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Ways To Increase Student Memberships In Gyms
Posted By: karanv on 11/4/2009 5:36 AM (CST) 125 Points
Hi,

Concept: The student memberships in the gym seem to be falling. I am trying to think of different newer ways to attract the youth aged: 16-21 to the gym.

In today's world, the power of the youth is tremendoud. They want a cool place to hangout, good ambience, celebrities, great chicks and dudes around, good music, etc. All this maybe present at your gym but it is not necessary that you can attract and retain the youth to the gym. They dont really care if they get an extra month to their membership if they get a friend.

I was thinking about different ways - merchandise (Nike / Adidas / Puma), watches, etc.

What could be the other ways to attarct them and their friends to the gym if money was not that big a concern? The gym is rocking but the student memberships are falling. Any out of the box ideas that can drive this slipping figure?

Would love to know your thoughts on the same.

Regards

Posted by: CarolBlaha Accepted Answer
11/4/2009 6:23 AM (CST)
Some of the ideas you have may be what you think would appeal to that age group-- but it would turn off a lot of other members. I shy away from gyms that are hang outs, with loud music that overpowers my ipod. Workouts are meditative for most. I may appear to be staring at the news and ipod in my ear-- but my head is elsewhere completely.

When my husband & I hit the hiking trails, go to the gym, we often comment how few people in that age group are there-- and how in a hike 14,000 ft in the air-- we are surrounded by people our age only.

So the issue isn't the gym, its the lack of interest in fitness by youth. Smoking is on the rise in this age group, the newest video game gets lots of attention. They even have a service like netflix just for video games-- my 22 yo plunks down $35 a month for it/

So you are going to have to be lazar sharp in your marketing -- both for someone who can afford the membership- or can make the case for parents to-- and 2nd has an interest in fitness.

It's not that they are lazy-- it's youth-- at this age group you think you are invincible and will live forever.

Our gym has got young people in there by being a resource for their coaches. one would bring in a running team -- and he'd train them- timing the intensity of the workout. Parents will pay for that. It's part of being in the team.

My daughter was considering the Navy and I bought her a gym membership where I worked out so I could work out with her and coach her. Talk to those recruiters-- training at your gym will get them over that test. I trained with my step son on running to pass the physical test for being a fireman. Another group to talk to.
 
Posted by: PhilGrisolia=Results Accepted Answer
11/4/2009 6:38 AM (CST)
Did it ever occur to you that the group your seeking to attract probably has little or no regular source of income? No income, no money with which to pay for a membership. What little money they have is being used for essentials - whatever those might be for today's 16 to 21 year olds.

A gym membership is a discretionary purchase, but when they don't have any discretionary dollars - money they can spend on anything they want to spend it on - going to the gym is the last thing on their minds.

That's not rocket science, that's reality. It also doesn't answer your basic question, but I'm sorry to there is no good or easy answer. There's just reality.

Phil
 
Posted by: PhilGrisolia=Results Member Response
11/4/2009 6:41 AM (CST)
The plain and simple truth is that in today's world fewer and fewer people have money they can spend on luxuries such as a gym memberships.
 
Posted by: CarolBlaha Member Response
11/4/2009 6:51 AM (CST)
I just thought of something to add to my post. Instead of assuming what youth want in a gym- why don't you contact someone in that age group that has left- and ask them why.

One gym I belonged for years (only leaving cause of a major move) would give me 4 guest passes a quarter. It came with a letter thanking me for being a loyal member-- and something new I could spend my $ on. This group especially likes working out with friends- and it would give them a chance for a 1st visit.
 
Posted by: Gene M Accepted Answer
11/4/2009 8:30 AM (CST)
Hi Karan,

As stated in other posts, the student market is hard to crack due to the fickle nature of their interests, what is cool etc. I'd probably start by making sure I don't refer to them as chicks and dudes; it can make you look like you're trying too hard.

I think you are correct in not offering an intangible like a free month. I would probably stay away from brands like nike and adidas as they aren't too current. Depending on where you are geographically, i'd go with a newer brand like Under Amour or something more specialised like Tapout for guys and Roxy for girls.

I think if you are going to give something away, it should be a 2nd Gen Ipod Shuffle. You can have the clip engraved, you don't have to worry about sizes etc and it is current. Your promotion can be simple "FREE IPOD WITH EVERY 12 MONTH MEMBERSHIP"

You can pick up 2nd Gen Nano's for around $35 retail, so in quantity you should be able to get the price down quite a bit more.

Value perception would be much higher too...

With regard to the rest of your promotional activity, make sure your posters or flyers are speaking directly to the students (not too generalized) and make sure they are in dorms, meeting places, etc.

Good luck with it all....
 
Posted by: Gene M Member Response
11/4/2009 8:31 AM (CST)
Hi Karan,

As stated in other posts, the student market is hard to crack due to the fickle nature of their interests, what is cool etc. I'd probably start by making sure I don't refer to them as chicks and dudes; it can make you look like you're trying too hard.

I think you are correct in not offering an intangible like a free month. I would probably stay away from brands like nike and adidas as they aren't too current. Depending on where you are geographically, i'd go with a newer brand like Under Amour or something more specialised like Tapout for guys and Roxy for girls.

