Why Marketing & Branding is the Key to Success in the Fitness Industry

Why Marketing & Branding is the Key to Success in the Fitness Industry
Author: Chelsea Ann Stewart

As a woman who has been in the fitness industry for 11 years, I know first-hand how tough it can be to “make it" to “stand out” to "be unique.” And it wasn’t long into my fitness journey that I realized how important it is to have a clear brand and vision so that I was not only seen as reputable, but also able to connect with and reach as many people as possible. The question remained, “How do I do that?” The simple, yet sometimes hard-to-see, answer was and still is, MARKETING & BRANDING! 

It seems so easy and clear when you say it aloud. It’s like, “Oh, yeah, duh. I need to market myself, my brand, and my company in a way that is effective.” So we try and try, and see a touch of success, but never quite as much as we had hoped for, because the truth is, we’re fitness professionals, not marketers. Though we are creative, motivated, and dedicated to our brand, we cannot do it all…so we hire a team of marketing & branding professionals in hopes of gaining traction and reaching more people, helping more people, being more attractive to our target audience…just to realize we’ve hired wrong or the marketing talent we have isn’t enough and we need more. Now what??? 

I have personally been down that ENTIRE black hole of needing and wanting to grow and expand with little direction or vision (be it as a part of a large organization or off pursuing my own venture.) However, with each misstep or “wrong” turn, I was guided to be exactly where I am today (and dare I say it’s pretty great), coaching Pilates while being a key member of the Freeman + Leonard business development team. 

Wondering what’s Freeman + Leonard and how did you get there? We’ll start with the What and end with the How. Trust me, you’ll want to read the How! 

Freeman + Leonard is a creative and marketing talent solutions agency, meaning we help companies/brands/agencies/businesses grow their marketing and creative teams and/or provide them with needed marketing services. And just how does this tie into fitness, and how did I get here? Well, this is where things get, shall I say, IMPORTANT! 

I discovered F+L in my personal quest to see how I could be of service to the fitness and wellness community in the realm of marketing, business development, and growth. As I scoured the world wide web, I came across Freeman + Leonard, and the moment I found F+L I was hooked. The branding, the vision, the passion, the dedication to quality, and the fact that it is WOMAN OWNED - need I say more? I WAS SOLD!! So, I applied and was so graciously welcomed.

As I become more involved as an integral part of the team, I am reassured of my place within the company as an advocate for change within the marketing industry. We aim to change the way marketing, advertising, and creative are seen. Our goal is simple yet POWERFUL - to show just how important a great marketing team and strategy are to an organization’s growth and success. 

At F+L we offer a solution to marketing challenges, industrywide and nationwide. What is the solution, you ask? Providing great marketing talent that will deliver excellent marketing strategies and tactics, whatever the need. Let’s face it, in fitness and wellness we ALL have a need, and that need can be solved with the implementation of great marketing talent and creative work. 

The final question isn’t, “Is my company missing this pivotal piece?” Instead, it's, "When will you invest in your brand/organization so that you can ensure success and growth?

Let’s tackle this together and connect on how to put in place the right people and the right strategy for you and your needs!