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4. Marketing Overview

4.1. Demographics 18-60yrs old Male and female.

Average member: 25-35yrs old male.

Lives in New Taipei, within 10km of gym.

Pays $2200nt/month

4.1.1. Age & Gender

Powerlifting is a type of exercise that takes skill to be done safely and correctly. Also, certain ages are not ideal for it. The target age group will be 18-60yrs old. A big reason for this is liability. We don’t want someone inexperienced, as well as being a kid, to try powerlifting movements. We want to make sure proper accountability falls on the member in the case of injury. Also, we aim to focus on ages up to around 60. We believe beyond this age individuals should be more focused on stretching movements, and we again are concerned about injuries that make occur. It is a known fact that around the age of 50 the body starts to lose muscle. It simply isn’t as easy to maintain the same size and quality of muscle.

Let’s take a look at Olympians, the average age for powerlifters in the Olympics is 24.

(“Could you”) Also, 80% of male medal winners, since 2004, were 20-27yrs old.

(“Weightlifting and Age”) This only shows that the greatest lifts are typically in their 20s.

Now, most gym-goers have no intention of reaching the Olympics, but still enjoy physical challenges. That is why there are weight and age divisions.

At Strength Central, we will split competitors into age groups for competitions, so to make a fairer playing field. Training all age members will be a priority. At the same time, we expect the bulk of our members to be in the 20-40year old bracket.

Boutique gyms typically cater towards people recently out of college, and extend into the 30s.

Again, this is average, but we expect most member to fall in that criteria.

DOI:10.6814/THE.NCCU.IMBA.009.2019.F08

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Gender: Why do we expect more men than women? Culturally, Taiwanese women do not want to have noticeable muscle; and they train more for health. It’s rare to see a Taiwanese woman doing pure strength exercises like those that are trained in Strength Central. Yet, we do know women would like to compete and push themselves just as much as men do, so we will still accommodate women as well. We are a not a gym like Curves, chain gym (also in Banqiao), that only allows women.

We believe women are important members and there has been a societal change where more women are using weights and developing muscles more so than in past. So, transitioning to power movements is not out of the question. There are many famous weightlifters from Taiwan that are women. Taiwan has had several Olympic and Asian Games medalists;

including Hsu Shu-ching（許淑靜）and Kuo Hsing-chun （郭婞淳）. So, we know there is a culture for women powerlifters.

We intend to use cross fit classes to bring in more women and in hopes of transitioning them into powerlifters. In addition, through advertising we hope to get the message out that Strength Central is a gym for men and women.

Also, group-oriented gyms that offer functional fitness, like crossfit, have a near 50/50 split of women/men. So, knowing that women do have a strong interest in weightlifting Strength Central helps to bridge the gap and bring more women into the sport of powerlifting.

DOI:10.6814/THE.NCCU.IMBA.009.2019.F08

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4.1.2. Types of members:

- Highly experienced powerlifters: This group of people have been practicing the power lifting movements for years. They know how to do movements and may use or have used coaching. They will be more focused on an environment that allows them to have all the equipment available to improve, and to exercise in a culture that can help them thrive.

- Weightlifters: This category is very used to the gym and knows their way around. They may follow a training program and have a good sense of how to train. They also have interest on focusing on the main power lifts. And need a better suited environment to do so. They are more eager to have classes and learn how to improve their form. This group we consider to be the most common.

- Cross fit: The cross fit culture has been sweeping across the world and it started in popularity about 10years ago in the U.S. Since then Millennials have been the main demographic of cross fit. So, these people will be in their 20s, and possibly 30s. They follow a lot of social media and enjoy group classes. They will be the group that we will be making cross fit classes for. At the same time, we don’t see them as cross fit

enthusiasts that must only have cross fit. We see them as someone who dabbles in power training too.

- Novice: This type of lifter isn’t experienced with the gym and wants to learn. They are interested in gaining strength. They need guidance to be shown how to do things correctly. The weekly classes will be geared mainly towards them. Teaching them how to structure a workout and how to do the lift correctly. These individuals we hope to turn into long term members by realizing this type of training is better than a traditional gym.

DOI:10.6814/THE.NCCU.IMBA.009.2019.F08

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4.1.3. Income level

Gym membership puts our company positioned between traditional gyms (World Gym) and Cross fit gyms. The price is not cheap but members will understand the value they are getting in our gym.

We expect members to have an income of at least $50,000nt/month. That works out roughly to gym membership being 5% of their income; however, most people live with family so the cost of expenses, such as rent, aren’t as cumbersome. And gym membership falls under disposable income. As people have more money so do they want to live healthier.

And, by falling in the category of boutique gyms, we can apply some tendencies, such that people that go to these gyms have a higher than average salary. So, we expect members to have a slightly higher salary in Taiwan.