Treat Every Business Day as the First

As we head into mid-season, sometimes fitness facilities find themselves in a "rut.” This staleness may be due to the boredom of repetition from the day-to-day grind. Thus, many fitness facilities would be wise to devise a plan that would keep them out of trouble and moving forward. 

Was your New Year’s Resolution to kick your advertising program in the ass and have a serious talk with your landlord starting January? Guess what? It’s Summertime! My dad once told me, once the Grand Opening or Open House Party is over the real work begins!  Boy was he right. 

So in this issue, I’m going to give you a few pointers to get you moving. Before we get started, please understand that I’m only giving you a smattering of what you need to know and do.

First let’s discuss advertising and marketing. Traditionally speaking, you should be spending 7-10 % of your gross income to further grow your business and the monies should be spent equally internally and externally. What do I mean by internally and externally? Well, internally means that you promote from within, you do things for your members and in return ask them to do something for you. Promoting externally would be radio, television, newspapers, flyers, social media, etc. With both types of programs (internally and externally), you should be measuring the results and the return on investment. However, with both programs, some of the benefits can’t be measured because the exposure alone will brand and further promote your business.

Now let’s move on to landlords. The foundation for a successful business is in the lease. It has always been my opinion that tenants don’t get what they deserve, they get what they negotiate. When it comes to your facility rent, landlords always seem to have the upper hand, and that’s generally caused by the tenant’s creating a poor foundation when they first go into business. If you’re looking for a new location, preparing to sign a renewal option, or having problems with the space you lease, now is the perfect time to pay your landlord a visit. Many landlords across the country are also feeling the pinch and may welcome a discussion about lowering your rent, offering you a rent concession, or possibly renegotiating your lease.

Next up … Social Media. This form of advertising can be very successful. Social Media can change your business and bring in more new customers, but it can also consume many hours of your time and be a lot of work. If you don’t know what the words tweet, post, and wall mean, you might want to consider hiring a professional social media specialist and do it right the first time. 

And … now on to Web Site Presence. This form of advertising is a must in today’s market place. But for some reason many fitness professionals struggle with whether they should have their own website? In my mind there really isn't a question. Here are the facts: Your presence on the Internet is important because you can advertise your services, or anything else you feel is necessary for potential customers or current customers to know. The Internet is visited by billions of people a day, and having your own website for communicating to your customers and future customers is essential.

And lastly … Your Internet Footprint. Consumers are searching for you on Google, Yahoo and Bing, online before ever stepping into your gym. And unfortunately many gyms are missing out on that traffic by not being consistent with their business listing information. Google and other search engines search third-party directories and databases to see where the business is listed and how it is listed. The more places it finds the business, the higher it will rank the site in search and make it more visible for the consumer to see. If your business information is outdated or appears in different ways in different places, it will not only lower your visibility in search - it will make it difficult or even impossible for potential customers to find you. The key to getting started is building a strong foundation for local search success by making sure you are listed correctly on over 100+ listing site platforms.

For more information on any of these subjects, give us a call at 925-672-4800. You can also visit our website at www.globalfitnessassociation.com/info.

Gyms Missing the MARK on Online Traffic

Many Gyms across the country are missing the MARKet on online traffic and searches. The numbers are significant.

The latest consumer surveys suggest that 83% of prospective gym members are researching their options online before ever stepping into a gym. They are searching for you on Google, Yahoo and Bing, and unfortunately many gyms are missing out on that traffic by not being consistent with their business listing information. Google and other search engines search third-party directories and databases to see where the business is listed and how it is listed. The more places it finds the business, the higher it will rank the site in search and make it more visible for the consumer to see.

Your business listing information is a platform that allows new customers who are searching for you to see key information. A potential customer probably won’t know to search for your website, but they may very well find your business in a local or industry directory. If your business name, location, phone, and hours of operation aren’t readily available and listed correctly on the dozens of online directories, the consumer will probably not find you and move on to a gym that does appear.

