What does your Health Club Stand For?

By: Bob Cassin
Account Executive

In today’s marketplace branding has become crucial to sustainability. As a health club owner or manager, sit back and think, what does your club stand for? Who is my target audience? What would make a potential customer pick your club versus another local club that’s right around the corner? The health club industry offers consumers more and more choices so for you to remain competitive you need to become unique and different and a big piece to that is your brand and perception in your community.

You may ask yourself, what is branding? Branding is defined as an idea or image that is marketed so that it is recognizable by more and more people, and identified with a certain service or product when there are many other companies offering the same service or product.

Many people think that branding is just a cool looking logo or stationary that you got printed. In reality, much of it is your interaction with your customers at every single point of contact. Here are a few points of contact that your club should be taking advantage of to maximize your branding efforts.

1. Have a professional website: Make sure it is easy to navigate and sends a message that is visually appealing. Many people will decide whether or not to even step into your club depending upon the experience they have while visiting your website.
2. Facebook/Blog: Visibility on the web allows you to educate and provide valuable content to your customers and the community on a continuous basis. It validates you as an expert.
3. Participate in local events: Become the face of your local events by having you and your staff volunteering. People like to associate themselves with those who are active in their own community.
4. Your own people: Ensure that your employees are presenting themselves and interacting with your customers and suppliers in a professional way creating raving fans that keep coming back for more.

The more consistent you can be at taking advantage of and mastering all these touch points, the bigger impact it will have on establishing a strong brand for your club. It takes a whole team effort but the success a strong branded business has makes it all worth it!