Looking for Fresh New Marketing Strategies

Goality

Hello SuN members,

My name is Eric Su.  My fitness company is Goality Fitness Club.   Briefly, we offer

1.  Personal Fitness Trainers
2.  Customized Workouts
3.  Small group fitness classes
4.  Non competitive enviornment
5.  Body Fat Measurement Tracking
6.  30 minute Time Saver Workouts

You can say we help people learn how to workout to get the results safely and effectively. 

Anyhow, I am hoping to find something fresh new marketing strategies by way of your opinions as to why you think CURVES is so successful.  I have my own ideas, but I would like to find out what everyone else thinks.

I don`t want to reinvent the wheel, so I figure I would follow those who are successful. 

I look forward to your opinions.

Thanks.

Eric Su

amacgi1

My guess is that Curves has been so successful for 2 reasons.
1. They`ve placed their growth on the back of a franchising model, so while their franchisees focus on operating their fitness centers they can focus on marketing and franchise sales. Helping them focus on their core competencies so to speak.
2. Curves has defined a very specific target market vs marketing to any consumer that wants to exercise.
That`s my `guess` of course, could be becuase they offer great incentives.
Best,
Andrew

unfrazzled1

Hi Eric!
Just wanted to give my 0.02 worth.  I have thought a great deal about Curves over the last few years (although my biz is totally not realted to fitness) and I believe that they are enjoying the success they are is for one big reason...Someone there either knows a female who finds most gyms scary, or they ARE a female who finds most gyms scary.  This group was a pretty much untapped market out there. Women who already have self-esteem and body image issues are NOT going to go into a hard core (or what they may percieve as being a hard core) gym to further display their real or imagined flaws.  Curves is not scary.  It does not involve a three hour session three times a week.  From what I understand, you will barely break a sweat.  The other members are just like you are - they aren`t going to judge you based on how many reps you were able (or not) to do.  Also, most of the members are all  in the exact same situation moving toward the same goal.  I don`t know, but I suspect that there aren`t a bunch of 20-something hard-bodies running around all over making them feel even more inadequate!   
Curves was able to pack all the benefits (although fitness pros might disagree about the half-hour thing)  into a non-threatening and almost sorority-like atmosphere.  Not saying you need to make your center a circuit training facility, but maybe you could make it a friendly, non-threatening place customers of  Curves wouldn`t mind trading in their memberships for.
Hope this helps a little!
Lorie

Goality

Andrew,

Thank you for your comments.

eric

Goality

Lorie,

Thank you for your 2 cents.

I certainly need to do a better job in communicating how Goality is a friendly, non judgemental facility.

Curves has done a good job of making their facility no scary.

Thanks.

Eric