I think if you are going to give something away, it should be a 2nd Gen Ipod Shuffle. You can have the clip engraved, you don't have to worry about sizes etc and it is current. Your promotion can be simple "FREE IPOD WITH EVERY 12 MONTH MEMBERSHIP"

You can pick up 2nd Gen Nano's for around $35 retail, so in quantity you should be able to get the price down quite a bit more.

Value perception would be much higher too...

With regard to the rest of your promotional activity, make sure your posters or flyers are speaking directly to the students (not too generalized) and make sure they are in dorms, meeting places, etc.

Good luck with it all....
 
Posted by: CarolBlaha Member Response
11/4/2009 1:23 PM (CST)
wonder if you saw this-- a challenge and an opportunity. http://www.sphere.com/2009/11/03/70-percent-of-young-americans-are-unfit-fo...
 
Posted by: Jay Hamilton-Roth Accepted Answer
11/4/2009 1:46 PM (CST)
Late night student-only events.
Depending on the needs of the group (Carol's given you a lot of great perspective), you may wish to add a dating component, dancing, video game/gym tie-in (such as Dance Dance Revolution tournaments), or 30-min workouts.
 
Posted by: karanv Author Response
11/4/2009 11:43 PM (CST)
Hi Guys,

Thanks for the wonderful response. Its actually my first time to this site and i think the answers and perspective that you'll have given is fantastic.

Ill start off by clarifying a few things which i may not have mentioned in my thread:
The gym chain that i am talking about is in Mumbai, India. We, by the grace of god, are doing really well and hope that it stays that way since fitness has caught on in India in a big way. The gym is hustling and bustling with people - its just that the phenomenon that i spoke about earlier is taking place and we would like to curb that statistic now rather than later. Thus inorder to do so the question. I'll now reply to each one of you'll based on your comments to the best of my ability:

@ Carol - Thank You for the lovely holistic perspective. You can be rest assured that members feelings & sentiments are well taken care off at the gym. I was just thinking from a 18 year olds persepective and wrote down the things that he / she would want - a cool place to hangout, good ambience, celebrities, great chicks and dudes around, good music, etc - and so the sentence.

According to me there are two types of students that would come to the gym:
1.) Who is price sensitive and he may / may not join the gym because the membership rate he / she feels is too high.
2.) Whose parents are rich and they would insist on going to A particular gym because of the reasons stated above.

We are trying to get more number of students in the gym and there are trying to come out with something of a student buddy referral of sorts to motivate them to get their friends along for a workout. Thats why u ideas of what it would take to get them to get friends along and the giving of merchandise and iPods. If you have any other ideas - im always open :)

Also, wrt to your 2nd post, already doing so - asking my younger cousins and some of their friends from different zones about the same as we speak. Will keep you posted on the results.

Finally post # 3 - we do not have that much of a problem with our kids being overweight as yet. but the phenomenon is not far behind. Kids nowadays get out less because of their tutions or videogames. The gym workout or for that matter a customized workout to take them out will be perfect and something that i have personally put forward to the team to try and implement. Can be a good source to tap kids today and do something beneficial for the society as a whole. Thanks for the tip. Appreciate it. You will def here from me when a package like this is launched by us here!

@ Phil - Point taken. Like i was telling Carol, the kids who are price sensitive and baulk at the gym membership rate for students (which is highly discounted keeping your point in mind) will probably not join your gym and will fish around the area for a similar facility with rates that are relatively lower as compared to yours. We can a) either play the price game and try and get them in OR b) work on schemes where you draw type 2 kids into your gyms who will be motivated to get their friends along for a workout and we as a gym get bulk student members as a result.

@ Gene: Loved your post. Thank you very much.
Firstly, let me apologize for my wording above; when i wrote about "chicks and dudes" i was just try to get into the pants of what an 18 year old gen-next teen would probably be looking for. From my past learnings, i have learnt to be more politically correct now and would never refer to boys and girls / ladies and gents as chicks and dudes in everday spoken english.

India is fashionably very forward nowadays and though all the big brands from the west might not have arrived in retails, with peoples' travels abroad - we all have them. So i take your point - the most "ubercool" and fashionable brands that these kids love can be looked into. Also i did think of iPods shuffles and PSP's and PS3 and X-Box can be looked at with the distributors for a tie-up give-aways. I also believe there are some fitness games on the X-Box that have come out - we can try doing a promotion of that in the gyms for the youth. Can have some great insights for us too. The value propostion here will def be higher than an additional month off!

@ Jay - Not too many late night MBA students hit the gym. Its not such a popular segment in India. But yes, your ideas about in-gym events like dance classes already exist. Something like Video-gaming sessions after hours, etc is something im going to apply my mind on. Thanks!

Hope i have clarified a few things and given you'll some of my perspective. Again, thanks once again for your feedback. Really appreciate it. Would love if there are some more interest comments to my post.

Regards,
Karan
 
Posted by: carrie77 Moderator Response
11/14/2009 7:25 AM (CST)
Hi Everyone,

I am closing this question since there has been no activity in 10 days.

Thanks for participating!
Carrie (Production Editor)
 


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