download our Member Retention webinar to get access to easy-to-implement tips that will help improve loyalty among your members.