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the activities. Don’t make anything exclusive to members; the expo should let everyone experience new things, gain information and experience your facility.
What You Can Do At Your Health Expo
Create a broad program with events that focus on im-
proving health, fitness and wellbeing. Here are a few suggestions.
1. Club Services
Promote your club’s group exercise programs to rein-
force their benefits to current users and to allow new users to try them in a less-intimidating environment. Try running 15-minute “teaser” classes. Position your personal trainers at a display with equip-
ment like a rowing machine, bike and stability ball. They can also provide blood pressure tests, flexibility tests, posture assessments and simple cardio and strength tests. Interactive activities are always more appealing to participants. Have your massage therapist providing complementary
upper back and neck massages. If you have an in-house di- etitian or nutritionist, he or she should also have a display that offers basic information and advice.
2. Community Services
Provide information about other health services in your
community, as long as they don’t compete or conflict with any services that you offer.
If your club doesn’t offer every exercise option available,
you could allow smaller organizations to promote their pro- grams at little or no cost. Examples of these programs are yoga, tai chi, meditation, pilates and martial arts.
3. Educational Information
Your club will gain credibility if key health organizations
and professions are present at your event. For example, you could invite the Canadian Diabetes Association, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, a physiotherapist, naturopath, para- medic, podiatrist, aromatherapist, etc.
4. The Hidden Key
To maximize the marketing of your health expo, link the
whole event with a charity. You will raise money for a wor- thy cause and be offering the media a good news story. Be sure to invite local personalities and politicians, who
are usually looking for publicity, and take lots of pictures of them.
5. Ways to Raise Money
One traditional way to raise money is to hold a raffle with
local businesses donating prizes. Alternatively, you can charge exhibitors a nominal fee, $50 to $500, to participate. You can also raise money through sponsorship of activi-
ties that you offer at your club. You could run a sponsored indoor triathlon, aerobathon or exercise-based competitions such as body building, physique or fitness challenge. Be sure to offer some kind of prize to everyone who com-
petes, not just the fastest, strongest or fittest, to encourage greater participation.
6. Sponsors
Consider sponsors to help offset expenses. You can have
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differing levels of sponsorship. For example, a Gold Sponsor could contribute $2,500 and have its logo on all printed and e-mail material and a free booth while a Silver Sponsor could pay $1,000 to be in the program and receive a free stand. Contra deals can be useful too. For example, try to get a
printing company to co-sponsor the event. They could pro- vide the printed materials for the event with their logo ap- pearing in return. You may even be able to come to a similar arrangement with local media.
7. Have Fun
Create fun, excitement and a reason to attend by includ-
ing colourful balloons, streamers and banners, upbeat music and high-energy presentations and activities. FBC
Our services were developed
with a different kind of perspective – yours!
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TEL: 1-866-938-4499 / E-MAIL:
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20 Fitness Business Canada September/October 2009
Justin Tamsett has been in the industry since 1988 as a personal trainer, salesperson, club manager and club owner. He won Fitness Australia’s Presidential Award for Industry Contribution in 2006 and was Australian Fitness Network Presenter of the Year in 2008. As managing director of Active Management, he consults with clubs on sales, customer serv- ice, retention and marketing. Contact him at
jt@activemgmt.com.au or www.activemgmt.com.au.
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