How To Make The Most Of Gym Marketing In Essex Amidst The COVID-19 Outbreak
As I am sat here writing this, I’m working remotely from home, such has been the impact of the Coronavirus, globally. Medically, societally, economically, there’s not a sector that’s not been touched in some way by the virus since its Wuhan origins back in 2019. As with any virus, areas of congregation tend to be where viruses are spread more than any other. Sports fixtures, concerts, shopping centres – they’re all prime examples.
Gyms are another such an example. These apparent sanctuaries of health, growth and development are, in actual fact, hotboxes of viral activity. The question must be asked;at what point does getting a pump on become dangerous? Gym marketing in Essex has been made much more difficult by the outbreak, but by no means impossible. The team here at VerriBerri, a marketing and PR agency based in Essex, wants to explain some of the alternative marketing methods your gym can adopt. The sort of method that will help your gym survive during this incredibly strenuous time.
Market What You Don’t Want To Market…
Wait, what? You want me to market home gymming ideas and workouts? Won’t that stop people from walking through the doors of my gym? Whether you like it or not, fewer people are going to walking into your gym currently. Even if you haven’t closed gyms, the consensus surrounding social distancing means that you’re going to be looking at sparser user figures.
More people are going to be working out at home and there’s not a huge amount you can do about. How does that saying go – if you can’t beat them, join them? Home gym apps, programmes and other services are licking their lips at the opportunity this virus is giving to them. You may as well try and stake your own claim within that piece of the market whilst this is all going on. In practice this means utilising your social media more. Your gym’s social media accounts should be posting videos on home workout tips, exercises to do, tips on diet and nutrition etc. Gym marketing in Essex at this time requires patience, proactivity and a great deal of perseverance.
With a greater number of people at home self-isolating; social media accounts are seeing even greater usage than normal (which is saying something). The virus has provided an opportunity to grow your social channels like never before. The best way to do this is through high-quality and consistent posting of content. We just said that you should be posting these home workout tips and listicle type snippets of content more. There’s a caveat to this, however. The production value of said content needs to be good. With so many similar pieces of content around, you need to stand out. A marketing and PR agency has an in-house team of social media managers and graphic designers ready to plan your content for you. Utilising such a team ensures that you put out content that really pops.
Offer Freeze Membership Options/Discounts
Taking a hit, financially speaking, is something you’re most likely going to have to accept as long as COVID-19 remains prevalent. You can’t reasonably expect people to continue paying full price membership fees when every man and his dog is telling them to stay at home where possible. A more feasible alternative, then, is to offer a membership freezing option. This way, you keep them on-board as members and build more trust and loyalty by giving them that option; it offers a best worst-case scenario.
During a pandemic like this, it’s important that your gym marketing in Essex takes a more holistic approach. By looking at the current situation from a longer-term perspective, your less likely to make rash decisions currently that will sink you in the long run. Taking a financial hit now is less than ideal. However, it will always be made back. After all; it’s better to have taken a blow, than be knocked out cold.
Be Empathetic Towards The Situation
As a gym, your whole spiel is the idea of putting people’s health and wellness first. So, make sure you do. Don’t be known as the gym that was blaze about the situation. There are people dying of this virus, and it’s important to maintain perspective throughout this time, even if you’re taking a financial hit. Just because your dumbbells may be seeing less action than you’d ideally like, there’s no need to be dumb about things.
Offer guidance and advice on how to practice good gym hygiene to those who do decide to keep coming. Another thing that you can do, is focus on another key aspect of health – mental health. The awareness surrounding mental health has grown exponentially over the past couple of years, which is brilliant news. But it counts for nothing if we don’t start practicing what we preach when it really counts.
If ever there was a time to offer support and an outstretched hand (without touching of course!), then this is it. Periods of self-isolation are breeding grounds for anxiety and depression; in the same way that the gyms are for the virus itself. The setting up of online support groups, for example, is a good way of showing that people aren’t as alone as they might think right now. This more altruistic approach to your gym marketing in Essex not only makes you good people, but makes you more respected and trusted as a brand and business.
Gyms are an unfortunate collateral victim of the COVID-19 outbreak. But there’s no reason that it should sink you if you approach the situation in a sensible and intelligent way. So, if you’d like to find out more about how our gym marketing in Essex can help get your Mecca of iron through this trying time; then get in touch! Call VerriBerri today on 01376 386 850.
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