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health club
www.healthclubmanagement.co.uk management JULY 2013 No 204 TELOMERE HEALTH
Slowing the ageing process through a healthy lifestyle
WORLD FOCUS
ON THE COVER DAVID PATCHELL-EVANS
Health Club Management is IHRSA’s European Strategic Media Partner
The founder and CEO of GoodLife Fitness on creating a culture of caring
EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT... PUTTING PRICES UP
IN AN ERA OF BUDGET GYMS, HOW CAN CLUBS RAISE THEIR FEES?
BEST FOOT FORWARD Can barefoot running help prevent injury?
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The needs of every tribe should be recognised by the operator. A raft of ‘clubs within clubs’ based on shared interests would be very compelling
A club’s membership isn’t only segmented
by socioeconomic, gender or age groupings, or even by special population: disabled users, pre-natal and so on. Beneath any label we might apply, there are many more motivations at work: it’s possible to understand these far better by thinking of members as being split into myriad little ‘tribes’. The ‘women’ label is a great example.
The WSFF effectively identifies women as a special population group when it comes to fitness: the gender gap is growing, it says, with only one in five women doing enough
fundamental way with their members, by being far more aware of their true needs and motivations and connecting with them on a deeper level. Although there’s a logic to
H
grouping members according to their most obvious interests and
traits, in reality there are many different reasons why people join a gym or take part in a particular activity. Being aware of these differences, and letting this awareness inform the way you deal with members at every turn, can create a powerful bond that will drive loyalty and engagement. Conversely, ignoring these needs can create feelings of deep discomfort for a member, and can even act as a trigger to leave your club.
ealth club operators have a huge opportunity to engage in a very
exercise to stay healthy. However, ‘women’ is far too broad a category to use as the basis for any targeted offerings. Some will prefer women-only clubs; others would rather go for a walk. Then there are the regular gym- goers, getting great results from body weight training and free weights. For this tribe, says Arron Williams of Life Fitness: “Strong is the new skinny – women are driving the market.” In a similar vein, labelling a fit, healthy,
youthful woman in her early 50s an ‘evergreen’, and asking if she’d like to join the other over-50s ladies for tea one afternoon, will prove uncomfortable and demotivating for her – yet I was told a story only last week in which precisely this had happened. We need to do more to understand
the different tribes within our broader groupings; two initiatives launched in May aim to do this for ‘women’. A £1.8m Sport England-funded pilot scheme will test what works in changing women’s sporting habits, including programming for distinct sub- groups – older women, mums on the school run, etc. Meanwhile WSFF will research how different types of women participate in sport and activity – and why – and develop tools to help get more women, more active. But care must be taken not to alienate
other tribes in the process: in April, GLL was accused of gender discrimination by journalist Peter Lloyd, for ringfencing women-only hours at his local mixed-sex gym. I don’t want to be drawn into that
debate, but I do believe that the needs of every tribe – whether three or 300-strong – should be recognised and, wherever possible, met by the operator. Provided they can be delivered without alienating other members, a raft of ‘clubs within clubs’ based on shared interests and motivations, rather than arbitrary labels, would make for a very compelling offering.
Kate Cracknell, editor -
katecracknell@leisuremedia.com / twitter: @HealthClubKate To share your thoughts on this topic, visit
www.healthclubmanagement.co.uk/blog
Embracing your ‘tribes’
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