Observing the growing health consciousness with increasing spending power among consumers in India, Mumbai-based gym chain Your Fitness Club (YFC) is gearing up with wider penetration in tier II and III cities. Wellness India spoke to Rizwan Sayed, Founder and Director of YFC to find out more about his fitness venture, strategies adopted by him to promote it and his future expansion plans.
About YFC
Your Fitness Club (YFC) is the culmination of long years of preparation, contemplation and a thoughtful approach. Established in September’2009, the gym chain aims to provide friendly, comfortable and well maintained fitness facility at affordable cost. The operational value of YFC revolves around end user satisfaction. With an understanding that fitness is an experience of the body and mind, YFC works towards creating an atmosphere that can offer a perfect balance between members and their fitness.
USP of the brand
All the YFC gyms have sports nutritionists’ to support and guide members with their fitness needs which includes sporting, weight loss, weight gain and outdoor physical activities and much more.
Key to success
Understanding the product was the key to grow for YFC. We knew, how to run, operate and sell gyms, which lead us grow adequately. Providing the real time services to the consumers is the key to success for any gym.
Marketing activities
For branding and marketing activities, we majorly rely on digital and gorilla marketing- that is door-to-door marketing. Also, we often conduct outdoor activities, indoor group classes while giving adequate opportunity to the consumers to come and experience something exclusive.
Strategy to deal with irregularity of clients
For bringing the consumers back to gym, we take initiatives like calling the consumers and sending SMS reminders to them. We also offer them all kind of facilities, so the consumer may come to participate in it. A consumer joins a gym to remain active for longer.
Current scenario of gym industry
The fitness industry is growing exponentially in India. Gyms now are not only required for fat loss, injury rehabilitation and cure of lifestyle diseases, but they also are known for improving cosmetic needs like improving skin tone, natural glow etc by implementing breathing experience in the lives of the consumers. Gyms are growing in the country due to access of technology, which is making the consumers lazy and further creating aspirations for workout activities in them. Population is another factor which is filliping the overall growth of the industry. The gym industry in India is growing by over 25 per cent year-on- year. I see gyms are opening daily. There is stiff competition in the market, but gyms can survive if they know what to deliver, how to market and serve quality services to its members.
Expansion plans
Presently, in tier I, II and III cities, YFC has 26 outlets, which would grow upto 75 to 80 outlets by 2016. We are planning to expand in Northern, Southern and middle-Eastern regions primarily. The new outlets will be based on company owned, FOCO model and FOFO model. We are planning to expand in tier II and III cities targeting the potent business which lying there, as people have better spending power in these cities. Small town consumers don’t have many avenues to spend, thus, gym is one thing that the small town consumer aspires to go to and we are present in these markets.
