Go Green!
No, not that….read on to find out the latest trend in health clubs!

A study at the University of Essex in England found that seeing the color green may improve your workout!  Researchers had 14 college-age men ride an indoor stationary bicycle for five minutes while watching a video that simulated cycling through a natural environment.  Then, they switched the filter on the video screen to black and white, then red for 5 minutes each.  After each cycling session, they assessed that the college students felt less fatigued and more content when watching the green version of the video.  They also reported feeling more angry when watching the red-filtered nature video.  Being exposed to shorter-wavelength colors, such as blue and green, evokes feelings of calmness, whereas red and yellow are more stimulating according to the researchers.

WHY?

Lush greenery signaled abundant food and nearby water to early human ancestors, the researchers wrote in their study.  Funny thing that evolution…got a juice-bar near your workout?!?

The study was small and only with men, but still makes you think about the importance of the environment you offer to those working out in your health club.

What color are your walls?

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and how it relates to the fitness industry

• You, the health or fitness club owner, must comply as an employer
• More members may look for assistance from your fitness club.

What’s in it for you?
When the PPACA goes into effect in 2014, it could create opportunities for the health club industry. Why? Employers and health insurance providers are offering incentives to folks who pursue a healthier lifestyle, which should lessen their need for expensive medical treatments. The result could be that individuals, business owners and health providers will look for programs that can assist them in those efforts. The PPACA will create a need for personal trainers and lifestyle coaches – folks who can guide individuals to make better nutritional, exercise and lifestyle choices.

How to prepare?
Differentiation! Think wellness instead of work-outs.
“We have completely differentiated ourselves in our market so when people talk about our business, they do not even think we are in the fitness business anymore—they think we are in the wellness business,” says Mike Benton, owner of the Executive Health and Sports Club in Manchester, NH. They are preparing for the PPACA by offering a full-service spa, an urgent care facility, occupational health services, physical therapy, programming for chronic disease management, a registered dietician along with the standard equipment and programming available in a fitness facility.

I mean, really, is the equipment to treat an overweight diabetic any different from your equipment in your fitness club? “Every health club in America is in a perfect opportunity and a perfect place because all the chronic disease risk-related issues can be addressed in part inside the fitness center environment,” says Jason Conviser, president of JMC & Associates, a Glencoe, IL-based consulting firm specializing in developing relationships between health care and health clubs.

Think long-term vision for your payback. And, as you implement the plan for your members, they will follow along with your plan and your club! Just think of it as a preventive care for YOUR club! If you do not become part of the health care continuum, one of your competitors likely will.

Excerpts from Club Industry Magazine, Feb 2013

THANK YOU to all who stopped by to visit us at the IHRSA trade show last week in Vegas.

What a great show.  Lively BIG crowd with club owners from all over the world.  I met more Russians last week than I have in my entire life!

The positive feedback about our latest version of the iGo Figure Club Management Software was great.  If you missed us and want in on the the Trade Show special, please email sales@igofigure.com and mention this blog!

Cheers,

Matt Z

Attention multi-club owners:

The Attendance Anywhere feature is here!!  Yay!

What this means to you:

When a member joins one of your clubs, you can set it up so she/he can scan in and work out at your other clubs.

As usual, this feature is available to you AT NO EXTRA CHARGE!

Release one is available to client-based customers, and an internet connection is required.

Happy Easter!

Matt Z

Certainly you have seen your membership grow in January!  Statistics show that January has the highest growth rate of members for fitness and health club facilities.  Yes, we all want to start the new year with a positive outlook, get fit & stick to those new year’s resolutions.  Great, but how do you keep those new members after January when the positive outlook wears off, the muscles start aching and the Valentines candy starts looking better than pumping iron and sweatin to the oldies?

A huge problem in the health club industry is how to RETAIN the membership.  Keeping in mind that attrition cuts straight to the bottom line, here are a few tips on how to keep those members loyal and keep them coming in to your fitness club.

Set clear goals

• Outline a 1, 2 or 6 month progress chart
  OR
• Set a goal for the number of workouts to reach
  

Track member’s progress and offer a reward to those members who have accomplished their goals.  A little goes a long way here!  One fitness club awards t-shirts to celebrate a members 500th workout with great success. Recognizing a member’s milestone will foster loyalty and motivate them to continue working out, to continue to come to your club.

How do you keep track of this?  iGo Figure software helps you easily monitor your members progress.  You, the health club owner, can pull up a report or have it listed in the members account when they check in.

Interested in more tips? Then, please click here to watch videos on more tips and inspirations from the iGo Figure President, Kyle Zagrodsky.

Happy  2013 to all our readers!!!

Retain your club fitness membership by giving members a positive experience at your facility.  People feel good when they know someone cares about them!  You can easily create loyal customers, simply by knowing their profile.  iGoFigure membership software helps you know your customers with our easy-to-manage feature Member Attributes.  It is worth your time – check it out and show your fitness customers how much they are appreciated!

It was great to see everyone in Las Vegas at the recent Club Industry trade show.  Thanks for stopping by the booth and registering to win iGoFigure software!  The winner will be announced shortly…stay tuned!