Marketing and Sales in the Fitness sector

Between 2007 and 2017, the European fitness market grew in volume from 36 to 60 million members which was a whopping growth of 67% in a decade. The biggest changes impacting the sector are: The rise of low cost, internationalisation of suppliers and health club chains, the acceptance of fitness as mainstream physical activity or sport, the arrival of boutiques studios, the impact of advanced technology in equipment and management systems, the invention of apps and wearables and the increased popularity of group exercise and virtual fitness. Most of these developments have been made possible or have been invented because of the increased importance and development of the internet and smartphones. These changes have also caused a shift in the commercial activities of the fitness sector. Before the arrival of the internet and smartphones, most sales and marketing activities were offline or based on traditional advertising in magazines, newspapers, promotional activity and personal selling. Today, there is a bigger emphasis on social media and media communications and a lower importance for traditional personal selling. For any company the concepts of marketing and sales are very important as they can mean the difference between success and failure. While they are often used interchangeably or grouped together, they are clearly two different concepts and this book explains the difference and their application in the fitness sector. The aim of this book is to provide some food for thought on the aspects of marketing and sales for the sector, as well as providing some practical tips for operators in these disciplines. There are 11 chapters in this book covering the following topics and more besides: * The 6 P's of marketing. * Pricing in the fi tness sector. * Marketing communications; offl ine vs online. * Marketing and sales in group fi tness. * Marketing and sales in personal training. * Personal branding. A selection of international experts has contributed to this publication. There are many tips and suggestions as to how to improve and professionalize our sector commercially to continue the impressive growth path for the next decade. Happy reading and learning!