The Club Insider Archives: September 2008
What The Guys With The Money Think
By: Norm Cates
Norm CatesPublisher's Note: Rick Caro's 12th Annual Financial Panel at IHRSA 2008 in San Diego, CA included: Rick Caro, President of Management Vision, New York City, NY; Matt Carroll of WestView Capital Partners, Boston, MA; Ed Aaron of RBC Capital Markets, Denver, CO; Doug Lehrman of North Castle Partners, Greenwich, CT; and Joe Pellegrini, formerly with Wachovia Securities.
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CheckFree Continues Data Security Focus In Chicago
An Interview With CheckFree's Ron Poliseno and Data Security Expert Jonathan Rubens
By: Norm Cates
Norm CatesConsider during the last ten years how many convention seminars you may have attended that focused on important industry matters such as general management, membership sales and sales management, retention management, personal training management, group exercise management and programming and the list goes on and on. I bet there have been over a thousand seminars on these subjects.
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Generating A Waterfall of Leads
125 Membership Lead Sources - Part II
By: Will Phillips
Will PhillipsThe most persistent sales problem for clubs has always been the lack of leads. Review your club's records for the number of prospects walking into your club each month over the last five years. Unless it was great and remains consistent over the years, you may need a new strategy. Clubs that have invested heavily in their sales process and training are finding that the same level of effort is producing fewer leads and sales.
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The "Insider Speaks"
Halftime
By: Justin Cates
Justin CatesThe debate rages on. Are we in Recession? Are we headed to Depression? Is this just a slowdown, a correction? The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) defines a recession as, "a significant decline in economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months, normally visible in real GDP, real income, employment, industrial production, and wholesale-retail sales".
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Is Selling Dead?
By: Jeffrey Masten
Jeffrey MastenIs Selling Dead? Three small words, one powerful and provocative question. The answer has potentially severe consequences for most clubs dependent on sales teams, not just for growth but survival. I have been reading our trade journals recently, and there have been more and more articles written on getting away from the dependency on sales as your primary revenue source.
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Programming Tip of the Month
Your Best Program Needs Your Best Promotions!
By: Sandy Coffman
Sandy CoffmanA new season, new members and new programs to grow your business are your challenges for the coming year. You can't afford to not make them dynamic successes. Let's start with Step #1 - Dynamic, professional and productive promotions. My book, articles, seminars and consultations will all repeat the mantra, "The goal of programming is increased participation, retention and growth."
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Want To Increase Retention? Want More Referrals?
By: Ed Tock
Ed TockThe retention process really begins as soon as the new member joins your club! It is not just a new sale but usually someone who is undergoing a behavior modification change in their life. According to industry studies, most new club members are regular non-exercisers when they first join, and 30% of them stop using your club in ONLY 3 weeks! To create a new habit of exercising, the new members need 21 days of positively reinforced behavior.
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Apex Fitness' bodybugg
By: Justin Cates
Justin CatesIt looks like a ladybug, only it has two small lights for eyes, a power button for a mouth, and a strap where the legs should be. It is the bodybugg, and thanks to Apex Fitness' Steve Datte and Kim Slover, I am now a bodybugg user and fan!
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The Color of Leadership
By: Andrea Sobotka
Andrea SobotkaIf you are a leader in your organization, then you already know that wearing many hats well comes with the territory, but one of your best fitting hats must be that of the Communicator. There are many facets of communication to consider, but at the human level, you are responsible for influencing a group of people into collective action that will produce excellent results.
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Planet Fitness Makes The Inc. 5000
472 Percent Growth Is Tops Among Health Clubs Nationwide
DOVER, N.H. - Health club operator, Planet Fitness, was named to Inc. Magazine's annual list of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the United States. Planet Fitness finished 732nd overall and held the number one spot among all U.S. health club companies. The Inc. 5,000 list ranks businesses according to revenue growth in the four previous years. From 2004 to 2007, Planet Fitness's annual revenues leaped from $8.4 million to $48.5 million --an increase of 472 percent.
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Five Forks Sportsclub Another Outstanding Fabiano Designs Creation!
MONTCLAIR, N.J. - Fabiano Designs has completed the third club in a prominent Greenville, South Carolina area chain. This new 60,000 square-foot, two-story building has solidified the Greenville market for the Sportsclub chain.
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Over 150 Clubs Make Move From Good To Great At BTS Summit!
Instructors Excited To Bring Members Fall 2008 Programs
ATLANTA, GA - Body Training Systems (BTS) held its three-day convention at the Connecticut Convention Center in Harford, CT, August 21-23. Over 400 owners, managers and instructors, from just over 150 clubs, engaged in the three days of events that enhanced their knowledge, motivation and commitment to the industry.
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Norm's Notes for September 2008
By: Norm Cates
Norm CatesHello everybody! This is your friendly Club Insider Publisher Since 1993 checking in! Here's the news on what's up!
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