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Health Clubs and Fitness Centers for Women. Marketing Plan. Executive Summary and Overview. Historical Context.
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Health Clubs and Fitness Centers for Women Marketing Plan
Historical Context • The first Curves Fitness Center opened in Harlingen, Texas in 1992. The concept of a 30-minute workout session appealed to women who tried it, and the fitness center expanded to become a huge success in the United States. Founders Gary and Diane Heavin then decided to branch out even more and make the fitness centers international. The company was able to effectively market to its publics and create an award-winning national advertising campaign for the year 2003 – obtaining this goal in under a decade. • Curves has responded to change in a proactive way. After researching the company, our team was unable to find “bad press”/anything overly negative. Curves is constantly growing, and has been recognized as the fastest growing franchise in history for the past 15 years. Curves’s current standing is good, but there are many fitness centers that make this industry competitive. One good move on the part of Curves is keeping up to date with modern workout trends. Zumba, a dance-based workout craze, has been added to the Curves repertoire.
Industry Analysis/Trends • Online workout options and online meal plans • Pre-packaged foods with auto-delivery options • Effective workouts that show results quickly • Easy access to gym facilities with flexible hours • Variety in workout types (cardio, yoga, aerobics, weights, workout machines, etc.) • Zumba and other dance-based workouts • Pick-your-own-plan flexible rates • Free trials
Competitors • Weight Watchers • YWCA • Jenny Craig • Vertical Butterfly Fitness
SWOT Analysis Strengths vs. Competitors: • Compared to Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers, which focus mainly on meal plans, Curves focuses on an overall healthy lifestyle. Physical workouts make you feel healthier and energized after just one session. • As opposed to online-based weight loss programs, Curves is much more personable. The “in-the-flesh” facilities provide a haven for women to socialize and work out during their free time. They have an opportunity to form real friendships and motivate each other to achieve their weight loss goals. • Curves has a very large community of women and available locations. According to the website, it has “10,000 clubs in more than 85 countries serving more than 4 million members.” This provides legitimacy, and a likelihood that there will be a location near you – especially in metropolitan areas. • Curves has updated some workout routines to go with the times, such as the Curves Circuit with Zumba. • The Curves workout routine is only half an hour, and therefore much easier for the average woman to work into a busy routine. It's also women-only – single-gender workout environments can be more comfortable for many clients.
SWOT Analysis Weaknesses vs. Competitors: • The locations are only open a limited number of hours. If a woman could only work out during her lunch break or late in the evenings, she would be forced to join a 24-hour gym instead. • Since Curves is women-only, the company misses out on male clients, and as a result, may miss out on female clients. For example, if a woman's husband/boyfriend signed up for a gym membership, she may sign up too because of a discounted family rate or for the opportunity to spend time together. • Curves does not seem to include a meal plan or official nutritional counsel. • There's not an option for women who want a strenuous routine or who would rather work out alone. • There is not a lot of variety in the workout equipment. Clients also have to jump from machine to machine in rapid succession, so there's not any time to clean the handles/seats, etc. between clients before use.
SWOT Analysis Opportunities based on emerging trends: • Curves could adopt a personal trainer option for a higher rate if a woman's schedule wouldn't allow for a workout during the regular business hours. • Curves could rotate their staff so that they could stay open during lunch hours. • Curves could break into the online market by setting up an internet-based routine with discussion boards available for Curves-characteristic socializing, as well as Q&A with a Curves fitness trainer (similarly to P90X). • Curves already sells vitamins and supplements on their website, but they could expand their store to include small workout aids (such as weights, yoga balls, medicine balls, etc.) and workout apparel. • Curves could form partnerships with major food companies (in a way similar to Weight Watchers and their “point system). That way, the Curves lifestyle could transcend to grocery stores and restaurants.
SWOT Analysis Threats to organization: • 24-hour gyms that have more time versatility. • Online programs for people not close to a Curves location. • Strenuous, results-based workouts like P90X. • Nutrition-based programs that give guidance on food. • Gyms that allow men.
Competitive Advantage Curves is the only fitness facility that caters exclusively to women and uses resistance circuit workout stations, so it really is in a league of its own. Women can come together not only to better their fitness in a “no men, no makeup, no mirrors” environment, but they can also develop camaraderie and make friendships along the way. This personal touch sets it apart.
Target Market • Demographic: The target market of Curves is geared towards women of any race. Curves is for women from the ages of 18-70. The programs are geared towards each woman’s individual needs and designed for any woman wanting to promote a healthier life. • Psychographic: The mindset of the women who join Curves is a desire to change their everyday patterns. Many of these women are already relatively busy with hectic schedules, and consequently don’t have a lot of time to work out.Curves has a 30-minute workout that burns 500 calories, which is especially ideal for the working woman or busy mother. These women want a change that can integrate well with their current lifestyles. They choose Curves because the of the “comfortable, women-only” environment, the support system they can foster with workout-mates, and the speed of which the full workout can be completed. • Attitudinal: The attitude of these women in curves is to start and maintain a healthy life by taking the small steps learned at Curves and the need to change the past patterns to make new healthy, life changing patterns for a better, stronger life.
