Become a Blogger

Having a blog will be a tool to relate to your current members and to potential new ones. With a blog, members can have something to show their friends when they make recommendations for new members to the gym.

When fitness facility companies have blogs that are regularly updated, it can be a good indicator of the company’s attitude about the importance of communicating with their customers. Since blogs allow user comments, it allows interaction between the gym member and the fitness facility company. Because of this, it can also be a good indicator of how happy the current members are. If gym members are unsatisfied with anything, they can voice their opinion and this in turn, allows the company to work on their business strategies to provide better service to their customers.

Also, because blogs tend to be more opinion-based, potential members can get a glimpse into the personalities of the people in the fitness facility. They may be able to have a better understanding of the company beyond what the website can show.

24 Hour Fitness (a worldwide gyms and health club center) has a Fitness Blog & Forum (http://blog.24hourfitness.com/t5/Fitness/ct-p/fitness) with sections separately nicely into the following topics: Fitness, Nutrition, Weight Loss, Supplements, and Stories. Members are engaged and can have open communication with other members.

I think one of the most strategic parts of the blog and forum they implement would be “My Fitness Idea.” Members are open to suggest ideas to improve the service of facilities. Members have suggested changing the music selection at the gym, posting a section for people looking for workout buddies, and even writing about active events (such as marathon or bike tours) going on in the community. This is a great way for members to connect with one another and for them to form a better relationship with 24 Hour Fitness.

Maintaining a good blog is a way to be open to your members about who you are and also a good way to keep them happy, engaged, and loyal.

Octopeace

I have a dream to open my own yoga studio one day. If I purse this dream, I will create Octopeace. Not only would it be a tool for learning, but I would use octopeace to advertise my yoga studio. I think it would be a unique visual that can illustrate a very meaningful profundity.

Octopeace is my concept for helping people understand and study yoga. I am currently training to become a yoga instructor, and this is something I would find helpful and useful as I learn about yogic philosophy and practice.

According to Yoga Sutra, which is the Western Bible of Yoga, Yoga is not only a physical practice. Many people only know about the physical component to yoga because oftentimes, that is all that they see. However, there is so much more to yoga. Yoga Sutra teaches that yoga deals with our whole being. In essence, yoga is a lifestyle with eight elements that must be continually worked on to achieve bliss and to develop a better quality of life.

Octopeace is a small and cute octopus stuffed animal. Each of his limbs illustrates the 8 limbs of yoga taught in Yoga Sutra. The 8 limbs are: Yama, Niyama, Asanas, Pranayama, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi. On Octopeace’s first two tentacles , there are five suction cups on each one of them. The suction cups illustrate the subcomponents to the first two limbs of yoga.

All the information will be listed in a small tag that is attached to the octopus.

1. Yama : restraint

Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truth), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (behavior befitting a student), Aparigraha (non-grasping)

2. Niyama : constraint

Sauca (cleanliness), Santosa (contentment), Tapas (austerity or heat) , Svadhyaya (self-study), Isvarapranidhana (surrender to God)

3. Asanas : seat

4. Pranayama : breath extension

5. Pratyahara : withholding

6. Dharana : maintaining

7. Dhyana : meditation

8. Samadhi : joining

The cute stuffed animal can be given to yoga teachers in training to tangibly learn about these fundamental yogic concepts. It can also be merchandise sold in yoga studio, making a great gift for all yogi and yoginis!

Koko Caught My Eye

As I was browsing Austin Fit magazine, I came across this ad...

...and immediately ripped it out of the magazine because it caught my attention.

Because I have tried out quite a number of fitness facilities in various states and countries, I consider myself a seasoned gym hopper. When I am in a new place, one of the first things that I do is try out a nearby gym. There are usually free trial passes, ranging from a day to even a week. I also scope out groupons and other online deals for discounts. I have seen many fitness facility advertisements, and they appeal to me in different ways. I choose which gym I try out mainly based on convenient location and good deals. However, the Koko fit club ad stood out to be because it looked like an atypical gym. It seemed like the “purple cow” of fitness facilities.