Even when gyms have an online presence, they aren’t doing a great job protecting their brand. Through our research, we have found 87% of the gyms in this country contain inaccurate information online resulting in customer losses each year because they can’t be found. Trust me, your online reputation and business listing information counts if you want to get a high acceptance score with Google and the rest of the big named players.

Increasing your online visibility can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. When developing a marketing strategy and budget for your gym, you should become familiar with the term, “directory listings service.” From a budget perspective, you don’t have to break the bank. Most directory services charge a month reoccurring fee of $149.00 to $299.00 per month for their services, totaling thousands of dollars. Ouch!

You can increase your online visibility without the monthly reoccurring fees. Here’s how: You can get discounted rates through the Global Fitness Association, which offers wholesale pricing to members through the online marketing firm Social5.

Global Fitness Association members and non-members alike can participate in this directory listing service through Social5, a trusted partner, for a one-time fee of $129.00 that covers account setup and online cleanup, plus a one-time fee of $349.00 for listing your gym information on over 100+ directories with ongoing updates, for a total investment of $478.00.

You will also receive access to an individual control panel that allows for live updates to directory information, analytics that allow performance-based tracking of your gym’s visibility across online directories, telephone support, and a guaranteed annual renewal at the same price, less the setup fee.

So where does your gym stand in the online marketplace? We’d recommend running a free analysis to establish a baseline. The online visibility report is a free service for all gyms. The report is available by emailing your business name, physical address (city, state, zip) and company phone number to info@globalfitnessassociation.com. The report will be completed within 48 hours and returned to you at no charge or obligation. A $79.00 value.

For more information on this subject, give us a call at 925-672-4800 and we will gladly do our best to answer your questions. You can also visit our website at www.globalfitnessassociation.com/info for more information. 

Please place your comments in the section below. Your participation is encouraged and appreciated. Thank you.

Really, there is a better way

Don’t be a one-man charity system for advertising companies, yellow page ads, and landlords.

As we head into the New Year you’ve got to be asking yourself “is there a better way.” After being in the fitness industry for over 40 years, I’ve seen a lot of things and many that made me shake my head and wonder what the heck some of you were thinking. And yes, there is a better way to do many of the things mention in the caption of this article. So read on.

First let’s discuss advertising and marketing. But before we get started, please understand that I’m only giving you a smattering of what you need to know and do. Traditionally speaking, you should be spending 7-10 % of your gross income to further the branding and growth of your business and the monies should be spent equally internally and externally. You’re probably asking yourself what I mean by internally and externally. Well, internally meaning that you promote from within, you do things for your members and in return ask them to do something for you. Promoting externally would be radio, yellow pages. television, newspaper, and flyer etc. As with both types of programs, you should be measuring the results, and the return on investment. However, with both types of programs (internal and external) some of the benefits can’t be measured because the exposure alone will continues to brand and further promote your business. As new technology has evolved, many of the traditional method of advertising no longer seem to work as well as they did in the past. If you look at your past advertising campaigns, I’m sure you will find that all of them have had a diminishing return on investment. Remember the old saying “You can’t expect different results if you keep doing the same thing over and over.”

This brings me to a point where I would like to share with you a new marketing medium we have secured rights to; it’s called GFA e-Marketing. This new technology puts the power of zip code-targeted email marketing in the hands of every fitness professional wanting to attract new customers to their business, regardless of their advertising budget. Our email database is the largest in the nation, totaling over 250 million emails. It includes 100% opt-in subscribers and is updated daily. You can now attract more fitness-minded people to your business for just a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising. How many email addresses are within a five-mile radius of your location? You might be surprised, give me a call.

