I can't believe that it's taken me so long to mention the marketing strategies that Zumba Fitness employs--because I'm around it all the time. I think that fact that it has become so popular and become an international phenomenon in just 8 years indicates the sheer genius of their marketing techniques.
So first off, their product: A fun fitness class, which is just as challenging as others, that focuses on health, happiness, and feeling confident about yourself. It's all positive! How could people help flocking to it?
Price: The same cost as any other fitness class--for more fun!
Place: The classes are at the gym people go to anyway, and all classes are normally included in gym memberships. And now, it's everywhere.
Promotion: Word-of-mouth. People just love it so much, they can't help raving about it to their friends and encouraging them to go with them next time.
Packaging: The instructors are so charismatic and wear great clothing that the students want to buy Zumbawear to be more like them and feel like a part of the Zumba culture.
The real genius, however, is how they secretly focus on instructors as the target market. They get most of their enormous revenue from us instructors all around the world.
First we have to pay them to get certified, then we have to pay $30 a month to be in the Zumba Instructor Network (to get music material and stay certified), and we all drop lots of cash on Zumbawear, because we have internalized the wardrobe as part of the identity of an instructor and feel that we aren't a "real" one unless we look the part. In other words, we feel that we don't totally embody the brand unless we have the bright and crazy Zumba-look. And I won't even talk about the cost of the Zumba conventions...which we all feel the need to go to, because "everyone is doing it!"
And the best part is... we LOVE spending all this money on Zumba stuff, because it's such a positive influence on our lives. Incredible....
Do you know any products that promote themselves so effectively?
Other products that I feel promote themselves well like Zumba products, are food products. Everyone needs to eat therefore all you have to do is make your food product look as good as it tastes and its going to sell. Another similar food example would be healthy food products. Everyone wants to be healthy so no matter what healthy foods are going to sell. "The best products are the ones that need little to no promotion."
ReplyDeleteYou could also say that Facbook itself has promoted itself through word of mouth. Each updated everyone is always talking about, usually complaining but it gets people excited and checking to see what has been changed. Also its free, its a social staus symbol to some people.
ReplyDeleteI must say though Zumba is incredibly unique and has grown at an incredible rate.
Facebook has too, though! It's something that is free, gives people something to do, and brings a lot of value through social connectivity.
ReplyDeleteAnd food, yes, does sell itself. There aren't very many commercials for food products compared to those from a lot of other industries. I think this is partially because of the low price point of food; it's not a huge risk for people to try a new product and then continue buying it if it's only $2.50.