A few days ago I returned to the Adirondacks for a few more days of summer. Fall and winter come early to this part of the country.
There is a freshness in the air, unmistakably autumn, and the leaves have started turning into their fall colors.
As school opens, families create their new routines and rituals that will last throughout the school year, and part of that is an influx of people returning to their fitness routines.
The people joining us in the fall will need lockers, unlike many who join us in January. 🙂
But this year is different. Things have changed, fundamentally.
People are nervous. People are uncertain and unsure what the future brings.
We cannot fall into the trap of thinking that things will return to normal. Normal has shifted, forever.
This is not a doom and gloom situation, but just the opposite.
We have more opportunity in the fitness industry than ever before. Our challenge is to recognize what the new opportunities are and to steer in that direction. More specifically, to intentionally market to our ideal clients with strategies to meet them where they are at.
A great example is the emphasis some businesses place on their cleanliness and cleaning protocols. Those strategies were critically important at the beginning of the pandemic, and aren’t stressed nearly as much any more. But people are still very concerned, and smart marketers keep this message, even if subtly, routinely in front of the customer.
This is just one of the strategies successful gyms are following now. Our research and experience have identified three critical things the fitness industry must avoid and three unique strategies you need to follow to separate yourself from the competition.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be writing about these strategies. Stay tuned!
