Summer has officially arrived.
For the general public, that means flip flops, BBQ’s and family vacations. For the fitness industry, it can mean slower club traffic. So how do you attract new members to come into your club from their favorite outdoor activities and summer fun?
You understand your target demographics, become a true community partner and serve a need all year-long. Here are five summer marketing opportunities to consider in building community partnership.
Be a good neighbor.
Identify those with purchasing power: your best members’ neighbors. Find unique attributes in your own member demographical data such as marital status, age, income and geography, as well as psychographic and behavioral variables like lifestyle, interests, values, purchase history and influencer status (active on social media and responsive to marketing tactics) to segment this valuable member group. Then target the mail carrier routes of your best members to send personalized direct mail or even offer to sponsor neighborhood block parties by providing branded goodie bags, guest passes and bottled water.
Cross promote with local businesses.
From Farmer’s Markets, frozen yogurt shops, the bike shop to the movie theater – these local businesses boom during the summer months. Forge strategic partnerships with key businesses to distribute guest passes on your behalf in exchange for including the local business in your member loyalty program.
Provide free educational workshops.
Use your club programming to help drive traffic and identify those that could help serve a community need. Hold weekly or monthly self defense classes, senior fitness, raising healthy kids, story time or financial fitness workshops and consider dedicating a day a week to opening your doors to the public for free workouts.
Actively participate in the community.
Race season provides many community outreach opportunities stocked full of likely joiners. Host race packet pick up at your club, lead the pre-race stretch, provide foam roller and refreshment stations at the finish line or open your club doors post-race for a yoga class, chair massages or at the very least, refreshing showers.
Hold a community fundraiser.
Take fitness outdoors with a community event that helps raise money for a local cause. Host a spinathon, Fitness Flash Mob, Zumbathon (a fun activity for all ages!) in your parking lot or local park and donate the registration fee to a local school, family in need or non-profit organization. And be sure to invite your local partners to provide the food and entertainment.
Host a Local Chamber of Commerce event.
Invite community leaders and local business owners to your club to network and experience firsthand what you’re all about.
By Kari Bedgood, Director of Marketing & PR, Club One
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Rachel Zabonick-Chonko is the editor-in-chief of Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@peakemedia.com.
