The Club Insider Archives: December 2019
2019 In Review
By: Justin Cates
Justin CatesWhat a year! What a decade! We hope things are going great for you, your family, your team and your facility (or facilities). As we look back, what a year it has been. What a decade it has been! As always, this year, as we have for decades now, our goal with Club Insider is to bring to you another stacked slate of informative cover stories by Publisher and Tribal Leader Since 1993, Norm Cates, and Partner and Assistant Publisher, Justin Cates; high-level best practices articles by the always-improving Club Insider Contributing Author Team; and key industry news and insights via selected press releases, and of course, monthly installments of Norm Notes.
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The Boutique Fitness Studio Stampede
Part II
By: Stephen Tharrett
Stephen TharrettWhen the fitness studio market first emerged on the fitness landscape, its approach to pricing was like a ride back in time where drop-in pricing (pay-as-you-go) was the predominant approach of fitness operators. The pioneers of the fitness studio industry saw drop-in pricing and bundled visit pricing (purchasing more than one visit) as both a means of differentiation from the traditional club industry and as a way of appealing to the purchasing behavior of young consumers. Fast forward to today and fitness studio operators continue to take an innovative approach to packaging and pricing their offering. So, what are these innovative packaging and pricing approaches?
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Exercise IS Medicine!
Living Well After Cancer
By: Jessica Dehart, Ph.D.
Jessica Dehart, Ph.D.There are currently 17 million people in the United States asking, "Now What?" By 2029, this number will rise to 22 million, and by 2040, the number will reach 26 million. If you are reading this article, you hold the answer to their question. Cancer treatment is becoming more effective, which is increasing the number of cancer survivors exponentially each year. It is truly something to celebrate. However, when the celebratory bells fall silent and the confetti is swept up, cancer survivors are faced with their "new normal."
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Attorney Files $10M Lawsuit Against Health Club Alleging False Claim of Lewd Behavior
By: Paul R. Bedard, Esquire
Paul R. Bedard, EsquireA lawsuit filed earlier this year by a former partner of a large law firm whose health club membership was terminated for alleged misconduct highlights the duties owed to our members and guests. Reviewing this suit also provides an opportunity to recap some of the best practices that should be applied when having to suspend or terminate someone's membership or guest privileges. The plaintiff, Richard Hammond, filed a lawsuit in New York against Equinox, asserting claims of defamation, negligence, gross negligence, breach of contract, breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, negligent infliction of emotional distress, as well as negligent hiring, supervision and training.
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Protect Your Data and Your Money this Holiday and Tax Filing Season
By: Kristen Deazeley
Kristen DeazeleyDuring the holiday shopping season and the upcoming tax filing season, the Internal Revenue Service, state tax agencies and the tax industry encourage individual taxpayers and businesses to secure their sensitive financial data. This can be a prime time for identity thieves seeking information they can use to file fraudulent tax returns.
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The Power of "B2B"
By: Jarod Cogswell
Jarod CogswellIn today's era, most fitness operators are relying heavily on digital media to market their businesses. Competition is fierce, and it's extremely challenging to get in front of potential members before the "other guys." However, there is still a cost effective and sustained approach to attracting and retaining customers... Local business-to-business marketing, or as some of the cool kids like to call it: "B2B."
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Retail Relationships: Service & Perks
By: Bill McBride
Bill McBrideIn this article, I'm going to share two very recent experiences I have had with a couple of well-known brands, Ruby Tuesday and a Hilton Property. I will foreshadow these examples with the caveat that these are MY perceptions on how I felt during the interactions. Many may say both of these are very reasonable and that I shouldn't have been irked. That very well may be true, but in the moment, I felt disappointment and was made to feel "wrong." I believe in the mantra, "even when a customer isn't right, you shouldn't make them wrong." So, here we go...
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When is the Best Time to Sell My Gym?
By: Jim Thomas
Jim ThomasMany gym owners are so busy putting out fires and running the day-to-day operations of their gym that they typically do not give much consideration to this question (until it's too late). Before selling a gym, there are many factors that need to be addressed. However, if you do these things right, you can maximize the return on your gym. In a perfect world, the best time to sell a gym is when the gym is performing well and not when it is trending downwards. However, there are certain things gym owners can do to make their business as attractive as possible to potential buyers. To build value in the gym, take some time to review the following...
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Are You Charging Enough For Your Membership?
By: Michael Gelfgot
Michael GelfgotHigh Volume, Low Price (HV/LP) clubs are on the rise, but the market is willing to pay more. According to the International Health, Racquet & Sports Association (IHRSA), between 2005 and 2014, average monthly spend for a membership was between $33 - $37 per month. In 2018, it was $43. As of 2018, Planet Fitness, the largest HV/LP club chain, had over 1,800 units, but the average monthly rate of a membership keeps increasing. The question is how can you justify increasing the cost of your membership when HV/LPs are popping up left and right?
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Majority of Adolescents Worldwide Not Sufficiently Physically Active, Says WHO
GENEVA - The first-ever global trends for adolescent insufficient physical activity show that urgent action is needed to increase physical activity levels in girls and boys aged 11 to 17 years. The study, published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health journal and produced by researchers from the World Health Organization (WHO), finds that more than 80% of school-going adolescents globally did not meet current recommendations of at least one hour of physical activity per day, including 85% of girls and 78% of boys.
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Industry Leaders From Across the Globe Connect at IHRSA Women's Leadership Summit
BOSTON, MA - On November 14th, women and men from across the globe came together for the IHRSA Women's Leadership Summit hosted by Athletic Business in Orlando, Florida.
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Provide Your Members With Easy, Secure Access to the Fitness Items 24/7
DES MOINES, IA - Vending.com, an 88-year-old factory direct supplier of vending machines based in Des Moines, Iowa, is pleased to introduce the Fitness Merchandiser. The Fitness Merchandiser is helping gyms and fitness facilities nationwide increase their income by dispensing fitness products and workout supplies, as well as healthy snacks and beverages.
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Introducing Active Cat Around the World
BOSTON, MA - The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) has announced the publication of a new children's book, entitled Active Cat Around the World. The release of Active Cat Around the World is timely. A recent study by the World Health Organization states that a majority of adolescents worldwide are not sufficiently physically active, putting their current and future health at risk.
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Norm's Notes for December 2019
By: Norm Cates
Norm CatesHello Everybody! This is your Club Insider Publisher and Tribal Leader Since 1993 checking in with our 312th monthly edition! We're SO GLAD to be here today writing these special Norm's Notes for you! Yahoo! Merry Christmas, or Happy Holidays, and a very Healthy and Happy New Year to you and your family!
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