IHRSA EUROPE UPDATE
NEWS
New report: Key consumer insights • Melissa Rodriguez • Senior research manager • IHRSA
C
onducted in partnership with the Leisure Trends Group, the quarterly IHRSA Trend Report analyses health
club consumer behaviour among Americans aged 16 years and older. T e latest edition focuses on attitudes and perceptions surrounding health clubs by gender and generational groups. More than one quarter of women (27 per
cent) cite access to group exercise classes as a reason for continuing to use their health club. While more than one in fi ve men belong to a health club, fewer than 20 per cent of men select group exercise as an incentive for remaining health and fi tness club members. In comparison to men, women more
frequently identify group exercise classes, the variety of equipment, and the need to get their workouts in as motivators for continued club attendance. T e report also provides data on why
people join health clubs, along with barriers to becoming members. T e top fi ve reasons men and women give for joining clubs are: Men 1. To stay healthy 2. To stay in shape 3. To feel better about myself 4. To maintain strength 5. To build muscle
The women surveyed were more sensitive than men regarding the price of health club membership
Women 1. To stay healthy 2. To feel better about myself 3. To look better 4. To lose weight 5. To maintain strength Cost is the number one barrier to joining
for both genders. However, women are more likely than men to select this reason.
Distinctions between genders and across
generations provide operators with potential programming alternatives. For example, those aged 66 and over are more likely than any other generation to cite “variety of equipment” and “convenience” as reasons for continued club use. To attract this group, operators can off er user-friendly equipment and ensure club locations are accessible.
Ask the experts: Marketing a club that’s come under new ownership “A second priority is the re-training of
How can an operator aggressively market a club that’s under new ownership, to let consumers know changes are being made at a previously mismanaged facility? What type of advertising is recommended? Joe Cirulli, president and owner of the Gainesville Health & Fitness Center in Florida, US, offers his insight on this topic:
“The strongest marketing you can do is creating the right environment inside your centre. First, it means changes to the physical plant (cleaning every part of the centre and making sure all equipment is in perfect working condition). This means nothing is broken down. If something is out of order, remove it from the floor.
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staff. In order to do this, you have to make sure your vision, mission, core values, culture and core purpose are perfectly defined. If the current staff don’t buy into it, you have to find people who do. “As you do these things, regularly
update your members with signage inside the centre and via email. “When everything is going at full force,
have a large, grand re-opening party for your members, their friends, and Chamber of Commerce members. That’s the point at which I would do advertising on TV, in the local paper and via email. But word of mouth will become your most powerful advertising tool.”
Read more answers to this question at
www.ihrsa.org/industryleader
Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital Keep updating members on any changes via email July 2013 © Cybertrek 2013
PHOTO:
WWW.SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/ ANDREW BASSETT
PHOTO:
WWW.SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/ WAVEBREAK MEDIA
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