Now let’s move on to yellow pages. This type of advertising is becoming more and more ineffective as technology improves. Don’t be fooled by the yellow page companies, forget about the promises made by the yellow page sales representative (ie. free colors added to your ad, a lager ad for the same price you were paying last year, and more). Do what the big companies do. But before I tell you their little secret, I want to explain the two ways consumers use the yellow page book. # 1. If they know your companies name they will go directly to the white page listing in the front of the phone book and look up your name alphabetically. #2. If they don’t know your companies name the probably will go to the yellow page listing under the “Health and Fitness” category and start looking for fitness facilities. Which bring me to the little secret big companies have known and used for years. While many of us have been caught up paying outrageous prices on a monthly basis for a yellow page display ads, big companies have been advertising in the same area just that they appear several pages before the display ads even appear or even looked at. How do they do it? It’s simple, kill your display and request an in column ad in the listing area under “Health and Fitness.” Still think the yellow pages deserve a large share of your monthly advertising budget? Compare the size (thickness) of this year’s phone book to last year’s . . . and think again.

And … now on to landlords. The basis and foundation for a successful business is in the lease. It has always been my opinion that tenants don’t get what they deserve, they get what they negotiate. When it comes to your facility rent, landlords always seem to have the upper hand and that’s generally due to the tenant creating a poor foundation when going into business. If your looking for a new location, ready to sign a renewal option, or having problems with the space you lease, now is the perfect time to pay your landlord a visit. Many landlords across the country are also feeling the pinch and may welcome a discussion about lowering your rent, offering you a rent concession, or possibly renegotiating your lease. Though there are no guarantees, you won’t know unless you ask.

The strategies you learn and practice now, when the economy is flat, will serve you now and in the future.

For more information on this subject, give us a call at 925-672-4800 and we will gladly do our best to answer your questions. You can also visit our website at www.globalfitnessassociation.com/info for more information. 

Please place your comments in the section below. Your participation is encouraged and appreciated. Thank you.

There’s an Easier Way – A Right Way!

Meet Global Fitness Association’s Marketing 2.0 Team!

The Global Fitness Association Marketing arm is gaining strength. We’ve expanded our marketing offerings to include more of what you’ve been requesting to make you more successful in your own endeavors to build guest traffic. The Marketing 2.0 Team combines cutting edge technology with the classical tried and true. Whether it is helping you move to the latest in online best practices or designing a targeted marketing piece, we have the pieces and expertise to work with you based upon your needs and budget.

The Marketing 2.0 Team at Global Fitness Association has a combined industry experience of over 70 years. Both club owners and marketing gurus, Jason Alles, Kim Koehler and MaryAnn Molloy will personally interact with you and help you get on the pathway to profitability. Jason Alles literally grew up in the business. He has 30 years experience working for the clubs his father founded SportsLife in Atlanta GA. Jason has channeled his passion for the industry and marketing to create a system that has been proven to generate guests. MaryAnn Molloy has over 25 years starting with big box gyms and then moving into her own women’s only gym and of late a private training studio for people over 40. She also has taught a personal trainer certification course and mentored trainers into their own businesses. Kim Koehler has a degree in Economics and a Masters in Marketing. (We had to have ONE brainiac). She has taken her 25 years in consumer marketing and now runs a personal training studio. We are all here for you!

Working across several marketing platforms, we can help with everything from creating an organic marketing strategy to assisting you with social media marketing.

Today’s key focus is the Digital Store Front. You have a Digital Store Front whether you know it or not. While everyone knows they need to have an Internet presence, it is hard to find the right formula with this ever-changing technology. It’s both a science and an art (just like the health club business).

Can your customers find you online? In today’s market, savvy consumers are doing their research online whether buying a house, car or a gym membership. They are not only shopping by price (even if they think they are initially). Are your customers finding you? Is your Digital Footprint helping or hurting you? Do you know what a Digital Store Front is? Visit our website at www.globalfitnessassociation.com/internet-presence and we’ll conduct a free search of your business on the top 40 listing site platforms, and we’ll email you a report card telling you how you're doing - with no obligation on your part.