I won’t lie- The first thing that caught my eye was the huge “TRY KOKO FREE” in the center of the page. As a seasoned gym hopper and as any normal consumer, I like free things.

After looking past the FREE offer, I noticed the harmonizing orange and brown color scheme. It just so happens that I saw the Koko ad in the October 2011 issue, so the autumn colors were very season-appropriate. Orange is an energetic color, used to draw attention. The color orange generates feelings of excitement, enthusiasm, and warmth. Thus, it is a great color to use for fitness facility advertising to convey that it is a place with a highly-energetic environment. The shade of orange used is not too bright or extreme. A burnt orange might not be dull and add weight to the advertisement style. The shade of orange Koko chose to use was balanced well with the theme of the advertisement.

A phrase that piqued my attention was this: “Fit. Figured out.” Koko also promises to be “better than personal training” and to have “no gym scene.” I was curious as to what that meant, so I interviewed an Dana, a sales associate at Koko.

Why does Koko have a “no gym scene.” Is it a fitness facility?

Yes, it is. We have state of the art equipment in our facility. What is unique about Koko is that our members use only one machine, called a smart trainer, to achieve their fitness goal. There are over 100 exercises that can be done on it. There are also no mirrors here, so people won’t have to feel self-conscious about themselves.

Are there peak times at your gym? I know after work hours, it’s really hectic in the gyms I’ve been to.

Not really. Our members have different schedules and come to the gym at different times. There’s not really a wait time for the equipment, and if there is, they can supplement their exercise our ellipticals and treadmills as they wait.

So, why is your motto is “Fit. Figured out.”

Well first, you decide your fitness goal. Then, we devise a fitness regimen that is right for you. There are many health tracks ranging from weight loss to sports conditioning. We have specially designed programs for people suffering from diabetes, and arthritis, and even for those recovering from breast cancer.

Sounds great. I love how it’s so personalized. But, why is Koko better than personal training?

We make custom plans for everyone. It is automated personal training that you can use whenever you have the time to come into the facility. Not only is it more flexible in terms of time, but it also is more cost-efficient. A membership at our gym can cost $79-$120/month whereas a personal trainer can cost around $80/session. You really have to try it out firsthand to understand what we’re all about. I could talk to you all day about Koko, but once you try it out for yourself, you will understand exactly what I am talking about.

Koko has me captivated. No longer would I have to think which exercise to do next. No longer would I experience the frustration of someone else occupying my equipment when I want to use it. There are two more locations in Austin that will open soon, one of which will be the Koko location closest to me (Circle C). Once they’re open, I plan to sign up for a complimentary session!

If You Got It, Flaunt It...

...And that's exactly what Crunch Gym does with its quirky personality.

It seems very common for fitness facilities after fitness facility to advertise with visual images of rippling muscles and taught and tone tummies. Nowadays, there are wider varieties of demographic groups marketed in gyms. In past entries, I wrote of strategies of appealing towards “everyday people” that Gold Gym’s and LA fitness employed. However, Crunch has a different take to break typical fitness advertising and “distinguishes itself from the fitness fray with offbeat humor and a message of self-acceptance.” (Diaz, 1999) Offbeat humor is an element commonly absent from many fitness facility advertisements.

Creative Director Nick Cohen of Crunch says "We wanted to take the idea of 'no judgements' -- anyone can come here, and develop it into 'Stop judging yourself.' That's kind of the Crunch philosophy." (Diaz, 1999)

Crunch took the focus off fitness for a sexy body or even for health reasons and instead put the emphasis on positioning themselves as a gym with personality. Since many of the crunch gym members fall into the young, educated, urban professional, category, this demographic accepts and can relate to this type of attitude in advertising.

These advertisements (below) are not your ordinary fitness gimmicks. They make you laugh and reword the way you think about fitness.

