2023-08-15 19:04:00
A key element in this transformation has been the diversification of the activities offered. The introduction of equipment such as water balls and the implementation of classes focused on disciplines that encourage both physical and emotional control, such as swimming, karate, ballet and aerial dance, have attracted a new audience.
The inclusion of activities that address mental and emotional health, in addition to physical well-being, has become an essential component of Sports World’s strategy. This type of effort has made the chain receive 3,000 of the 5,000 children it had before covid-19 and the 83,712 adults currently subscribed.
According to its financial report, this figure for the second quarter of the year represents an increase of 26.1% compared to the same period in 2022. Sequentially, customer growth was 6% compared to the first three months of 2023, while that income from January to June was 851.8 million pesos, 40.6% more than what was reported in the first half of the previous year.
Expansion (E): What are the emerging trends in the fitness industry and how is Sports World adapting its marketing strategy to capitalize on them?
Cecilia Vega (CV): When the pandemic hit, everything digital was overwhelming. Today we are seeing that the user now has a more hybrid scheme. In fact, that’s why we have a hybrid plan where people can take classes online and others face-to-face. This plan has grown a lot and the one that was only online is already ending. We are regarding to renew the mobile application so that many of the needs derived from the pandemic are translated into a tangible instrument and in the hands of users. The application will be launched at the end of September and responds to a more comprehensive and comfortable vision of interaction with gyms and with what you need as a person.
Another trend that we see is that of more personalized classes and that of integrating the whole family. Also the growing awareness in terms of nutrition, mental health, sleep and complementary services that have made us transform our value proposition.
E: In a market as competitive as the fitness industry, what is Sports World’s main focus to differentiate itself from the competition and attract new customers?
CV: Our communication was aimed at high performance and very competitive athletes, it was a little darker, stronger and very black, red, but we realized that the Mexican market had changed. Before, three out of 10 people worried regarding their health and now it has risen to four, that is, close to 40% of Mexicans already have this awareness of health. Therefore we made a change in communication, we want it to be closer, so we are going to use more colors and images of people who are closer to who we all are.
We even changed our slogan, now we say “You here, you now” because with the pandemic we learned that life is the moment you have it. We are also pursuing the children’s market, although we already had a space for them, we have reinforced the offer with academies, competitions, camps and a renovated area for the last quarter of the year. This way we will have a service for the whole family and the market will expand.
E: How have you used digital platforms and social media to connect with your audience and build customer loyalty?
CV: They are a very important pillar for us and we also have a lot of interaction. We open this space to share capsules, exercise trends, kinetics classes (a German technology owned by Sports World). Having those differentiators that break with the traditional exercise allows us to communicate it. The networks have also helped us a lot to learn regarding the suggestions of the public and even complaints because they are open lines. We have four people continuously interacting on social media.
E: What has been Sports World’s experience collaborating with influencers or brand ambassadors to promote your services? What impact has it had on the visibility and growth of the business?
CV: Yes, we have worked with influencers of different ages because they represent our different market segments. In some cases we have been very successful, in others not so much. Managing influencers is part of modern life that many brands had to understand. However, not all of them return what they should. There are very specific topics for which they are very useful, such as very specific positions, for example, on August 25 we will open Sports World studio Polanco, which unlike other branches is not so personalized and will only offer four disciplines because it is a space of 1,200 meters. In that case, it does require us to resort to influencers because it is positioning for a very specific niche, a segment and very established disciplines.
How we measure the success of an influencer is very clear. It’s practically a conversion. Influencers have a tool, which is a code that only they can give so that clients come here and can visit our facilities. If the influencer manages to get people to come, that is what I measure as conversion.
E: What is Sports World’s long-term vision in terms of geographic expansion and diversification of services?
CV: In 2022 it was practically revived. In 2023 we are bringing the gyms back to 100. We did not have “normal” income in three years, so maintaining the infrastructure of 51 gyms was quite difficult for the company. Right now we are getting handsome in personnel, number of coaches, team, and in the stability of the company. This year comes the opening of the studio in Polanco and in 2024 we will begin to see the expansion.
E: Why should the user choose Sports World and not another gym that may be closer to their home and with a more affordable membership?
CV: There is a market for everyone and clearly you have to understand what you want. There are some where the low price allows you to be, but it is likely that you will find a more saturated gym, there are people who move in a very short perimeter and it is very good if you want to stay in the corner, nothing happens. But there are others that move and need a network and not a small study or others that seek a discipline or different types of classes. It depends on what you want. A Sports World is a medium-high profile, who is not going to look for a limited gym, but is looking for a complete offer, with comfortable facilities, that can be found in main places and not on neighborhood streets. We are an upper-middle-range gym with greater dispersion and that is why they choose us.
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