Think Local: Leaning on Your Community to Boost Revenue
When it comes to making your marketing dollars work for you, don’ t underestimate the power of your current members and the community you’ re in. While TV commercials and radio ads may make people aware of the Planet Fitness ® brand, nothing gets members coming through your door like encouragement from friends, family and local leadership. Whether its referral promotions or event sponsorships, it pays to think local.
“ At Planet Fitness, we are constantly looking for ways to reach new clients. Local store marketing is perhaps the most important and effective tool to assist in this process,” said Jamie Mason, CEO of the eight-unit Tri PF, LLC.“ We have brand specialists that are responsible for targeting potential clients to create brand recognition and loyalty by delivering the PF ® message with a personal touch.”
One way that brand specialists at Tri PF target members and aim to create recognition and loyalty is to partner with various companies near a club to create a corporate wellness program. By doing this, these company ambassadors are educating the local residents, creating value and generating excitement for the employee to become a member.“ These companies have made Planet Fitness their exclusive fitness partner by offering benefits to their employees,” said Mason.“ The goal is to create‘ buy-in’ from the client and pre-emptively sell the client on the best option for them before they ever enter the club.”
In addition to partnering with local corporations on employee health programs, Tri PF recommends being involved within your community.“ You have to constantly keep your finger on the pulse of everything happening in your market on a local and granular level,” said Mason.“ This mean events, expos, community fundraisers, etc. The best way to keep the PF brand current is constantly finding ways to be tied into these events in the community in which we serve.”
Chris Cavolo, partner with Planet Fitness Growth Partners( PFGP), agrees.“ We try to get into the community and dig our roots very deep,” he said.“ We are a franchisee with a big name, but that is not always particularly in your favor.”
Cavolo said most franchisees think to partner with the Chamber of Commerce and similar entities, but PFGP takes it further by really trying to become friends with the heart of the community. PFGP gives away free memberships to first responders such as the local sheriff, police and fire departments.“ Not only do they appreciate that, but they support it and they support us,” said Cavolo.
The company also tries to cultivate a relationship with the local newspaper by providing them with tips on events they’ re planning, sponsorships they’ re participating in and programs they are making available.
“ In addition, we always try to find whatever in the community the hot-button charity is and support whatever that would be,” said Cavolo.“ In Nashville, we ' re doing this huge thing with the Vanderbilt Children ' s Hospital. We really do tie in whatever the strong, local, healthy charity is so that we are associated with positive corporate citizenship.” Aside from being involved in the community, both Cavolo and Mason agree that referrals are an easy way to spread the word about the brand.“ We used to do a lot of TV and it was kind of a home run, but TV is not as effective as it used to be,” said Cavolo. by Christina Cannon
“ Once you start to grow in year two or three you have to tap into your own members. It ' s more powerful than trying to do very expensive radio and TV ads.”
One Tri PF referral campaign featured a 65-inch 4K Ultra HD TV and a pizza buffet spread that was given away just before the 2016 Super Bowl. Each new member who signed up got five VIP referral passes on which they wrote their name and birthday. They gave them to friends and family, and if someone came in with one of their passes, they were entered for a chance to win the TV and catered meal. Then the friend or family member who signed up got five referral passes of their own to keep the momentum going.
“ Our local marketing initiatives are often tied to our in-club promotions and expirations,” said Mason.“ We look for areas to spread the word about the offer, often with mass marketing opportunities where we can share the PF message to a large crowd such as concerts, expos, bridal shows, etc.”
Cavolo does have a word of caution when it comes to advertising within your community and getting involved in local events and organizations.“ You don’ t want to seem like an opportunist or seem like you’ re doing something for the expediency of business only. You want to have integrity and be sincere in your efforts,” he said.“ I think it’ s really important to go to the community leaders such as the mayor or the leader of the chamber and say,‘ Hey, listen, we want to be of service, and we want to help. Can you guide us on the best way to do that?’” G
Christina Cannon is the PFIFA communications manager and the associate editor of Geared Up. You can reach Cannon at 678-797-5160 or christinac @ pffranchisee. org.
Tri PF’ s last referral campaign featured a 65-inch 4K Ultra HD TV and a pizza buffet spread that was given away just before the 2016 Super Bowl.
GearedUp | 2016 Issue 3
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