It is refreshing to see quirky humor in fitness facility advertisements. Be different (in a good way), and people will notice and like you!

Diaz, C. D. (1999). No washboard stomachs in gym ad: Crunch fitness continues quirky direction to boost brand. Retrieved from http://adage.com/article/news/washboard-stomachs-gym-ad-crunch-fitness-continues-quirky-direction-boost-brand-s-attitude/60565/

Create a Community

“Great communities have a shared set of core values. The ZX Fitness community is no different. Whether it's corporate wellness or personal fitness, we're all in this together. And that means putting in place the wellness programs and resources to help members succeed, inside and outside of the club.” -The ZX promise

ZX is one of the most popular gym and health club in the Carolinas, and a big part of their success has to do with being able to develop a sense of community in the local area. Research has shown that one of the best marketing strategies is to maintain and increase participants' level of involvement and loyalty to the respective service. ("Relationships between involvement," 1996) ZX does just that by offering lots of social support for their gym members and being there every step of the way to help them to achieve their fitness goals.

People pay for a gym membership, but what’s different about ZX is that the cost of the membership includes the added benefit of having a sense of belonging to the local gym community. With the assurance and comfort of knowing that people care about them and their goals, gym members continue to make great progress to their health goals as well as develop a loyal and devoted attitude to the fitness facility.

Included on the website are “member spotlights” which showcase people in the community that have achieved their fitness goals with ZX. This causes people to think that ‘if they can do it, I can too.’ To know that someone “just like me” living in the same community has achieved great results is motivational to a prospective gym member.

ZX has also newsletters to keep the gym member up-to-date on upcoming events, the latest fitness tips, health-related articles, seasonal recipes, and winners of the previous month’s weight loss challenge. With these newsletters, ZX members know what is going on in the ZX community and is able to feel as if they are a part of that community.

Another event ZX created was Charlotte’s Largest Zumba Class. ZX teamed up with a local charity and created the event to raise funds for the non-profit organization. ZX is not only giving to a good cause but also strengthening the sense of the local Charlotte community as well as the local ZX community.

With member spotlights, newsletters, and charitable events, ZX brings a sense of community in their fitness facility. Highlighting and strategically advertising the notion that “we’re all in this together” will bring favorable results in getting members to join your gym.

(1996). Relationships between involvement and attitudinal loyalty constructs in adult fitness programs. Journal of Leisure Research, 28, Retrieved from http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst?docId=5000455911

Fit for Life

Why do people work out?

To look good?

To fit into that sexy dress that’s one size too small?

To cross-train for another sport?

To meet a potential mate at the gym?

There can be many reasons why people exercise or a combination of reasons why people exercise, but LA fitness’ approach in their training for life campaign is just this: to be strong and healthy for everyday situations.

People tend to not exercise unless they need to. Until they start to notice the muffin tops puffing out of their jeans. Until they start to notice joint pain from carrying too much weight in their body. Until they realize they don’t have the metabolism of a teenager. Unless they notice a threat to their health or that their bodies have packed on one too many pounds to fit into nice clothes, most people do not care about exercise. In fact, Pew Research conducted a poll offering respondents a list of 22 issues of political and social concern and asking them which of them they would rate as a “top priority.” Obesity was ranked at the very bottom. (Wieder, 2008)

LA fitness decided to create the concept of the importance of being fit for life. The models used in the campaign are not body builders or stick-skinny women in tight fitness clothing, but rather they are everyday people doing everyday things. The campaign stresses that the end benefit of being healthy is being able to use it in everyday situations. Sometimes you just need a little extra strength to push a broken down car or to carry your heavy luggage when you travel. Maybe you go out to party and your drunken best friend needs some physical support to get to the car.

Everyday situations, everyday people, and one thing in common: everyday strength.

