Health Club Pro

Sad but, true Millions of gallons of oil have oozed into the water since the April 20th rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. Some estimates calculate the oil flow to be over 70,000 barrels of oil a day—making the BP spill already eight times larger than Exxon Valdez!

And we still don't know when it will stop.

The wildlife casualties are adding up. Oil has officially hit land, and numerous sea turtles, dolphins and migratory birds have all been reported dead or dying on gulf beaches. Sadly, this is just the beginning of the uphill battle wildlife in the region now face.

I’m sure you have become more and more sickened by the coverage that is being blasted nonstop. Recently I began to think about what I could do to help. While I’d love to physically pitch in with the actual cleanup efforts like most people I have to work. Nor am I wealthy enough to foot the bill for the entire cleanup operation although I would if I could. As I racked my brain to come up with something it hit me like a ton of bricks. What if I could get a lot of people to pool their donations collectively what a difference we could make? Then I had another thought. “I’m Mad as HELL” and not only wanted to help the victims of this terrible event but to voice my outrage with the FATCATS at BP who have not only been inexcusably slow in their efforts to end this crisis but actually secretive and suspiciously deceptive with the information not just with the public but, with the government t and all the people who are eager to lend a hand.

If you are like me and want to make a difference.

And,

If you want to let the world know how you feel about BP’s negligence and blinding greed

If you care about the truly innocent victims of this disaster…….THE ANIMALS

HERE is the Solution!

I have designed the above new logo which symbolizes distrust and outrage. If you wear this badge there will no doubt how you feel about BP and their piss poor efforts in the gulf.

Most importantly you can pool your resources together with other likeminded individuals and support the true heroes who are working hard to minimize the impact of this unfortunate event.

I have created T-shirts with this special message just for those A$*hoL3$ at BP

Please act today to help protect the over 400 species of treasured wildlife that stand to lose so much from this devastating tragedy. Your support will go right to work protecting wildlife and wild places impacted by the BP oil spill disaster.

T-Shirts = $22.00 XS-XL $25.oo XXL, White or Black

Hurry 25% of the proceeds will go immediately to help the National Wildlife Federation. SPEAK YOUR MIND, MAKE A DIFFERINCE, AND DO SOME GOOD.

To order send me a direct message and I will reply with ordering instructions via paypal or email fbejr@eserge.com for instructions

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noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 04:53:00 +0000

SPEAK YOUR MIND & SAVE THE GULF

WARNING: BP has caused a WILDLIFE EMERGENCY!!!

Help me ease the animals suffering.

And we still don't know when it will stop.

If you are like me and want to make a difference.

And,

If you want to let the world know how you feel about BP’s negligence and blinding greed

If you care about the truly innocent victims of this disaster…….THE ANIMALS

HERE is the Solution!

I have designed the above new logo which symbolizes distrust and outrage. If you wear this badge there will no doubt how you feel about BP and their piss poor efforts in the gulf.

Most importantly you can pool your resources together with other likeminded individuals and support the true heroes who are working hard to minimize the impact of this unfortunate event.

I have created T-shirts, stickers, and coffee mugs with the special message above just for those A$*hoL3$ at BP

T-Shirts = $22.00 XS-XL $25.oo XXL, White or Black

Hurry 25% of the proceeds will go immediately to help the National Wildlife Federation. SPEAK YOUR MIND, MAKE A DIFFERINCE, AND DO SOME GOOD.

To order send me a direct message and I will reply with ordering instructions via paypal or email fbejr@eserge.com for instructions

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noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 04:50:00 +0000

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE

[[posterous-content:pid___0]]SPEAK YOUR MIND & SAVE THE GULF

WARNING: BP has caused a WILDLIFE EMERGENCY!!!

Help me ease the animals suffering.

And we still don't know when it will stop.

If you are like me and want to make a difference.

And,

If you want to let the world know how you feel about BP’s negligence and blinding greed

If you care about the truly innocent victims of this disaster…….THE ANIMALS

HERE is the Solution!

I have designed the above new logo which symbolizes distrust and outrage. If you wear this badge there will no doubt how you feel about BP and their piss poor efforts in the gulf.

Most importantly you can pool your resources together with other likeminded individuals and support the true heroes who are working hard to minimize the impact of this unfortunate event.

I have created T-shirts, stickers, and coffee mugs with the special message above just for those A$*hoL3$ at BP

T-Shirts = $22.00 XS-XL $25.oo XXL, White or Black

Coffee Mugs = $15.00

Sticker = $6.00

Hurry 25% of the proceeds will go immediately to help the National Wildlife Federation. SPEAK YOUR MIND, MAKE A DIFFERINCE, AND DO SOME GOOD.

