ISSUE 1 May
WEEKLY
Issue 43 - 2 April 2021
YOUR REGULAR ONLINE UPDATE FOR THE UK FITNESS SCENE
Managing your risk when re-opening a venue following a lockdown page 3 Exercise to be prescribed to people with cancer in innovative approach page 4
WORKOUT WEEKLY
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Advertiser’s announcement
What’s next for the fitness industry? By Jamie Owens
IT’S ESTIMATED UK gyms have lost in the region of £2.3billion in revenue* since the start of the pandemic. That equates to £354,000 per club. Competition has increased thanks to the proliferation of digital and at-home offerings and every operator has, to some degree, been compelled to cut budgets and lower costs. The coming months are going to be focused around one goal – member acquisition to recoup lost revenue and drive new income streams. But while anecdotal feedback from operators suggests there will be significant pent-up demand on reopening, once that post-Covid ‘bounce’ wears off and the tougher summer months kick in, there won’t be plentiful funds to throw at the challenge: a survey of Hussle partners revealed, while 62 per cent have a bounce back plan in place, 71 per cent will be spending the same, or less, on marketing. The sector needs to create growth while keeping customer acquisition costs (the money spent getting new customers) lean. This means reducing marketing wastage and appealing to a new, previously unengaged breed of member, to increase the chance of conversion and so member lifetime value. Now is the time to move beyond what you’ve always done; keep doing the same things and you’ll only get the
Jamie Owens same results, if you’re lucky. More likely, you’ll get diminishing returns as others become more competitive. As we emerge from lockdown, it’s the prime time to embrace new marketing tactics to up-scale your business. As a digital marketing channel with powerful UK-wide reach, Hussle offers a free route to revenue that many operators won’t have previously explored. Gyms needs members. Fact. Our new Membership Conversion Service is designed to generate all the marketing power needed to source a new member and then help you convert them. The MCS proactively targets people visiting a gym through Hussle to directly join if they’re attending regularly. This service identifies customers who would be best served by a direct gym
membership, creating a new joiner channel for operators. Some customers will always want to use multiple gyms but others use Hussle as a tool to find a gym they like. We identify these high value customers and convert them into direct members, helping reduce operators’ customer acquisition costs – there’s no wastage, no resource overheads, just more members. What makes Hussle unique in the market is that a member converted becomes just that, an actual member. Most marketing partners provide operators with revenue, but the customers will never become your own members.
Whether it’s the ‘try-before-they-buys’ or occasional users, a marketing partner should offer ways to convert this footfall to memberships and so a higher lifetime value. In the last 18 months Hussle has converted 30,000 into direct members, with no impact on constrained marketing budgets. It’s free to list a gym on the platform and we’re always keen to discuss building a recovery partnership with operators. Visit www.hussle.com/listmy-gym. *https://sustainhealth.fit/lifestyle/ukgyms-have-lost-over-2-billion/ n Jamie Owens is director of fitness partnerships at Hussle.
Your all-new, free marketing channel W W W. H U S S L E . C O M / L I S T- M Y- G Y M
Hussle brings gyms additional revenue via people who don’t currently engage with traditional memberships. ‘Try-before-you-buy’ customers, occasional users and customers requiring multi-venue workout options no single operator can provide. In the last 18 months Hussle has:
66,000 14,000 30,000 DISENGAGED E X- M E M B E R S BROUGHT BACK
N E W C U STO M E R S ENCOURAGED I N TO GY M S
T R Y- B E F O R E -YO U - B U Y C U STO M E R S C O N V E RT E D I N TO D I R EC T M E M B E R S
WORKOUT WEEKLY
Managing your risk when re-opening a venue following a lockdown By Mark Flanagan THE Covid-19 pandemic is the biggest threat the fitness industry has faced in a generation. However, the reopening of the sector is in sight, with some outdoor sports now open across all UK nations and restrictions set to lift on indoor sport in England on April 12 at the earliest, and on April 26 in Scotland, with dates in Wales and Northern Ireland still to be set. Yet, while from the outside reopening a site may seem simple, preparing to trade again needs to be done in a robust, safe manner, as it comes with a set of challenges that shouldn’t be underestimated. There are many mandated safety requirements that your business will now need to comply with, especially as the guidance from all governments puts the onus on a business to reduce its Covid risk to the lowest reasonably practicable level by taking preventative measures. In fact, making sure that your business reopens in accordance with government guidance is essential to securing the safety of both your people and your customers, as well as maintaining healthy revenues. In some cases, businesses and venues that breach the regulations may be subject to fixed penalties of £1,000 and/or fines up to £10,000*. Also as we come out of this lockdown, consumers will still be extremely safety minded, even as restrictions are lifted. Research by We Are Social monitored social media sentiment about the Covid-19 pandemic across 14 countries, including the UK, and found that while consumers will want Group Editor: Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734639 jh@scriptmedia.co.uk Group production editor: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmedia.co.uk Studio manager: Stewart Holt sth@scriptmedia.co.uk Sales and marketing director: Tony Barry Tel: 01226 734605 tb@scriptmedia.co.uk Sales manager: Louise Bristowe-Harrison Tel: 01226 734699 workout3@scriptmedia.co.uk
