PARTY TIME! The cost for the week of events was approximately


$4,000. “We really care about keeping our members happy,” says


Throwing a blow-out member appreciation event can fi re up your members and have a phenomenal ripple effect on motivation, satisfaction and retention. That’s why so many clubs go to great lengths to give back to their loyal customers. Here’s how some clubs use appreciation events to lavish some love.


Latour. “Even members who didn’t attend any of the events told us that they appreciated our efforts and knowing that we were there for them.”


SIDEBAR 2: Calculate your club’s attrition rate You’ll never know if your attrition rates are improving or


worsening if you don’t track them on a regular basis. Here’s one formula to consider: membership attrition = (aggregate dropped memberships


for 12 months) / 12-month average beginning memberships Source: Uniform System of Accounts for the Health,


Racquet and Sportsclub Industry, available from www.ihrsa. org


BY BARB GORMLEYSIDEBAR 3:


The big bash If anyone knows how to show mem- bers a good time, it is La Sporthèque d Hull. Over its 35 years of operation, the 5,000-member fi tness and recreation facility, located in Hull, Quebec, has hosted dozens of huge formal parties at a local hotel to celebrate its milestone anniversaries.


And for about 25 years, the club has


also been thanking its members with an annual fall wine and cheese apprecia- tion party. About 500 members attend the party which is organized by a team of fi ve staff members. “We always hold it on a Friday night


with a live band, and we offer cheese along with six wines from six coun- tries,” says the club’s administrative services director Josée Brousseau. “The wines might be from countries like, Spain, Italy, New Zealand, Africa and France, and we decorate tables to rep- resent each country. To add some fun, our employees dress up in costumes from the various countries.” The band starts off the evening by


playing soothing jazz, says Brousseau, but the music and atmosphere liven up considerably once the dance fl oor opens. The dancing is still usually in full swing at 1:00am, she says. Brousseau estimates the event costs


$5,000 to $7,000; the major expenses are the wine and band while every- thing else is donated. And it’s worth every penny, she says. “Our retention rate ranges from 73-80 percent, which


is quite good considering many clubs’


5 Tips for planning a memorable event retention is about 55 percent.” Pulling together an appreciation event can be a chal- lenging task, says event planner Susan Roberston, owner of Wellness at Work in Mississauga, Ontario. Here are her tips for creating great memories for members and as little stress


And w t do La Sporthèque mem-


bers think of the event? “People are always asking me, ‘When’s the wine and cheese party this year?’” says Brousseau.


The Friday night mix and mingle City Centre Health and Fitness in


Penticton, B.C., hosts a large mem- ber party approximately every eight months. But to be doubly sure that ties to its 700 members are strong, it also invites members to a more-casu- al weekly gathering. “We have a club social every Friday


night from 4-6pm at The Best Damn Sports Bar and Grill, which is located about 100 yards from the club,” says Kirby Layng, who has owned and managed the 700-member club for 14 years. “The pub does two-for-one ap- petizers for us, so it’s a win/win for them and for our club.” It’s also a retention tool that has


no expense attached to it and takes »


ARE YOU READY TO GET MORE FROM YOUR MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE?


“I can’t speak highly enough of Antaris - it’s exceeded my expectations for my management software.” - Tim Irvine, Owner, Totum Life Science


“I can’t speak highly enough of Antaris - it’s exceeded my expectations for my management software.” - Tim Irvine, Owner, Totum Life Science


FIND OUT WHY FITNESS CLUB OWNERS FINALLY HAVE A SOLUTION THAT’S WORTH THE SWITCH.


VISIT ANTARIS.CA CALL 1.888.959.0886


VISIT ANTARIS.CA CALL 1.888.959.0886


FIND OUT WHY FITNESS CLUB OWNERS FINALLY HAVE A SOLUTION THAT’S WORTH THE SWITCH.


ARE YOU READY TO GET MORE FROM YOUR MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE?


March/April 2014


May/June 2014 Fitness Business Canada 31


SAVE $750


Sign up by June 30, 2014 and we’ll waive 3 months of fees!


SAVE $750


Sign up by June 30, 2014 and we’ll waive 3 months of fees!


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