One of the most tried and tested tactics clubs can rely on to build their membership base is creating kick-ass events.
Events have long been the bedrock of a thriving club. They remain the most powerful reminder of why members fell in love with your club in the first place and serve as a fantastic example of all the things your club can offer that fitness apps cannot. Great Instructors, pulsating workouts, and a strong sense of community come to the fore, bringing members a thrilling and fun fitness experience.
Like all the best things in life, fitness is an experience best shared with others. Research into the ‘group effect’ tells us workouts are more motivating and enjoyable when we work out together, while we also get better results. So, after a period when our members have been isolated from friends, family, and familiar faces, what better way to kickstart the sector’s post-pandemic recovery than with a global festival of fitness?
What is Unstoppable?
Unstoppable is a new campaign to help the global fitness industry celebrate the return of live workouts and turbocharge club recoveries. It follows in the footsteps of last year’s World United event, which saw thousands of clubs around the world join together to re-engage members and express solidarity in the face of the pandemic.
Throughout the month of October, the fitness world will come together to celebrate the return of live fitness and the strength of our community. Tens of thousands of facilities and Instructors from around the world will host their own Unstoppable-themed live and online workouts to reengage their community and fill classes.
Armed with new UNSTOPPABLE-themed (Q3) releases – from BODYPUMP™ to LES MILLS GRIT™ – these events will showcase the latest version of the Les Mills workouts to get your members even more hyped about the return of live fitness.
Why should I get involved?
After 18 months we’d all rather forget, we’re now witnessing ‘Live revival’ where people get back to doing the things they love in person – and events are a great way to showcase the very best elements of live workouts.
Multiple reports and post-lockdown surveys have indicated that the social elements of the club, such as group fitness and interactions with your team, are the biggest drivers of recovery. After many months of being kept apart, members are yearning for deeper connection and human interactions, so how we leverage and nurture the social aspects of our club offerings will have a major bearing on the success of our relaunches.
Unstoppable is a business accelerator for clubs, designed to support your relaunch strategy by engaging existing members and attracting new ones. Launch activations play a strong role in motivating members to attend more often, dialing-up the fun factor, and offering a strong PR hook to generate added buzz and publicity around your club.
How can I get involved?
Clubs and Instructors are invited to join the celebration by hosting their own special launch activations or community open day (or weekend) during October – either online via Les Mills’ livestreaming service or live in-club – to re-engage members and attract new ones.
We recommend that clubs structure launch activations around a schedule of free workouts, group fitness classes, personal training, Instructor meet-and-greets, competitions, prizes and any other ideas that will get your members pumped.
What should I tell my members?
Fitness is our uniting force, and when we workout together, we truly are Unstoppable. Tap into this powerful notion and excite your members by telling them you’re joining the biggest global fitness event of the year, bringing together thousands of clubs and Instructors from around the world to celebrate as one.
Approximately six weeks before your event date is the best time to start making noise around Unstoppable. Use the save the date video included on this page to build hype for your event using the hashtag #UNSTOPPABLE
Make sure your members know the date of your club's event, how they can sign up to attend, and that they’ll get the chance to experience the new Unstoppable-themed Les Mills workouts, created by the world’s top Instructors.
As we all know, NEW and FREE are two of the most powerful words in marketing. Chances are your members have friends who would also like to attend the open day, so be sure to encourage them to bring guests along and have your team consider the best way to convert these fresh faces into new joiners.
What marketing support is available?
Promoting your event well in advance will help to generate buzz and publicity around the club, resulting in packed classes and member referrals. To successfully plan, promote, and prepare for Unstoppable launch activations, we’ve created a powerful campaign to assist you.
A free campaign hub has been created for club partners. Editable templates have also been provided so your club can choose between images, upload your own photo or logo, and edit text fields to build a complete and personalized campaign that aligns with your brand and supports any other relaunch activity you’re already driving.
Is it safe to run events?
Before planning your event or new release launch party, we suggest checking your local, state and national COVID-19 safety recommendations to ensure you’ll be compliant.
What are the benefits of running a fitness event?
Anyone who’s felt the electricity of a live fitness class will tell you it’s one of the most powerful and motivational workout experiences you can get. Live classes remain the pinnacle of our offering, because it’s where our people come into their own, building connections, and inspiring participants to beat their best. By tapping into these notions and showcasing our clubs at their best, events have long been a crucial pillar of building a successful club business.
The benefits of hosting outstanding club events include:
- Keeping members motivated and improving retention
- Re-engaging lapsed members to prevent attrition
- Attracting new members through cost-effective referrals
- Engaging more members in group exercise – a key driver of retention
- Building community and staff teamwork
- An opportunity to recruit new talent to bolster your team
- A means to continually improve quality of service and build a buzz in your club
My facility is closed. Can I still run an event?
Yes, absolutely. We understand some countries are still experiencing restrictions due to COVID-19, which is why we’ve made it possible for clubs and Instructors to stream workouts and run online fitness classes via our live-streaming solution.
The rules around a livestream class are the same as for a live class. The class needs to be taught by an active, certified Instructor in that specific Les Mills program on behalf of a club licensed for that Les Mills program. Unlike the live class, the Instructor does not need to be inside the club, but you do need to livestream through a club account.
For more information on livestreaming, check out our top 9 tips for livestreaming success.
READY TO BE UNSTOPPABLE?
Get your Unstoppable launch kit from Marketing Studio and start planning a killer event to kickstart your member growth.
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