New Advertising strategy needed

[Andrew555]

I have rented retail location and opened new company that sells used cardio equipment Treadmills, Ellipticals, Cardio Bikes, and minor bodybuilding equipment.

It's on outskirts of downtown of big city, there's not much walk traffic though, however there's a freeway exit and many cars pass by every day.

Problem is i am not making enough income even pay rent at this point equipment we sell is quality and we got lifetime warranty, but not many people walk in every day, maybe 5-10 people a day walk in the store at best and most of them are people who called first, we have equipment standing outside on sidewalk and a big sign on the store, however it don't seem to attract any walk-ins or people who drive by.

Used to have website and keep it up to date but not having much traffic (website it has to be advertised too SEO is not enough) on it so we stopped updating it.


Only advertising we do is Craigslist, there's too much competition there and its not working as expected.

I need to find a new strategy for marketing our equipment to the potential customers, what would you suggest doing other than fliers.

[tallen]

I don't think of cardio equipment as something that would be sold to walk-ins; it's a much bigger purchase than a cup of coffee - something people are going to research first, something they are going to go out specifically to purchase. So think about how to make your store a destination. I think you need to rejuvenate your website, and consider building an on-going social media presence/campaign.

For advertising, in your situation, take a look at display advertising in your local newspapers. But not just the general new "rags," but also any "shopper' type papers, and also look for newspapers that target green living, health, physical fitness, and sports. These are often freebies that you can pick up at other merchants that serve people with those interests.

As with your website, it is not about total traffic, but getting the right traffic. Who is going to buy your equipment, and why?

For the long run, you might also consider content marketing with blog articles about the health benefits of using the equipment you sell and offering advice about specific exercise problems, equipment maintenance issues, etc... This is a long-term strategy that will require on-going effort. You should also try to tie in and take advantage of any efforts being done by the manufacturers of the equipment you sell -- do they have blog articles that you can repost (with permission) or link to, for example. Something to look into even though you are selling used equipment.

Another approach would be work with social media "influencers" -- are there local athletes or other minor celebrities for whom a work-out regime is important (e.g. bikini models) who you could get to give you a mention every now and then?

In terms of flyers, have you targeted gyms, health clubs, spas, parks that are favorite places for runners and others who work out, health food stores, doctor's offices, physical therapy centers, etc...?

[David Hunter]

The people who do call in... where are they getting your number from? Find out and continue marketing there.

Also, your customers you do have... who are they? What's their demographics?

Once you find out you can buy a list of other people just like them and market directly to them.

Also, Tallen is right. Walk-ins aren't going to be your target market. You need to create a marketing campaign targeting people who are interested in fitness. And, the holidays are coming up so now is a great time... especially with New Year's Resolutions.

Though, it all sounds like you're in a bound since you don't even have enough income to pay rent.

[turboguy]

That is a tough one. Home shows might be a good option. Most major cities and some smaller ones have one. It is not cheap but there is a lot of traffic and it could pay off for you. I know the one we have in Pittsburgh draws in nearly 100,000 people.

I would not give up on the web site. Perhaps starting over from scratch and taking the time to have a really good one. Couple that with a FaceBook page and maybe some educational videos on YouTube showing the proper way to use the equipment for the best results.

It might be worth having monthly free classes on the proper way to use the equipment and how to exercise properly. It could be a way to get people walking in the door and thinking about you and your business.

[Freelancier]

Have you talked with some of the smaller local workout places near you to see whether they would be interested in purchasing from you?

[webfanatic]

You really need to sit down and figure out who is your target audience and where they like to hang out. Once you understand where they are, you need to put your advertisement in front of them. I'm sure there are people who are looking for used fitness equipment online - you need to figure out how to reach them. If you have the budget I suggest pay per click as the first place to start.

[Shawn MacDonell]

I think your suggestion @turboguy about using Youtube and having instructional videos is a great idea. I also would suggest that @Andrew555 think about posting those videos to Facebook as well, not to mention Twitter and any other social media platforms that may be relevant. One of the best ways to connect with others is by simply reaching out online and looking for ways to cross promote.

If you do go the route of videos, I would also suggest that you think about adding some humour. It is hard to get people to watch videos these days and to cut through the clutter. This company, G&K Services, that is over 100 years old has just started to figure out that they can add humour to their videos. Take a look at these: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG4xf9qzLbI&list=PL-AegFwGRigjgQkLh-g1iRm33hYQrpns9 Not a bad start, I'm sure their videos will get better with time and yours could as well.

Stick with it and think about what differentiates you from the rest. What can you bring that no one else can?

[Anoura929]

Facebook pay per click is a good idea for local businesses, you can set the perimeters of your demographic choice.

[shrinkme]

There are so many good social networks to get the word out. Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, Wordpress, Youtube, etc. If you don't know how to build followings on them, there are a lot of great youtube videos that you can search out.

[Flintrock]

Right now we are coming up on the fist of the year and lots of people make resolutions to get in shape and lose weight. This idea probably will require modification but maybe a promotion where if someone buys something from you and has a goal to lose a certain amount of weight and they actually do it and keep it off then you give them a percentage of their money back or a big discount on the purchase of future products. Or for everyone that purchases something in January, they can compete some how and the person that loses the most weight gets a prize. I say it may need to be modified because, someone may set a goal of losing 5 lbs. or if you say to win you need to lose 30 lbs but it is not safe for someone to lose like that then there may be a problem. Not sure what the promotion will look like but something like that may be good for the new year resolution crowd.

A book that may give you a few new ideas is Guerrilla Marketing by Levinson. There are a number of low cost ways to promote your company in the book.