The never-ending quest for a club Website that works
by Stephen Wallenfels
The figures are irresistible. The 2003 PEW Internet and American Life Project reports that 133 million Americans (63% of the country's adult population) now use the Internet, and, on any given day, 66 million log on. More importantly, many of them are searching for information having to do with their health. When PEW's researchers asked, "Have you ever looked online for information about exercise or fitness," 80% of the adult Internet users (93 million) answered yes.
The implications for club operators are clear. A presence on the Internet, once regarded as a novelty, has now become a necessity. However, as every business owner knows, simply having a Website doesn't guarantee that people will either visit or use it.
A site that works well requires expertise, experience, and effort, all of which can add up to a significant expense.
The cost of hiring a professional Web-design firm-from $10,000 to $250,000-plus-is prohibitive for most clubs. Fortunately, a number of prescient entrepreneurs-recognizing that a strong demand was being met by a poor or overpriced supply-have taken it upon themselves to create a Web-based framework that provides club operators with exactly what they're looking for.
The following are among those that have successfully utilized this new resource to create fast, upscale, professionally designed, feature-loaded, and easily updated interactive sites.
Skyrocketing results
Steve Lampert, the general manager of the Dedham Health and Athletic Complex (DHAC), a 250,000-square-foot facility in Dedham, Massachusetts, has borne witness to the typical evolution of Websites, commencing with a local designer.
"We've had five sites in six years," he observes ruefully. "The first company went out of business. Then we built our own Website using Microsoft's Front Page program; that site was very static-no excitement at all. So we hired another Web designer, and, while that site looked okay, the firm didn't update it in a timely manner...So we went back to designing our own site-which, again, resulted in a Website that didn't generate any interest or action."
Determined to have a solid Internet presence that addressed the club's specific needs, Lampert eventually hired MembersFirst, one of the relatively new, industry-oriented providers. Since DHAC introduced its new site last January, Lambert is pleased to report, the number of Web inquiries has "skyrocketed," and more importantly, members are using the site regularly to access information and communicate with the club.
Bottom-line impact
Nancy Terry, the senior vice president of marketing for Sport and Health Clubs, a Vienna, Virginia-based chain, has seen similar results, which have had a positive impact on the company's bottom line. "Since we launched our Website three years ago, we've experienced significant increases in nondues revenue from our classes and programs," she explains. Terry attributes much of the growth to improved communication, via e-mail, and to the member-to-club, relationship-enhancing nature of the site.
MembersFirst, which has been creating custom Websites for the industry since 2000, regards the Web as an essential tool for building and managing member relationships; and that function, as Terry attests, ultimately translates into higher retention levels. "Clubs exist for their members' benefit, so it's important to know, and to be responsive to, their expectations," stresses John Blake, the COO of MembersFirst. "More and more, Websites are playing a critical role in helping businesses deliver the services that their customers want and expect."
The PEW report also concluded that the Web is now regarded as an integral component of contemporary culture. People know what it is and what it can do, and, when appropriate, want to be able to make use of it.
"People expect technology, and they see its presence-or absence-as a reflection of a club's or any other business' level of sophistication," observes Don Hoskins, the founder and chairman of Insite Networks, Inc., which offers FitnessInsite, an industry-centric product. "They're increasingly comfortable with using the Web as a primary source of information...If a Website doesn't communicate a club's identity clearly, or doesn't describe the quality of service members can expect compellingly-people will simply switch over to some other club's site."
Never before has it been so easy for consumers to "shop" clubs, and never before have first impressions counted more.
Making a splash
Larry Gurney, the founder and owner of The Rush, a five-facility chain in Tennessee, has labored long and hard to develop a unique, exciting, and memorable brand, and was determined that the company's Website reflect its philosophy and achievement. "We opened our first club in 2001, and, since then, we've been working closely with FitnessInsite to create an appealing Website that effectively conveys who we are and what we're all about," he explains.
FitnessInsite, which has built over 1,200 sites since Insite Networks entered the fitness market in 1999, produced a feature- and kicks-rich Web environment for The Rush, and has since redesigned its Website twice. The newest edition boasts, among other things, a "splash" page that makes use of music. "The site's feedback feature-with respect to the member's experience-provides us with valuable information on how well we're presenting our brand," reports Gurney. "We're also looking forward to using the online fitness and nutrition tool to grow our personal-training revenues."
1,000 Hits!
The PEW study also revealed that 80% of Internet explorers have researched a product or service on the Net, and the number of people who are making purchases online has increased by 63% since 2000.
Jeff Johnson, the owner of Nevada Fitness, a five-facility chain, initially had a disappointing experience with Websites. He went through three of them-two created by local designers-before finally turning to HealthClubSites.com.
In January, Nevada Fitness unveiled its new site, which promptly received over 1,000 hits, many of which have since been converted into memberships. "This is a huge increase, a huge improvement, on where we were before," enthuses Johnson. Websites, he notes, have a host of advantages over other advertising and marketing options, such as newspaper, radio, television, direct mail, etc. E-marketing is cheaper, quicker, easier, and more efficient, and that's just for starters.
"People can shop at any time, or after hours, from the convenience of their office or home," he points out. "If the Website impresses them or sparks their curiosity, then they'll come in to inquire about joining." Other site features that drive sales include: excellent tracking capabilities; online membership sign-up, which reduces overhead costs; and a distinct Web address, which is much easier to recall than a seven-digit phone number. "Web addresses are hard to forget," says Johnson.
A key ingredient in the marketing "magic" that Websites deliver is the strong visual impact that they can produce, adds Harv Koplo, the owner of Avrom Systems. A prime example: Avrom, which won Fitness Management's 2005 Nova-7 award for best innovation in a fitness Website, offers, as part of its product package, an optional feature of short video clips, shot on site, of actual group-exercise classes. "Videos allow a prospective member to really experience a club, but in a comfortable, nonintimidating, no-pressure environment," says Koplo. "Combine this with high-quality graphic images, lead capture, burst e-mails, and a 24/7 member-communication tool, and you have a sophisticated, efficient, and incredibly effective marketing system."
Gurney, of The Rush, doesn't need any convincing. "We now view our Web presence as an absolutely essential marketing and member-retention tool," he concludes.
Stephen Wallenfels is a contributing editor for CBI and can be reached at stevewall@charter.net.
