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10 oN IHRSa 2010
royce pulliam, founder and ceo, Mark and Kristie stevens, owners,
urban active fitness clubs, nine anytime fitness locations,
lexington, Kentucky alabama and Mississippi
“One of our primary reasons for “The IHRSA convention is a great source of new ideas
attending the convention is to and motivation, both of which are desperately needed to
conduct annual meetings with help overcome the challenges posed by the current econ-
all of our vendors to review the omy. We’ve been involved in the industry for just six
previous year’s budget and talk years, and the conventions have been critical in provid-
about the year ahead,” reports ing us with perspective and helping us to think outside
Pulliam. “This year, we plan to the box,” observes Mark Stevens. “This year, we’re going
discuss our ongoing relation- to be looking for ideas about
ships with them and make sure how to create a more compel-
that pricing, as well as warran- ling value proposition for our
ties and product delivery, are prospects and customers; we
acceptable. We also intend to want them to think of a mem-
spend more time sharing best bership at one of our clubs as a
practices with other operators, ‘need,’ rather than as a ‘want.’
and learning how our markets and stores compare Part of accomplishing that
with those in other parts of the country. In addition, involves helping our employees
we generally meet with a lot of potential new hires at overcome their own fears about
these shows—people who call us and request meet- marketing and sales, and the
ings to discuss our company’s future.” convention is very useful in that
respect; it gives them something
to be excited about, and engages
My ‘WOW!’Moment: their minds and imaginations so they can connect with
“Last year, I ran into Charlie Lindsey, the
potential members in new and more creative ways.”
president of American Club Systems, an
industry consulting company, and we recon-
My ‘WOW!’Moment:
nected after many years. Since then, between
Mark Stevens: “In our case, several smaller
his business and ours, we’ve shared many
‘wow’ moments have added up. For instance,
best practices. We’ve maintained the rela-
in 2008, one of the sales seminars yielded
tionship, and I believe it’s healthy for all club
some specific ideas that really clicked with
operators to have a group, such as Charlie’s,
us; they dovetailed perfectly with develop-
that they can work closely with. After all, as
ments that we’d observed unfolding in our
Microsoft founder Bill Gates says, ‘They may
particular markets. We also had a chance to
be right.’ In general, we’ve formed many
try out some new products that helped dif-
strong, long-lasting relationships, both pro-
ferentiate our facilities, making them seem
fessional and personal, at IHRSA confer-
modern and more engaging than our com-
ences. We’ll continue to make use of them to
petitors’ clubs.”
perfect and grow our business and meet
Kristie Stevens: “I walked away from one
other industry leaders.”
seminar with an entirely new outlook about
how to engage people who call into one of
our clubs to do some price shopping. The
speaker, industry consultant Casey Conrad,
also gave us a handout that I still use at all of
our sites.” —|
– Jon Feld, jon@trendline-co.com
42
Club Business International | JANUARY 2010 | www.ihrsa.org
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