Let’s get back to basics and cover the multiple ways your organization can benefit from holding real in-person, live event.
Below are nine valuable reasons offering a community event will improve every aspect about your company, and how it’s perceived within your community:
- Build brand awareness
- Thought leadership
- Make face-to-face connections
- Have fun
- Strengthen your community
- Build trust
- Generate revenue
- Fundraise
- Showcase your venue
Leadership guru and Columbia University professor Simon Sinek is known for his Ted Talk about why people buy from companies, and the reason isn’t the way most fitness businesses are marketing themselves. “People don’t buy what you do,” said Sinek, about why people buy. “They buy why you do it.”
This gets you back to the basics of sales — developing relationships — as an event draws in the local community, offering a new perception of your business. They also cultivate a team- building opportunity for your staff as they work together to execute the event. There are countless positive outcomes from what can become an annual touch-point with a whole new group from your local area.
With a community event, your company will have the opportunity to demonstrate the “why” behind your business, and through the face-to-face interaction, allow a more personal connection to occur. You’re essentially bringing someone into your club’s culture in a less intimidating way, and for a different purpose.
Here are some ideas for a community event:
- 5K and kids’ one-mile fun run.
- Community fitness “field day” type of event.
- Events like “Push-ups for a Pretty Prostate,” ”Burpees for Boobies,” or ”Jumping Jacks for Johnny.”
- 28 to 30-day activity or fitness challenge.
- Community-wide 21 to 30-day nutrition program, facilitated on-site by your club.
Consider partnering with a company with a scalable community event already in place that resonates with your club’s mission to create a healthy community of people. This will provide structure, giving your team the framework to put their own stamp on something that is already proven to work. Best of all, it accomplishes the objectives that will benefit everyone involved.
People everywhere are looking to join a cause, a reason to be involved or simply belong to something. Become your community’s “talk of the town” brand by offering a feel-good event that seamlessly weaves in your “why.” Your brand, your company and your club will stand out.
Carolyn Fetters is the CEO and Founder of Balanced Habits™, who has partnered with 175 fitness businesses with various business models, all across the US and Canada. They have been offering fitness businesses a proven 28-day community event since 2008. Reach her at carolyn@balancedhabits.com or balancedhabits.com.
