Do you know the answer to that question?
Great!
Now, can you articulate it, without hesitation, in a way that’s truly meaningful to your prospects? And do it in less than 10 seconds?
That’s how long someone’ll give you before they move on and take a look at someone else’s gym. That’s how long they’ll look at your website, your ad, your post, or whatever before they decide to look a little further or just forget about you… So what’ll you tell them? We spend a lot of time talking about what you do, how you do it, and how you think about it. First, is figuring out what you do best. The ONE thing you’ll be known for and build your business around. What you absolutely KNOW deep down in your marrow that you can be known as the best around at. That’s your Core Offer. Then you have to think about who wants it. What is the problem that they have and you have the perfect solution for? What’s getting in their way and what do they need to get over that hurdle? That’s your Ideal Client. That’s what defines WHAT you do and WHO you do it for, and you need to be incredibly clear about that or your message will never reach the eyes and ears of the very people you’re trying to attract. You have one more piece to work out that’ll bring it all together. That’s your “Local Market Positioning”. This is the third and final piece of your marketing strategy. You have to be able to answer that one important question:
Why should your prospect choose your gym over someone else’s?
What can you do for clients that makes you different from your competition? And it’s not enough to know it and keep it in your head. You have to know:
- How everything you think makes you different actually helps your clients.
- And how to tell your market about it
Knowing these things is what gives you the leverage to create a powerful message for your prospects. That translates into the right people hearing you just when they need to and that means more leads, more comfortable sales conversations, and MORE CLIENTS! There are a few different aspects to really understanding how to create and use your Local Market Positioning and we are going to cover them right here.
1. Your Differentiators
Differentiators are the things that make you different from everyone else. What do you have that NO ONE else has? This can sound simple, but you have to realize that you’re talking to people who don’t know anything about your gym, so you have to be able to explain exactly what you’re talking about. For example, it’s not enough to tell them you’re different because of your awesome community. What does that mean? Lots of gyms have an awesome community. Is your community:
- Young? Middle-Aged? Older?
- Parents?
- Professionals?
- Welcoming?
- Intense? Comfortable?
- Powerlifters? Crossfitters? Rehab patients?
Every one of these descriptions would appeal to someone. The most important questions you have to answer is: What about your community makes it different? And how will that difference help your clients reach their goals? So, here’s how you figure this out. List somewhere between 3-10 things that make you different from your competitors, and then (this is where the gold really is) list how those things help your clients. If you’re familiar with features vs. benefits, this is exactly what that is. If not, here’s a quick definition: A feature is a part of your gym or service and the benefit is how that feature helps your client. Here’s an example: Feature – Semi-private training Benefit – Gets your clients the same or better results within an inclusive community atmosphere at a cheaper price. Get it? When you put together your messaging you need to highlight the benefits of what you offer.
2. Buying Criteria
Your Ideal Client’s buying criteria are the reasons your clients buy from you. No, it’s not as simple as having a great program. Sure, your program is part of the reason, but that’s not all. Put yourself in your prospect’s shoes for a second. You wouldn’t join a gym if their schedule availability didn’t match yours. Would you? You have always got to think of what your Ideal Client wants if you want to get them in your door. And if you seem to be having a tougher time connecting with prospects than you did in 2019, then you may not have adjusted to the new world we’re living in, because whether you want to admit it or not things have changed. Yes, people still need and want to exercise, but the world has undergone a monumental shift. If you’re still operating like it’s 2019 in terms of what and how you’re communicating these things with your prospects, you’ve already been left behind by your more forward-thinking competitors. For example, with things like remote work and school, your location and scheduling flexibility may be more important than it used to be…or maybe not. Your gym’s cleanliness protocols are almost certainly one thing that is more important than ever now. There are many other reasons why someone would choose your gym over someone else’s. Things like:
- Length of workouts
- Private vs. All-Access
- One-on-one vs. semi-private vs. group training
- Gym atmosphere
This list is certainly not exhaustive but you have to figure out what your Ideal Client finds most important and highlight that in your messaging. And of course, don’t forget the benefits! Show your prospects clearly how the criteria you think are most important will help them! “We’re only a 10-minute drive from the Penny-Noel Town Homes so you can easily fit in your workouts any time!” An important thing to remember here is that all Buying Criteria are not created equal. You have to figure out which ones really matter to your Ideal Client and why, and then let them know.
Let’s Recap
It’s not enough just knowing what your Core Offer and Ideal Client are. If you stop there, you’re keeping the secret all to yourself.
You know what you do and who will benefit from it, but your prospects still aren’t breaking down your door. Why not? It hurts to hear, but you’re probably still not making it clear why they should choose you. Having the CO and Ideal Client are the first two pieces of your marketing strategy. But your Local Market Positioning is what bridges the gap between the first two and builds the bridge to your prospects. It’s just not enough for you to know all the attributes of your market and all the features of your service. You’ve got to translate that information into a message that means something to your market. Something that helps them answer the question: “Why should they choose you?” They’re looking for answers you already have, but you have to let them know why you’re the one they should ask.
Do you need help with your business but aren’t asking for it? We’d like the opportunity to have a Strategy Session with you and see how we could help.
Want more information on how to market your business? Check out The Ultimate Guide to Creating Your Gym Business Marketing Plan.