The campaign speaks to everyone because it is everyone who could use a little more strength in their life. A great way to market your fitness facility is to find a good reason for fitness. With the Training for Life campaign, LA Fitness positions their fitness facility to be the place to develop everyday strength.

Wieder, R. (2008). Survey results: Why we don’t exercise; obesity is our least concern; . Retrieved from http://calorielab.com/news/2011/02/10/why-we-dont-exercise/

Can’t bring them to the gym? Bring the gym to them

Exercise television is nothing new, but what if your gym offers exercise TV to you when you just can’t squeeze in that gym session? That’s exactly what Crunch gym does. They promise to “bring you the gym’s hottest workouts” with their designed Crunch Workout Series. The following are the names of their workout series: eroticise series, dance rhythms, action sports. There is also a list of mini workouts for free so that people can sample the style of the Crunch videos.

Having exercise videos made created by fitness instructors at the gym is a great marketing strategy for both Crunch gym members and potential crunch members. Existing Crunchers still feel like they are part of Crunch gym experience even if they are not physically there, and potential crunchers may want to get a gym membership based on how they much they enjoy the videos. Having fitness videos for your fitness facility is a strategic way to build loyalty and to reach out to both your gym members and potential members.

Step up the Simplicity

Hans Hofmann once said "the ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak."

Guerilla marketing does not have to shout at you with gigantic objects suspended and swinging in the sky, though those ads can be attention-grabbing. When it all boils down, it really doesn’t take much for people to react to guerrilla marketing.

To be effective, an ad should be captivating with the elements of creativity and novelty. This can be done in a simplictic manner, and that simplicity can be aesthetically eye-catching.

Inkognito Copenhagen, Denamrk created this guerilla marketing ad for Fitness World. It is strategically placed in front of a burger joint and gets its message across to step to the gym after/before your food consumption.

Simply put, the ad is strategic and smart- that's all it takes to make people think about getting to the gym.

Don’t burn those restaurant receipts. Burn those calories, instead.

http://adsoftheworld.com/media/ambient/fitness_first_the_calorie_receipts

Guilt can be a motivating force behind people’s willingness to take action. Fitness First, Berlin’s fitness chain wanted new members in their gym. Their solution was to guilt food consumers in restaurants near the gym to get to the gym to burn off those nasty calories!

Personally, if my receipt showed me how many calories I needed to burn for the meal I just ate, I would feel pretty guilty. That would make me feel motivated to get moving. Since the receipt shows specifically how many gym hours are needed to burn off calories and as a voucher for a free training session, there really is no reason not to at least give the gym a try.

Some people need a little awakening to know just how many calories they are consuming in restaurants. Most people are unaware of how many calories they actually consume when dining out, and the numbers can be very scary. In this case, a little guilt yields big results. Some people need some enlightening knowledge and also a little push in the right direction to get them moving to the gym.

Get Personal

Merely having top quality personal trainers in your facility is not enough. Potential customers need to know who those trainers are and what they can do for them, so allow potential customers to really get to know your staff. Be proud and open about who you have on staff and more importantly, what they can do for potential customers to achieve their health and fitness goals.

The people who pay the extra money to have a personal trainer would be likely to pay a little more to train with someone whom they respect and like. Potential customers looking for personal trainers could possibly make a decision to join a gym based on the type of staff they have at the facility.

Evolution Fitness Charlotte has short videos they put on their facebook page about trainers talking a bit about themselves, explaining what certification they have, and what aspect of fitness they specialize in. It’s called “Meet the Personal Trainers.”

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=1967685402822

Inside Evolution Fitness Charlotte, they have each trainer’s bio information nicely printed and framed in the fitness facility near the front of the gym. Evolution Fitness Charlotte takes it another step further and puts in on the web for all to see.

In addition, being open lets potential customers to get a sense of the style of the gym and the type of people who go there. If people like the personalities of the staff at the fitness facility, it is likely that they will gravitate towards that facility.

