13+1 tips for a successful marketing strategy – Promotion
We hope you enjoyed the previous articles about the EMS success story in Belgium and could find some useful ideas to further develop your own EMS business. If not yet, in this article you will for sure. ;) This time you are going to read about the 4th P of the marketing mix, which stands for promotion. This topic is so comprehensive and wide-ranging that it is worth explaining further in a separate, longer article. Promotion is the way a company advertises, markets and communicates its product1. Even if your product or service is the best in the world, without proper advertising you cannot reach your consumers. That’s why we collected 13 marketing activities and tips to help you in how to bring closer an EMS brand to the end customers and how to make a successful marketing campaign as our Belgian Distributors made it:
1. Online marketing - website
Nowadays it is inevitable for every business to have a website that is easy to overview and informative to the target group. If we have prepared the webpage thoroughly with proper wording and paid attention to the SEO and mobile optimizations, there will be no challenge for our customers to find us easily. This is so to say “for free”, but if we are willing to spend a little more on Google AdWords ads, we can significantly increase our success. https://www.efit.be/
2. Online marketing - social media
Similarly to a website, daily social media activity is also essential. For the Belgian E-Fit studios it is also very important to showcase unified communication, so from this year in exchange for a low monthly fee, they manage centrally the social media pages of the studios.
3. Exhibitions
In the beginning, the Belgian E-Fit distributors sought to participate in every Belgian fitness, wellness and beauty industry exhibition and present E-Fit and the concept behind the brand. They have also revealed that in these Belgian events, could acquire about 30 leads on average, of which resulted 3-4 successful business deals in general. Recently, however, they no longer see the need for continuous appearance at such events, but rather focus on internal ones.
4. B2B and B2C events and gatherings
In order to keep the E-Fit community together and develop it further, in the last years they started to regularly organize events for local end customers (B2C) and also for the already existing as well as potential future partners with great success. In our next article we will share some more information about how such an event in Belgium looks like.
5. Sponsorship
an effective way to reach many people by supporting a person, company or event while establishing a deeper integration between the advertiser and a publisher. The sponsor can contribute to the creation of positive image of the supported entity. Instead of detailing why sponsorship is a good marketing tool, let the pictures talk, i.e.: cycling and football
6. PR
The aforementioned sponsorship may also be included in PR, Public Relations activities, as they try to draw positive attention to the subject of the advertisement. In addition, Stephanie and Andy are doing their best to build a favourable image of the E-Fit business and bring the public closer to the company2. This year, for example, they gained Miss Belgium 2019 and Evy Gruyaert Belgian celebrity’s support to their campaigns.
7. Advertising
they successfully utilize the mass media as well: radio, TV, newspapers (magazine advertisements). All these advertising channels had been flourishingly applied when they opened the new flagship store in Deinze.
8. Direct mail
Andy and Stephanie still believe in traditional letter-sending campaigns. Although it is an “old-style” marketing activity, they proved to utilize it with success locally so recommend to use it bravely. Besides of that, they also regularly send out newsletters via e-mail to their partners.
9. Integrated printed materials
They have a support page that provides high quality graphics for all partners e.g.: flyers, business cards, gift cards and rollups. Here, too, their main motto is unity, they expect from all their partners to use these materials.
10. Studio
representative showroom (2 levels, 300 sqm (200 sqm arena for training, 100 sqm office)). As E-Fit EMS training is a service, thus way incomprehensible, the first impression is crucial. The studio’s outlook, design and equipment have a significant communication role.
11. Special offers and sales promotions
in the fitness sector it is already impossible to run a studio without seasonal promotions, vouchers, and other discounts. The most common promotions to be used at EMS trainings are the following: trial trainings, gratis sessions, discounts, seasonal offers, etc. The Belgian distributor also offers discounts from time to time for the studios that they can follow if they want to.
12. Direct sales – personal selling
In the service sector, and during EMS trainings as well, often the trainer himself/herself is responsible for conducting the sales process3. That is why it is very important to educate the trainers about sales techniques. Andy and Stephanie are doing it perfectly.
13. Word of mouth
They say the best advertisers are satisfied customers. Therefore, the most important is to offer a premium service with premium products from highly-qualified staff!
+1 Humour
Take a look at the comics of E-Fit Belgium :)
If you have any questions, comments, or new ideas to add to the list above, feel free to contact us!
Stay with us for the last episode of the E-Fit Success Story in Belgium!
1TheChartered Institut of Marketing, 2009: Marketing and the 7P's:https://www.cim.co.uk/membership/marketing-library
2Marketing Mix – Promotion (Promotional Strategy):https://marketingmix.co.uk/promotion
3The Marketing Mix – Promotion Strategies:https://www.learnmarketing.net/promotion.htm