What type of clients is your (fitness) business going to serve?

Not knowing the answer to this question can be a big issue, essential even, because a lack of clarity here could percolate throughout your business – making everything else more complicated.

For example, selecting a client demographic that is not available in enough quantities, or not able to afford your services, and your business will not get off the ground. In contrast, if you select a client demographic that is easy to reach, and can afford premium pricing, your business could be very successful.

The type of clients you choose to serve could make or break your business.

In the health and fitness industry, most people start a business because they want, amongst other reasons, to provide a great experience for their clients and help them progress towards their health and fitness goals.

It can be difficult to do this if you cannot send them a clear and well-defined message – and it can be problematic to send that message if you do not know who your client demographic is!

What are the Questions to Ask Yourself?

Understanding who your target demographic is, and thereby getting the right clients, is the cornerstone for growing a profitable business. But, how do you decide the ideal client demographic for you and your business?

The following questions can aid in determining this:

1. Who do I want to work with?
   1. We all have clients that we ‘love’ and others who we ‘dislike’.
   2. Ideally, we want clients who we love to help – but that is not always possible.
2. Who do I have the ability to help?
   1. You have a solution for your client, and it will help improve their lives, so you want to work with people that are committed (and disciplined) to implementing that change.
   2. Although we have to remember that we all have good and bad days. It is a partnership – there will be times you will be a support mechanism for a client’s discipline.
3. Will I be solving a big problem for them?
   1. If position your business as a luxury (high-end) service, and you are not also a ‘big name’, you are unlikely to attract enough clients to produce a decent net profit.
4. Will my target client demographic be able to afford my price and be willing to pay it?
   1. Some clients are willing to do what they need to do to meet their health and fitness commitments.
   2. However, others may be better off pursuing lower-cost options elsewhere.
   3. Do you market the business as a high-end (luxury), mid-price point or economy-priced service?
5. Does the target client demographic exist in enough quantity in the market?
   1. Once you have identified your target market, you have to ensure that the market is big enough for the business to make a profit.
6. Can I reach them?
   1. You can market to any demographic.
   2. However, your client demographic need to hear your clear message (i.e. marketing and advertising).
7. Will I be competitive in the market?
   1. What are your clients’ alternatives?
   2. If they have no time to come to you, or they have lower-price alternatives, your business may not be competitive.

Any time you give a negative answer to one of the above questions, you are creating a future problem for your business. Ideally, you want to answer positively for all the questions.

What are the Questions to ask Potential Clients?

Market research is the next step – otherwise known as getting out and talking to potential clients. It is advisable to speak to approximately 10-20 people – these conversations will help the business better understand the market and client needs.

The following questions can aid you in determining this:

1. What are the potential client’s’ current fitness goals?
2. How do they meet their fitness goals?
3. What are the challenges or obstacles they face in pursuing these fitness goals?
4. What alternatives do they have to meet their fitness goals?
5. What would success look like to them?

After you have completed your market research, compare the potential clients answers with the answers to the 7 questions. Do the answers align? If they are non-aligned, what are the differences?

If you are satisfied with the answers, you are now ready for next stage of your fitness business plan. You have now set a solid foundation for developing and executing a successful marketing plan for the future.

If the answers are not to your satisfaction, then repeat the process, taking what you have learned and using it to identify a new target market.