To order send me a direct message and I will reply with ordering instructions via paypal or email fbejr@eserge.com for instructions

Posted via web from Frank Emanuel's Posterous

Click here to set a title.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 04:50:00 +0000

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE

SPEAK YOUR MIND & SAVE THE GULF

WARNING: BP has caused a WILDLIFE EMERGENCY!!!

Help me ease the animals suffering.

And we still don't know when it will stop.

If you are like me and want to make a difference.

And,

If you want to let the world know how you feel about BP’s negligence and blinding greed

If you care about the truly innocent victims of this disaster…….THE ANIMALS

HERE is the Solution!

I have designed the above new logo which symbolizes distrust and outrage. If you wear this badge there will no doubt how you feel about BP and their piss poor efforts in the gulf.

Most importantly you can pool your resources together with other likeminded individuals and support the true heroes who are working hard to minimize the impact of this unfortunate event.

I have created T-shirts, stickers, and coffee mugs with the special message above just for those A$*hoL3$ at BP

T-Shirts = $22.00 XS-XL $25.oo XXL, White or Black

Coffee Mugs = $15.00

Sticker = $6.00

Hurry 25% of the proceeds will go immediately to help the National Wildlife Federation. SPEAK YOUR MIND, MAKE A DIFFERINCE, AND DO SOME GOOD.

To order send me a direct message and I will reply with ordering instructions via paypal or email fbejr@eserge.com for instructions

Posted via web from Frank Emanuel's Posterous

Tell BP how you really feel while helping the Gulf!

noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 04:45:00 +0000

If you care about the truly innocent victims of this disaster…….THE ANIMALS

HERE is the Solution!

I have designed the above new logo which symbolizes distrust and outrage. If you wear this badge there will no doubt how you feel about BP and their piss poor efforts in the gulf.

Most importantly you can pool your resources together with other likeminded individuals and support the true heroes who are working hard to minimize the impact of this unfortunate event.

I have created T-shirts, stickers, and coffee mugs with the special message above just for those A$*hoL3$ at BP

T-Shirts = $22.00 XS-XL $25.oo XXL, White or Black

Hurry 25% of the proceeds will go immediately to help the National Wildlife Federation. SPEAK YOUR MIND, MAKE A DIFFERINCE, AND DO SOME GOOD.

To order send me a direct message and I will reply with ordering instructions via paypal or email fbejr@eserge.com for instructions

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noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Mon, 31 May 2010 16:39:00 +0000

Sent from my iPhone

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noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:51:00 +0000

The Plaxico of the Gym Biz
http://tinyurl.com/yhrldz4

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noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:34:00 +0000

Hell, there are no rules here - we're trying to accomplish something.
Thomas A. Edison

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noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:08:00 +0000

Goalsetting for Health Club Owners!

http://ping.fm/5U64P

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Is cash still king in the Health Club Business?

noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:57:00 +0000

Nope, but it helps! Find out more @ http://vmgblog.com/2009/12/18/is-cash-still-king/

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Allow Myself to Introduce

noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:32:00 +0000

For more from the HCP make sure you check me out at the Vitality Marketing company blog at www.vmgblog.com

Allow Myself to Introduce……….Myself.?.?

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This site has got to change!(So does yours......)

noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:45:00 +0000

The last installment was how to get rock solid testimonials. Remember gone are the days where a "these guys are great !!!!" quote will suffice. Bolster up your case. You need pictures, videos, and voice recordings from raving fans you've created which people can access on your site and be made aware of through your literature. So get on it.
The next part of the (how we market our clubs approach) is web presence. I know most of us are not techie types that goes for yours truly. I'm a gym rat so when I don't know how to do something web related I just go to the nearest Battlestar Galactica Convention and ask someone who does. OK J/K these folks help you make money so enough of the wise cracks.
Let's get started if you think having a web page is enough your nuts. I know some clubs that don't even have that so at least you are trying. Unfortunately you are competing with every other yo-yo with a gym and GoDaddy account. Over the next couple posts we'll break down the strategy of the most effective type of site, how to set it up, how to differentiate it from the pack and why you must convert your old static site now or disappear from the web cause you are wasting money. We'll also talk about how to get noticed by the search engines which important if you want to get noticed by people looking for your site. Guess what while you are working on yours I'm going to take some of my own medicine and apply some of the same changes to my sites. So the look and feel of this site may have a metamorphosis right under your nose.

The best type of sites to get people excited about you are, you guessed it, blogs.
Go Set up a blog at blogger or wordpad it's free.
Register your domain at aplus.net or godaddy.com ex use your club name and town for ex http://www.worldgymatlanta.com/
Point your new blog to this address it just looks better.

Congrats! , You have completed the most important steps next time we'll get deeper into set up and content. I'll also share why the blog is a better way to get noticed than a regular generic general info type site with club hours, aerobics schedule, pics of your club with the address. Go get set up!

