» Facility Profile
Fun and Fitness in the Land of Anne
BY COREY ARSENAULT Multiple programs and services, ex-
pert advice and great marketing result in a thriving club in a seaside town of just 15,000.
PEI’s Stretch Fitness, located in
beautiful Summerside, Prince Edward Island, is a co-ed 21-and-over fitness facility. The club has a large group fitness
Fun and Fitness in the Land of Anne
room and was the first in the commu- nity to offer classes and a weight room in the same facility. In the past, fitness classes were always held in church halls and community centres and gyms offered weight rooms only. Building our membership Member engagement and retention i BY COREY ARSENAULT
The club has a large group fitness to keep our members engaged. We call and email members who have fallen off to encourage them to get back at it; we encourage attendance at our free dai- ly help sessions where we offer expert help, advice and encouragement; and all new members receive three sessions with a trainer and are encouraged to return for more assistance when required.
s our number one goal. Our mem- bers’ success is the key to our market- ing and rEeIf’errals. Successful members encourage their friends and loved ones to join, and they become our walking billboards. 21-and-over fitness facility. We’re always working to find ways room and was the first in the commu- nity to offer classes and a weight room in the same facility. In the past, fitness classes were always held in church halls and community centres and gyms offer d weight rooms only.
P
s Stretch Fitness, located in beaut ful Summerside, Prince Edward Island, is a co-ed
s’ success is the key to our market- mouth, and we capitalize on this by ensuring that members have every chance to bring a friend or loved one. We offer a one-week pass to every We’re always working to find
52 Fitness Business Canada September/October 2013
Building our membership Member engagement and retention is o r number one goal. Our mem- ber Our business is built on word of ing and referrals. Successful members courage their friends and loved ones to join, and they become our walking billboards.
ways to keep our members engaged.
new member to give to a friend. If that friend joins, the referrer receives one week added to their member- ship as a thank you gesture. We also offer a $5 drop-in fee and one-week trial memberships as a low barrier to entry. Members can register and pay for memberships on our website, and 90% of our members pay by EFT, so we waste little time chasing members for payments.
Multiple programs and services, expert advice and great marketing result in a thriving club in a seaside town of just 15,000.
Incorporating expert input Since opening in early 2011, three
important mentors have helped shape Stretch Fitness: • Terry Blizzard, of Afterburn
Performance, in Saint John, New Brunswick, provided advice on how to attract athletes and teams. This led to Stretch becoming the official strength and conditioning centre for the Summerside Storm, our local pro basketball team, and the Summerside Western Capitals, the country’s num- ber two junior hockey team. This affili- ation has let us market the club as “the facility of local professional athletes.” • Bruce Sweeney, of Simply For
We call and email members who have fallen off to encourage them to get back at it; we encourage at- tendance at our free daily help ses- sions where we offer expert help, advice and encouragement; and all new members receive three sessions with a trainer and are encouraged
Life, in Saint John, New Brunswick, encouraged us to include nutrition services as part of our overall pro- gramming. This led to the launch of a 12-week nutrition and exercise pro- gram and completed the last missing service to our programming. • Bedros Keullian, of www.
ptpower.com, provided excellent in- formation on how to run a profitable personal training studio. This led to
ing tool, and we tag, like and share ex- tensively to promote our facility, class- es and, especially, the successes of our members. Photos have been especially power-
ful, especially our “Wall of Motivation” of before and after pics. At least once monthly, our photographer takes shots of members wanting to be included on our Facebook page. When a member reaches a weight loss goal, we share that success with pictures and acco- lades to our Facebook group. We also take photos at every event we attend or sponsor and of every special group or class. We tag these pictures and al- low the viral nature of Facebook to take over. We also have partnerships with lo-
cal chiropractors and physiotherapists which have resulted in several person- al training referrals. More tradition- ally, we attend local tradeshows, offer lunch and learns for local businesses, participate in parades with the Stretch banner and Stretch members, and we advertise via PA announcements and billboards at local sports events.
to return for more assistance when required. Our business is built on word of
mouth, and we capitalize on this by ensuring that members have every chance to bring a friend or loved one. We offer a one-week pass to every new member to give to a
Stretch switching from a one-on-one training model to a more profitable and successful small group training model.
Photo: A.J. Arsenault Photography, Sumerside P.E.I.
Spreading the word Social media has been a key market-
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