enjoy! Marketing

Nine Club marketing trends that can provide explosive business growth in 2012

2011-12-20T14:44:00.000Z

Although the simplicity of Club marketing hasn’t changed much in the last 25 years, the way in which customers and prospects engage with your fitness business has altered dramatically – no more so than in the last three years. Your potential members can now choose how they receive your marketing messages and, with most online media, they even have the ability to switch them on and off at will.

This will gather pace over the next 12 months as the triumvirate of Internet marketing, mobile media and social networking entwines itself further into our daily activities. Current Club marketing trends, and those for the foreseeable future, are centred on these three areas.

1. Get them to put their hands up.

The goal of getting your members, customers and prospects ‘opting in’ to become involved with your Club will take precedence over any other element of your marketing activity during 2012.

Fortunately, your Club benefits from being, in the most part, a membership based business giving you a head start over the many industries trying to build an opt-in, ‘me too’ culture. Members are the ultimate in ‘permission based’ marketing. With the ever increasing deluge of daily marketing messages ensuring you build a list of advocates who agree, and are happy and expectant, to receive your marketing, sales and retention messages is essential.

2. Social Media as we know it is dead!

The initial rush, over the last 24 months, via Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and all to get as many ‘friends’, ‘followers’ and ‘likes’ as possible will be replaced by a more focused approach to create quality connections with people loyal, interested and happy to advocate your business. Nurturing and educating these advocates will reap far greater rewards than if you stick with the current trend of trying to ‘stacking them high’.

3. The written word will be put to the sword?

Not quite, but Web Video will play a major part in online marketing strategy over the next 12 months. Utilising Web Video for personal introductions, Club tours and even Personal Training instruction programmes will keep people on your website longer (as they ‘watch’, rather than read) as well as helping your Club stand out from every other ‘me too’ website out there.

4. Information Marketing is the new king of Madison Avenue.

Never before has information marketing been so important. With more and more Clubs, gyms and centres having little to differentiate themselves in terms of service, facilities and equipment, this year will be year where those who cultivate their position as the definitive source for information, advice and counsel will gain the most rewards. It’s time to stand up and be counted as an expert.

Jamie Oliver gets it! Gok Wan gets it! Big time!! The only difference between Gok Wan and ‘Carol’, the personal shopper in Selfridges’ Woman’s department, is his ability to cultivate himself as the ‘go to’ expert for fashion dressing sense. Actually, there is one other difference – about £2m a year in annual salaries.

5. Get out of the middle.

Research suggests a permanent shift in UK purchasing habits towards low cost or premium pricing. The trend, started by the recent economic downturn will continue as these behavioural changes become imbedded in our daily lifestyle and ultimately our choices. You either need to move your Club pricing away from this middle ground or differentiate yourself quite dramatically – and fast.

6. The only way is ethics!

Highly ethical consumers make up 19% of the UK population and this group is growing in size, and growing rapidly. They have a strong interest in how a business behaves in relation to such areas as society, its customers and its local community. These highly ethical consumers are also highly affluent (Over 66% are ABC1’s) and are prepared to pay to match their ethical views – the dramatic sales growth of premium priced brands such as Innocent drinks are testament to this.

The perception of how you interact with your community, customers and suppliers will play a big part in deciding how you ‘get out of the middle’ (see point 6).

7. Don’t miss out on the ‘new’ Gold Rush.

Email marketing is still the most cost effective way of acquiring and retaining members, customers and Clients. For those Members opting in to receive emails 2011 has since an increase in open rates, responses and purchases. However, you need to be quick! New research shows that consumers will accept no more than 2 to 3 relevant messages from any industry, sector or group. So getting there first will be half the battle.

The reason for the resurrection in email marketing is the advancement of the software involved in the sending, monitoring and reporting of it. Software can now adjust the frequency of send, segment recipients so targeting is more effective, and filter and cleanse databases more easily. Also the costs, of utilising such software, has dropped dramatically over the last couple of years. Your goal for 2012, as far as I am concerned, is to capture the email address of every single person who contacts you or walks into your Club and then cultivate a relationship with them through email, direct mail and 1-2-1 communications.

8. Make your Club marketing ‘web centric’.

A massive 87% of all consumer purchase enquiries now start with the Internet – and the vast majority of those are either through Google or Facebook. This trend will continue to grow year on year. Every element of your marketing (both on and offline) should therefore be focused on driving your prospects to an online central resource - your web site.

Facebook, Twitter, displays ads, LinkedIn, Voucher sites, Email, PPC, search marketing and mobile media will all become more and more prevalent over the coming year. All of these, and more, should be utilised as part of your web centric approach to drive potential members to your web site.

