Want to Know How to Extend Your Health Club Brand? Try Wearing It

Hebron, ND

Health Clubs, like most companies, are seeking ways to stand out from the competition, to present an image of quality and professionalism in a world of health and vitality. Although most clubs blanket their walls with a multitude of in-house signage carrying their logo and insignia, they often overlook the most valuable walking billboards in their arsenal -- their own staff.

For the last 12 years, Kathy Sardelli, President and founder of Sebastian Custom Warm-ups has been extending club brands via customizing warm-up, tops, and shorts to a unique color and look that aligns with each club's image and personality.

When asked of the importance of club uniforms, Sardelli said, "It's the image thing -- what you wear, and how you wear it -- which speaks volumes about your club. Elegant consistent staff warm-ups send a message to the public of who you are, what your business philosophy is, how you will treat your customers, and how you treat your organization. Customers, large and small, all recognize image is part of the package… and, what their employees wear is part of that same package".

In particular, health club chains need to adhere to consistent brand standards within all their units. The experience and image should be the same no matter what club a member walks into. This holds true with the warm-ups as well.

Sebastian allows you to brand your gym by having your staff wear your colors and your logo… for a real professional look.

Off the Racks Won't Be Consistent Over Time

Fitness centers and wellness centers can always buy bulk off the rack but the challenge will be in the availability in all staff sizes. The other issue is lack of "uniqueness"; if it's a commonly used pattern and color set, then it won't be linked in the customers' mind to that particular club. However, the real challenge comes a year or two later, when there is staff turnover and more warm-ups are required and the original colors and styles are no longer available. Then the club has to opt for a new bulk purchase or buy another style and live with inconsistent branding.

Sebastian Custom Warm-ups keeps their customer style records on file indefinitely and have replicated warm-ups up to 11 years from the original order. This is the value-add that they bring to large orders or just single orders.

Sardelli added, "We keep the records on file indefinitely. So anytime a health club adds new staff members, or perhaps just one staff member, we can replicate the branded warm-up."

Embroidery Adds the Finishing Touch

After unique color and style comes embroidery. Adding that logo or slogan that will be reinforced a multitude of times in the customers mind. Sebastian Custom Warm-ups also offers an embroidery service.

"We do offer embroidery as an optional a part of our process. We've been doing embroidery for about 5 years now. When a customer wants something custom, they also want the logo as part of it. We rarely sell warm-up that are not personalized either by us or the customer's local vendor," said Sardelli.

Adds New E-Commerce Website

Sebastian this month launched their new website with a totally new look and new e-commerce functionality. The site now enables customers to go online and use a sophisticated simulator to design their own warm-ups and experiment with the colors and patterns until they get just the look they want.

Sardelli explains, "It's an interactive process, customers are now able to go to the online store, pull up a design, choose their design options, such as lining, and actually color it right online. It's a quick and easy way to visualize the finished product and keep iterating until they get exactly the look they want. Service is key however, although we're excited about the new online store, we're still only a phone call away to help our customers out."

About Sebastian Custom Warm-ups

Sebastian Custom Warm-ups specializes in completely custom high quality warm-up jackets, pants and shorts for fitness center, teams or groups. It provides customers with choice of colors, color placements, design features and your sizes.

Go to Sebastian Custom Warm-up contact page

Posted: 11/20/2003

Source: Sebastian Custom Warm-ups