The Club Insider Archives: September 2014
VillaSport
The Only Place Where
Fitness, Family and Community All Come Together
By: Justin Cates
Justin CatesI will admit that I am quite the movie fan. Watching movies at home is fun and enjoyable (especially if you have a nice home theater setup), but it is not the same as going to see a new release currently in theaters. From the moment you walk through the doors of a local cinema, until the time you leave, the experience has been tailored to make it worth the money spent for a ticket. The smell of the popcorn, the previews for upcoming movies, the sound and sights of the main feature... All of it strives to culminate into a worthy experience, making price irrelevant.
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The Power of Teamwork
Part I
By: Dr. Art Curtis
Dr. Art CurtisHave you ever wondered why a team with clearly superior talent could lose to teams with lesser skilled players? Well, just ask the 2004 U.S. Men's Olympic Basketball Team. The heavy favorite to win the gold medal with a team full of NBA All Stars lost 3 of 8 games to lesser skilled teams from Puerto Rico, Lithuania and Argentina. How could this happen? If you watched the U.S. team play in 2004, this group of "all-stars" played as a collection of very talented individuals, not as unselfish collaborative members of a team. I am sure you can all think of many examples of talented teams in various sports that have underperformed as a team. It is certainly easy to see as you watch a game unfold on the field of play. But, what about in your business, how do you know if a team has what it takes to be a high achieving team?
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"Insider Speaks"
#WhyGetActive Reaches More Than 1 Million Twitter Users
By: Lilly Prince
How often have you walked in your club, glanced around and considered how unique and different all of your members are? The thought occurs to many club operators virtually every day. That's because clubs excel at attracting people of diverse ages, backgrounds and fitness levels, and because each one of those members, regardless of the demographic details, has their own specific objective when it comes to exercise.
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30-Minute vs. 60-Minute Sessions
Trainer Discretion is Advised!
By: Ron Alterio
Ron AlterioI am often asked what type of Personal Training (PT) product is better to sell: a 30-minute or 60-minute session? The answer will often depend on your club, the space or niche that your club operates in, as well as the overall financial objectives of your club. However, if you are looking for a tool that helps capture greater long-term PT revenue, increases PT member penetration, improves PT client retention and helps you build a larger EFT PT draft in the shortest period of time, the hands down winner is the 30-minute session.
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The Cycle of Growth Starts With Change
By: Karen Woodard-Chavez
Karen Woodard-ChavezWhenever there is a change to be made in a business, there will be some who fully embrace the change with zeal. The ones who embrace it are typically the people who have bought in from the beginning and feel a sense of ownership with the change. There are also the others who like things the way they are now, do not see a need for change and drag their feet.
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Drunk Under a Table
a/k/a Content People Want to Share
By: Joe Imbrogno
Joe ImbrognoLike most things, Facebook can be used for both good and evil! Well, the other day, when I woke after a late night of drin... I mean sophisticated conversation over a great bottle of wine with friends, I immediately panicked when I found that I had 59 Facebook notifications! There it was (names have been changed to protect the innocent!).
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How Do You Mix It Up?
By: Deneen Laprade
Deneen LapradeToday's highly competitive fitness landscape challenges even the most savvy, time-tested veterans in the industry. What's really exciting is that the fitness industry has grown to reach every corner of our planet, and today's consumers have endless choices in type, style and location of their workouts. It seems that the benefits of regular exercise and proper, balanced nutrition have finally reached the masses in real, tangible, measurable ways! So, what does this mean for your brand?
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The Secret is Out...
By: Donna Krech
Donna KrechLast month, I discussed how paying attention to trends and innovation in the club business brings about enormous success. I also shared what I believe to be the next big thing in our industry. We have been offering a hormone-balancing, 4-week, fast weight loss plan in our facility. It's bringing members fantastic results and bringing us an incredible new income stream with very high net profit... without any additional overhead or staff needed.
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Health Club Consumer Behavior Sheds Light On Industry's Future
The 2014 IHRSA Health Club Consumer Report
By: Stephen Tharrett
Stephen TharrettIHRSA, with analysis and insights provided by ClubIntel, recently finalized the 2014 Health Club Consumer Report. The 2014 Health Club Consumer Report, like its predecessors, delves into the attitudes and behaviors of health club consumers, seeking to understand the impact these current practices might have on how club operators shape their business in the future. This year's report took a deeper dive into consumer behaviors and choices not mined in previous reports. Consequently, the data and insights from the 2014 report provide some new and exciting insights into how consumers and members use health clubs.
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Send a Message: Causes and Community
By: Robin Schuette
Robin SchuetteAs I'm writing this on September 2, 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket challenge has raised millions of dollars. No doubt that number will rise even more as individual videos continue to go viral on social media. Since July 29, the organization has garnered 2.1 million new donors in its efforts to strike out Lou Gehrig's disease. This is a fabulous communications success story continuing to play out months later on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, etc. While it's not easy to predict what will go viral, it is easy to connect your mission to your community by sending a consistent message. To create a true win-win event-based marketing success, it's also important to leverage all communication channels, both traditional and digital.
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Programming For The "Fun Of It!"
Connecting People to Programs
By: Laurie Cingle
Laurie CingleTypically, a program's success is measured by (1) amount of profit for fee-based programs and (2) number of participants for no-fee programs. Ultimately, no program succeeds without participants. Oftentimes, people are unaware of the programs offered. Traditional marketing and social media avenues are noticed by a small percentage of members and clients. In both cases, it's the member's responsibility to notice your marketing and take steps to enroll.
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Planet Fitness Partners With NBC's
"The Biggest Loser" For 4th Year
NEWINGTON, N.H. - Planet Fitness, the innovative health club franchise known for its Judgement Free Zone and affordable prices, announced that, for the 4th year in a row, the brand will serve as the national gym partner of NBC's hit show, The Biggest Loser, which premiered Thursday, September 11 (8-10PM EST).
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Norm's Notes for September 2014
By: Norm Cates
Norm CatesHello Everybody! This is your Club Insider Publisher and Tribal Leader Since 1993 checking in!
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