Business Mission Statement Current Mission Statement: “Each year, millions of women suffer needlessly from preventable disease. Together, we can change this. We can live years longer and enjoy more if we take small steps everyday toward health. And it all starts with you. By making your own health priority, you become a strong link in the chain and have the power to affect those around you. So share your strength with a woman in your life. Encourage her. Pass along something you’ve learned of share a success you’ve had. Help her become healthier and gain confidence. She’ll feel better and live better, which will positively affect everyone around her. And then, she can share her strength. Together, we will make this world one million women stronger.” Revised Mission Statement: “Our goal is to join together as women to fight disease, create healthy proactive daily routines, and teach each other to make health a priority. We will create a place not only for our 30-minute workout, but to form friendships that we to take with us throughout our lives.”
Marketing/Target Market Strategies • Market Penetration Idea Curves could create a new sales promotion for the longtime, devoted customers. By way of a loyalty rewards program, Curves could offer continued membership discounts or incentives (such as free Curves apparel) for these customers to show appreciation. The value of the reward would correspond to the customer's loyalty level (e.g. how long she has been a member and how many hours she has worked out at the facilty). • Market Development Idea To attract new customers, the company could focus on a younger target market. Curves could create magazine ads for younger women, and even hire a teen spokesperson. Curves is already targeted towards women, but if they expanded their focus to include a younger demographic, they could gain more members. Through the ads and spokespersons, Curves could position itself as the newest exercise fad for teens and young adults-- especially since the facilities have incorporated a Zumba program.
Marketing/Target Market Strategies • New Products or Services Idea Curves is already boasts a 30-minute circuit that burns 500 calories using the resistance machines. The facility could likely benefit from adding variety and accommodating more clients. However, our research shows that existing Curves facilities are relatively small and concerned with being budget-friendly. Therefore, we tried to come up with ideas that would not require spatial expansion or the purchase of additional machines. In an area separate from the machines, the gym members could engage in a cardio circuit to get their heart rates up. Each station would be a different cardio move: One station would be jump roping, another would be jumping jacks, another running in place, and perhaps some sort of aerobic dancing at another station. This would broaden the everyday workout routine. This new circuit area could be also utilized as a yoga circuit in order to bring the heart rate back to normal after the cardio, as well as help the clients relax before they go about their day. Each station would feature a different yoga pose. These new cardio and yoga options would likely appeal to the new target audience: a teen/“younger women” demographic.
Product/Service Description Core Services: • Efficient, full-body workouts (using circuit-style rotation on workout equipment) set to upbeat music • This 30-minute workout provides cardio and strength training, and provides the opportunity to burn up to 500 calories. • A “circuit coach”/trainer is on site to motivate and assist the members in their rotation. • There is also a “Curves with Zumba Fitness” option that incorporates both workout styles. Supplementary Services: • Access to the MyCurves.com community. • Dietary supplements and powdered nutritional shakes. • Diane magazine online subscription • Retail products (clothing, etc.)
Product/Service Description How are services customized or individualized? • Members can seek customized advice or assistance from their circuit coaches during their workout sessions, or after-hours on the online community. They can choose dietary supplements to meet their specific needs, and do as much of the workouts as their body can handle. • Curves has also developed “Curves Smart,” an electronic coaching system that is programmed with your personal stats (height, weight, body mass index, etc.) and sets reasonable, customized goals to keep you motivated.
Product/Service Description • Reliability: Curves offers a full circuit workout that provides the results consumers are looking for. The services are dependable, accurate, and consistent. • Responsiveness: Curves is open from seven in the morning until eight in the evening (usually with a break for lunch). Curves provides prompt feedback during the hours of operation. When a member is at the fitness center, they have access to staff members who are there to offer assistance, encouragement, and answer any questions. • Assurance: Curves employees convey trust by demonstrating the workouts, citing success stories that show results, and displaying a passion about the work they are doing. • Empathy: Curves provides personal trainers to the consumers who need more attention and have need-specific requirements. • Tangible Cues: “Curves is the largest fitness franchise in the world and is located in nearly 10,000 locations in over 85 countries” (http://www.curves.com/about-curves/overview.php). Inside the facility, consumers will find workout equipment that will fulfill their needs.
Distribution/Location Strategy Curves fitness centers are located in urban areas so that many women have access to them. Most of the facilities are fairly small because of the set, circular workout area. There are 10,000 locations in 85 countries). Since Curves is a franchise, the locations and schedules are completely up to the franchise owner. Most facilities are open in the early morning ranging from 6-7 a.m., and close around 7-8 p.m.
Personnel and Customer Service • MyCurves.com allows members to become part of an online community. A sense of camaraderie in between workouts can help members stay on track and achieve weight loss/health goals. • The Curves circuit coaches are available to the members at every workout. The coaches form relationships with the women who attend the circuit workouts and are the face of the company to these members. They can encourage the members to come to the workouts every week and offer their counsel and advice. • Curves realizes that when customers are satisfied in general, they become goodwill ambassadors who tell others about the facility and recommend it to their friends.
Promotion Objectives Description Target Metric
PR/Publicity Objectives Description Target Metric
