To offer guidance and support during this difficult time in our industry, Club Automation and CSI Spectrum partnered with IHRSA to present the webinar “What’s Your Story?: Shaping Your Fitness Club’s Brand & Value.” Led by Daxko Chief Marketing Officer Joe Grieshop and President/Co-Founder of U! Creative Inc.

Ron Campbell, the discussion focused on concepts of branding your club to attract members though emotional engagement. With a combined 60+ years of experience, Ron and Joe offer their expertise and guidance to effectively communicate your club's existing relationship to your community and continue to grow through even the toughest of times.

People Buy the Promise

When building your brand, it’s getting in the heads of your members. It’s important to remember that “people buy the promise before they buy the product. Everyone has an outcome they want to achieve, and only then will they seek out the best product to bring that goal to fruition. Your job is to communicate how you help facilitate these goals. This is the foundation of building your brand and telling your club’s story.

What is a Brand?

A brand is a holistic embodiment of how your club is perceived. From your overall imagination and communicative style, your members and prospects gain a real perception of your story and purpose. Ultimately this informs how you align with their own personal goals. A well-crafted brand identity makes your club’s importance non-negotiable. It is essential to construct an intentional narrative that demonstrates your place within your community.

6 Evolutionary Steps to Building a Brand

Joe and Ron offer a 6-step guide to crafting your brand narrative:

1. Differentiation- “It’s better to be first than to be best.” What is your unique outlook that sets you apart?
2. Authenticity- What experiences are you giving your members that stems from an intrinsic and trustworthy place?
3. Impact- What effect are you having in helping your clients meet their goals?
4. Alignment- How are you aligning yourself with the promise your clients are seeking to fulfill?
5. Depth- Where can you deepen that impact and alignment?
6. Loyalty- How can all of these steps combine to structure your club as a non-negotiable entity in your client’s journey?
   

People are increasingly interested in collecting memories, not material goods. In this sense, a final pointer from Joe and Ron is to consider your brand in terms of experiences that make an emotional impact. Clubs offer opportunities to create memories one cannot find alone. Additionally, clubs provide healthy respite to reduce stress and focus on positive growth. You already have the tools, now you can show your community what you do best!

And if you're wondering how you can refresh your website to reflect these principles, check out our list of 10 Things Your Club Website Must Have below.

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