Did you ever wonder how some health clubs seem to do everything correctly, yet their marketing attempts still fail to attract new members?
How about the clubs that market their beautiful facilities and great services for a time, get some results, but soon after seem to go back to the drawing board frustrated because the marketing stopped working? They need to constantly come up with another marketing campaign that works. Ever see that scenario?
I hear about this all the time. Just recently, a club owner told me they have practically tried every marketing campaign possible, but nothing ever seems to work good enough.
Has this happened to you? Are you like many other club operators that have given up on marketing altogether, and now think the key to a good club must be word-of-mouth, nice facilities, and a nice logo? If so, you’re off. As a matter of fact, you’re way off. If I were to give you the key to marketing and explain exactly how you can execute it in your club, in your situation, right now for incredible results, would you give marketing another try? I hope so, because marketing DOES work. The reason it does not work for so many is one major important component is missing: Systems!
The definition of “system” is: “something that works NOT dependent on any one person, but dependent on a solid method or practice that is predictable and that produces a predictable result.”
Without predictable systems, marketing will be a “namby pamby” affair that frustrates the heck out of you (and your bank account) within a very short period. With systems, marketing allows you to sit back, relax, and know that results are expected. Even though today didn’t product the best results, you know systems always work. And, once proven, systems always produce a predictable result.
Your next question may be, “How do I create a proven marketing system that works?” Easy, I’m going to give you five, proven newmember attraction systems that you can start using right now for predictable results. There are actually many more, but here are five to start with.
1. Missed prospect marketing systems: What do you do when you miss a sale? In other words, when someone comes in, takes a tour, gets prices, and then leaves without joining, what do you do? Forget the tickler file. You’ll never follow up. This prospect needs to get put into an automated-marketing system. Maybe an automated email system that re-offers them a membership on that day. It should also contact them until they either join, or tell you to stop.
2. Lead follow-up marketing systems: If a prospect calls your club right now, do you have a follow up system to get them into your club? Each time you get a call, and get information (phone number, email, and name) from a prospect, immediately follow-up if they don’t come in within 24 hours. Will you remember to do this? NO! Will your hungry salespeople remember to follow-up? Probably only once. You need a system. One that will follow-up in perpetuity. Again, email is best because it’s free, and it can be automated.
3. Direct-response newspaper ads: Forget the traditional newspaper. Brand, logo and feature intensive ads. Forget those. What I’m taking about is a non-branded, free offer that captures prospects and follows-up automatically. Offer a free report or ebook and deliver it online. Your ad should contain a web address that gives prospects the incentive instantly. Of course, capture their info and follow-up, and follow-up and follow-up…until they join – automatically of course.
4. Cancelled member marketing systems: How many people have cancelled your club over the past two years? One year? Six months? 30 days? Probably a heck of a lot. Imagine if you contacted each of these with offers and relevant information every few weeks since they cancelled? How many do you think would have rejoined? Maybe 10%? At least. What if right now, we increased your dues base by 10%? I think that would make any owner pretty happy. It’s more like 15%-20% with an automated system.
5. Referral marketing systems: Finally, the most profitable. Face it, each of your members know at least five people that need fitness. Why don’t they come to you with their name, email, and phone number asking you to call them for a membership? Basically, they don’t want to put their friend on the spot, and they don’t want to be obligated. But, what if you had a system that allowed members to refer their friends on their own, when they want, without having to deal with you? They would refer people all the time!! The solution: Have a web page that allows your members to send their friends free passes. Once they enter the information on each friend, your automated marketing systems follows-up and follows-up and follows-up…You get the idea.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Here’s a challenge: Start to execute just one of the systems I mentioned and watch your marketing frustrations start to slowly disappear.
Pat Necerato is a Sales and Marketing Expert with over 15 years experience in the fitness industry. He can be contacted at 866.468.2832, or go to www.MoreNewMembers.com and get his FREE Marketing Video & Report.
