The Active Body Conditioning business website project was when I first started to feel the benefit of ‘word of mouth’. Joe Taylor (JT Elite Performance) currently runs his Personal Training sessions from the ABC Gym in Stockton. Whilst shooting some video content for Joe, I was introduced to Andy Burton who runs ABC. For all the brilliance of digital marketing, it’s true that word of mouth still ranks up there amongst the best forms of marketing.
Andy was looking for somebody to take ownership of his business website, as he had previously looked to get a site off the ground but it was never given enough attention and focus. His old website was more of a favour from a friend, than it was a business investment. That’s not a criticism, but more a reality of how a website doesn’t always give the best representation of a business, if it’s not treated as a business investment.
Business Website Needs
The old business website had outdated opening hours, classes and membership information. It didn’t provide the functionality to allow online Membership applications. Andy was very determined about what he wanted his website to do. He has very high expectations; high expectations of himself, his clients and those he chooses to work with. He expects everything to be done with a purpose, with accuracy and to first-class standard.
This is reflected in the way that he wanted the Membership page to function. If you are applying to the ABC gym, then you are doing it with intent and with fitness goals. When building websites, setting goals is the only way that a website project is going to be completed successfully. Likewise, if any fitness plan is going to be achieved, then realistic fitness goals are essential. We created an Membership Application Form with a mandatory field for Fitness Goals. This gives Andy early information of his potential clients so that he can start to tailor his programme to meet their needs.
The Results
ABC now have a solid platform to build upon. The basics of any business website should be that information is accessible and clear. When landing on the homepage of the ABC website, it easy to understand what fitness classes are on offer, which staff work at the gym and each trainers specialities. Since the initial launch, I have worked with Andy to create a blog page for his website, from which he can share his thoughts and tips with clients and followers. This is key during the COVID-19 period and the perfect platform for ABC to communicate with their customers and retain interest during unprecedented times.
Moving forward, when ABC reopen there are plans to run add to their business website, with a YouTube Channel and potentially an online shop in the offing. These future plans are show ABC’s intent to give their members the best possible experience. The YouTube Channel will be linked directly to the website so that users can access the latest training videos. Should we give it the green light, the shop will offer active wear and fitness training programmes. No wonder they say it’s “An Atmosphere Unrivalled”.
