FOCUS: Stand Out From the Competition by Carving Out Your Unique Niche
Kevin Dunn, CEO
TEST Sports Clubs
As former captain and MVP of Rutgers University’s swim and dive team, and with a BS in Exercise Science and Psychology, it is not a great surprise that Kevin Dunn chose fitness as his profession. Dunn used his deep understanding of hospital-based therapy and training for intercollegiate athletes to found TEST Sports Clubs in 1996. There he applied his personal knowledge, education and hands-on learning to coach flawless movement patterns in every sport and in life, with a focus on avoiding injury and maximizing genetic potential.
“There are many people in the fitness industry that are incredible trainers, but struggle with their business practices,” explains Dunn. “This leads to price erosion and devaluing personal and group training as a whole. This is compounded by the customer perception that the value of a health club membership is $9. But consumers are realizing that access to equipment and exercise space alone are not enough to motivate most people to achieve great results. This has resulted in a shift in our industry, where gym memberships are becoming less important and trainers are emerging as the dominant force and differentiators.”
To stand out from the crowd and avoid being a commodity, Dunn has taken two closely related paths: “First, we’ve completely renovated our facility to build a model that supports group personal training all day. This makes personal training more accessible, affordable and adds the dynamic of motivation through group training.”
“We’ve also developed an excellent program and reputation for successfully training athletes, starting as young as age seven, all the way to the professional level. Those that see the investment in conditioning their bodies as invaluable in obtaining college athletic scholarships or a professional career in sports, are our core customers,” explains Dunn. “Within that program, we’ve particularly focused on training college football players in preparation for the NFL Combine and helping active NFL players optimize their performance.”
Nothing sells like success. Having coached and helped condition former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco of the Baltimore Ravens to achieve the ultimate goal in professional football, it is no surprise that TEST receives a tremendous amount of business through word-of-mouth referrals. Professional (and aspiring) athletes are a tight community, always keen to enhance performance and obtain a winning edge. When a program or approach is proven successful, word gets out quickly.
[Tweet “Nothing sells like success. When a program is proven successful, word gets out quickly.”]“Aspiring fitness professionals should be prepared to work very hard and make difficult sacrifices, keeping an eye on debt-load,” cautions Dunn. “Ensure you have an emotional and financial support network and a mentor guiding you through the process. Someone who has been down the path and has already experienced it is ideal. But make sure you are open to listening to and embracing the advice given by your mentor. It truly can be the difference between making money doing what you love and going broke trying.”