www.workout-uk.co.uk
Mark Flanagan to be as sociable as they can be in 2021, they will want know that they are doing this within any restrictions. Meaning that upon reopening, the emphasis a fitness business puts on safety should not only be about compliance but also be about customer reassurance. With this in mind, reopening a venue following a lockdown and a sustained period of closure needs careful planning. Your starting point should always be a review of an operation’s risk assessment, as a fitness business needs to review its products and services, re-evaluate its property and equipment and consider staff capabilities and needs before opening its doors. You will need to consider how products and services differs to the previous offer, recognise any changes in customer behaviour and identify
any new business limitations. Safety will need assessing, and the property and equipment will need to be ready to go. Processes will also need implementing to manage all human interactions within a venue. Another key area for consideration is staffing. Team members will need consulting about their return to work and plans put in place to support this. By involving them in staff in the initial risk assessment, businesses can ensure that they understand how outputs were arrived at, while also fulfilling their legal obligations to share the results with them. Training will be key to this. By following government guidance a fitness businesses can help reduce the spread of coronavirus and improve the likelihood of it remaining open, and key to this is staying up-to-date on the latest regulations and guidance via government and industry body websites. However, with much of the guidance to date differing by UK nation, and then being the subject of differing interpretations, bringing in some external support should also be considered. Covid-19 is such an unknown and rapidly changing beast that being able to tap into the expertise of those who have greater insight into what is taking place across the industry, as well as wider access to the regulators, can make all the difference. One such resource is the Safe to Trade Scheme. Launched in direct response to the pandemic, the Scheme works with businesses to help them stay compliant and give
customers confidence. It has been designed to support businesses in ensuring that they protect their people and customers by running a Covid-safe operation and is recognised by government bodies and prominent blue chip businesses as the leading Covid-19 control scheme in the UK. You can find out more at https:// safetotrade.org.uk Another essential top-of-mind consideration, as you set about reopening, should be that staying Covid-compliant is not your only safety concern. In the rush to comply with Covid guidance, fitness businesses should not forget their other legal obligations, such as fire safety, food safety and health and safety. These requirements should run in parallel with your Covid-safety measures. In accidentally missing these elements, a Covid-compliant fitness business could be temporarily closed, or fined because it doesn’t comply with other wider regulations. And, while it may seem that there’s a lot to consider, by getting the best advice, taking the right steps and putting in place the correct measures, you can safeguard your business, ensuring it stays compliant and ultimately continues to trade well beyond the legacy of Covid-19. * Source: https://www.gov.uk/ government/publications/furtherbusinesses-and-premises-to-close/ closing-certain-businesses-andvenues-in-england#compliance-andenforcement n Mark Flanagan is the CEO of Shield Safety Group and chairman of the UK Safe to Trade Scheme.
New CrossFit launches at Salford Quays A NEW CrossFit gym is coming to Salford Quays. Launching on April 12, the new facility is located at Ordsall Leisure Centre and will serve the local community. The gym or ‘Box’ as CrossFitters refer to it, is a new venture from Salford Community Leisure, the city’s leisure trust which also manages and operates other leisure facilities across Salford, including eight leisure centres and the Salford Watersports Centre. Chris Smith, CrossFit SCL head coach, added: “I’m thrilled to be part of this new facility and can’t wait to welcome new members to the box. “I’m a huge believer in the benefits Crossfit can have for everyone. I’d encourage people to come along, have a go and discover what CrossFit is all about and I’m sure you’ll get hooked too.” It will become the first CrossFit Box operated by a leisure trust in the Greater Manchester region and marks a positive step into this market for Salford Community Leisure, at a time when the industry is still reeling from the financial implications of the Covid-19 lockdown. The CrossFit market is a booming
Chris Smith sector of the health and fitness industry that is increasingly popular nationally, with more and more people looking to CrossFit for an innovative approach to health and fitness. CrossFit is a form of high intensity training, strength and conditioning made up of functional movements, with a constantly varying programming. Workouts include Olympic lifts, gymnastics and sport principles. The ethos behind CrossFit also focuses
on the importance of lifestyle and community alongside the workouts. Each CrossFit ‘box’ represents a community of members who work together to encourage each other to achieve their goals, whether they are beginners or have been training for years. Open to members of all ages it will offer a range of sessions throughout the week, as well as nutritional help and advice.
