Cultural shifts don’t often begin in a health club, but they always end up there. The ongoing technological disruptions that alter consumer behavior force club owners to rethink their equipment inventory, and sometimes even their business model, on a regular basis. One area where this has had a huge impact is in providing entertainment options.
Clubs have long understood the importance of providing television and music during workouts. There’s a word (actually, a portmanteau) for this: exertainment. And it’s been proven to increase member engagement and retention.
Writing in the June issue of Club Business International, Fred Hoffman, M.Ed, explains the value of combining the stimulus of entertainment with working out.
“Entertainment—a primary driver of engagement—has always been a factor in fitness,” writes Hoffman. “An interesting routine, a charismatic instructor, the use of music—all are designed to provide it.”
Hoffman admits that some fitness professionals feel it’s counterproductive to distract exercisers while training. But the average consumer clearly doesn’t agree. Today’s member wants to stay connected. And when they’re connected, they’re engaged.