A growing issue in the club market is whether club owners should cater to and address the needs of niche markets; which appear to be increasing in size and number. These niche market segments include:
• The active aging or senior populations
• The bariatric or weight loss segment
• The special needs or disability sector.
Active Aging Members
The active aging member is one that is on the radar of any wise club owner. This may be the easiest of the niche markets to attract as changes and additions to a facility can be very minimal. Simple things like the selection of music being played on the fitness floor to offering senior-friendly, timed circuit programs can help a club owner cash in on this market segment. The senior market, which is represented by those in their mid-sixties to those in their nineties and above, is a market that has strong disposable income and doesn’t mind paying for quality services and value-added extras which can improve their lifestyle.
Altering club tours for prospective members can make different populations feel at home. For example, a facility tour should be very different for a 67-year-old woman and a 25-year-old man. If you take the prospective 67-year-old female member through the club and point out that you have 10,000 lbs of free weights, you are missing the mark. The same would occur if you dwell on the strength of your water aerobics program to a 25- year-old man.
Weight Loss Members
To attract and retain individuals whose primary focus for joining a club is weight loss, the approach needs a little more nurturing. Individuals interested in weight loss can be your best long-term members. If an individual successfully loses weight, and can credit your programs and services as a key component for their success, you may keep them as a member forever.
Provide the right equipment, environment and goal-tracking programs and you’ll be able to succeed in adding weightchallenged members in need of exercise.
Be smart in suggesting which equipment these prospective members use. Choose comfortable and easy-to-access products which are easy to use and avoid the need to straddle. Make certain that the equipment you point them towards has adequate weight capacities and starts at low intensities. If the equipment features allow, introduce strength training to these individuals on the cardio equipment first, then slowly integrate them to the more intimidating weight training area.
You’ll also find that these individuals prefer to use equipment, which is placed in a quieter, shielded area. This doesn’t mean build and equip a dedicated room for weight-loss customers. Search your club for areas where the traffic is lower and the sightlines are not highly visible.
Special Needs Members
To address and cater to the needs of the disabled or special needs population is a much tougher issue. Club owners are business-minded individuals and have a need and responsibility to run a profitable entity. To ask a savvy business person with a 2,000-plus member base, to buy special equipment which may cater to, or attract one or two new members, appears to be a poor business decision. However, when you point out to that business owner that temporary disabilities are one of the largest reasons for stopped memberships, they may look into products which could help to retain their members who may have fallen victim to a short-term disability such as knee or hip surgery, a broken ankle or simple foot injury.
The common misconception is that a product which caters to the disability sector must be a medical apparatus which is unusable for the general membership. Nothing can be further from the truth. A more universal design concept makes products which can be enjoyed by everyone; wheelchair accessible products as well. In some cases it is as simple as a well-designed removable seat system.
The ideal situation is for the club owner to select a product line which has features that can be appreciated by each and every member while offering unique features which can attract and retain seniors, weight challenged and special needs populations.
I believe that careful shopping of cardiovascular products can help to create a club which thrives in the senior fitness markets, attracts those in need of weight control and addresses the needs and desires of the disabled population; all without increased cost or awkward areas within a club that cater to these growing market segments.
Corey Disler is the National Sales Manager for SCIFIT Systems, Inc. He can be contacted at 800.278.3933, or visitwww.scifit.com.
