| IHRSA Report | First Set ®


The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association is a not-for-profit trade association open to investor-owned and member-owned fitness, racquet and athletic facilities. Associate memberships are available to manufacturers or suppliers of products and services of use to IHRSA members.


800-228-4772 USA & Canada 617-951-0055 International 617-951-0056 FAX


www.ihrsa.org www.healthclubs.com E-mail: info@ihrsa.org


IHRSA Board of Directors


Art Curtis: Chairperson Millennium Partners Sports Club Management, LLC 617-476-8910


Mike Raymond: Curves International 254-399-9285


Susan Cooper: BodyBusiness Health Club & Spa 512-459-9424


Sandy Hoeffer: Clubsource Development Partners 415-459-1500


David Hardy: Franvest Capital Partners 780-953-4273


Kilian Fisher: ILAM +353 (0) 45 902235


Chuck Runyon: Anytime Fitness 651-438-5000


Kay Yuspeh: Elite Fitness & Racquet Clubs 262-786-0880


Bill McBride: Club One 415-477-3000


Richard Bilton: Companhia Athletica +55 11-5181-2000


Carol Nalevanko: DMB Sports Clubs 480-609-6979


Brent Darden: TELOS Fitness Center 972-458-2582


Scott Gillespie: Saco Sport & Fitness 207-284-5953


David Patchell-Evans: Ex-officio GoodLife Fitness Clubs 519-661-0190 ext. 238


SPECIAL ADVISOR EUROPE


Christian Pierar: De Fitness Organisatie +32 9-232-5036


Art Curtis IHRSA Chairperson


The Key to Success in 2011


Over the course of more than 30 years in the club business, I’ve learned to love the month of January. Just like the opening day for any sport, it heralds the start of a new season, and comes replete with unadulterated optimism and high expectations.


In the case of our industry, it also brings lots of prospective new members driven by New Year’s resolutions. Motivated by the best of intentions, they sincerely want to take responsibility for their well-being, by, in part, becoming more physically active. Unfortunately, all too often, they abandon their goals by the end of the first quarter. If we can help club members succeed, 2011 will truly be a


“Happy New Year!”—both for them and for us. I don’t know about you, but, looking forward, I feel quite


confident that the economy is finally heading in the right direction. Study the 200-day moving average for the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, and you realize that the economy is on the move. Both averages are more than 20% higher than they were one year ago.


That’s a monumental change. As I talk to club operators from throughout the world, I sense a similar


optimism. Many of the better operators are reporting improvements in key performance indicators, including new membership sales, private training and other nondues-revenue sources, and attrition rates. As a result, their revenue- per-member is increasing. At the same time, over the past 18-24 months, many clubs have been successful in cutting costs and renegotiating leases. If we remain diligent and continue to manage costs well, we’ll emerge


from the recession with businesses that are stronger and more profitable. Optimism, high expectations, and positive economic signs are all fine, but,


in the final analysis, whether 2011 winds up being a good year, business- wise, depends on a single simple factor: the experience of our members. In order to succeed, they’re going to have to come to the club regularly and exercise appropriately. To make that possible, we, as operators, need to do everything within our power to counter every excuse and eliminate every barrier that might impede them. Consider: Do we put new members at ease? Is our staff friendly and


welcoming? Is the club clean? Is all of the fitness equipment functioning properly? Are we providing the right type of programs and adequate support? Are our safety measures satisfactory? Do we put at least as much effort into helping members achieve their objectives as we do when attempting to make the initial sale? Let’s make 2011 a great year for our customers. If we do, it will initiate a


trend of substantial membership growth. —| – Art Curtis, acurtis@mp-sportsclub.com


www. ihrsa.org | JANUARY 2011 | Club Business Internat ional 105


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