These interactive marketing tools and techniques offer a multi-channel strategy for customer contact. Currently, many small businesses do not have an interactive marketing strategy that supports growth opportunities. In today’s competitive environment coupled with economic conditions, it is not enough just to have a website. Your market may be local, however you also need a global reach to help level the playing field with big box clubs. If done correctly and consistently you could even gain an advantage.

The Global Fitness Association Marketing 2.0 Team will show you tools and techniques, used by the Fortune 500, to enhance your Internet marketing presence. We can do it for you or show you how - depending on your time and budget.
Global Fitness Association can show you how to control your content and optimize your search engine reach without those high priced internet/SEO consultants (today’s snake oil salesmen - at least some of them). You might get calls from some consultants who have figured out complicated algorithms to crack the Goggle or Bing codes, but at the end of the day, your message is still being controlled by these entities.

Instead we have methods that help you:

* Create your message
* Control your message
* Connect with customers and prospects

The bottom line is, the more (relevant and original) content (blogs, reviews, likes) you have on the WWW (World Wide Web) the better your chances of being discovered. Keep in mind, people will find you because they did either an organic or a specific search. However they discover you, you will need to have as much content about your business out there so you are easy to find.

Every successful business, whether it is a sole proprietorship or big box gym, is doing this because they know it helps and have allocated valuable resources to making this happen. Now that the Global Fitness Association, Digital Store Front proprietary software is available, you don’t have to tackle this daunting task alone.

Let’s not forget, Digital Store Front Marketing is just one piece of the puzzle. Regardless of what technologies and tools you use, you are still in a people business, and we can help! At the end of the day, you need guest traffic to increase sales and optimization of your current membership (yes, people again)! Our motto is “more guests…less guesswork.” We have developed a strategy and systems that can be customized for your target market that will generate more guest traffic. These strategies and systems have been proven to work even in the toughest economic and competitive markets.

Stay tuned for our mini-webinars (yes, we know you’re busy) and video snippets where will show you how to create more guest traffic by taking control of your message and connecting with your customers and prospects. Be sure to like us on Facebook to get the latest news and scheduled webinar times.

For more information on this subject, give us a call at 925-672-4800 and we will gladly do our best to answer your questions. You can also visit our website at www.globalfitnessassociation.com/info for more information. 

Please place your comments in the section below. Your participation is encouraged and appreciated. Thank you.

Do you have misconceptions about business Web sites?

These days having a business Web site is as important as passing out business cards. Unfortunately business owners often harbor false notions, including the following, about Web sites:

I don’t sell my product or service online. Why do I need a Web site? Say you’re in the business of auto maintenance. Although you don’t provide your actual service online, your Web site can be used to promote your business, educate potential clients, even provide testimonials from satisfied customers. And what if your firm changes locations? Revising a Web site is a lot simpler and cheaper than printing a fresh batch of glossy brochures.

If I set up a business Web site, I’ll be overwhelmed with orders. You may indeed find yourself deluged with sales (don't you wish), but it will probably take months, even years, of hard work before that happens. Competition on the Internet is fierce. Printing a stack of business cards doesn’t guarantee orders and sales. Neither does setting up a Web site

I should publish everything about my business on my homepage. Researchers estimate that you have from three to nine seconds to hook online customers. After that, they’ll click elsewhere. Make your homepage too cluttered and potential customers will become frustrated. Who wants to dig through a bunch of irrelevant stuff to get to your product information?

My Web site is up and running, so I can just sit back and wait for the orders to pour in. Not true. Even if you’re listed with one of the top search engines, it may take a long time for your firm to climb to the top of the search listing. In part that’s because search engines “index” sites, based on activity, design revisions, and other factors. So keeping your site up to date is crucial. It’s also important to employ more traditional methods of advertising in conjunction with your Internet Web site. Make sure your Web site address (URL) is listed on your business cards, phone book listings, newspaper ads, and street signage. The more people who know about your Web site, the more who will stop by for a visit.

