The Club Insider Archives: October 2013
The Club Insider Advertising Team
Your Connection to the Best!
By: Justin Cates
Justin CatesThis special edition of Club Insider completes our 20th full year of publication (See 21 Years and Counting! on Page #3). Moving forward, we would be remiss if we did not give the proper credit to a group of companies that has made the continued publication of Club Insider possible. That group of companies is The Club Insider Advertising Team: Your Connection to the Best.
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21 Years and Counting!!!
Hmm... Hmm... Hmm...
By: Norm Cates
Norm CatesWho would have thought it? Who would have believed it could happen? There are those among us who were around 20+ years ago when we started Club Insider and didn't give it much of a chance for survival. I say to you: Howdy folks. Glad to see you reading now. I bet you didn't know this author was so hard headed that he would not quit, no matter what happened, did you? To those who believed, came on board and supported Club Insider, I say: Thanks a Million! You will never know how great my sincere appreciation is for your confidence in Club Insider and for supporting the effort all these years.
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Five Places to Find New Money on Your Club Floor Right Now
Every Facility Has Them But Most Miss Them
By: Donna Krech
Donna KrechI'm so certain you are overlooking money-making opportunities in your club right now that I'm willing to stake my name on it... Actually, I'm willing to guarantee it! And, if you're like most club or studio leaders I've had the honor of working with, you likely don't even know this is happening. Most don't. I know because I've been there, and my club income suffered greatly (and I encountered way more stress than necessary) because I didn't see the hidden cash... That is, until I figured it out.
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Our Industry Needs More "Social Scientists"
By: Bill McBride
Bill McBrideLife has a funny way of having the pendulum swing. We go from Republican to Democrat-led Administrations and Congress, and more times than not, when things are running most smoothly (optimally), we land somewhere more in the middle. In today's political climate, the polarization is causing "shut downs," where little productive legislation (production) gets accomplished.
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Now Is The Time To Make Money For Your Club!
By: Tracey Bourdon
Tracey BourdonWith Thanksgiving fast approaching and a typically-slow December just around the corner, you can't wait to just get through to January, right? Wrong! You don't need to break the bank to have successful holiday marketing. With a little planning, you can achieve a great return on investment and position your club for a promising new year.
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Selling With Technology
Part I
By: Casey Conrad
Casey ConradHave you ever been out shopping or dining and actually stopped to scan the room, noting how many people in that moment are on their smart phone? How about just walking down the street and realizing the number of individuals who aren't paying any attention to where they are going because they are reading a text, an email or sending a message? When you think about the "state" of technology in our daily lives today, compared to just five years ago, it is astounding.
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Three Tips to a Better Sales Team
By: Jeffrey Keller
Jeffrey KellerI realize that the title of this article seems a little repetitive to what everyone online puts in their blogs, email blasts and newsletters. But, this article is going to highlight three common mistakes that you can train your staff to fix that will make an immediate impact for them and you. All three involve "listening," which ironically, is the most difficult thing for salespeople to do. Use these to help them close more sales and pack your club.
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Programming For The "Fun Of It!"
Six Steps to Hosting Group Fitness Focused Events That Rock!
By: Laurie Cingle
Laurie CingleAkron General LifeStyles in Ohio hosts four successful "Super Saturday" group fitness-focused events each year, attracting 200+ members and their guests at each event over a short 2 1/2-hour period. For some facilities, that may be a typical Saturday morning. But, with 3,000 members and a group fitness studio that holds a maximum of 25 people, Super Saturday makes for an exciting, fun and busy morning. It's also good for membership sales. Here are six steps to follow to ensure your events rock!
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iGo Figure Launches iGo360
HOUSTON, TX - iGo Figure has introduced the newest version of its flagship member management software: iGo360. The cloud-based club management software system gives club owners and managers access to the powerful features of the iGo Figure Software, plus new features, from anywhere there is an internet connection. iGo360 continues to offer the easy-to-use menus and club management tools that the iGo Figure Software is known for.
