How to Stand Out in the Fitness Industry with TeamBuildr

To stand out in the fitness industry, success is often associated with charisma, community, or creative programming, but the true industry leaders know the real factor that drives growth isn’t always what you see on the gym floor. It starts before your new member even walks through the door. Before personal records, packed classes, or glowing testimonials, there’s an initial assessment, a tour. A first visit that runs without friction.

The not so sexy part of success comes from streamlined operations. Seamless check-in systems to lead pipelines are what separates facilities that scale from those that stall. And new data from the 2024 State of the Industry (SOTI) Report proves it. Facilities that invest in smooth, repeatable processes are seeing bigger member wins and bigger business outcomes.

It Starts Behind the Scenes

How fast can your facility take a stranger and turn them into your biggest advocate? The SOTI Report outlines a powerful framework called F.E.R.: Find, Enroll, Retain. This is shown to be the core system that drives both profitability and member transformation.

Facilities that lead in all three areas don’t just make it easier for people to join; they make it easier for people to stay, succeed, and become true advocates for your brand. And when those results show up in someone’s story, a progress photo, or a five-star review, they become your most authentic and effective form of marketing.

The Numbers Don't Lie

The 2024 SOTI Report reveals one of the most encouraging trends in recent years: the number of facilities with 20%+ profit margins has nearly doubled, rising from 9.2% to 17.4% year-over-year.

So what’s the secret behind such a large increase? It’s not a big marketing budget or over the top build-outs. It’s operational consistency!

• Facilities that generated 50+ leads per month were 3x more likely to hit that 20%+ profit margin (45% vs. 14%).

• Those averaging 61+ first-time visits per week had a 50% chance of hitting high-margin territory—versus just 17% for others.

• Most impressively, the data shows that moving from a 10% to 20% profit margin often comes down to just two net new members per month. That’s around $50K in additional annual profit with average revenue per member at $175/month.

You’re not reinventing the wheel. You’re creating repeatable systems that work. When your operations are dialed in, leads are followed up with, prospects convert, members stick, and growth becomes predictable. As gym owners, we know the more predictability we can create, the better. 

Member Retention Is an Operational Win

When your backend works, your front-end shines. The two go hand in hand, and profitable facilities aren’t just getting new members, they’re keeping them:

• 62% of high-profit facilities reported churn below 5%.
• 44% had member lifetime value (LTV) over 2 years.

These are more than just retention stats, they’re members’ stories being told in real time. Every member who sticks around is building toward something, whether that’s their first pull-up or a half-marathon. When your systems make it easier for your clients to pay their membership, book their classes and stay engaged, you become part of their success story.

And that success? That’s your content. That’s your brand story. That’s the kind of marketing money can’t buy.

Let’s Break It Down Further

Your best marketing is the byproduct of streamlined systems and efficient operations.

• Happy members = referrals (still the #1 source of leads across top studios).
• Low churn = social proof (“I’ve been coming here for 3 years!”).
• Clean onboarding = high conversion rates and organic case studies.
• Better data = allowing you to make better decisions for your business.

The success of your members doesn’t exist without the success of your systems. As gym owners we know the time and commitment it takes for our members to achieve their goals and without systemized operations to lower their barrier of entry, everything else will unravel.

Final Takeaway

Smooth operations don’t just make life easier. They make everything else possible. They create the conditions for great member experiences, for consistent revenue, and for stories that spread.

So next time you celebrate a member’s PR or a revenue milestone, remember: it all started with a simple, seamless check-in.

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