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WHAT ARE BEST WAYS TO GET PEOPLE IN THE DOOR?


people in the door? There are hundreds of ways to mar-


ket and advertise your health club, with the main goal to get more mem- bers. Most owners know, and probably have tried, many of them.


There are hundreds of ways to market and advertise your health club, with the main goal to get more members. Most owners know, and probably have tried, many of them.


Q: Besides member referrals, what


method of advertising have you found to be the most cost-effective in selling memberships and club programs?


Q: A:


memberships and club programs? auction list, then place one or more


A: We donate. All year long, we are approached by schools, charities, and other organizations for donations to various events. The majority of our marketing dollars go to offset the cost of donating personal training sessions. We have found that people who take the time to check what is on an event’s


bids, are likely interested in fitness we are approac ed by


We donate. All year long,


little push. Five to ten sessions usually organizations for donations to various n coming back over the longer term. Under this scenario, everyone wins: the schools and our company. An addi- tional benefit is the involvement in the community and an increased aware- n ss of our club’s many services.


anyway, and just needed this extra schools, charities, and other


gives us enough time to interest them e ivents. The majority of our marketing dollars go to offset the cost of donat- ing personal training sessions. We have found that people who take the time to check what is on an event’s auction list, then place one or more bids, are likely interested in fi tness anyway, and just needed this extra little push. Five to ten sessions usually gives us enough time to interest them in coming back over the longer term. Under this scenario, everyone wins: the schools and our company. An additional benefi t is the involvement in the community and an increased awareness of our club’s many services.


Angela Longstaffe CEO and co-owner Body & Soul Health & Fitness Vancouver


programs "a la carte" each session. To entice our current clients to register for more programs, we used a deep dis- count on any program purchased after enrolling in the fi rst program at full ve method of advertising for selling emberships and promoting our facil- ty is a combination of two things: 1) community involvement 2) business networking. We sponsor and provide donations to a wide variety of char- ty events a d also provide our exper- se at sports and fitness functions. It doesn’t require nearly the financ al nvestment as traditional forms of ad- vertising, and in many cases it is just a commitment of time. We also do a lot of business networking and no- cost reciprocal advertising within our community.”


A:


“We have found the most cost-effec- t pirice. The discount we chose had to be m large enough to accomplish two goals: i 1) actually move the market (get a re- sponse) and 2) be remarkable (get peo- ple talking). Price fences are the key to using discounts to drive more revenue. i The discounts were only available to t eixisting members or recent members who had lapsed in their registration. i This pricing tactic resulted in a four- fold increase in clients with multiple program registrations."


Angela Longstaff e Body & Soul Health and Fitness Vancouver, B.C.


www.bodysoul.ca


Alanna George Dovercourt Recreation Association Ottawa www.dovercourt.org


14 Fitness Business Canada July/August 2014 14 Fitness Business Canada July/August 2014


Forrest Verbruggen Valley Health & Fitness Cobble Hill, B.C. www.valleyhealthandfitness.ca


Besides member referrals, what method of advertising have you found to be the most cost-effective in selling


bership model and instead offers fit- ness programs "a la carte" each session. To entice our current clients to register for more programs, we used a deep dis- count on any program purchased after enrolling in the first program at full price. The discount we chose had to be large enough to accomplish two goals: 1) actually move the market (get a re- sponse) and 2) be remarkable (get peo- ple talking). Price fences are the key to using discounts to drive more revenue. The discounts were only available to existing members or recent members who had lapsed in their registration. This pricing tactic resulted in a four- fold increase in clients with multiple program registrations."


Alanna George Dovercourt Recreation Association Ottawa www.dovercourt.org


"Our facility does not use the membership model and instead offers fi tness


A: What are best ways to get We spent the first 18 months in "Our facility does not use the mem-


business using more traditional forms of advertising, such as radio, news- print, mail-outs and some local TV. That provided the exposure we needed to promote our new management team and physical plant upgrades. Now that we have some club aware-


ness, we are focusing the vast majority of our marketing budget and manpow- er on social, corporate and community networking. With the exception of a few large


manufacturing plants and government employers, Barrie is a community of small business owners. To better tap that market we have created a sophisti- cated initiative that promotes win-win cross-promotional activities. We are also active members of the all the ma- jor local business and social network- ing organizations and associations, such as the chamber of commerce, BNI (Business Networking International), the Barrie Social Club and a local Rotary Club chapter.


Mike McPhee Barrie Athletic Club Barrie, Ont. www.barrieathleticclub.com


“We have found the most cost-effective method of ad- vertising for selling mem-


berships and promoting our facility is a combination of two things: 1) communi- ty involvement 2) business networking. We sponsor and provide donations to a wide variety of charity events and also provide our expertise at sports and fi t- ness functions. It doesn’t require nearly the fi nancial investment as traditional forms of ad- vertising, and in many cas- es it is just a commitment of time. We also do a lot of business networking and no-cost reciprocal advertising within our community.”


Forrest Verbruggen Valley Health & Fitness Cobble Hill, B.C. www.valleyhealthandfi tness.ca


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