Fiona McNorton

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT FIONA MCNORTON

I have forged a rewarding career in the leisure industry, managing sports, health and fitness clubs throughout Scotland. In my first role as deputy manager of a women\'s only fitness club, my manager commended me for having \"a contagious enthusiasm for fitness\". That is indeed what helped me succeed in the sector; I believe in the products and services I sell, and the value of membership of leisure clubs for each person\'s health, welfare and enjoyment.As I rose from running individual branches to overseeing multiple clubs as Regional Sales and Marketing Manager, I learnt to inspire sales teams with the same enthusiasm that drives me. It is easy to sell a product that you believe in. I also looked at different ways to temp people to try out our facilities. These range from temporary membership schemes - so individuals can try out the club before making long-term commitments - to corporate memberships where employers subsidise staff membership because they see the benefits of a fit and healthy workforce.These strategies helped keep the business buoyant during the recession when membership was seen by some as an unnecessary expense. Other strategies included examining different market segments to target campaigns at specific groups, and to also follow up on ex-members with incentives to re-join. Combine these with energetic and competitive sales teams pursuing demanding but achievable targets, and it is clear why the clubs I manage have continued to thrive regardless of the economy.