How To Create & Use Testimonials That Stop People Dead In Their Tracks!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 05:46:00 +0000

Testimonials That Will Convert Even The Biggest Skeptics Into Trusting, “Ready-To-Buy” Customers!!!

I've always told my Membership advisors there are 3 main reasons why people fail to purchase.

1. They don’t want what you are selling.
2. They cannot afford what you are selling.
3. They don’t believe your claims about the product you are selling. (i.e. –They don’t believe you!)

For the 1st installment of our Club Marketing Makeover let’s focus on #3

What OTHERS Have To Say about You or Your Club or Program Is Far More Believable Than What You Have To Say!!!

So how do we harness these words of wisdom? Do we pack our advertisements & sales presentation books with tons and tons of written testimonials?

Fantastic gym! You guys have really created a wonderful place.
John F.

Incredible! Incredible! Incredible! Your weight-loss programs are incredible!
Michelle C.

Well, I used to think so but then I stumbled across afar more effective strategy that I just have to share.

I know what you're thinking OH! I got it Frank. You want us to get Before and after pics!

Well Sort of. But let's crank it up a notch. That stuff’s not believable. Remember, we live in world that’s full of lying, thieving, con men who will try to swindle you out every last dime you have.

Look… with this increasingly skeptical world that we now living in, you must offer your prospects more proof. Solid, verifiable, testimonial proof like...............

How about a pic of your excited newly slimmer member holding a huge sign singing your praises.

A picture says a thousand words. (The messages on signs held are far more believable than the typical…

“Fantastic gym! You guys have really created a wonderful place.”

…weak, semi-believable, & lacking written testimonials that are so common place in ads!)

So how do we Collect “Testimonial Photos”

1. Whenever you are talking to an extremely happy/thrilled member… take notes and/or record your conversation with them.(Get Permission)

2. Immediately (while they’re still “in heat”) ask them if they wouldn’t mind taking a testimonial-photo for you because, “Boy, we sure live in a skeptical world here my friend. It’s good to hear that you believe in my club… and I could really use your help.” (9 times out of 10 they’ll be more than happyto take a few testimonial photos for you.)

3. Tell them that based on the conversation you just had with them that you’d like to put together a testimonial sign for them to use in the photograph. Inform them that you will first fax them a copy ofwhat the sign will say… so that they can approve it. After they’ve signed off on the “proof” of the sign, you will then need to send them the sign (already made) + a camera & instructions on how to take the photos. (Where you want them to stand, what you want in the background, how many people you want in the photos, etc., etc.) You must do all of this for them, otherwise, they’ll never get around to doing it.

Trust me on this. People are just too busy

4. Give them a postage-paid return box/mailer that’s been pre-addressed… so that they can easily return all the stuff to you.

It’s important for you to follow all those instructions; otherwise it’s unlikely that you’ll ever see the photos.

Until next time, go make some raving fans!

The Good Ole Days!

noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:00:00 +0000

As promised I am going to deliver something that will change the way we market our clubs in today's new economy. The first big step will be our online approach but I have finish a little research still to deliver the straight dope. Google is flipping the script for many of us and the rules are changing Stay tuned........... Next week I will launch into our no holds barred recession busting health club marketing attack.

In the meantime!

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED THE 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can and didn't get tested for diabetes.
Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-base paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, locks on doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had baseball caps not helmets on our heads.
As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, no booster seats, no seat belts, no air bags, bald tires and sometimes no brakes.

Riding in the back of a pick- up truck on a warm day was always a special treat.
We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and no one actually died from this.

We ate cupcakes made with Lard, white bread, real butter and bacon. We drank Kool-Aid made with real white sugar. And, we weren't overweight. WHY?
Because we were always outside playing...that's why!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.. No one was able to reach us all day. And, we were OKAY.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride them down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem
We did not have Play stations, Nintendo's and X-boxes. There were no video games, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet and no chat rooms.

WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.
We would get spankings with wooden spoons, switches, ping pong paddles, or just a bare hand and no one would call child services to report abuse.
We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them.

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment.
Imagine that!!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever.
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. What can kids today do besides push buttons.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.

If YOU are one of them, CONGRATULATIONS!
You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good.

While you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave and lucky their parents were.

Kind of makes you want to turn off the computer and go run through the house with scissors, doesn't it ?

The only way to get anything out of Junkmail!

noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:18:00 +0000

I admit it I didn't work too hard this weekend. My son's football team had their first game, the NFL cranked up, and NCAA football is in full swing. I promise I'll be more focused from now own but I needed some me time.

I did want to have at least one useful tidbit for you today so while I was browsing around looking for SOMETHING to brush up on my marketing skills I stumbled onto this nugget. ENJOY!

