Club Insider

The Club Insider Archives: October 2014

250!
By: Norm Cates

Norm CatesNorm Cates250. In preparation for this special Cover Story, and our 250th Edition of Club Insider, I went to www.clubinsideronline.com and clicked on Archives to take a little stroll down memory lane. Let me start this Cover Story off by telling you a little bit about how Club Insider was dreamed up and by whom. Then, I'm going to pull out some of the stories from our archives that really stand out (believe me, there were lots of them) and will share some of them in this month's Norm's Notes. So, don't put this edition down, as it's packed with amazing stuff from front to back! Read More

"Insider Speaks"
The Evolution of Club Insider - Part III

By: Justin Cates

Justin CatesJustin CatesWelcome to Part III of an important 3-part article series that I am both proud of and excited to produce and bring to you. As you, our loyal readers know, we continually try to improve Club Insider, from ease of use in print and online to continuing to provide more and more valuable content that can help the health and fitness club businesses you own and operate become better and better. Some improvements come unannounced, as many are minor. We take the Red Lerille approach and try to improve something every month, no matter how small; however, there are some big improvements coming in the next few months that we have been working on for a while. Today, we finish the process of sharing those improvements with you and announcing when you can expect them. Read More

Trainer Compensation
Why We Have It All Wrong And What To Do About It

By: Ron Alterio

Ron AlterioRon AlterioLet's face it; personal training is the new economic engine for any fitness business. In fact, in many markets, PT is now the exclusive path to profitability. As a result, many operators are taking a long, hard look under the hood to re-examine and restructure the different moving parts of their PT program. Read More

Behaviors That Lead Teams Down the Road to Dysfunction
Part II

By: Dr. Art Curtis

Dr. Art CurtisDr. Art CurtisLast month, in Part I of our series on Teamwork, we looked at the Power of Teamwork and its importance to the long-term success of an organization. We identified several characteristics and behaviors of high performing teams: Shared Vision and Values; Mutual Respect; Complimentary Skills & Work Styles (Diversity); Ability to Engage in Constructive Conflict; Non-Insular Thinkers; Commitment to Group Decisions; Accountability for Behavior and Results; Celebrate Team Wins. Read More

Remaining Relevant Requires Change
By: Stephen Tharrett

Stephen TharrettStephen TharrettGeorge Bernard Shaw said, "Progress is impossible without change," to which he added, "those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything." The moral of this quote is that progress, and possibly equally importantly, the avoidance of extinction and obsolescence requires cultures, organizations and individuals to change. Today, more than any other time in the health and fitness club industry's lifecycle, club operators are faced with a socioeconomic and cultural environment where consumers dictate what businesses need to do to remain relevant and where those proclamations can swing overnight. The marketplace for health and fitness continues to evolve, driven by a variety of cultural, demographic and psychographic variables. Read More

Let's Stop Making It About Price...
By: Maria Parrella-Turco

Maria Parrella-TurcoMaria Parrella-TurcoThere is a misconception out in the industry that, if you charge a lower price for your fitness services, you will have a better rate of member retention. Our company owns clubs and represents clients that range between $9 and $116 per month in membership dues. It's been proven that, just because a fitness center charges $9 per month, it does not mean their retention rate will be better than a club that charges $109 per month. Both models have shown average attrition rates that range approximately 3% to 4% per month, which is 33% to 48% attrition per year. In conclusion, a lower rate does not result in better retention. Read More

How To Be Great At Gym Membership Sales
By: Jim Thomas

Jim ThomasJim ThomasAre you a gym owner and would you like to improve the sales performance in your club? Are you a membership salesperson or personal trainer that would like to improve your sales performance? I think most would say yes to these questions. However, we continue to see many gyms and individuals struggle to improve their membership sales numbers. Read More

For High Performance: STOP Performance Reviews
A Summary of Recent Research

By: Will Phillips

Will PhillipsWill PhillipsStop grading performance if you want high performance! Managers love to manage, which means setting goals, measuring progress, taking corrective action and delivering results. Managing is like steering a car or handling a horse to get to where you want to be. In Spanish, the word for manage is manejar and refers specifically to knowing how to handle a horse or car, not people. Humans generally realize that 'managing' people is different than managing animals. The subtle insights of enabling people to produce superior results get lost when all you want from the worker is physical labor. This is seen in slave labor and in the assembly line where the work is simple. Read More

