Blog 6: Free Health Club Marketing

Barter is defined in the dictionary as, “to exchange goods or services in return for other goods or services”; in this health club marketing tip, we will be discussing trading health club advertisement for training sessions, health club products, health club services or health club memberships without the exchange of money.

Bartering has been around since the beginning of mankind but yet in today’s society we fail to maximize this enormous resource. When I was coming up through the ranks, I used this tool often. I have bartered memberships for everything from food to lodging.

The most important thing to always think about before bartering is…what is your desired outcome?

There is always someone in every field/industry that wants to be a member of your health club; it just might take you a little time and effort to find them. If you are reading this blog on free health club marketing you probably have more time than money at this moment so read on.

Let’s say you are getting ready to go into your season and you want to make a big push for new members. You have a great health club marketing campaign laid out and ready to launch but there is no advertising budget to get it started.

The first place I would start is by putting together a nice email for all of the local newspapers and radio stations to start a dialog (I did not mention television because it really is the least effective medium when it comes to marketing to your local market; but if your marketing campaign is for several locations, it can be a great platform). Find out the value (cost) of what you would like to exchange for, e.g., specific days run, number of times run, size, ad location, and then determine what you feel (putting yourself in their shoes) is of equal or greater value, i.e., a win-win trade out.

Think outside-the-box and consider all of your resources including: health club passes, food and beverage, health club memberships, personal training sessions, locker rentals, tournaments, leagues, tanning, etc.

The health club industry is dependent on members and businesses are dependent on revenue; hence, health club businesses depend on health club revenue. The only way to drive in new business is through health club advertising and health club marketing.

Incorporate bartering into your health club marketing strategy and you will grow your health club and your health and fitness career.

For more free tips on increasing your health club membership base through health club marketing, health club promotions, professional health club membership sales and advancing your health and fitness career visit us today @ www.healthclubmarketingmmc.com or call 904-448-5727.