Blog 92: Health Club Marketing Impulse Purchasing

Impulse purchasing is when a member is making unplanned purchases due to the health club marketer’s skills in health club marketing ( coupons, in-house marketing, direct mail piece, various demonstrations at the health club, training demonstrations) or product placement strategies ( products located in key areas like near the front door and at the counter). Most health club marketers primarily think of putting drinks, protein bars, etc., at the counter but you can display a host of other health club products there as well.

An of how other industries capitalize on impulsive purchasing is to look at the grocery store industry. For example, have you ever stopped to think of where the milk and bread are in your local grocery store? They are normally at the very back of the store and at opposite ends of the store. The reason for this, they are necessity items so the grocery industry knows you are going to come in for milk and bread and while you are there they want to take you through the maze of different product lines that they want to prompt you into making an impulsive buying decision. This is why all financial planners tell you to make a grocery list before you go to the grocery store. Fitness experts will tell you the same thing to avoid impulsive shopping of fatty foods.

Stores sell strategic spaces that encourage impulsive buying at a premium price because they know these areas are going to move products fast. For example, if you look at most grocery stores everything that you need is either on the bottom shelf or on the top shelf. Most items that are considered to be luxury items or comfort items are normally in the middle at eye level. This is because they know you will impulsively buy certain products if they catch your eye while you are looking for the product you initially came into the store to buy.

Another technique grocery stores facilitate is putting some of their luxury and comfort products at the checkout counter. The reason why they do this is because while waiting for your turn to pay, the magazine article may catch your eye causing you to pick up the magazine and start reading the article. Hence, you will leave the store impulsively purchasing the magazine. This is the same with candies, chocolates, and the other products that you really don’t need but you will buy impulsively if strategically placed.

Think about this health club marketing technique when you are setting up your pro-shop and even in the way you design your tour of your health club. Everything can lend itself to impulsive purchasing; just look for ways to capitalize on the impulsive buying habits of the member.

Look for creative ways to get your prospective members to buy more impulsively through your health club marketing and product placement 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.