Before you start all this though you must first sack your web designer! Or at least get them working alongside a direct marketer. Web design is just that – design. Unless you implement the sales strategies seen in direct mail, email marketing and sales promotions to your website then it will be no different than having 2,000 pretty looking, well designed brochures locked in your stationary cupboard.

Done correctly your web site becomes the sales funnel for your whole business. It has the potential to be your sales force, working 24/7, 365 days a year – and it will never take a day off sick!

9. Without e-commerce your Club will die a slow death! This is an area where the Club and fitness industry lacks behind nearly every other consumer based industry. Buying memberships online seemed an alien concept to the industry a few years ago but the arrival of the Budget Clubs has changed all that and they provide a clear indication that consumers are happy to purchase memberships and PT training online. As more and more of your business becomes ’web centric’ over the coming months and years, then not providing a ‘Buy Now’ button will cost your Club or fitness business hundreds of members each and every year.

Other marketing trends such as Facebook advertising, Google Re-Marketing and mobile apps are worth investing some time and money in, but concentrating the majority of your efforts on the nine key trends above will provide unprecedented returns for those who get it right.

This post is based on an original article in December's copy of FitPro Business Magazine by enjoy! CEO, Adrian Marks

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50 Reasons to attend this year’s FREE Ultimate Fitness Marketing event.

2011-11-09T16:01:00.000Z

At a recent industry forum I was extolling the virtues of this year's Ultimate Fitness Marketing event in Birmingham on December 6th. I was put on the spot by a CEO of a medium sized UK Club chain with the question; "Give me one good reason my Marketing Manager should attend"

I gave him six!!

On the train back home I came up with another 44 reasons... enjoy!

50 Reasons Your Club or Spa business will be transformed by your decision to attend this year’s FREE Ultimate Fitness Marketing event.

1. You will uncover brand NEW technologies that will let you 'follow' your web site visitors around the Internet putting your message in front of them even though they visited your site only once.

2. Learn how one simple change in your online strategy can boost your conversion rates by 1134%

3. You'll have a powerful step-by-step Implementation Blueprint in your hands to make 2011 your best year ever for your Club, Spa or PT business.

4. You'll finally get your hands on the vital Marketing formula that puts Club business owners who use it right into the top 1% of online-income earners.

5. No more will you be shooting yourself in the foot with low prices. You'll be selling at the top end of your market and your members and clients will be willing and eager to pay what you ask.

6. You'll learn the shocking and uncomfortable truth about discounting – and how this 'self-inflicted wound' can be fatal to your Club or Spa business.

7. Why your advertising doesn't work... and exactly what you can do about it.

8. The event is FREE to Club owners and managers

Register now http://www.enjoymarketing.co.uk/events.html

9. How to slash the cost of your advertising by 50% or more and double its effectiveness... Increasing its profitability by a factor of 4.

10. Uncover the key ways to increase your prices without losing members or clients.

11. Why a 10% price increase means most Club and Spa businesses can make the same profits in just half the time.

12. The big change in Marketing in 2012 and what it means for you.

13. How to become the recognised and acknowledged expert in your field – and command the fees that go along with that celebrated status.

14. The difference between price and value.

15. You'll discover how to get the best, most highly-targeted, qualified and motivated visitors to your website.

16. Why doubling, trebling and even quadrupling your Club profits is easier and quicker than you think.

17. The event is FREE to Club owners and managers

Register now http://www.enjoymarketing.co.uk/events.html

18. Why the Google changes of 2011 mean your whole approach to Search Engine Marketing needs to change

19. Even if you're a start up or running your marketing on a shoestring, you'll uncover easy ways to market your Club or PT business for free – getting thousands in free marketing with ease.

20. You'll finally get to grips with “Social Media” - Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn – and learn the answer to the question everyone's thinking but no one dares to ask: do they work for business?

21. How to create top-end exclusive products and services you know your members and clients will want to buy.

22. Why telling members and clients “no” makes them want you more.

23. Simple changes you can make to your ads to improve response by 35% (and it's NOTHING to do with the copy)

24. The one thing every marketing piece you ever write absolutely must have (if it doesn't have it, then I guarantee you're going to lose money on it).

25. The event is FREE to Club owners and managers

Register now http://www.enjoymarketing.co.uk/events.html

26. You'll know the words you mustn't ever use in your member communication... and the ones that jump out and grab your readers by the eyeballs.