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WORKOUT WEEKLY
Exercise to be prescribed to people with cancer in innovative approach A PIONEERING physical activity programme designed to help people with cancer prepare for and respond to treatment will be launched at Sheffield Hallam University’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre with funding from Yorkshire Cancer Research. The new approach to cancer treatment will see patients offered a combination of physical activity, nutrition and psychological support. By providing tailored support and guidance for each individual, researchers expect to improve recovery rates and save lives by reducing the likelihood of cancer returning following treatment. Using state-of-the-art facilities, the approach will be researched at the
Professor Robert Copeland
world-leading AWRC, which is dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of people across the region. This new collaboration with Yorkshire Cancer Research is designed to optimise cancer treatment, minimise the length of time spent in hospital and reduce the likelihood of complications from surgery. Professor Robert Copeland, director of the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, said: “We want to help improve the way we support people with cancer to prepare for and recover from their treatment. “Evidence suggests a programme of exercise, changes to diet and psychological support can help reduce negative side effects, improve treatment and longer-term quality of life. “Being more physically active following a cancer diagnosis is associated with a lower risk of cancer recurrence and a greater likelihood of recovery. “Physical activity is not usually prescribed for patients receiving cancer treatment and we want that to change. “I am therefore delighted that we have the opportunity in Sheffield and in time, the wider city region to work with Yorkshire Cancer Research, the Cancer Alliance, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust and the numerous clinicians and professionals already supporting people with a cancer diagnosis, to develop effective models
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that ultimately make a difference to the lives of people in our region.” To begin with, patients with cancer of the lungs, colon, oesophagus, stomach and small intestine will be part of an initial pilot before the programme is widened out to include patients with other forms of cancer. The pilot is expected to start in the autumn. Dr Kathryn Scott, chief executive at Yorkshire Cancer Research, added: “In recent years, it has become very clear that exercise plays a vital role in
improving cancer survival rates, and that physical activity programmes should be prescribed to people with cancer in the same way as other treatments. “At Yorkshire Cancer Research our aim is for 2,000 more people to survive cancer every year in Yorkshire. “Together with the pioneering team at Sheffield’s AWRC, we are taking a huge leap into creating a world-leading programme that can be introduced across Yorkshire and beyond, helping to save many lives.”
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WORKOUT WEEKLY
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Advertiser’s announcement
Switch with Orbit4 – “a perfect ecosystem of digital platforms” WE ARE proud to launch the world’s first digital ecosystem to manage and facilitate the entire commercial fitness product life cycle. Orbit4 is the umbrella company for the already well-known brands; FitnessCompared, FitnessFinance, WeServiceGymEquipment and WeBuyGymEquipment. All platforms are free to join and drive best value for gym operators, fitness equipment manufacturers, service providers and used fitness equipment traders. We’ve qualified and aggregated the industry’s best partners so that gym operators have access to the wider market when looking to purchase and finance gym equipment, tender for service contracts and sell unwanted asset. It is the perfect ecosystem of digital platforms that delivers excellence and automation to the commercial fitness product journey. Joining the ecosystem enables gym operators to test the whole market impartially and switch at a click of a button. CEO Daniel Jones said Orbit4 owes all of its success to the fact that it gives best value at every stage for all aggregated partners and gym operators.
for the B2B commercial fitness sector.” Introducing our brands: FitnessCompared has aggregated the industry’s leading fitness equipment manufacturers under one roof. Buyers select the category(s), pick preferred equipment, specifications, quantities and then click compare. Within seconds, our unique algorithm offers quotes from suppliers, providing the best prices, a percentage score and suppliers product information. Gym operators can then choose to negotiate with suppliers, opening up the important dialogue between suppliers and buyers.
Daniel Jones “We have been overwhelmed by the response to Orbit4,” he added. “Gym operators are switching to our ecosystem because it delivers best value throughout the life span of their asset. “Whichever platform stakeholders use at the relevant period of the product journey, gym operators will experience enhanced transparency, efficiency, streamlining – all contributing to higher profitability. “Digital transformation is all around us and we’re delighted to deliver the same
FitnessFinance is an in-house finance company that enables Orbit4 customers to access finance. We work directly with financial institutions to guarantee the best rates depending on customers circumstances. Whether products are bought via our sister-brand, FitnessCompared or not, everyone is welcome to access competitive finance solutions at FitnessFinance. Over five years we have collected data that enables us to predict the residual value of assets during and towards the end of the assets life. Residual value data from our sister-
brand, WeBuyGymEquipment, enables us to pin-point the future residual value of the asset at the point of purchase. This means we can accurately offer the correct financial terms and end of term conditions. A simple win-win for both clients and Orbit4. WeServiceGymEquipment helps the gym operator find a new service provider or compare annual service contracts. All commercial fitness equipment needs regular servicing and is normally sold with a parts and labour warranty. When this expires, most gym operators extend their warranty either with the incumbent supplier or source a new service provider. WeBuyGymEquipment is the best way gym operators can maximise the amount of money they receive when trading-in their old fitness equipment. WeBuyGymEquipment has created an closed auction platform where commercial gym equipment packages can go under the hammer via 250 global second-hand gym equipment traders. It’s simple – the highest price wins. Our service doesn’t stop there. We micromanage the payment and extraction process to ensure the project is completed with minimal downtime.
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Friday 26th November 2021, The Athena,Leicester NOMINATIONS WILL REMAIN OPEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR CLOSING ON AUGUST 31 2021. WWW.NATIONALFITNESSAWARDS.CO.UK
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