Mistake #1 – ‘Global overnight’ aspirations
If you’re new to on-demand, it’s tempting to try and go global straight away. After all, that’s the joy of online, right? No geographical limits.
The problem is, you’re immediately up against the really big guys – the global fitness megabrands that have finely tuned their online models over the years, that have strong brand recognition and seriously big marketing budgets. Competing against the likes of these brands is a big ask, especially when you’re new to online. You end up spreading yourself so thin that you struggle to gain traction or engagement.
On the flipside, we know that people like to buy into a community feel. There’s also a big push, especially during this year’s ongoing health crisis, to support local businesses. With this in mind, there’s a strong argument for promoting even your online offering within the geographical radius of your physical club, at least to start off with. By focusing on your local community in your marketing channels and marketing message, you’ll stand a better chance of uptake – and if you deliver a great product, in all likelihood your online offering will be recommended by your customers to friends and family who live out of the area. Let your digital members do your global marketing for you!
Mistake #2 – Scattergun targeting
When you advertise your digital classes, you need to know who your audience is and you need to target them very specifically. You aren’t aiming for “everyone”, which is another temptation when operating online. Be smart and focused with your marketing spend, and analyse all the data so you know what’s working and what isn’t. Make sure your marketing is designed to resonate with a very specific audience. Make sure what you say is relevant and appealing to them.
Mistake #3 – Not using the data
The more you market your online offering, the more members will use it, which in turn means more data around usage patterns and behaviours. This is real data too, not self-reported. It’s robust, reliable information that can help you confidently shape your offer moving forward, not only online but also live. Ignore it and you’re passing up an opportunity to refine your offering based on proven customer needs.
Mistake #4 – Forgetting the USP
What’s special about your online offering? What do you do better than anyone else, at least – going back to mistake #1 – in your local area? What are your signature classes that set you apart? Who are the superstar instructors that only you can give people access to online? Strongly communicating your USPs through clear, ownable messaging is as important in the marketing of your online offering as it is in the marketing of your physical club. You need to give people a reason why they should choose you.
Mistake #5 – Foot off the pedal
Marketing isn’t something you can do upfront and then pull back from. There will always be new people to attract to your online offering, but equally important is ensuring existing digital customers continue to use your online fitness platform. You need to continually point them to something new on your platform, to drive usage and loyalty. You need to ensure they always know how, why – and, in the case of live streaming, when – to access your online content. Online fitness is a highly competitive field; if you don’t stay visible, you risk people forgetting about you and turning to another brand that’s shouted louder.
To discuss how Wexer can help your fitness business to launch, operate and market a strong online offering, please contact info@wexer.com