The Club Insider Archives: August 2023
The Eagle Has Landed
By: Justin Cates
Justin CatesAs much as I wanted to be, I was not a child of the Apollo era... the Apollo Missions I mean. Instead, the names I became accustomed to were: Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and now, Artemis. Watching the Space Shuttle Missions over the years was incredible, but sadly, on two occasions, they were devastating. However, this did not deter my curiosity of how it all came to be: Mercury, Gemini and Apollo. Over the years, I became as much a student viewer of the past as a hopeful observer of the future. Of course, particularly, I gravitated to Apollo 11. Who didn't!?
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Recovery
A Mega Revenue Opportunity for Fitness Business Owners
By: Gary Polic
Gary PolicThe next Big Ancillary Income Opportunity is here! And, I am interviewing one of the industry's Rock Stars, Victor "V-Man" Verhage. He has given me the opportunity to perform an in-depth Q&A with him on the next big income producer for your fitness clubs. VMan is an experienced Personal Training/Small Group Training/Group Fitness, Design, Recovery and Solutions Specialist with a demonstrated 28-year history working in the health, fitness and wellness industry. He is skilled in maximizing usage, profitability and member traffic in the personal training, small group training and group fitness areas and spaces.
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How the Internet and Social Media Have Changed Club Design Forever
By: Bruce Carter
Bruce CarterAt one time, the sales and marketing goal of all clubs was to get people in the door so potential members could see the facility and interact with staff. The internet has changed this process entirely. Now, the goal is to get potential members to look at a screen: a phone, tablet or computer. The process has changed, and seldom will someone come into a club without first "checking it out" and researching the club online. It may be the club's website, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest, Yelp or LinkedIn, or often, more than one of these social media platforms. So, the question then becomes: How do you get people to bring your club up on their screen?
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Unlocking Explosive Gym Business Growth
Four Powerful Strategies for Success
By: Jim Thomas
Jim ThomasAre you a fitness enthusiast with an entrepreneurial spirit? Are you looking to skyrocket your gym business growth and leave your competitors in the dust? Look no further! In this article, I will reveal four proven strategies that will not only help you attract more customers but also keep them coming back for more. Let's dive in and unlock the secrets to success!
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Knowing When to Quit
By: Thomas Plummer
Thomas PlummerThe legendary football coach, Mike Ditka, once owned a night club in Chicago, a favorite stop for fitness people making the annual pilgrimage to the Windy City for trade shows we didn't need to attend so we could go hang in bars we couldn't live without. One of Ditka's quirks was to hire retired boxers, dress them in tuxes and let them wander the floor schmoozing. After too many shots with an assortment of IHRSA people, I wandered into the restroom and found one of these boxers, a guy who fought Muhammad in his prime, sitting on the floor by the urinals, back against the wall, singing softly to himself.
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Myths About Pre-Choreographed Group Fitness
By: Cathy Spencer Browning
Cathy Spencer BrowningFreestyle versus pre-choreography. It's a debate as old as group fitness itself, or at least as old as the leg warmers, thong leotards and cassette tapes we sported when I started teaching "aerobics" in the 1980s. Early in my career, freestyle, where instructors build a class any way they want, was the only model. Pre-choreography, or pre-programming, came along later, and today, delivers workouts that are pre-designed from the ground up, including movements and music. Which model delivers freedom for instructors? Excitement and results for members? And, a program that's easier to manage? Having experienced group fitness in every form, I'll share my feelings on the great debate, and I hope to debunk some common misconceptions about pre-programming.
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Norm's Notes for August 2023
By: Norm Cates
Norm CatesHello Everybody! This is your Club Insider Founder and Tribal Leader Since 1993 checking in with our 356th monthly edition of this 30+ year running club business newspaper I refer to as: A Labor of Love! I'm really happy that you're reading this edition. And, I am very thankful that you've tuned in again for this iteration of Norm's Notes, as I proceed on my keyboard with my long-time habit of "Telling-It-Like-It-Is!" This month, we have some big news for you! Read On!
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