Health & Fitness Marketing Expert Julian Burca of Omega Marketing Shares The Three Most Innovative Marketing Solutions Post COVID

COVID forced major change and adaptation in the health, wellness, and fitness industries, not just within local businesses but also in each industry’s software marketing side.

Today, three pre-existing problems are more amplified than ever in these industries:

1. Reduced bookings.
2. Reduced shows.
3. Reduced funding or capital to combat points 1 and 2.

The few marketing groups & consultants with a stellar track record in gym marketing, chiropractic & physical therapy marketing, recovery & med-spa marketing, and these other lead-based health & wellness businesses all made the same three adaptations for solving the points above (and other industries are already following suit) 

1. Marketing is no longer about buying leads – it’s about purchasing a person walking through the door.

Any amateur who took an online course can spend money on Facebook ads, YouTube ads, Google ads, etc., and get leads.

The problem now is that leads don’t magically walk through the door.

There need to be a system that systematically & predictably engages, books, nurtures, and reminds leads of their appointments to maximize shows and produce actual opportunities to sell.

The most significant innovation by far during COVID is that marketing groups like the team at Omega Marketing added robust software solutions and in-house sales staff to take this part of the sales process off the shoulders of local businesses.

The team measured in 64 health, wellness, and fitness businesses that internal staff performed 40% poorer on bookings leads, had a 26% higher no show rate and successfully engaged 19% fewer leads, and ultimately wrote 50% less new revenue than locations with a dedicated sales staff coupled with a software solution like ROI Machine did.

A marketing solution that comes with a ‘done-for-you’ lead nurturing & appointment setting capabilities is one of the best innovations that emerged from COVID that solves an enormous bottleneck for any lead-based business’s ability to advertise profitably.

2. New marketing “operating systems” have come out, letting business owners save upwards of $1,000/month on what is considered mandatory software while reducing the time required to operate a business.

Between reputation management, website, hosting, email marketing, CRM, etc., the average small business is recommended approximately $1,108/month of software expenses for what’s considered essential marketing software.

Many health, wellness, and fitness businesses cut back on these costs, and marketing groups were left to figure out how to get the ROI and results they wanted without them.

“What ended up happening is we recognized that these software’s were all expensive, did just one thing, and didn’t play nice with the other 48 software in the business.”

Consolidated tools emerged like ROI Machine to be a cost-effective alternative for the SMS functionality of Podium, the CRM style of Pipedrive, and visual email builders of Active Campaign, the easy funnel & website building of ClickFunnels, and the dozens of other software out there to be a one-stop marketing operating system for local business.

And for once, they all integrated and worked nicely together.

The result of this all is local businesses are saving $500-$1,000 a month to get all the software they need, and less time is required to quickly see what is driving new revenue and exactly where manpower should be allocated to move the needle.

This is an enormous shift for improved results, and reduced costs, in any business that leans on a software stack – even if that is just a website and a CRM – to conduct business.

3. Large retainers are going away, and marketers who confidently generate shows and closes instead opt for result-based pay.

Pre-COVID, other marketing and consulting groups like Omega Digital, with a successful track record, would regularly swing $5,000 monthly retainers, but now a large portion of health, wellness, and especially fitness markets cannot afford that anymore.

Those who were confident in their ability to produce results made the switch to performance relationships.

Often 75% even 100% of retainer fees are eliminated and replaced with a commission, profit splits, or an equity agreement.

Businesses rebounding from COVID can put 100% of their funds directly into growing their business rather than into marketing fees, and they share the winnings.

“We’ve personally made this switch at Omega Digital and will probably never go back,” Julian said.

He continued, “Putting our money where our mouth is has been great for business, has better accommodated our clients both small and large, and has allowed us to help more businesses get their footing back under them as they bounce back from COVID shutdowns.

As more A-players move to this performance model, more and more business owners will access some of the best marketing solutions in their space. And I believe that overall, this will contribute to their being many more resilient and successful businesses emerging in the health, wellness, and fitness industries.”

Every time there is an economic downturn, innovation has occurred to adapt, overcome, and thrive.

A focus on getting people through the door instead of leads, more efficient, cost-effective software stacks, and low-risk methods to engage with top talent agencies are 100% some of the major improvements and adaptations to health and wellness and fitness marketing industries.

Additional information around marketing solutions, including software and performance relationships referenced in this article, can be found here, as well as a few ways to get in contact with Julian Burca if people would like to get in touch with him.

Article Published by: Authority Sharks PR
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