Gyms Hope Clients Will Tighten Their Belts, Not Their Wallets

“Gym owners around the corner and across the nation are getting creative to keep members on the ball, and new clients walking in this New Year. Noelle Brownson, owner of Fitness Station, says she's made drastic changes this year to attract new members. ‘There's lots of incentives out there, gyms are waiving payments, they're doing spouses free, we've actually cut our prices in half and we'll keep that until we get to the membership numbers we want to be at,’ said Brownson. Historically, January is the biggest month for gyms, and is seen as the fitness industry's equivalent to Black Friday, setting the tone for the rest of the year. ‘January can be the most important if you can keep people... we'd love to have that influx of people but you have to do things to figure out how to keep people fit throughout the year,’ explained Brownson. The International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association, which represents 5,700 clubs nationwide, says it's too early to tell how gyms will be impacted by the economy this year, but it appears at this time high-end and luxury clubs are doing alright, while the mid-range gyms have to be the most creative. In addition to cutting her membership rates, Brownson is also adding group classes for the first time, and hopes new programs combined with good deals will keep clients coming back. ‘I think anyone who owns a business right now is very nervous about the economy, it's very normal and all of us are scrambling to figure out how to keep people coming through the door and to understand there is a good value here,’ she said.”

http://www.9news.com/money/article.aspx?storyid=107270&catid=344