The leisure industry is a dream for creative-headed marketers. It’s fun, thriving and opportunities to get imaginative are ever-abundant.
But this comes as a bit of a double-edged sword of sorts. Competition amongst fitness facilities is fiercer than ever. As such, effectively communicating all the wonderful things on offer at your leisure facility has never been more important.
The odd poster here and there simply won’t cut the mustard – you need a campaign.
Spreading the message
Whether you’re offering a discounted rate or a seasonal offer, your aim is to embed yourselves in the mind of your prospects, with the end goal of converting to a membership. Campaigns allow you to do this by promoting one specific message, branded in a particular way, across a variety of mediums.
We’re talking flyers dished out in prominent locations, email messaging, social media – the choice is plentiful. But you won’t get your prospects chomping at the bit without a successful plan in place. We suggest you consider the following:
How can you outsmart your competition?
People will go for the best offer they see. If your facility is offering a no joining fee deal, but the gym down the road is offering the same plus one month free, which do you think people will pick? Identify your key unique selling points and exploit them. Then do some research and come up with an idea to knock the socks off your prospects.
Ascertain key points in your calendar
We know that the New Year and the run-up to summer are go-go-go for obtaining new members. What about gym anniversaries or bank holiday flash sales? These are the points at which competition is lessoned so it’s an unmissable opportunity to catch the eyes of prospects. Put together a list of handy dates throughout the year.
Know your demographics and advertise accordingly
Which area is your message going out to, and to whom? Are you looking to reach new members? Perhaps retaining members is your focus so your goal is to reward then – therefore there’s no need to promote to your message to Joe public. Once you know this, you can start thinking about the following…
Budget wisely
After you’ve set your goal spend, you need to divide it amongst the differing channels. Decide what will likely deliver the best return on investment and reach the most relevant audience. Consider costs like printing and how much you would be willing to spend per day on paid advertising through search engines – if you’re unsure, give our experts a call.
Monitor thoroughly
We’re in an age now where we have a wealth of information at our fingertips. Use this data wisely and adjust your efforts accordingly. If you’re getting sign-ups through one channel above all others, it may be worth shifting your budget accordingly. Alternatively, get our marketing team to do the hard grafting for you.
Find out more now on how Bigwave media can revive your marketing efforts. Get in touch at [email protected].