Fitness businesses are booming these days. With so many health and fitness websites popping up, standing out among your competitors is key. Gone are the days of offering only basic tips and philosophies. Consumers are now aligning themselves with sports and health brands that they feel share a like-minded perspective. The great news is that any health and fitness company can take some simple branding steps to immediately engage with clients in a long-lasting and meaningful way.
Here’s what to do:
Get clear on your message. What is your unique offering? What is your business all about? Startup branding is all about boiling down your unique value proposition into one or two sentences. Don’t try to be everything to everyone. A focused and simple approach is best. Get clear on what your company does best, what sets you apart from your competition and what your ideal client profile looks like. This information will be the foundation for your messaging platform and makes it easier for prospective clients to remember you and what you stand for.
Create a consistent visual and tonal identity for your brand! Don’t confuse your readers with contradictory tones of voice or an unmemorable logo. Just like your messaging, your visual brand should set you apart from the competition. Develop an internal brand guide that explains how your logo should be used, what type of communication styles should be used and when, how you speak to your clients and official fonts for marketing materials, including your website and newsletter. Consistency is key to creating a memorable brand.
Listen to your clients. Ask them what topics and questions interest them the most. Engage with them. When you do, you’ll find that they become more dedicated to your brand. When your health and fitness website moves from a one-sided interaction to a two-way conversation, clients relate to you more like a trusted friend than simply a business. Plus, listening to your clients is simply a good business strategy.
Release regular content. Part of any good business branding strategy is to release regular and relevant content. Not only does this continue to support your ongoing SEO efforts but it also provides an opportunity for repeat engagement with your clients. Whom do you consider a better friend—the one who reaches out through email once a week, or the one you only hear from once a year? Your clients feel the same way. Familiarity breeds affinity, which ultimately leads to sales.
Create opportunities for further engagement. Webinars, retreats, events, products, etc. Not only can these become additional sources of revenue for your business, but they are also opportunities for your clients to engage with your brand in a physical way. Once your unique brand position is clarified, these become chances to spread your message to the masses and start converting clients into evangelists.
Set a solid foundation for your website by creating a consistent flow of communication between you and your clients. This will prove to be a critical step toward setting up your lifestyle brand for success.