27. Why the Google landing page strategy we taught this time last year no longer works (not our fault – blame Google – but we DO have a solution)

28. Specific strategies you can put to work immediately to drive a constant stream of referrals from your existing members and clients

29. Where the real value of your Club business lies (clue: it's not you stock, staff or capital assets).

30. You'll uncover the goldmine already in your Club business.

31. Learn the power of Premium Pricing

32. Why the “common sense” approach to doing Club business will see you in the poor-house.

33. The BIG Business lesson you can learn from Mr Motivator, the Green Goddess, Gok Wan and Katie Price

34. The event is FREE to Club owners and managers

Register now http://www.enjoymarketing.co.uk/events.html

35. The secrets to “risk reversal” and why it'll make you rich (and why your competitors will be too scared to copy you).

36. Simple tools that can increase your online sales by hundreds of percent.

37. The ultimate way to create a web page for maximum sales.

38. The most powerful emotion in Club sales... and how you can make money from it.

39. A counterintuitive, but proven, pricing strategy that makes no sense at all.

40. Why video on your website is no longer an option

41. Discover the answer to the question “html email or plain?”

42. The secrets to on-page SEO – what the Search Engines look for... and what they really don't care about any more.

43. The one thing you must ALWAYS do with your Pay-per-Click ads and the pages they point to.

44. Why giving away your very best information makes you money.

45. What your potential members want - far, far more than a low price.

46. How it can pay you to lose money on the first sale.

47. How to calculate the worth of a member or client and so spend more on marketing than your competitors would ever dare to.

48. How to increase your Prices without losing members.

49. What your web designer doesn’t know about web design – and why it’s costing you a small fortune

50. The event is FREE to Club owners and managers

Register now http://www.enjoymarketing.co.uk/events.html

Adrian

How Google AdWords can explode your fitness business sales in four easy steps…

2011-10-27T17:39:00.000+01:00

Google AdWords is probably the most cost effective new marketing medium since the heyday of television back in the 60’s and 70’s…

Google is fantastic for your business as you know the people coming from it have been searching for information related to your product / solution etc. in four easy steps you can take these leads and turn them into an endless stream of sales.

Step One:

Create a one-page micro site (often referred to as a landing page or squeeze page) and include an opt-in form that people can use to sign up for more information.

Think of your landing page as your "mini sales website". Just like a sales pitch, your landing page has to draw people in, relate to their problem, solve a need, establish your credibility, and include a strong call to action. If you want to sell straight away then you copy should be pushing people to purchase your product immediately – this will work for low cost items like books, CD’s etc. However in most cases your aim should simply be to generate a lead so you can then market to them on an ongoing basis. Ask yourself this question; do you want 1% of visitors (or less!) to purchase from you immediately OR do you want up to 20% of visitors to leave their details so you can market and ultimately sell to them forever!!!

Taking the second (and ultimately the most successful) route the call to action on your landing page should get people to sign up for FREE information about your solution/product – or maybe even a FREE sample. If you sell Health Club memberships for instance then you would either offer a FREE 3 Day Membership or a FREE report maybe entitled ’10 Steps to Guaranteed Weight Loss in only Four Weeks’.

Step Two:

Use Google AdWords to drive potential buyers to your site Once your landing page is ready, you can to start sending traffic to it right away.

PPC ads are simply the best way to send instant traffic to a website. Create a minimum of 30 Keywords (Health Club, Weight Loss, Gym, Fitness, Ways to lose weight etc.) representing your business. IMPORTANT: In addition, if you are selling to a local or regional area ensure you add this to each of your Keywords (Health Club Rochdale, Gym in Rochdale etc.)

Set a budget of about £5/day to test your keywords and the effectiveness of your landing page – once happy with the results you can increase your spend.

Step Three:

Send a series of pre written emails (automatically from an email system where possible) that educate your prospect with all the benefits, cost savings and problem-solving elements of your product or service. The more you send, the more likely they are to start trusting you and your business and ultimately purchase from you.

Remember, the people on your list have already taken action and demonstrated interest in your product. All you have to do is regularly email them and tell them the solution they've been waiting for is ready for purchase whenever they are ready to take the next step.

Step Four:

At the end of EVERY email you send them, finish with a call to action for them to take up an exclusive offer. Whether this requires them to call, email or click through to a web page to purchase online is irrelevant – the key is to get them responding and taking action.

An example of this is at the bottom of this article (we love to practice what we preach!!)

Follow these four simple steps and you will generate an endless stream of new prospects, each and EVERY day, to market to forever…

EXPLOSIVE BUSINESS GROWTH

If your web designer is worth his salt all of this will be straightforward to her. If she doesn’t get it – immediately find someone who does!!

If you would rather have a Marketing expert work closely with you and help you every step of the way – avoiding all the problems, hurdles and issues normally associated with implementing new and effective marketing strategies check out our Explosive Fitness Business Growth programme at www.enjoymarketing.co.uk/more

In just 5 days, you can have your own unique, professionally created marketing strategy in place to generate hundreds of new leads and drive endless sales!

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