The Hats Club Owners Wear
BY DAVE WRIGHT
A
well-worn sales and marketing hat can increase membership numbers.
As a club owner, you wear more hats than the
crowd on Ladies’ Day at Ascot! You wear the hats of an accountant, psychologist, PR guru, public speaker, interior designer, maintenance manager, charity fund raiser, event manager and, of course, fitness consultant. Every day you pull on different ones to deal with different situations. The great thing about hats is that the more you wear them, the more comfortable they feel. Take the sales and marketing hat. You
have the skills to be great at boosting the membership numbers at your club. Success in this area is simply all about making sure you wear this hat regular- ly. When you do, you quickly realize that sales is simply a transfer of enthusiasm from one person to another. And who could be more enthusiastic
and knowledgeable about your club than you? To channel that enthusiasm into a productive force, when
you’re discussing a great feature of your club, back it up with the benefit-focused bridging phrase, “And what that means to you is....” This bridging phrase reminds, encourages and
enables you to connect the feature with your potential mem- ber’s goals. Any by doing this, you will be ensuring that you are focusing on their needs, rather than your own. This one phrase makes your marketing more effective, sales go through the roof and maximizes your club’s income. All this by simply by wearing, adopting and embracing your sales and marketing hat on a regular basis.
Dave Wright is the CEO of Creative Fitness Marketing, a company that works with over 200 independent health clubs around the world and generates over 40,000 new members on long term membership agreements every year. Dave has a degree in recre- ation management and is an international speaker and author. He
oversees 160 sales people in eight countries.
ond straight year, says an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) survey published in the November/December issue of ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal®. The survey, now in its third year, was distrib-
ACSM survey predicts 2009 fitness trends
T
he importance of experienced and edu- cated fitness professionals remains the top predicted fitness trend for a sec-
“The forecast for 2009 not only suggests ac-
uted to ACSM certified health and fitness pro- fessionals worldwide and was designed to reveal trends in various fitness environments. More than 1,500 completed surveys were received from respondents in six continents. Thirty-five potential trends were given as choices, with the top 20 ranked and published by ACSM. Consistent with 2008 results, experienced
and educated fitness professionals was identi- fied as the top trend to watch in 2009, likely due to increased industry regulations and an influx of specialty certifications and educational programs available for these professionals. This trend has moved up the list since the survey’s inception in 2007, when it ranked third. Also holding their spots on the list were trends
related to children and obesity and personal train- ing, which again ranked second and third, re- spectively. Lead author of the survey, Walter R. Thompson, Ph.D., FACSM, says this is indicative of true industry trends, not fads, taking hold. “When predictions become consistent, we
view it as an opportunity for education and ac- tion,” Thompson said. “These developing themes will help health and fitness professionals give the best possible service to the public, and also help the public understand the quality of service they should be receiving as clients.”
tive people will have good and safe options when choosing a trainer to complement their fitness routines, but there’s also an enhanced apprecia- tion for the education and training of these pro- fessionals, which we see expanding each year,” said Thompson. “Reading through the survey re- sults, the innovation in training, public health is- sues and wellness is evident for the year ahead in health and fitness.”
The top 10 fitness trends predicted for 2009 are:
1. Educated and experienced fitness
professionals. Because of an increase in the number of organizations offering fitness certi- fications, it’s important that consumers choose professionals certified by programs that are accredited by the National Commission for Certifing Agencies, such as those offered by ACSM. 2. Children and obesity. This trend – and de- signing exercise programs to reverse it – is high in the minds of fitness professionals not only because of the number of children who are currently overweight and obese, but because these children are more likely to become obese adults. 3. Personal training. Education, training and proper credentialing for health and fitness profes- sionals who act as personal trainers has become increasingly important, and is an integral part of staffing for health and fitness facilities. 4. Strength training. Strength training is an es- sential part of ACSM’s Physical Activity and Public Health Guidelines. Liſting weights isn’t just for
bodybuilders; it’s crucial to maintaining bone mass density with aging and is used in a variety of rehabilitation settings. 5. Core training. Different from strength train- ing, this type of training emphasizes condition- ing the back and abdomen muscles and improves spine stability.
6. Special fitness programs for older adults.
With more and more of the baby boomer popula- tion reaching retirement age, health and fitness professionals are designing age-appropriate fit- ness programs to keep older adults healthy and happy well into their golden years. 7. Pilates. Pilates incorporates a great deal of core training, while still strengthening and toning the entire body. Part of its appeal is that many ex- ercises can be done with a simple mat – no extra, expensive equipment required. 8. Stability ball. Because the size of stability balls varies so greatly, many different exercises can be performed with them. It can teach balance and strength in addition to stability. 9. Sport-specific training. This trend distinctly relates to young athletes. High school athletes are incorporating training into their off-seasons in order to stay in top shape for their sports. 10. Balance training. Numerous activities fea- ture balance training, including yoga, foam roll- ers, BOSU balls, and more. This trend has risen to the top 10 aſter not making the trends list in 2007 and being listed at no. 14 in 2008, possibly because of the increased emphasis on its impor- tance for older adults. The full list (Top 20 trends) is available in the
article “Worldwide Survey Reveals Fitness Trends for 2009.”
January/February 2009 Fitness Business Canada 11
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64