Franchises of fitness clubs and gyms - be healthy and rich!

Opening a fitness club is a promising area of ​​activity. Every year, attendance at gyms and sports complexes is growing. People are increasingly starting to take care of their health and play sports. You can organize your own sports center either independently or by purchasing a franchise of a well-known brand.

Opening a fitness center is a good business option

Advantages of opening a sports club franchise

Before purchasing a sports club franchise, you need to carefully evaluate all the pros and cons. This option of starting your own business has many advantages. They are as follows:

• A fitness club franchise is comprehensive support for an entrepreneur both at the initial stage of business development and during the work process. The franchisor helps you choose a premises and provides the opportunity to purchase equipment and exercise equipment at a favorable price.
• All necessary methodological instructions are provided for the work, and personnel are trained.
• The franchisor offers the entrepreneur a ready-made business plan, the use of a well-known name, and gives proven advice on running a business.

This type of activity also has its disadvantages. First of all, the buyer is forced to comply with certain restrictions, and therefore he is deprived of the opportunity to realize his ideas.

Important! A businessman will be directly dependent on the brand. If the reputation of the main company for some reason begins to decline, then all the clubs of this brand will suffer.

Using a franchise gives you the opportunity to work under a well-known brand

Opening a fitness club as a franchise: action plan

To open a fitness club, the following steps are required:

• Study the proposed franchises and promising fitness areas.
• Register the business as a legal entity.
• Conduct negotiations with the franchisor, familiarize yourself with the work of the club.
• Sign the contract.
• Select and rent premises for a fitness club.
• Purchase equipment, select and train personnel
• Open a business.

Personnel must have medical records and have proven experience in the fitness industry.

Factors for choosing a fitness club franchise

To choose which sports club franchise is most suitable, it is recommended to seek advice from experienced entrepreneurs. Before concluding a contract, you should pay attention to the following main factors:

• The company offering the franchise must be experienced and have been operating in the fitness industry for at least five years.
• Availability of sold franchises that operate successfully in other cities.
• Terms of cooperation and royalty amount. This is an important point, since it is important for an entrepreneur to maintain independence.
• Provided access to brand business projects that will help successful development.

Important ! A gym franchise from a well-known company cannot be cheap. It is not recommended to opt for low-cost options, as they do not provide the necessary value for running a business.

An important factor in choosing a franchise option is the terms of cooperation and the amount of contributions

Fitness clubs: reviews from existing franchisees

Olga : “If you want to lose money, welcome to the Tonus Club . I have been a franchise owner for a long time. As for training and support at the pre-opening stage, everything is fine, the franchisor is working. After opening, the candy-bouquet period ends, the franchisor no longer needs you. Why? Because their goal is to earn 420 rubles by selling you a franchise. and on the sale of equipment with a markup of at least 100%. After this, your mission is completed. You may be dying. Your revenue will gradually fall. You will write and call the franchisor. And he will answer that you are doing a very bad job. You will die slowly and smoothly until you decide to take the last possible step - close the club, recognize all investments in it as losses and start a new life. But the franchisor is not interested in your problems, his goal is not the development of existing clubs, but the opening of new ones, and from which you can earn more and more. Leaving the network and closing the club costs 5 million rubles.”

Franchise acquisition conditions and requirements

Opening a fitness center on your own from scratch is very difficult. This type of business requires large investments. A gym or sports club franchise shows a success rate of 80%. A trusted brand immediately attracts visitors.

When purchasing a franchise, the seller requires certain conditions to be met. The main emphasis is on the room. It must meet the following requirements:

• the minimum recommended area is not less than 200 square meters;
• the presence of a bathroom, as well as the ability to install a shower;
• The entrance to the premises should not be combined with the entrance of a residential building.

It is best if the lease for the premises is issued for a period of at least five years. In order for the business to be as profitable as possible, it is recommended to look for premises near public transport stops; there must be a parking space.

Special requirements are also imposed on the franchise buyer. Entrepreneurs planning to open their own sports club must have capital to invest in the development of the business. They must have basic knowledge and undergo training offered by the seller.

Basic requirements for the condition of the premises

Fitness franchises: what they offer

Looking at the variety of offers for cooperation on a franchise basis, an entrepreneur can easily get confused. What’s most frightening is not even the number of proposals themselves, but the number of work formats. Well-known and not so well-known brands offer to open either fitness centers for women, or fitness clubs “at home” with or without a solarium, swimming pool, massage center and other things, or “technological” fitness or fitness “for the lazy,” or luxury or premium clubs, wellness studios, gyms and much more. The market for fitness services in our country is just emerging, so each company strives to occupy its own niche, in which it will have no competitors, offering its own methods and formats of work. It should also be borne in mind here that, unlike in the West, there is no clear classification of fitness clubs in Russia, so the boundaries of the very concept of “fitness” are very blurred. In Europe and America, there are four most common formats of cultural and recreational services. These are gym - training on simulators mainly with an emphasis on athleticism and bodybuilding, sport-club - sports sections and grounds for various sports, health-club - multifunctional centers with exercise equipment and group programs, and wellness&spa - massage, weight loss and health programs using physical activity.