For more information on this subject, give us a call at 925-672-4800 and we will gladly do our best to answer your questions. You can also visit our website at www.globalfitnessassociation.com/info for more information. 

Please place your comments in the section below. Your participation is encouraged and appreciated. Thank you.

The Hottest Marketing Medium You'll Ever Find

Introducing the power of “e”

After being in the fitness industry for over 40 years, the professionals at GFA e-Marketing have always felt there is a better way for the fitness industry to get its advertising message out to consumers in their relevant market areas, and now the marketing tool to achieve this is available. GFA e-Marketing has secured the rights to this technology and is making this unique opportunity available to fitness professionals in the United States, and Canada.

This new technology puts the power of zip code-targeted email marketing in the hands of every fitness professional wanting to attract new customers to their business, regardless of their advertising budget. GFA’s email database is the largest in the nation, totaling over 250 million emails. It includes 100% opt-in subscribers and is updated daily. GFA e-Marketing has created a unique opportunity for all fitness professionals wanting to advertise in their local market areas. You can now attract more fitness-minded people to your business for just a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising. When compared to Direct Mail, GFA e-Marketing gives you three times better results at 1/10 of the cost.

Report: The DMA Response Report

Advertising Comparison

There’s more and more research that indicates that email advertising will continue to trend upward, as more traditional forms of advertising trend lower.

*        Newspaper circulations have been experiencing significant declines. The long decline in newspaper circulation over the years continues to accelerate, with sales in the spring and summer, falling almost 5 percent from the previous year, figures recently released in the New York Times show, deepening the financial strain on the industry.

*        Radio advertising effectiveness continues to decrease as more consumers listen to satellite radio in their cars. Estimates are that 35.6 million Americans will subscribe to a satellite radio service. Additionally, radio advertising is not locally targeted.

*        Consumers in about 30% of U.S. homes currently use TiVo or devices known as digital video recorders (DVR's) to skip commercials, according to Standard & Poor's Equity Research. Additionally, as with radio advertising, television advertising is not locally targeted.

*        Postage and telemarketing expenses continue to rise, limiting the amount of advertising with these mediums.

Now that we’ve done the research (I’m assuming that you’ve read to this point) you might want to consider letting GFA e-Marketing customize an email campaign to match your target audience regardless of the size of your budget. The program puts you in control of your advertising campaign – it’s easy to use, powerful, and cost effective.

It’s time to surrender to modern technology.

For more information on this subject, give us a call at 925-672-4800 and we will gladly do our best to answer your questions. You can also visit our website at www.globalfitnessassociation.com/info for more information. 

Please place your comments in the section below. Your participation is encouraged and appreciated. Thank you.

Problem Customer Alert

OK so I've got this consulting client. Let's call him "Jimmy". He's a really successful businessman and club operator but DAMMIT! He's a total pain in the ass! The reason why is because he'll only take my advice after arguing with me for like an hour. Hey - it's his dime and all, but still. That gets old. Whatever. Anyway, I was talking to him last week and I told him the best way to generate guest traffic and a bunch of goodwill in his marketplace is to offer something REALLY COOL FOR A CRAZY DISCOUNT. And naturally, he starts arguing with me. So I decided to shut him up forever. I told him that I'd PROVE this works and that if I'm right, he's got to publicly admit defeat in this publication, and buy me a case of Champagne. (Dummy forgot to even ask what kind of champagne, lol, so naturally I'm gonna find the most expensive kind possible.) Anyway - here's how I proved him wrong . . . but, before I get started, let me wish each of you a happy and prosperous 2013.

