When you understand each demographic’s preferences and priorities, and you’ve identified which facilities and services are most in demand, you can expand your leisure offer. Every little step you take can make a big difference. Attracting all ages just takes time and focus That’s the first step in our guide, which explains how to discover member demands and how to target different member demographics. It is difficult for one brand to do both things. Keeping them separate is vital for a clarity of understanding about what you are doing, and what you are trying to achieve. The distinction between place and council brand doesn't mean that the two should not be used together in a complimentary way, only that the demarcation should be clear, and clearly understood by everyone using the brands. In the end though, they are two different things, telling different stories albeit with important common ground. Promoting the visitor economy

Success on social media will look slightly different depending on the platforms you use. Generally, there are two key elements to focus on: You then need to think about what you offer each of these groups of people. Think about the 4Ps of marketing and ask yourself the questions below You’ll learn how to get all parts of your community active by understanding their specific needs and expectations Is your club well known in the local community? Do your current members promote your club on your behalfWorking with Cornerstone gives me peice of mind as I know the guys there have everything in hand and the end product will be fantastic! As you’ll see in our guide, to keep your whole community active you’ll need to extend your offer beyond fitness. According to the LeisureDB State of the UK Fitness Industry Report 2023 there are 6,998 gyms, health clubs, and leisure centres in the UK. 36% of those are public sector leisure operators. Competition is tough, especially for leisure operators. Building lifelong members is a lifelong commitment. It won’t happen overnight, but there are lots of incremental changes you can make to improve your leisure offer, attract members for every age group and support your entire community.

It’s no secret that 2020 has changed our lives. It’s difficult to say which of those changes are set to stay and which are temporary reflexes to the current situation. The fitness industry is resilient and you can see this in the way it’s risen to the challenge of the pandemic and continued to keep people fit and in shape. Leisure is a sector we’ve matured with as a marketing agency and, essentially, it’s one that we truly value for the hugely significant role it plays in our communities and society as a whole. We understand the competitive landscape and know exactly what it takes to drive bottom-line growth for your business online. Working with Editors of Local & National Press, Magazines, TV, Photographers & Videographers & Online we’ve launched numerous Leisure Centres across the UK

Managing multi-purpose places

Every age group wants to see more wellbeing support and services offered. Prioritise mental health and wellbeing, breathing workshops and relaxation classes, and your leisure centre will have a big social impact. A place marketing strategy needs to have clear aims and objectives, use a range of channels, provide a breadth of insight and have clear methods of evaluation. It is also vital that you make sure that place marketing is captured in a simple, straightforward and engaging story that residents, partners, businesses and stakeholders can understand and rings true. Advice on how to develop an authentic place story is available as part of guidance on place branding on the LGA’s online Comms Hub. Identifying the brand Choose which social platforms you use based on who you are trying to reach, the most popular for leisure operators are:

You need to build lifelong members at your leisure centre… and our latest guide can show you how. Five Steps To Building Lifelong Leisure Centre Members For Generation Z members, you may want to focus on improving wearable technology integrations in your gym equipment Word of mouth marketing is highly effective. 88% of people trust recommendations from people they know more than any other type of advertising according to Nielsen research. And 77% are more likely to go onto buy after receiving advice from someone they trust. In recent months, the fitness industry has seen a big change. With COVID-19 dictating a lot of business decisions, fitness brands have adapted to a new normal. As the world adjusts to home working and digital fitness, now is the time to take a look at your fitness club marketing plan and think about the future. After prioritising areas to expand your leisure offer, it’s important that you promote them. That’s how you’ll attract all ages. Use the data you’ve gathered to target each demographic in your area more effectively.

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With our knowledge, experience and insights of the sports and leisure market, we create bespoke marketing campaigns to reach your target audience and increase your brand awareness. As well as understanding the differing needs and desires of multiple demographics, you’ll also find that there are certain priorities shared by all age groups. When developing a marketing plan you should identify the objectives that underpin your overall goals and club vision. These objectives should be ‘SMART’: Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. When consumers were asked about their intended level of engagement with leisure activities in the year to March 2022 compared to the year before March 2020, 19 per cent of consumers stated that they will be making healthier lifestyle choices. Consumers were also ready to return to face-to-face leisure activities. However, the net balances for many at-home leisure activities were negative, meaning that on balance there are more people wanting to do fewer online leisure activities at home. These results all point to a return to pre COVID-19 behaviours in the Leisure sector.

Don't do it alone, get other volunteers involved and play to people's strengths- think of those volunteers who are social media savvy or budding journalists. To stand out and attract more people to your leisure facilities, you need a robust approach to promoting your offering. Follow these 7 tips for success. 1. Start with strategyDemand for gym memberships is now on the up and statistics show us that 54% of gym memberships and around 75% of group fitness class attendees are female. The most popular classes amongst women being spinning, aerobics, weights & strength training and yoga sessions. Referral programmes – encourage members to refer you to a friend, relative or colleague in return for an incentive when the referred member signs up It will help you focus your efforts, identify ways to engage and attract every audience, and demonstrate your value to every demographic. In uncertain economic times, it’s perfectly understandable that some members may have canceled their gym memberships. Between job losses and financial worry, cutting down costs seems like the only option. Perhaps a member canceled because your facility was closed or maybe they wanted to try out your competition. Whatever the reason for leaving, target your ex-members with an offer they can refuse. A great offer is to the point, adds value, and is almost impossible for someone to say no to. We delve into this topic more in our guide on how to create a compelling offer to not only attract but retain members. In Summary Your place brand is about the place or places that the council serves. It is not about the council, its partners, or individual businesses.