The main reason online fitness communities are booming is that the model offers great advantages for both clients and fitness professionals. Clients receive not only fitness classes and coaching but also the benefit of being connected to a supportive community that keeps them motivated for longer. Fitness professionals enjoy more freedom and higher client retention because, when people consider leaving, they are not just leaving their workouts but also the supportive community. A recent study found that clients stay three times longer when part of a community compared to those who are not.
Is an Online Fitness Community a Good Business?
Unlike a physical studio, the cost to create your online community is minimal, and your reach is global. Some fitness professionals are making millions with their communities. Even traditional gyms use them to keep members engaged and boost revenue. An online fitness community is a smart investment for fitness professionals looking to grow their business and impact. Here’s a calculator will help you estimate your potential earnings based on community size and pricing.
Total Monthly Income: $3,120.00
Reaction Club Monthly Cost: $480.00
Total Potential Annual Income: $31,680.00
Getting Started: Find Your Target Persona and Niche
The most successful communities start small. Focus on one ideal customer who can benefit the most from your community. While you might have many potential clients, narrowing your focus helps you craft the right message and deliver maximum value. This creates a fantastic experience for that one person, which in turn attracts others just like them.
Example Persona:
- Name: Jessica
- Age: 34
- Family: Married with 2 young children.
- Occupation: HR professional in a construction company.
- Challenges: Busy schedule makes it hard to stay on track with fitness and wellness goals.
- Needs: Motivation and accountability to walk more, eat better, and live a healthier life.
- Interests: Enjoys Yoga and Pilates, and wants to attend 2 online classes per week.
Understanding your target persona like Jessica helps you tailor your content, schedule, and community features to their specific needs. This targeted approach sets the foundation for a thriving community.
Create Your Offering
In our example, Jessica needs a weekly step challenge, 2 online classes, a feed with wellness tips, and a community of like-minded mothers. This combination would make the community an integral part of her life, encouraging her to invite friends.
As you define your target persona’s needs, craft your offering and pricing. Don’t undervalue your services; focus on providing the right value for your customer. A well-priced, valuable offering attracts loyal members who see the community as an essential part of their lives.
Set Up Your Community
There are many community platforms available. Choose one that best fits your offering. For Jessica, the perfect solution is the Reaction Club app. It allows you to create step challenges, have a feed with motivational messages and community interactions, reward members for engagement, and manage online class schedules.
Here’s how to get started:
- Create a Reaction Club account (free for the first 3 users).
- Login to your admin dashboard: https://hr.reaction-club.app/login
- In the programs tab, click on the step challenge and set a start date and duration.
- Visit the ‘events’ tab and add your online workouts or workshops to the calendar.
- Click ‘invite members’ and generate your unique invitation link or QR code.
Reaction Club makes it easy to create and manage the features your community needs, saving you time and effort.
Make 10 People Love Your Community
The Airbnb CEO famously said it’s better to have 100 people love your product than 1,000 kind of like it. This holds true for your community too. Focus on making your first 10 members feel like your community is the best thing that’s happened to them.
Before scaling, build success stories within your community. Be flexible and make changes as you discover what truly satisfies your core members. Many communities fail because they prioritize growth over refining their offering. It’s normal for your initial offering to evolve, so keep an open mind and communicate constantly with your members to understand what works (and what doesn’t).
A great validation of success is when members start inviting others to join. On the Reaction Club app, members can invite friends directly, so once more than 3 people invite others, you’ll know you’re on the right track.
Grow and Scale Your Business
If you’ve followed the steps so far, you have a solid community foundation. Now, it’s time to grow! There are several ways to expand your reach, and you can choose the ones that best suit your community.
Referral Program: Encourage members to invite friends in exchange for a discount, freebie, or reward. This is an excellent growth strategy, as it brings in new members who are likely similar to your existing ones, fostering a sense of community and belonging.
Social Media: Ask members to record short videos about how the community is helping them and what they love about it. Share these testimonials on social media along with your invitation link. Authentic endorsements from happy members are powerful tools for attracting new people.
Paid Ads: If your community is growing and you’re ready to invest in faster growth, consider paid advertising. Create videos explaining how your community works, the benefits of membership, and the results people can expect. Remember to tailor your message specifically to your target persona to ensure you attract people who will truly enjoy and stay engaged in your community.
Remember, focus on quality over quantity. By attracting the right people, you’ll create a vibrant and sustainable community where everyone feels supported and motivated to achieve their fitness and wellness goals.
Tips for Success:
- Be Authentic: Let your personality shine through in your content and interactions. People connect with real people.
- Foster Engagement: Encourage discussions, polls, and challenges to keep members involved.
- Provide Value Consistently: Deliver high-quality content, workouts, and support that members can rely on.
- Celebrate Success: Recognize members’ achievements to boost motivation and create a positive atmosphere.
- Listen to Feedback: Pay attention to what your members say and adapt your offering accordingly.