In Russia, fitness centers can offer any combination of services and equipment. The requirements for companies providing fitness services are also not yet spelled out. GOST, which will outline the requirements for personnel qualifications, safety and environmental friendliness of fitness services, as well as the equipping of fitness centers with specialized sports equipment, equipment and supplies, will appear in 2020 and will be used for voluntary use from January 1. Therefore, before choosing, it will be much more important to compare formats than such indicators as lump sum, investments and payback periods. The first step is for an entrepreneur to decide on the audience for whom he will work. If demanding clients with large financial resources are suitable for full-format clubs with a swimming pool, SPA center, sauna and areas well over 1000-2000 sq. meters, then in the middle or budget segments the range of services will be more limited, and the area will vary from 50 to 800 sq. meters.

Another important feature is the gender and age characteristics of the audience. So, in recent years, the direction of “fitness for women” has begun to actively develop in Russia. The chains are expanding mainly through franchising and have widespread success with customers. Women are attracted by the atmosphere of clubs, where they can work out in a women's group without being embarrassed by men, use light exercise equipment, and also actively attend classes after childbirth and recovery programs. Let's take a look at a few active women's fitness franchises.

Responsibilities of the franchisor

When concluding an agreement, the party providing franchising guarantees to partners:

• ready-made business plan;
• consulting support;
• conducting training for club employees;
• advertising on your official website;
• development of individual business models.

From the very beginning of cooperation, the buyer is assigned a personal manager who helps with the choice of premises, advises on repairs and equipment purchases. The franchisor will monitor the quality of the services provided throughout the operation of the center.

Franchise Description

With an initial payment of 300,000 rubles, you receive: commercial products (heaters and automation) worth 450,000 rubles at retail prices; product training: how it works, benefits, etc.; training in sales techniques; layouts of advertising and handout materials; landing page with a customized advertising campaign; support of first and complex transactions; unlimited consultations by email and telephone; calculations and design of heating for your clients’ facilities; assembly of control and automation panels; legal support;

Necessary investments in a fitness club franchise

To open a fitness center as a franchise, you must have a starting capital of at least 700,000 rubles. Funds are needed for the following purposes:

• making a down payment upon concluding a contract;
• purchasing premises or leasing them;
• carrying out repairs;
• purchase of equipment, simulators;
• business registration, this includes payment of state fees;
• advertising.

Important ! The total cost can vary significantly depending on the city in which the business opens. If we are talking about a small locality, then both the size of the room and the amount of equipment will be less than in clubs in megacities.

The franchisee receives a detailed business development plan

Pros and cons of a franchise

Main advantages:

• ready-made solutions and well-debugged algorithms that allow you to work efficiently from the very beginning;
• a brand that has already earned people's trust;
• franchise support;
• the opportunity to save on the services of suppliers and architects, as well as launch faster.

The downside of working with a franchise is that there is much less freedom than if you open without anyone’s support, you need to follow the recommendations and meet the franchise criteria.

Recommendations

When choosing a franchise, you should first look at brand recognition, detailed plans, and how extensive support it is willing to provide. If the level of recognition is low, you will have to face the need to gain the trust of customers as if the club were not a franchise. The low detail of the plans will not allow you to rely on them in everything, and you will often have to act independently, as if you were opening the hall without help.

TOP of the best fitness center franchises

When choosing a franchise, you need to focus not only on the declared cost, but also on the brand’s reputation. There are many companies on the Russian market offering joint business to open sports clubs.

"Alex"

The Alex Fitness franchise includes more than 20 clubs throughout Russia. The company offers sports and fitness services to the population. Entrepreneurs who enter into an agreement with AlexFitness receive the right to use the company’s trademark, they are provided with a ready-made financial and business plan, and special conditions for the purchase of equipment. The businessman is guaranteed support from marketers, lawyers and accountants. Trainings and certifications will be regularly organized for fitness club employees.

"Zebra"

The premium franchise is very popular in Russia. The company offers gym services, conditions for martial arts, Turkish and Finnish baths. The company offers customers a complete business plan in the provision of sports services.

Popular franchises

By signing a franchise agreement with a world-famous company, it will be easier for you to promote your business. You can do this in the shortest possible time, starting to make a profit in the first months.

It’s worth mentioning right away that it doesn’t make sense to invest in this option in a small town.

The payback will be long, since the number of visitors is extremely limited. And for large cities, such a business will come in handy. Let’s consider several options that are in great demand.

World Class

Perhaps the most popular network of clubs in Russia. Today, residents of 26 cities in Russia and Kazakhstan enjoy visiting fitness clubs of this brand. Management is carried out by . It includes such clubs as:

• World Class;
• World Class LITE;
• FizKult.

The conditions in each specific case are set individually, so we will provide only the marketing program of the network that they represent:

1. On the market since 1999.
2. During this time, more than 36 franchise projects were introduced not only in Russia, but also in the CIS countries.
3. High percentage of recognition.
4. Privileges include staff training, marketing and IT support, assistance in drawing up a business plan, and solving architectural problems.

