Work It Out

New businesses do not need big ad dollars to reach potential customers says FELIX SIEW.


They aren't just lean and mean in their demands with their bodies, but also with how they market their fitness services. Sculptured Bodies is a company of professional personal trainers who keep their clients fit and healthy. It was started in 1996 by Mr Jerry Howard.

The former United States Navy Seal felt then it was essential to get the company's name and services known to as many people as possible.

This was done mainly through meetings with clients, modelling assignments and getting clients to tell their friends about the company.

But as his business grew, Mr Howard felt he needed to adopt a more professional marketing approach. In 1997, he roped in a friend, Mr Khalid Caesar, to help.

The goal, said Mr Howard, was not to market his company as a super gym and try to get 100 or 200 clients. "Instead, our focus is on providing individual and personalised services to each client," he said.

Adapting to the business climate

An initial challenge faced by Mr Caesar was to adapt to the working conditions and business climate of Singapore.

"I had to be flexible and change according to local attitudes, to tailor-make marketing concepts to suit the lifestyles of Singaporeans," said Mr Caesar, who studied business and marketing in America. He noticed that marketing through the print medium was vital to his success as Singaporeans have a habit of reading in the MRT every morning.

But print ads are costly. Mr Caesar constantly watches out for new and less expensive ways to stretch the budget and still get his company's name known.

For example, Sculptured Bodies has started advertising on postcards and participating in fitness-related seminars. By sponsoring public activities, the company also gets to display its banner in public.

The company's seven personal trainers also have a professional look. At their training facility at the Le Meridien hotel fitness centre, the trainers wear white t-shirts printed with the company's logo, matched with black workout pants. These outfits also act as a form of branding for the company.

Media exposure

In addition, Sculptured Bodies has also contributed articles, and acted as a consultant for fitness-related advice columns in magazines and newspapers.

Said Mr Caesar: "You don't need a big advertising budget to get people to know about your business. You just have to be creative, and keep your ears and eyes open for other forms of advertising that come along."

One investment the company has made is in the set up of a website. Mr Howard believes that it is money well-spent: "Being online exposes the company to a global community. Potential clients can e-mail us for more information on our services."

Currently, a webmaster is employed to look after the website, but Mr Caesar hopes that in a year or so, the company will be able to handle this responsibility itself.

This will be yet another avenue for the company to minimise its marketing costs and still achieve maximum effect. Ultimately, Sculptured Bodies understands that in the service industry, the tried and tested method of word-of-mouth still yields great influence.

Hence, whatever marketing efforts employed, and however much money invested, it is the trainers' services that still best sell the company. "A personal trainer should be able to motivate his or her client, and provide suitable training programmes," said Mr Howard. "They share a level of trust an ad directed at the masses cannot give."