As we head into the New Year, you’ve got to be asking yourself, just like Jimmy did,  “Is there a better way to run my operation?” “Are there better ways to get guests to walk through the door?” After being in the fitness industry for over 40 years, I’ve seen a lot of things – many that made me shake my head and wonder what the heck some of you are thinking. Yes, there is a better way to do a lot of what we do on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis.  As I’ve said in the past, there are no crystal balls. I wish there were. But during these uncertain economic and changing times, you can choose to do nothing or you can choose to become a better business manager. The choice is yours. As you head into the new year, it is more important than ever to analyze where you have been and where you are heading. Ask yourself a few questions while reading this article and decide if you’ve been letting the negative information hitting the airways and print media influence your decisions as a business owner.

In business, even in the fitness industry, there are always ups and downs, and, no matter what people say, that’s healthy. You’ve got to stop making excuses. We‘ve all experienced people like Jimmy, god bless his sole. Business owners, managers, and staff have always been great at identifying problems, and/or wanting to argue about the way it should be or was, but they are terrible at coming up with real solutions.

So, what does a fitness business do to ensure they have the very best possible chance for success? Here is the answer. Be the best you can, open to new ideas, and ready to make a few changes in your operation.

As technology has evolved, many of the traditional methods of advertising seem to no longer work as well as they did in the past. Every company spends a substantial amount of money and effort in its marketing and advertising campaigns. Since this crucial area involves huge investments, everyone looks for the most efficient options.

Traditionally speaking, you should be spending 7-10 % of your gross income to further the branding and growth of your business, and the monies should be spent equally internally and externally. You may be asking yourself what I mean by internally and externally. Internal spending means that you promote from within; you do something for your members or customers and in return ask them to do something for you. Promoting externally would be email marketing, radio, yellow pages, television, newspaper, direct mail, flyers, etc. With both strategies, you should be measuring the results, and the return on investment. Be aware, however, that some of the benefits, again speaking about both spending strategies, can’t be measured because the exposure alone will continue to brand and further promote your business.

As technology has evolved, many of the traditional methods of advertising seem to no longer work as well as they did in the past. Every company spends a substantial amount of money and effort in its marketing and advertising campaigns. Since this crucial area involves huge investments, everyone looks for the most efficient options.

Email marketing has emerged as the major marketing tool during recent years. Don’t get me wrong, you should still dabble in traditional forms of advertising, but not to the degree you have in the past. Research clearly indicates that modern approaches, such as email, are the key to your future success.

Think about the last time you bought something online or visited an interesting web site. How did you learn about the product or web site? There is a very good chance it was from an email. Like it or not, email marketing is still the most effective form of marketing from an ROI perspective.

In fact, according to research conducted by the Direct Marketing Association, no other form of advertising or marketing produces a higher return on investment than email marketing.

There are several reasons why email works better than all other forms of direct marketing.

First and most importantly, consumers are constantly being bombarded with advertising messages, and the competition for their attention has never been more fierce. When you finally have consumers’ attention, you've got maybe two seconds to keep it and communicate your message. Generally, when someone opens an email, the marketer has the viewer’s full and undivided attention without distracting banners, audio or competing messages. It is not surprising that email converts more prospects to sales at a lower cost.

Email marketing is all about the cumulative effect. This effect is even more successful when the email marketing is complemented by other forms of advertising. The results and success of any email-marketing program is dependent on the offer, the time of year, the competition, and many other factors.

My recommendation to you is to put email marketing into the mix for the next nine months or so and see how you do. Trying to measure how successful your email campaign was after sending out one or two emails isn’t the right approach. Results from your advertising efforts don’t always mean you will be flooded with telephone information calls and/or walk-ins. Results can be as important as branding your business on a weekly or monthly basis. You have to constantly and consistently put your name out there. That’s what email can do for your business.

Secondly, email is cost efficient. 

Finally, email marketing allows you to build a relationship with your prospects through repeated exposure. Focus on providing valuable information that builds your credibility as an expert in the fitness industry.

For more information on this subject, give us a call at 925-672-4800 and we will gladly do our best to answer your questions. You can also visit our website at www.globalfitnessassociation.com/info for more information. 

Please place your comments in the section below. Your participation is encouraged and appreciated. Thank you.