|News & Know How| News
are month-to-month. Personal training is priced at $55 per hour, and group training is also available, but no classes are offered. The new facility boasts more than
100 pieces of Cybex, Life Fitness, Pre- cor, and Concept2 equipment, three strength-training areas, and locker rooms with showers. It also has a new feature that may have special appeal for a younger clientele: a RoqBot music system that allows members to custom- ize their music experience via their iPhone or Android device. Hours of operation are extended—
from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. “GymIt is our response to people who
want to join a clean, fresh, high-quality gym, but aren’t prepared financially or mentally to commit to a year-long contract,” says Matt Harrington. How can GymIt survive with such a
low dues structure? “Our labor costs are low, with just
two people on duty during operating hours,” responds Mark, Sr. “We have no sales staff. People can join online, and half of our members have done so.” If GymIt No. 1 succeeds, say the
Harringtons, they may open a second facility in Boston by the end of the year. —|
CORRECTION: A photograph of Energy Gym, a finalist in Les Mills’ group exer- cise studio contest, was incorrectly identified in the article, “Group Exercise Extraordinaire!” which appeared in the July issue of CBI (see pg. 47). The image, which was attributed to Zone Health & Fitness, is in fact Energy Gym’s elec- trifying group-ex studio, in Selbyville, Delaware. CBI regrets the error.—|
Technology
Employ Social Media to Engage Kids By Karen Jashinsky
I
n today’s information age of Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, and text messages, club operators have every right to be confused about which method is the most suitable and effective means of communicating with their members. Even more
challenging is trying to figure out how to best reach the youth market, a cohort that’s always one step ahead of the technology curve. To make an impact, one must consider and understand the way kids communicate
and think. For example, when preparing for a special event, such as a prom, they have a wealth of health and fitness information options at their fingertips—or they could seek out the expertise of a trainer at a health club. But, first, you have to get their attention. Here are some ways to use social media to engage kids in fitness:
Lay on the links. Send links to articles, blog posts, and interesting content via e-mail, Twitter, and Facebook. One can also encourage kids to share information they find interesting. For prom, O2 MAX generates dialogue by sharing relevant articles and blog updates.
Share the excitement: Get kids excited about sharing your Facebook page. O2 MAX created an educational “12 Days of Fitness” campaign to encourage college students to stay active during finals. Spurred by contests and posts, the page—and its impact—grew throughout the campaign.
Karen Jashinsky
Motivate with multimedia: Share pictures of kids working out (with permission). Tag the parent if the child is not on Facebook. Usually, parents are very excited to share the photos with their friends. For example, Rosie, an 11-year-old O2 MAX trainee wasn’t yet allowed on Facebook. Her mother was very active and shared snippets of her daughter’s accomplishments. When Rosie placed 8th in a national competition, her mom posted a video and tagged O2 MAX. Other kids now see this in the O2 MAX community and become intrigued. O2 MAX train- ers also take pictures of younger kids working out and send them via multimedia text message to parents to share with others.
Ask, comment, and chat: Engage kids on Facebook with questions and comments. For example, simply comment, “Great job today!” or ask, “What do you think about trying this?” Make sure to respond promptly when they comment or ask questions in return. Kids today are used to immediate responses; the quicker one responds, the more they notice.
“In an era of almost nonstop communication across a bevy of platforms, in
which so many millions of us are just a few clicks away from one another … people still crave the intimacy of face-to-face meetings,” according to a recent article in The New York Times. Ultimately, we’re all working toward the same goal: to fight childhood obesity and teach kids to lead healthier lifestyles. Social media offers a powerful way to do this. As a new O2 MAX Fitness college student observes, “Social media raises awareness and dispels rumors so that people can work out effectively.”—|
– Karen Jashinsky,
Karen@o2fmaxfitness.com, is the founder of O2 MAX, a youth fitness and media company headquartered in Santa Monica, California.
Energy Gym 24 Club Business Internat ional | SEPTEMBER 2011 | www.
ihrsa.org
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