The teachers at Tough Love Yoga, a yoga facility in Atlanta, Georgia, was featured in the Yong Foxy and Free magazine. These are their photos in the Spring Body’s issue:

http://toughloveyoga.com/YFF.html

People may look at the photos of the trainers and think: I want to learn from them! Others may not be attracted, so those people are probably not the ones who will become their devoted fans. From my personal experience in practicing yoga at the Tough Love Yoga, they show their personality boldly and consequently have a very loyal following.

In short, showing off who your personal trainers are can not only build credibility in your fitness facility but also appeal to people who have specific fitness goals that matches the specialization of your personal trainers. Allowing others to get a flavor of your fitness personality will help your target market to naturally gravitate toward you.

Cool websites attracts cool people

Gymbox is a "cool gym" for fun people, or at least that is how they position themselves. Their proudly declare: “we believe that going out and working out should be one and the same thing and that hot and sweaty exercise should be pure unadulterated entertainment.” They showcase their "coolness" on their website.

When you open their website (http://www.gymbox.co.uk/), their short video immediately plays without you having to hit the play button. The video illustrates how Gym Box tries to be different and unexpected by shooting in unexpected angles and shots. When I see the video and hear the pounding of the beats, I imagine the gym to be an energetic and dynamic place filled with fun, cool, and young people.

Below the main video, there are more short videos of how creative, fun, and cool they can make fitness. Dancing to Lady Gaga music appeals to young women, exercising with giant tires appeals to young men, and dancing in the dark with glow-sticks appeals to the everyone and anyone with an adventurous spirit.

Just with their website, Gold Box is able to create brand equity. They are able to show the values and expectations attached to their brand for the prospective customer. The website shows what type of people are at the gym and what you get when you are a part their gym. "The result is a public brand or personality that may be more important for the overall status of the brand than many technical facts about the product (Dickey, 2011)." So even if the quality of the gym equipment may not be as on par, the facility is still known to be a hip place for working out and hanging out.

Dickey, I. J. (2011). An overview of digital media and advertising.Digital Media and Advertising- User Generated Content Consumption

Gold's Gym: A Place for All to Develop Meathead-like Strength

In class, Professor Maria asked students what they thought of when they hear Gold’s Gym. Someone answered they thought of Gold’s Gym as being a gym for meat-heads. It makes sense why people would think that because Gold’s Gym brand is an image of a beastly man lifting a big barbell. Professor Maria then asked us to illustrate our own print ad for Gold’s Gym. Many people stuck with the “gym for meat-heads" concept. Someone drew a conveyor belt with skinny people entering and buff guys coming out the other side. Another person drew signs for three bathrooms: one for men, one for women, and an upside down triangle for Gold’s Gym people.

However, although Gold’s Gym was originally known as a gym for serious weightlifters, it has modified its image to appeal to other consumers as well. The following four pictures are their facebook profile pictures which show their “stronger than_____” picture series. Gold's position themselves as the place for anyone and everyone to get strong. The models are not huge weightlifters, but rather everyday people. There is even a pregnant women showing that she is “stronger than one.” This picture series can be empowering for every type of person, because we all want strength. “Whether it's the strength to be a better parent, the strength to overcome diabetes or the strength to be a better athlete - strength comes in many forms.” ("Gold's story," 2011. Para. 6)Gold's Gym recognize that everyone has their own strength and encourages people to seek Gold’s gym to find and develop that strength.("Gold's story," 2011.)

In its effort to appeal to a broader class of consumers and to relate to more people, I think Gold’s Gym has also developed more of a likable personality. Humor is employed in advertising as seen here:

I think the advertisement for food can be relevant for everyone. How true is it that people watch television and tune into a channel like Food Network to get a little motivation as they exercise? This habit is something an everyday person would do and something anyone could relate to. A way to market a fitness facility is to be open and to appeal to a wider variety of people. Niche markets has its successes, but being open to more people can generate favorable results as well.

Gold's story. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.goldsgym.com/golds/