What’s more expensive- the $40 gym membership you never use (and therefore, never progress), or the $200 membership where you show up often, lose body fat, get stronger, and find a great community to be around? Okay, that might be a leading question…but let’s talk about money!
Expensive vs. Value-Added
The first thing I want you to remember is this: people who pay, pay attention.
I’ve offered MANY friends and family my expertise for free because I felt I could help. Do you know how many of them actually take action? Maybe one out of twenty!
Cheaper is rarely better. If you spend a lot of money on something (car, jewelry, etc.), then you know you’re typically going to take care of that thing better than than you would one of your cheaper purchases. What matters is value, or what you actually get for your money.
Perceived Value
In the book, “The Go-Giver,” Bob Burg writes about The Law of Value. It states,:
“Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.”
How does this apply to us at Locomotion Fitness?
Let’s be honest, we’re probably the most expensive gym in our area. The personal training memberships we offer can get upwards of $1,000/month (yes, people are on that plan), and small group memberships are $128-$218/month, depending on how many times you want to come in.
Of course, when you break down the $ per class, group memberships are actually only $10-$15/class, but we still often hear that we’re expensive.
Expensive compared to what? The globo gym where you pay $40/month for equipment you don’t know how to use? The other micro gyms in the area that don’t cap their classes, so you’re in a class with 25 other people and only one coach?
When it comes down to it, it’s not about the dollar amount. It’s about perceived value.
Look at it this way. Someone buys an $75,000 BMW because they appreciate the engineering, aesthetics, and history of the brand. It may be 3x as expensive as the other car options that can still get you from point A to point B, but there is value in the consumer’s eyes.
Our Value to You
When you join us at Loco, you may be thinking that you’re just joining a gym. You’ll be wrong. The reason we’re “expensive” is because of our investment efforts. We invest in our members, and our staff. We invest in giving our members an experience they won’t get elsewhere.
You’re not paying for access to some equipment, half of which you don’t even know how to use. You’re paying for coaching. You’re paying for a change in lifestyle. For a place that, in many cases, can become the social hub of your daily routine.
While classes may only last 60-minutes, our members hang around for twice that time AFTER they finish their workout! Being part of a community of like-minded individuals will, without a doubt, increase your chances of success.
Keep in mind that Loco is not the right place for everyone. We’re going to be seen as an expensive gym by most people, and that’s okay. Since we only have room for 12 people in each class, we simply can’t have the 500-1,000 members that a gym like Orange Theory has, or the 4,000-10,000 members that LA Fitness has (btw-they only want to see about 10% of their membership per day).
The right people for Loco are ones who believe:
✦ You get the service for which you pay
✦ You don’t pay for access to equipment, but rather access to high-level coaching and accountability
✦ Paying a little more for personal attention helps you get better, faster
✦ When you pay for something, you’re more likely to use it
✦ Investing in your own health and wellness will improve your quality of life (playing with your kids, carrying your own luggage, etc.)
✦ An investment now will also pay off later on down the road by creating equity in your health (saving costs on medical care as you age and prevent decrepitude)
Yes, there are plenty of other common beliefs; however, the above points are all related to membership costs and seeing the value.
We are here to empower people to make better and more informed decisions about their health and fitness. Our coaches teach people how to lift safely and efficiently. We are a vehicle of change that can add 20-40 years to a person’s life.
What would you pay to add years to your life? Nix your $5/day Starbucks addiction? Or the two times a month you drop $100 at the bar with your friends?
If you think we’re an expensive gym, and you don’t see value in coaching and accountability, that’s totally fine! We’ve referred people to those globo gyms, more competitive micro gyms, and other fitness concepts (like Orange Theory) because they weren’t a great fit for Loco. And since we care, here are some tips to finding your new gym.
But if you’re someone who agrees with “people who pay, pay attention,” maybe we should talk!
-Coach Jay
