Bedros Keuilian knows a little something about fitness franchises. Though he spends most of his time now as a fitness marketing coach, he is also the founder of Fit Body Boot Camps, the fastest-selling fitness franchise in the country. He explains that while there are a number of fitness businesses available, the top fitness franchises share three important common traits.
“It goes without saying that great training that gets great results is what sells a fitness business to the clients and makes that business successful,” says Keuilian. “But fitness entrepreneurs need to be careful about buying into a franchise. With a lot of companies, even big box gyms and the really well-known fitness studios, franchisees are put at a disadvantage almost from the get-go.”
Keuilian explains that all of the top fitness franchises, including his, share three common traits that will give new franchise owners a much better chance of success.
“One of the biggest things is financial accessibility,” he explains. “If a new business owner has to completely drain his savings and secure a huge loan to buy in to the business, they’re taking a huge risk. While a lot of our franchise owners are making enough to support the business within weeks, it’s not the norm with most others. With most companies it can take months to be able to pay the bills. Business owners need to have enough money to support operating expenses, marketing and so on while they’re building their business.”
Keuilian explains that all of the top fitness franchises have low buy-in and start-up costs, which not only enables people of modest means to own their own business, but also leaves them enough money to get that business growing. “Some fitness franchises charge franchisees as much as $200,000 to buy into the business, then want more money for equipment. These are the ones to avoid.”
Keuilian says another thing the top franchises have in common is that they support their business owners with coaching on best practices, proven marketing campaigns, business development and other things integral to the entrepreneur’s success.
“No one should ever buy in to a franchise that sells them a brand name, a logo, some equipment and tells them ‘good luck and don’t forget to send us our money every month’”, he says. “Most personal trainers have very little experience with sales and marketing, accounting, insurance and all of the other details that are a part of running a business. They need to choose a company that not only sells them a business but teaches them how to run it.”
Last, Keuilian advises fitness professionals to be wary of franchises that charge a percentage of the new owner’s gross revenue each month. “The industry standard is about 6-8% of gross revenues each month. Never mind that they’re not giving franchisees much support for that money, but it’s just not a fair practice in my opinion,” he says.
“I strongly advise people to go with a company that charges a simple, flat rate each month and actually does something to earn it. All of the top fitness franchises go with a flat rate plan, which I think is much better for franchisees. Why should you pay more and more money every month because you’re doing a great job of building the business? Unless the franchise is giving you more and more service for that money, it’s not right.”
Despite his words of caution, Keuilian reports that his fitness boot camp is experiencing explosive growth in 2014 and says that this is a great time for fitness professionals to consider a fitness franchise.
About Keuilian Inc.
Keuilian Inc. (est. 2007) was founded by fitness marketing and business consultant Bedros Keuilian, who has been named the “hidden genius” behind several of the biggest names in the fitness industry. In addition, he is also the founder of the popular fitness marketing blog, PTPower.com, and founder and CEO of the indoor fitness boot camp franchise, Fit Body Boot Camp.
To find out more about Bedros Keuilian and his fitness boot camp franchise, please visit http://www.ptpower.com/ and http://www.myfitbodybootcamp.com/.
– Courtesy of PRWeb