Fitness is a key part of many people’s everyday lives, and many people find a way to fit in some type of physical activity within a hectic daily schedule. This is where gyms come in: fitness gyms contain all the equipment anyone might need for their workout, with the added benefit of a qualified trainer guiding gym-goers. A gym might have excellent and state-of-the-art equipment, but there’ a problem that can crop up – how gym owners handle their establishment’s particular image and reputation. Because there’s a large number of similar establishments to compete with, it can be difficult to stand out, and hooking in potential regular customers while maintaining the current customer base.
Gym owners will greatly benefit in learning how to tailor their gym’s presentation online, so that users who come across any of their pages – be it on social media, or the official website – can get a genuine grasp of how the particular gym’s operations, equipment, and overall quality are. Presented below are helpful and easy-to-learn tips by gym reputation management experts that any owner can make use of, in order to stand out from the rest and highlight the strengths of their gym.
- Have a well-made website
First, it’s important to make the foundation for any online activity: the webpages. Gym owners should put up a reliable website for their gym, as well as corresponding social media pages on high-traffic platforms like Facebook. These are places where potential customers can find out the basics of the establishments: its name, its address, the business or operating hours, contact information, and so on. Websites are also important because it’s where owners can share crucial information about what exactly they are offering, like what types of gym equipment there are, what membership packages are available, and the profiles of trainers who are there to assist gym patrons.Â
- Pair it with social media pages
The website and social media pages not only enhance legitimacy, but also acts as the place for authentic information. It’s the first place customers will look at, so a good website should make sure that the information is up to date, and the gym’s best features and offerings are highlighted properly and professionally. It’s also important to make sure the website loads fast and has a mobile-friendly layout, for the convenience of anyone who’s visiting the site.
- Be active on social media
Having social media pages set up beside a website won’t be enough if these pages are inactive and give dated information. It’s important, then, to be active on social media. After all, many people use apps like Instagram and Facebook daily, and are highly likely to interact with any establishment’s page and get a better feel for what they are offering. Being active on social media means the gym and its management is happy to share information about anything new that the gym has to offer like time-limited promos and new equipment, or just generally anything about the fitness world.
Sharing content actively on social not only highlights the gym’s fitness expertise, but it can also make users understand that it is a dynamic establishment, willing to engage with customers and even answer their questions. Social media is also the perfect place to share customer testimonials, professional shots of a gym’s interior and its equipment, and other similar content centered around its activities. Customers who are happy and supportive of the establishment will then share this content to their own social media contacts, increasing the likelihood of engagement from new users.
- Encourage reviews
Another important tip for gym reputation management is to encourage customers to leave positive reviews on social media pages or even the website. Reviews are, after all, public, and can be the deciding factor for people as to whether or not they would be willing to try out the services a gym is offering. Great reviews can signal to potential customers that a gym’s service is excellent. Reviews that dive into specifics, like if programs are particularly helpful, the gym staff is nice and accommodating, and the facilities are properly cleaned and maintained, can be extra helpful, and will tell people coming across them about what positive things to expect about a gym’s service. Having reviews like this on social media pages will truly be helpful in boosting reputation.
- Handle negative reviews well
Finally, as with any service-centered business, negative customer experiences sometimes can’t be avoided. If this happens, and the customer leaves a negative review on a social media page, the gym’s management should answer professionally and carefully. Like positive reviews, negative reviews are publicly seen, and if a grievance is not handled well or if a customer’s problems are dismissed, then this can be a turn off for new customers. Be sure to address customers specifically. This means acknowledging what they found to be deficient in the gym’s service, apologizing for it, and promising to do better.
Responses should also be backed by action. If a customer had a negative experience with the staff, then training them to handle grievances better could be a solution. If there’s a bad experience with any piece of equipment, it’s always important to reassess this and see if there’s any machine or facility that needs to be changed, so as not to compromise customer safety. A professional and dynamic response to any problem that arises shows people that the gym treats its customers with the utmost respect and puts them first.
Becoming the Perfect Fit for Customers
Ultimately, much about gym reputation management relies on how a gym handles its customers and presents itself. It is a service industry, and the positive feedback flows in if current customers are satisfied with their own experiences in a particular establishment. This, in turn, encourages others to explore the establishment’s offerings, and they can look at it for themselves through well-made websites and exploring any related social media pages.
Properly handling customer grievances, encouraging customers to leave excellent reviews, and having professional-quality photos to showcase gym equipment and facilities and the gym’s profile in general all contribute to improving any fitness establishment’s reputation. Learning these tips and applying them can indeed help customers decide if the gym is a great fit for them.
