How to Get Fitness Leads and Referrals with UGC

 

Check out this “secret sauce tactic!” 🚀

 

It’s not for everybody….. but, it generated a ton of new clients for one of my coaching clients, Robin Stinson (owner of RS Fitness – women only studio).

 

So, I’m going to share it with you in hopes that it will help your business, too.

 

It costs almost nothing $0 to implement yet the return can be HUGE!

 

However, it does require a “take action” mindset.

 

If you want to know WHY this tactic is so effective: —>CLICK or TAP HERE…​

 

THE PRODUCT PLACEMENT CONCEPT

 

👉  ENTERTAINMENT BIZ: In the movie, television and streaming entertainment businesses, the big companies like Coke, Nike, Verizon, Rolex, etc. pay for product placement within the show.

 

It’s especially effective if the star is really “cool” like James Bond (007) or, I suppose, today, it would be Barbie – and they are actually using the product. Imagine how many millions of people see it – and are influenced by it.

 

👉  SOCIAL INFLUENCERS: Of course, today, social media has created its own celebrities and “influencers” who have carved out niches for themselves.

 

You can pay them to showcase your products or services in front of their millions of followers. It’s very effective!

 

👉  USER GENERATED CONTENT: I presented this idea of “product placement” to Robin.

 

How could we do something similar with practically no budget in her local market area?

 

After some brainstorming we decided to deploy the same concept (with her “BRAND/LOGO”) at the “micro level” using her existing clients as “influencers” on their own Facebook and Instagram accounts (organic).

 

Among marketers this tactic is called “User Generated Content.”

 

Finally, we created a promotion. We called it the “Show Me” Contest.

 

THE “SHOW ME” CONTEST

 

👉  SHOW ME: In a nutshell, the Show Me Contest operates on a points system (with weekly prizes ranging from free 1:1 sessions to movie tickets and car washes) whereby every time clients take photos of themselves with Robin’s “RS Fitness” logo, and post them on their own Facebook and/or IG accounts, they are awarded points.

 

Top three (3) places win prizes.

For example:

✅  A photo or video wearing her branded t-shirt with her logo = one (1) point.

✅  A photo or video wearing a t-shirt and holding a jug of her branded protein (two logos) = two (2) points.

✅  Group shot or group video all displaying her logo = # in group = # of points (awarded to each who posts on their own FB/IG accounts).

 

👉  RULES: All images/videos and posts need to “tag” Robin so she can count and keep score. Counts/Scores are posted daily on a whiteboard in the studio and on her Facebook private group page.

(NOTE: This became time consuming so she hired a virtual assistant to keep score and admin the contest.)

 

👉  SLOW START… BUT THEN: In the beginning during the first few weeks, Robin’s clients didn’t quite know what to think about this (we almost canceled the promotion).

 

But, then a couple of ladies began using their phones/cameras and posting their “Show Me” images on their own social media accounts.

 

And, Robin dutifully displayed the scores in her studio as well as the shared images on her private FB group.

 

THE SNOWBALL EFFECT

 

As other clients saw the scores they wanted to become “part of it.”

 

Thus, started the “snowball effect” and the momentum grew fast.

 

While many of her clients were posing by themselves, some of the ladies were getting together for lunch, weekend hikes and other off-site activities and taking “group shots” (all wearing branded apparel – t-shirts, hats, tanks, etc.) just to get multiple points.

 

After just 2 months, it really began to look like a party!

 

Everyone was smiling, laughing and appearing to have loads of fun — the whole time wearing the RS Fitness brand and posting their images on their individual social media accounts.

 

Imagine how this was perceived by potential prospects…

 

Joining RS Fitness would be a fun and rewarding “experience!”

 

IT’S IN THE NUMBERS…

 

The 26 clients who participated had, on average, approximately 400 Facebook “friends” each (although some were relatives or not really personal friends).

 

The number of “brand impressions” adds up quickly: (26 x 400 = 10,400) x (7 days a week: 72,800).

 

And, that’s if they only posted once a day. (Note: numbers varied wildly based on user activity and social media algorithms).

 

Additionally some posted to multiple platforms including Stories, Reels, Instagram as well as Twitter, LinkedIn and even YouTube.

 

I estimate, at it’s height, there were between 75,000 – 100,000 brand impressions per week.

 

Here’s the only important metric. Robin’s referrals and leads increased 5X year-over-year for the same time frame.

 

And, her gross revenue was 2X year-over-year during that same time period.

 

We retired the program in May as it had “lived its life.”

 

But, now that we know it works, we’re working on something even bigger for January 2024.

 

COULD YOU DO THIS…?

 

Admittedly this type of marketing is a lot of hard work and you’ll undoubtedly need administrative help (staff member, client volunteer, VA).

 

However, there doesn’t seem to be anybody (clubs, studios, independents) actively promoting this kind of User Generated Content with “brand placement” tactics on the social media platforms.

 

If a health, fitness or wellness brand shows up in a post it’s almost by accident!

 

BE PATIENT…

 

This is a marketing tactic, not a sales tactic.

 

Our industry is so “sales driven” and obsessed with instant gratification that we often forget to “market” ourselves

 

So, you’ll need to be patient and manage your “sales driven” expectations.

 

But, the leads and referrals will start to flow in and increase over time as the snowball momentum takes effect.

 

Plus, you’ll have these “brand endorsement” images forever!

 

FYI:  Always smart to have a “Model Release” 👉 ​CLICK or TAP HERE….​

 

If you’d like to know WHY User Generated Content is so effective at generating new leads and referrals, pleaseCLICK or TAP HERE…​

Art Rothafel

👉  Our blog posts are full of fitness marketing nuggets. ❤️   Read more…. CLICK or TAP HERE…

🚀 Need help with your marketing? …. CLICK or TAP HERE…

 

 

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