As the owner of a gym or fitness studio, your members are the lifeblood of your organization. And to get and retain those members requires constant attention — not just to the state of your facility and the satisfaction of your customers, but to the latest emerging trends that can set you apart from the competition. And although you might subscribe to a host of industry publications, regularly attend networking events, and spend time talking to your members (all three very good ideas), there is a much easier and more effective way to boost your customer base — local businesses.

Partnering with businesses around your community is one of the smartest and simplest ways to gain a steady revenue stream flowing into your facility. And it’s win-win, providing those businesses as much benefit as it does for your organization. Here are a few reasons why.

A Healthier Employee is a Better Employee

Studies have long shown that any increase in an employee’s health and well-being leads to a marked increase in their productivity. And it’s due to two phenomena, happening simultaneously — absenteeism and presenteeism. Absenteeism is a term describing a company’s financial losses due to employee’s calling in sick. This goes beyond the missed work hours, as it includes all that catch-up time they need to spend when they do get back to their desk. And presenteeism seems to be even more destructive – this is what happens when employees come to work dealing with a fitness-related issue. These issues are many and can include lack of sleep, an overabundance of stress, depression and anxiety, and poor concentration, as well as a decrease in cognitive function as a result of any of those factors. The truth is, when employees are physically fit, not only do they show up more at the office, they show up more while they’re at the office. 

The Fringe Benefit of Fitness

Like your own operation, businesses are always looking to get an edge when it comes to employee retention. They’ll do this by offering a host of fringe benefits to their employees, in the hopes that these will stoke favor and improve morale. When you partner with a company, and offer their employees exclusive access to your fitness offerings, you elevate those employees’ impressions of their own company in the process. Another win-win.

Local Impact

Another clear benefit of working with local businesses in your community is boosting your presence around town. The more businesses you partner with, the more your name gets out there in the ether, which will inevitably lead to future opportunities down the line. You’ll also build name recognition throughout your area, cementing your reputation as an integral part of the local community.

How to Attract Business Partnerships… In a Word, Variety. 

It may well be a good idea to partner with businesses, but how do you do it? The key idea is variety. The wider selection of group fitness classes you offer may be the key differentiator in your business’s success. And a remarkably effective (and cost-effective) solution is to offer Studio SWEAT onDemand. Studio SWEAT onDemand offers gyms and fitness facilities total access to a vast library of virtual fitness workouts, which can be taken on any smart TV, tablet, or other mobile device. We also offer a commercial program called Sweat Pro, that delivers our virtual workouts to commercial facilities, plus a corporate wellness program called the Sweat Force. To learn more about either of these programs or to schedule a demo, click here.