There’s no denying that opening a business is a daunting task. From leasing the space and finding the right equipment, to choosing the perfect staff and navigating the world of marketing, there is plenty to do. However, some of the most vital steps in achieving business success can be the easiest. Don’t believe us? Check out these 3 tips that will take your business to the next level and build a successful gym.
1. AVOID PROCRASTINATION AT ALL COSTS
We’ve all been there. As the list of things you need to get done piles up, you find yourself putting those troublesome tasks off until tomorrow instead of tackling that to-do list. Procrastination is a bad habit that can seriously hurt your business. To put it simply, it holds you back. Being too busy to focus on certain business areas is one thing, but putting them off in favor of activities that don’t generate revenue can be harmful.
So what is procrastination and, more importantly, how do we fight it?
Procrastination takes place in the brain and is literally a conflict within your mind. This clash is between the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for planning complex behaviors and making decisions, and the limbic system, which is responsible for motivation and seeking instant gratification. According to an article by cloud-based accounting software company Xero, the limbic system can kick in whenever it wants to. The key is to recognize when the limbic system is taking over, and redirect control to the prefrontal cortex.
Now that you understand what procrastination does, how it works in the brain, and how negatively it affects your business, how do you put a stop to it? Mel Robbins, the international best-selling author of “The 5 Second Rule” and the CEO of 143 Studios, shares her advice on how to retrain your brain in an insightful presentation.
2. KEEP A GYM JOURNAL
Let’s face it, we live in a very loud and busy world. While this age of technology provides endless possibilities and indisputable benefits, it can also mean more distractions. As you start your business there’s plenty to get done and keep track of. All this information can quickly clutter your mind. Fortunately, decluttering your mind can be accomplished with one simple method — journaling. Journaling is one easy but crucial way to focus on your main goal, building a successful gym.
By jotting down all of your schedules, goals, and achievements, analyzing your business and keeping your stress levels in check becomes less of a hassle. Experiments conducted by James Pennebaker, a social psychologist and member of the Academy of Distinguished Teachers found that journaling about stressful things in your life can actually lead to improved physical and mental health, as well as help people adjust to major life changes.
And many of history’s most successful entrepreneurs, including Oprah Winfrey, president John Adams, and Andy Warhol kept journals to plan out their schedules and reflect on their goals, so why shouldn’t you? Keeping a journal for work helps you keep track of all of your thoughts and ideas, allows you to learn from past decisions, discover new things about yourself, make improvements to your business approach, and even evaluate your business’ progress.
So what’s the first step in successfully journaling?
We suggest beginning your week by writing down three key goals. Throughout the week, keep your focus on those three goals and schedule your time around accomplishing them. Journaling helps you prioritize what really matters, thus reducing stress and increasing productivity.
3. FAILURE TO FOLLOW UP CAN HURT A BUSINESS
Leave no request unanswered.
When consumers are interested in a product or service, they do research beforehand to ensure they are choosing the best option available to them. These inquiries can come in the form of emails, phone calls, or requests online. Choosing to ignore these questions, or simply forgetting to respond, can be one of the most harmful actions you can make against your business. A successful gym will always follow up with leads promptly.
Martial Arts Business Daily quoted Bryan Eisenberg, a conversion consultant for Fortune 500 companies, detailing how failure to respond to a potential lead within the first hour of the request decreases the value of the service by as much as six times in the eyes of the potential customer. Not to mention failing to respond to clients is one of the easiest ways to lose money for your company!
In the martial arts industry, people interested in becoming students have many options to choose from. There are countless schools specializing in various disciplines of martial arts. If you allow a potential lead to fall by the wayside, it’s very likely that another competitor will swoop in and steal your business. This results in a lost sales opportunity that may never come back.
Opening a business is a busy and sometimes overwhelming adventure, but often it is the smallest things that bring the largest effects. Follow these 3 tips and watch your business transform before your eyes into a successful gym.
