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From The Guardian this morning:
"In all, 11.5 million people aged 16 and over– a new high – now belong to a gym in the UK, a rise of 1.6 million from 2022. It means one in six people have taken out a membership.
Younger adults are the key demographic behind the boom, according to the report’s authors, UKActive, the trade body that represents most of Britain’s fitness operators.
The growth is particularly evident among generation Z – people born between 1997 and 2012, who are between 13 and 28 – who already have a reputation as the healthiest generation ever.
“[This] is a significant moment as it shows that more people are making a conscious decision to get active in order to improve their physical and often also their mental health,” said Huw Edwards, UKActive’s chief executive."
Which is why you should start/re-energise your attempts to develop strategic alliance partnerships with local gyms, pilates classes and any other fitness groups.
Here (driven by my trained ChatGPT, The Extreme Business Autopilot©) are marketing collaboration strategies that a dental practice can implement with local fitness centres, embracing internal, inbound, and external marketing systems, all in line with Extreme Business principles of intentionality, brand alignment, and value-driven messaging.
Internal Marketing – Inspire & Engage Your Team
Staff wellness partnerships: Offer discounted or free memberships at local gyms to your team as part of your wellness programme. This builds a genuine story of “health-first” culture to share with patients.
Training for synergy: Educate your reception, TCO and clinical teams on how oral health contributes to overall health — especially in athletic and high-performance lifestyles. They’ll confidently start conversations with patients who are gym members.
"Wellness Champion" role: Nominate a team member as a liaison between your practice and local fitness centres to drive partnership initiatives and keep the collaboration consistent.
Inbound Marketing – Attract through Value
Content collaboration: Co-create blog posts, Reels, or TikToks with gym personal trainers or fitness influencers on topics like “Oral health hacks for gym goers”, “The link between gum disease and heart health”, or “Sports drinks vs tooth enamel”.
Email campaigns: Target your patient base with wellness-focused newsletters featuring interviews with gym owners/trainers or offering exclusive fitness club insights.
SEO alignment: Optimise your website with keywords like “dental care for athletes” or “health-focused dentistry” to attract wellness-minded individuals searching online.
External Marketing – Broadcast Your Brand
Cross-promotional offers: Work with gyms to offer “Smile + Sweat” bundles – e.g. 10% off teeth whitening for gym members, or free fitness class passes for new dental patients.
Co-branded events: Host “Wellness Days” or “Smile & Stretch” mornings – dental consultations + yoga or pilates sessions. Great for PR and social media buzz.
Referral partnership: Create a structured referral programme with fitness centres – reward gym members who refer new patients, and vice versa.
Bonus: Speak Gen Z's Language
Video-led storytelling: Use TikTok, Instagram Stories or Reels to show behind-the-scenes footage of your practice team working out, talking about wellness routines, or interviewing personal trainers about confidence and smiles.
Mental health connection: Position your practice as part of the “self-care routine” Gen Z prioritises – stress the link between oral health, confidence, and mental wellbeing.
Sustainability & ethics: Partner with gyms that match your values. Show transparency and purpose in your marketing.
Get The Guardian article reprinted and use it as a lead-in to conversations with your team to get this marketing initiative going.
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