How to Attract the 9%: Winning Premium Clients for Your Fitness Business

Did you know that just 9% of the population accounts for 45% of total spending?

This small but powerful group is known as the affluent, and they hold the key to unlocking massive profitability for your fitness business. In this article, I’ll break down exactly how to position your offers, mindset, marketing, and delivery so you can attract more premium clients who pay more, stay longer, and value your expertise.

Let’s start with a real-world story.

From $19 a Week to Over $100: Rob’s Transformation

When I first met Rob Young, owner of ‘Young for Life’ in Fremantle, WA, he had a bustling membership base of 500 clients paying $19 per week. On paper, that was close to a million-dollar business.

But behind the scenes, Rob was drowning.

  • He needed multiple spaces to run multiple classes.
  • He had a team of 20+ contractors to manage.
  • He had to market daily just to replace members lost through attrition.

It was exhausting, stressful, and unsustainable.

We shifted his focus to the affluent 9%. Rob repositioned his offer, marketing, and delivery for a premium audience. Fast forward three years, and he now has:

  • 200+ members paying over $100 per week
  • A single streamlined space instead of multiple venues
  • A tight team of five rather than 20+ contractors
  • More profit than ever before

His membership halved, but his revenue and lifestyle doubled.

That’s the power of targeting the 9%.

Step 1: Fix Your Mindset Around Money

Before you change your offers or marketing, you need to fix your beliefs around money.

Too many fitness owners cap their prices because of their own financial experiences. Maybe you’ve struggled with bills in the past or grown up with a scarcity mindset. That mindset tells you:

  • “People won’t pay $100+ per week.”
  • “My suburb isn’t wealthy enough.”
  • “My space isn’t nice enough.”
  • “Charging more feels greedy.”

But here’s the truth:

  • People in your suburb spend $6 a day on coffee.
  • They buy $60,000 cars.
  • They pay $40,000+ per year in private school fees.
  • They own $1,000 iPhones.

Money isn’t scarce. Belief is.

And premium clients don’t pay for LED lights, hand soap, or fancy dumbbells. They pay for:

  • Speed
  • Results
  • Accountability
  • An incredible experience

If you resolve your limiting beliefs, you can finally open the door to the affluent 9%.

Step 2: Understand Who the 9% Really Are

Premium clients aren’t everyone. They’re a specific demographic with unique values.

Typically, they’re:

  • 40+ years old
  • Time-poor professionals with disposable income
  • Parents balancing careers and families
  • Educated and health-conscious
  • Focused on longevity, biohacking, and performance

What they value most:

  • Expertise – they want the best guidance
  • Privacy and exclusivity – they don’t want to feel like a number
  • Accountability – they pay for results, not sessions
  • Flexibility – training that fits their busy lifestyle
  • Status – being part of something premium and aspirational

Businesses like Locker Room (Sydney), Soma Collection (Sydney), and Saint Haven (Melbourne) are thriving because they’ve aligned perfectly with these values.

Step 3: Create a Premium Offer

Premium offers aren’t about stacking features. They’re about access, accountability, and experience.

What to Include in Your Premium Offer:

  1. Personalisation – Every program tailored, every session individualised.
  2. High-Touch Service – Direct access to you, fast response times.
  3. Premium Experience – Small touches like towels, water bottles, handwritten notes, or welcome packs.
  4. Holistic Coaching – Not just workouts, but recovery, nutrition, mindset, and longevity.
  5. Simplicity – Make it easy for clients to book, pay, and get results.

Remember: clients will pay double if they feel valued and get results faster.

Step 4: Elevate Your Marketing for the Affluent

Generic, discount-driven ads won’t cut it with the 9%. They’re looking for sophistication, credibility, and trust.

Marketing Principles for the Affluent

  • Focus on education-based content: webinars, workshops, podcasts, articles.
  • Use language of exclusivity: “private,” “bespoke,” “limited access.”
  • Speak directly to their pain points: lack of time, need for results, desire for longevity.
  • Replace discounts with outcomes: transformation, confidence, performance.

Example: Locker Room markets directly to executives, with messaging about how to prioritise fitness while travelling and running businesses. It’s outcome-driven, not price-driven.

Step 5: Master the Sales Process

Selling premium services isn’t about hard closes — it’s about prescription, not persuasion.

Two-Part Premium Sales System:

    1. Education Stage

    • Host an info night or discovery call.
    • Showcase your expertise and build authority.

    2. Consultation Stage

    • Sit down face-to-face.
    • Prescribe the best option based on their needs.
    • Position yourself like a doctor: confident, certain, professional.

    By the time they meet you, your marketing should have already done 80% of the selling.

    Step 6: Deliver a World-Class Experience

    Affluent clients want more than workouts. They want results, accountability, and recognition.

    Deliver this through:

    • Highly qualified coaches who can hold intelligent, high-level conversations.
    • Accountability systems: weekly check-ins, progress tracking, and external motivation.
    • Metrics and data: wearable integration, performance tracking, measurable results.
    • Small premium touches: recovery partnerships, scented towels, milestone gifts, personal notes.

    It’s the little details that transform a “gym membership” into a premium experience worth $100–$300 a week.

    Final Thoughts

    There are two ways to build a fitness business:

    1. For the masses – high volume, low margins, constant marketing grind.
    2. For the margins – low volume, high margins, less churn, more freedom.

    The fastest path to profitability is targeting the affluent 9%. They want speed, results, accountability, and an extraordinary experience — and they’re willing to pay for it.

    Rebuild your offer, refine your marketing, and reposition your mindset. The 9% are already in your suburb. The question is: are you speaking to them?