Club Insider

The Club Insider Archives: January 2013

Red Lerille
Celebrating 50 Years and Still the Best!

By: Norm Cates

Norm CatesNorm CatesThat amazing "Red's feelin'." Those were the words I chose about 19 years ago when I spent three days with Red and Emma Lerille visiting their magnificent club creation in Lafayette, Louisiana and spending three nights in their lovely home. My visit resulted in the production of an amazing 3-part case study article series on Red's club. My talent as a wordsmith was challenged then to describe the truly amazing feeling you get when you visit Red Lerille's fabulous, now 50-year running creation. But, that amazing "Red's feelin'" will have to do here today, 19 years later, because that's what I witnessed at Red's. Read More

A New Year's Commitment
By: Will Phillips

Will PhillipsWill PhillipsBusiness growth is the critical indicator of business health. Growth without profit is nice in the short run and dangerous in the long run. Too much growth can be cancerous and dangerous if there is no profit. The danger of no growth is complacency that leads to a lack of reinvestment in the future, including financial reinvestment and innovation reinvestment whereby a business reinvents itself. Read More

What To Do If You Do Not Have A 2013 Marketing Plan
Part I

By: Tracey Bourdon

Tracey BourdonTracey BourdonPanic? Not now. It is not too late; the year has only just begun, and prospective new members are still out there. They were not all snapped up by the competition, nor did they suddenly decide that they are already in great shape without your help. Many of them are still waiting for the right motivator that will inspire them to act. It may come from within, or it may come with the help of your next marketing effort! Read More

The System for Sustainable, Repeatable Success
By: Donna Krech

Donna KrechDonna KrechWe're headed into a new year, and you need an edge that beats the economy and deals with the real life issues you deal with. Meet four people who are responsible for running clubs just like yours. They face the same challenges and have the same issues you do: making more money, marketing that works and management that gets results. The good news for you is that they have solutions for each issue they are willing to share. Read More

Welcome to The Golden Circle
By: Karen Woodard-Chavez

Karen Woodard-ChavezKaren Woodard-ChavezMost clubs would love to be able to say that they have lots of members who have referred multiple members. I would wager if you truly investigated that (not relying on what you think but what you definitively know) you would find that very few members have referred more than one member to join, and the majority of your members have not referred anyone to join. Ouch! Read More

IHRSA's 32nd Annual Convention and Trade Show Is Just Around the Corner!
Each year, our industry has a huge opportunity to gather in one place; meet and greet old and new friends from over 70 countries; network, network, network; experience a choice of over 200 speakers offering best practice training seminars in every facet of the club industry; enjoy the vast wisdom and experience of at least four Keynote Speakers; enjoy the always huge Convention Opening Party, the Regional Parties and the 8th Annual Augie's Quest Bash; and of course, enjoy one the world's biggest and most complete trade shows featuring several hundred exhibitors. This year, IHRSA's 32nd annual Convention and Trade Show will return to the city where we started and where the first and second conventions were held over 30 years ago, Las Vegas, Nevada. Read More

IHRSA Index Posts Increases In Revenue, Membership and EBITDAR
BOSTON, MA - The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) announced results for the IHRSA 2012 Third Quarter Index, which provides a snapshot of performance results for the commercial health club industry. For the quarter ending September 30, 2012, the Index showed improvements in key performance indicators, including total revenue, membership dues and accounts as well as EBITDAR. Same-store clubs also posted improved results. Read More

What Makes Good Clubs Good... and Bad Clubs Bad?
BOSTON, MA - The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) announced the release of the IHRSA Member Retention Report, Volume 1, Issue 3. Conducted in partnership with The Retention People (TRP), this edition expands on the Net Promoter Score as a member loyalty tool. Also analyzed are NPS findings based on a study of more than 40,000 health club members, providing insight into the traits of high and low-performing clubs. Read More

Blast Fitness Says It Will Give Refunds After Closing Fort Worth Gym
FORT WORTH, TX - Blast Fitness moved into Fort Worth last year after acquiring a number of Bally's gyms in Texas, and other states, but it abruptly closed the location near Woodhaven. Read More

Norm's Notes for January 2013
By: Norm Cates

Norm CatesNorm CatesHello Everybody and a Happy, Healthy New Year to you all! This is your Club Insider Publisher and Tribal Leader Since 1993 checking in! Read More

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