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Who Is Your Real Competition?
Here’s something every gym owner needs to stop and think about.
Who is your competition?
Because it’s probably not who you think it is.
It’s not the local leisure centre.
It’s not the budget gym down the road.
It’s not the boutique studio or the bootcamp in the park.
Yes, they compete for the same audience…
…but only a very small part of it.
Roughly 15–20% of the population actively engages with gyms and structured fitness.
That means the vast majority of people are choosing something else.
And that’s your real competition.
The sofa.
The TV.
The dog walk.
The pub.
Comfort. Habit. Routine.
That’s what you’re up against.
The Problem We’ve Created
As an industry, we’ve spent years fighting over the same people.
Running offers.
Dropping prices.
Trying to outdo each other.
All focused on the minority who already train.
But if we’re honest…
we haven’t done enough to attract the people who don’t.
Because for many of them, the gym simply isn’t appealing.
It feels intimidating.
It feels unfamiliar.
It feels like something “other people” do.
So they choose what’s easy. What’s comfortable. What they know.
And we lose them before they even consider walking through the door.
If You Want Growth, You Have to Create Change
If your real competition is comfort and habit…
Then your job isn’t just to sell memberships.
It’s to give people a reason to change their behaviour.
And that’s not easy.
You are asking someone to:
Step into an unfamiliar environment
Do something they may not enjoy (yet)
Feel uncomfortable before they feel confident
That requires more than a good offer.
It requires understanding.
So What Do We Actually Need to Do?
We need to start thinking differently.
Not just about how we sell…
…but about how we remove barriers.
We need to ask better questions.
Why don’t people enjoy fitness?
What actually makes a gym feel intimidating?
Are we designing environments for beginners… or for experienced users?
Is our marketing speaking to people who don’t train… or just those who already do?
Are we educating people… or assuming they already understand?
Are we building relationships with local health professionals, GPs and community groups?
Are we visible in the community… or just waiting for people to find us?
Are we creating ways for people to try fitness without fear or pressure?
Because if we don’t address these questions…
we will keep getting the same results.
The Shift That Needs to Happen
We need to stop thinking like gyms.
And start thinking like behaviour change businesses.
Because that’s what we are.
We’re not just selling access to equipment.
We’re helping people change how they live.
And that means:
Making environments more welcoming
Simplifying the first steps
Providing real support from day one
Creating genuine community, not just talking about it
Meeting people where they are, not where we want them to be
The Opportunity Right in Front of You
The biggest growth opportunity in this industry isn’t stealing members from another gym.
It’s bringing in people who have never stepped foot in one.
People who don’t see themselves as “gym people”.
Yet.
If you can connect with them…
Support them…
And give them a reason to start…
You’re not just gaining a member.
You’re changing a life.
And building a far more sustainable business in the process.
A Final Thought
Your competition isn’t just down the road.
It’s on the sofa.
It’s in the pub.
It’s in the habits people choose every single day.
If you want to win…
You need to give people a reason to choose something different.
Ryan Charlesworth | Black Raccoon Consulting | www.blackraccoon.org
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