Health Clubs + Hormones = High Income In A Week
By: Donna Krech

Donna KrechDonna KrechYou've no doubt heard the term 'hormones are raging,' and if you'll take notice, those raging hormones can raise your club or studio's income within one week... yes, that said ONE WEEK. Research verifies hormones, especially over age 35, are most likely the #1 reason someone is either not able to lose weight, loses weight only to plateau or discovers unexplained gain never before experienced, usually around the belly. As I continue my research and add experts from around the nation to our Advisory Board, I'm discovering there are more hormones at play in this than I originally thought. Read More

Packing On PR For Winter
By: Nancy Trent

Nancy TrentNancy TrentHealth is trending! It's always been a go-to New Year's resolution, and now, it's on the top 10 holiday gift list as well. How can you get some of the holiday cheer for your business? Pack on the PR for winter! People are more likely to spend more during seasonal celebrations. As the winter season cools down, this behavior heats up and gift certificates are easier to sell. Seasonal promotions provide a sense of urgency for your customers. They are quite predictable, making it easy to integrate into your marketing budget. They are also excellent for getting press coverage for your fitness center or program. Read More

Six Steps to Better Member Motivation
It's important for all club owners and managers to study successful retention methods and employ them to their own environment. Let's focus our attention on one of the important elements to better retention: Member Motivation. According to industry reports, motivation is the trigger that ignites club membership. The key to member motivation lies in the extent you give your members what they are looking for. But... what are they looking for? There is no single answer to this question. Your members may have joined your club because they were motivated to lose weight, to look better or to simply experience the health benefits of regular exercise. Others may have joined to meet people and make new friends. While still others may have joined to have a place where they feel they belong. In most cases, the motivation is emotional rather than intellectual. Read More

Programming For The "Fun Of It!"
Keys to Success for Multigenerational Adult Programming

By: Laurie Cingle

Laurie CingleLaurie CingleLabeling members as over-50 immediately paints a stereotypical view of those individuals. In reality, many people over-50 are in good physical condition and exercise regularly; many people under-35 are in poor condition and need regular exercise. It's true certain fitness levels within certain age groups need to be communicated to differently and accordingly. Knowing this, programming for and marketing to all age groups at all fitness levels is not as difficult as some think. Read More

Motionsoft Concludes Inaugural 2014 Technology Summit
NEW YORK, N.Y. - The invitation-only Summit, held in New York City on September 16th and 17th, was attended by 60 industry executives and thought leaders from major fitness brands including Equinox, Town Sports International, GoodLife Fitness, Retro Fitness and XSport Fitness. Also in attendance were top payment processing companies, equipment vendors, retention and marketing agencies and private equity investors representing over 1,500 facilities and approximately 5 million gym members. Read More

Orangetheory Fitness Names David Carney As New COO
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - Orangetheory Fitness, the energizing and fast-growing fitness franchise, announced it has appointed David Carney as Chief Operating Officer. Carney, a health and fitness industry veteran with more than 29 years of experience, joins the Orangetheory team with extensive knowledge in running multi-club operations, including the creating and implementing formal operational systems, as well as overseeing multi-unit creation and implementation of operating platforms in health, wellness and fitness companies. Read More

Honor Yoga To Open In Pennington, New Jersey
PENNINGTON, N.J. - At the end of September studiOMango in Pennington will merge and open as Honor Yoga Pennington in the Hopewell Crossing Shopping Center. The new location will feature two studios for a variety of yoga practices for adults, children and families, a lounge area, a list of dedicated staff members, with more than 20 classes offered each week. Read More

Norm's Notes for October 2014
By: Norm Cates

Norm CatesNorm CatesHello Everybody! This is your Club Insider Publisher and Tribal Leader Since 1993 checking in! Read More

Back to 2014


Crunch Franchising