In order to start cooperation, you just need to leave a request on the company’s website.

Alex Fitness

This network is quite popular in Russia and also offers franchise deals under certain conditions.

Gold's Gym

The network of clubs with this name is known throughout the world. Only it is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest network represented in most countries of the world. This says a lot. The company itself states its advantages as follows:

• on the market for more than 50 years;
• the most recognizable chain of fitness clubs in the world;
• a huge number of regular visitors among world celebrities;
• more than three million customers worldwide.

Each franchisee must first understand what conditions are offered by the company and what is required in order to open a business. Below is a detailed table.

Zebra Fitness

If the conditions suit you, feel free to seek advice.

This network of gyms very rarely concludes franchise agreements, mainly on individual terms.

It is for this reason that the conditions for working with this company are not publicly available. It has been working on the Russian market for a long time and has proven itself well. Regarding franchise work, you must contact the company's managers.

Planet Fitness

Starting a business from scratch is always difficult. Planet Fitness is a network of clubs that offer to accelerate business development when purchasing a franchise. Let's consider the conditions.

Fitness Zone

The Fitness Zone network of sports clubs is a popular club in many cities for those who want to be in great shape. The conditions for drawing up a franchise agreement are special, slightly different from all others. Let's look at the table.

Fitness One

Another young fitness network is Fitness One. To date, about 10 clubs have been opened throughout Russia, which indicates untapped potential. We present to your attention the conditions for drawing up a franchise agreement, described in the table.

These are the largest market players. Working with them is not only convenient, but also prestigious. In addition to these clubs, there are others that may offer more interesting options for franchise cooperation.

Why is it profitable to work according to this scheme in the fitness industry?

A fitness club is a rather complex enterprise from an organizational point of view.
Firstly, it needs to find a good location in order to attract customers, subject to a low rental rate or purchase price. Secondly, it is necessary to clearly understand the approximate contingent of clients who will visit the hall and build a policy regarding it. In addition, this area is highly competitive. As a result, a potential consumer of such a service has a large number of options to choose from. Accordingly, companies have to look for new ways to attract and spend a large amount of money on improvement and advertising. Because of this, profits are seriously reduced.

That is why franchising is a profitable option for establishing a foothold in this area of ​​business. Thus, it guarantees the following advantages:

• The ability to use the brand of the company providing the franchise - this will allow you to quickly attract customers with minimal costs;
• Assistance in choosing, purchasing and installing equipment in the gym;
• Support at all stages of business organization;
• Simplification of procedures for obtaining permits and necessary documents;
• Assistance in finding a suitable location;
• Providing certified programs for group training;
• The presence of partners with well-known industry networks, which guarantees discounts on the purchase of both equipment and related products that can be sold in the club (from sports nutrition to water);
• Clearly defining the target audience and dividing it into groups in order to increase loyalty and profit level from each client.

How to choose a franchisor

A fitness club is not a business that you can open for a short period and forget about it if it turns out not to be profitable enough. That is why it is important to calculate your every step and decision in order to get the desired result.

• First of all, a franchise should be selected based on the availability of investment, since it is a very expensive enterprise. Next, having determined the upper threshold of opening costs along with a lump sum contribution, you need to find all suitable options. After this, conditions are requested from all selected applicants and compared.
• During the comparison process (or rather, even before it), it is necessary to determine a set of the most important criteria and rank them.
• It is advisable to become a client of potential applicants for the role of franchisor for at least a few training sessions in order to understand in practice the company’s approach to its visitors and employees.
• Also, in the process of analyzing all available alternatives, it is necessary to contact regular customers of the chains in order to understand why they choose this particular club, whether everything suits them, etc. This is the most objective assessment that will help to understand what the franchisee can count on.
• It is advisable that the franchisor provide assistance in choosing a suitable location as part of the service package, since the level of competition, the number of potential customers, and many other factors will depend on it. In particular, it is important to know the average income level of the target client, which will affect whether he is ready to go to a club in a particular price segment.
• No less important is the criterion of network development policy. This applies to the regions in which the company is developing. If it is widespread only in large cities (for example, in Moscow or St. Petersburg), managers may not understand the peculiarities of the development of this business format in the regions. As a result, this will negatively affect the payback period and profitability level.

Thus, opening a fitness club is a labor-intensive process, the implementation of which can be simplified by purchasing a franchise. However, even in this situation, the future businessman will need to learn to independently calculate the risks and consequences of his actions.

Conditions, requirements and cost of fitness club franchises

A healthy lifestyle is becoming increasingly popular among people of all ages.
If a person adheres to its basic principles, he becomes slimmer, stronger, more resilient and flexible. In addition, everyone understands that this allows you to get sick less often and live longer. One of the integral parts of this approach is regular training. However, most people do not have the opportunity or willpower to study at home on their own. It is these factors that guarantee fitness clubs a stable flow of customers.