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Life Fitness Names World's Top Personal Trainer
SCHILLER PARK, IL - The top 10 personal trainers in the world gathered on common ground outside of London on September 27th to share their passion for fitness and demonstrate their training skills at the Life Fitness Personal Trainers to Watch competition, and one trainer emerged the winner. Life Fitness announces that Kim Ingleby, 35, of Bristol, England, has won the Life Fitness 2013 Personal Trainers to Watch competition.
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A Letter From Steve Tharrett, Former IHRSA President and Now Veteran Club Consultant, and Mark Williamson, ClubIntel Co-Founder and Partner
We hope this note finds you well and the business is experiencing a prosperous year. Unbelievable as it seems, we are entering the home stretch for 2013. With the onset of the fourth quarter comes planning for the New Year. As such, we would like to reintroduce you to ClubIntel and our solutions-driven business model.
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A Letter From the President of The Medical Fitness Association
After serving as your Interim President since June, I am honored and pleased to inform you that the Board of Directors has asked me to become the permanent President and CEO of the Medical Fitness Association effective September 13th. I am excited by the opportunities that lie before us and hope that you will join me in the journey that lies ahead.
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24 Hour Fitness Names New President and CEO
SAN RAMON, CA - The Board of Directors of 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide Holdings, Inc. announced the election of Elizabeth Blair as President and Chief Executive Officer. Ms. Blair previously served as Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer and General Counsel of 24 Hour Fitness. Ms. Blair succeeds former CEO Carl Liebert, who left the company in May 2013 to become president of USAA Capital Corporation.
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Fitness Connection Teams Up With LNK Partners for Next Round of Growth
MCLEAN, VA - Fitness Connection has announced that LNK Partners, a leading consumer private equity firm with aggregate funds of over $800 million, will invest in the company as it accelerates the growth of its low-price, high-value chain of health clubs. LNK's partners have extensive experience successfully investing in or operating many leading consumer and retail businesses, including Staples, Beachbody, PVH (parent company of Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Van Heusen, and IZOD), Quaker Oats, Pepsi, LifeTime Fitness, Gatorade and Levi Strauss. Fitness Connection was formed in 2007 with financing from WestView Capital Partners, which assisted in the growth of the business to 28 locations
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Akron General and Kent State Form Health and Wellness Collaborative
AKRON, OH - Akron General Health System, a national leader in promoting wellness and disease prevention; and Kent State University, one of the nation's leading public research universities, have formed a new collaborative for the study and promotion of wellness programs. The goal is to improve health and reduce the impact of chronic lifestyle-related disease on the U.S. population.
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Fore Court Celebrates 40 Years of Fitness Success
CUMBERLAND, R.I. - It started as a tennis club. Forty years later, Fore Court Racquet & Fitness Club is that and more as the Morin family continues to run a landmark fitness center in the community. ore Court was opened at 44 Cray Sreet in November 1973 by the late Maurice "Moe" Morin, of Bellingham, MA. It is now run by his sons, David Morin of Bellingham, MA (President and General Manager) and Brian Morin of Smithfield, MA (Vice President and a Tennis Instructor).
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Thomas Plummer Sells Controlling Interest In The National Fitness Business Alliance to Investment Group
MASHPEE, MA - The National Fitness Business Alliance (NFBA), founded by Thomas Plummer in 2003, has been acquired by an investment group, based in Memphis, Tennessee, represented by Robert Creech, a long-term fitness business owner and industry investor. The NFBA is the only independent education company in the fitness industry and currently offers approximately 24 workshops per year attended by everyone from the largest chain gyms to the smallest independent operator.
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ACE Wraps Up Healthy Aging Month With 7 Steps to a Healthy Life
As Healthy Aging Month of September came to a close, Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D., the Senior Fitness Consultant for Behavioral Sciences at ACE, encourages all to strive to be healthy with his 7 steps to a healthy life at any age using his HEALTHY acronym.
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Norm's Notes for October 2013
By: Norm Cates
Norm CatesHello Everybody! This is your Club Insider Publisher and Tribal Leader Since 1993 checking in!
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