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Mintel’s senior leisure analyst Michael Oliver examines the consumer reaction to gyms and health clubs in 2011, and the opportunities to get more people active
intel’s latest Health and Fitness Clubs - UK report looks at the market for health clubs and examines
the consumer reaction to the fitness sector post recession in 2011. But what are consumers actually doing while in the facilities – and crucially, what can operators do to build on interest or revitalise offerings to capitalise and re- entice lapsed users back to the sector? As consumer confi dence and the
UK economy begins its slow path of recovery, clubs are going to be looking towards expansion once more and the signs for future development of the market continue to be rosy, with a sizeable proportion of ex-users interested in using clubs again and a similarly large proportion of people who have never used a club showing interest (see HCM Sept, p56).
OVERCOMING BARRIERS Mintel’s research shows that flexibility
around joining fees and membership formats is the biggest factor likely to encourage people to join; with much of the growth in the market coming from the budget sector – a sector in which many operators already offer this flexibility – the industry is well- positioned to capitalise on this. Given the increasingly transient
lifestyles of modern consumers, it’s not surprising that nearly a quarter of potential users expressed an interest in being able to sign up to a short-term contract – the second most popular incentive to use private health and fi tness clubs identifi ed by Mintel. A sportsperson who trains outdoors in
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the summer but who would like to be able to train indoors during the winter months, a student away at university, or someone on a short-term work contract – these are all examples of audiences who would fi nd this option useful and may become customers as a result. Short-term memberships would
therefore be one way in which clubs could maximise their appeal, even to people who are only in their catchment area for a short period of time, or who only want to use their facilities at certain times of year. Additionally, clubs may be able to use these memberships as ‘springboards’ to encourage people to upgrade their membership to a year-round one. Going alone to a health and fi tness
club can be quite an intimidating prospect, and it’s understandable that more than a fi fth (22 per cent) of respondents in the recent survey said that having a friend or family member to go with would encourage them to use a club. This can also help people who are struggling for motivation or starting to make excuses to themselves about why they shouldn’t go. However, perhaps there is scope for a more imaginative approach here in terms of rewarding people for going together – perhaps giving them a free class or personal training session for a certain number of visits they make together? ‘Try before you buy’ is already an
established part of the marketing armoury of clubs, and a fi fth of potential users agree they would be encouraged by this. Overcoming the mental hurdle people face in terms of walking through the doors is one of the hardest tasks
Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
In one survey, over 22 per cent said they’d be more likely to visit a gym if they had family/friends to go with
clubs face, and this is one way in which people can be persuaded to think ‘what have I got to lose?’ by trying out for free. Brits have never been busier, and a
24-hour culture now pervades our daily lives. With PIN code access to many budget health clubs, combined with CCTV surveillance, 24-hour fi tness has now become a reality – a positive development that makes health clubs accessible to a wider cross-section of the population. Indeed, 15 per cent of potential users expressed an interest in this as an incentive to use private health and fi tness clubs; many people work fl exitime or shifts, and it makes sense for clubs to try and stimulate usage outside of the key trading periods when gyms are often chock full of users. Although it is probably not practical
for large club sites with swimming pools to open round the clock, there is little reason why other operators cannot introduce similar technology to their clubs and gain additional business.
november/december 2011 © cybertrek 2011
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