The old funny story about marketing, PR, etc. :)By YaNi

You’re a man and you see a gorgeous woman at a party. You go up to her and say, “I’m fantastic in bed,”That’s Direct Marketing

You’re at a party with a bunch of friends and see a gorgeous woman. One of your friends goes up to her and pointing at you says,”He’s fantastic in bed”That’s Advertising

You see a gorgeous woman at a party. You go up to her and get her telephone number. The next day you call and say, “Hi, I’m fantastic in bed,”That’s Telemarketing

You’re at a party and see a gorgeous woman. You get up and straighten your tie. You walk up to her and pour her a drink and then say, “By the way, I’m fantastic in bed,”That’s PR

You’re at a party and see a gorgeous woman. She walks up to you and says, “I hear you’re fantastic in bed,”That’s Brand Recognition

You’re at a party and see a gorgeous woman. You talk her into going home with your friend. That’s a Sales Rep

Your friend can’t satisfy her so he calls you. That’s Tech Support

You’re on your way to a party when you realize that there could be gorgeous women in all these houses you’re passing. So you climb onto the roof of one situated toward the center and shout at the top of your lungs, “I’m fantastic in bed!”That’s Junk Mail

http://isell.wordpress.com/2007/08/10/the-old-funny-story-about-marketing-pr-etc/

52 Easy Low/no Cost Marketing and Branding Ideas for your club.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:51:00 +0000

I love lists and I love marketing! Top 10 lists, laundry lists, to do lists, play lists, set lists. Nothing could be easier. Get in, take what you need, leave the rest. Ironically, with marketing I get carried away on elaborate plans and crazy ideas but when it's time to get down to the nitty gritty here's a list of some really effective simple stratagies I've used through the years. I thought some of you could use some quick ideas to spark the fire.

Guest passes

Flyer's

Doughnut Box

Bottled Water

Take One

Newsletters

Banners

Bandit Signs

Crazy Inflatable Characters on the roof

Sign Flipper

Wrapped Car

Live Remote Crash

Open a phone book and call

Healthy Recommendations sponsorship at Restaurant

Pizza Box Sticky Note

Door hangers at the cleaners

Car wash

Hold A Bridal Boot Camp

Testimonials

New Member Packets

Perks Program

CD/DVD Tour

Trainers Client List

Invite a Friend

Give aways

Internal Posters

Open House

Business of the Week

Corporate Lunch

Club Bucks

Thank You Cards

Birthday Cards

Blog (Not for the faint of heart)

You Tube Tours

Website

Travel Certificate

Inet Radio Show

Weight loss Seminar

Point of sale Referrals

Chotski Giveaway for referrals

Referral contest

Event Calender

Group X Schedule

Scratch offs

Bar Promo

Race day Stretch

Health Fair

Blood Drive

Renewal List

Google Profile

My Space Page

Chamber Membership

There are a ton of ideas out there that can be used even on shoestring budgets. If you have any questions about how to implement any of these ideas or the ton of others I have tried please email me a healthclubpro@gmail.com

How are you Going to Weather the Storm?

noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 14:08:00 +0000

Hope you have been enjoying your summer. Just wanted to write a quick note saying I am sorry that I haven't written much.

WHY?

Well I don't need to tell you their is a recession going on. Things have gotten a ugly - quickly for a lot of good people.
But for the last 4 months I have been burning the midnight oil looking for opportunities.

TURN LEMONS INTO LEMONADE !
During every recession and even depression there are those who were once successful - now at the bottom of the heap.
AND
Those who are smart enough to find opportunities that didn't exist before and turn it into lemonade ( piles of dinero)

THE GOOD NEWS is .....
I have found 3 or 4 of these opportunities and I will be sharing them with you over the next few months.
These aren't stratagies that "SHOULD" or "COULD" work. They are instead things that ARE working now.

I have invested thousands of dollars traveling the country meeting with these "under the radar" club owners personally to make sure they are the real deal. NO - BS here,
That's why I haven't been able to write more often--- Sorry

In fact I am involved in them personally and now I'll spill the beans to you as a loyal Health Club Pro Follower so you can get the results these folks to.

If nothing else- you should know about these programs and I am dedicated to bringing them to you!

Small Groups, Big Results!

noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:44:00 +0000

One of the most important principles of marketing is focusing each ad on a specialized niche. By doing this we can use copy that specifically targets the group we are looking for and have a much greater chance of getting our message across.

A good example of this is the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series. They could have left this at just a few volumes of the general book and sold a couple million copies.

Instead they created more specialized editions like "Chicken Soup for the Pre-Teen Soul" and "Chicken Soup for the Teachers Soul" and "Chicken Soup for the Dog Lovers Soul" etc.

The last time I checked they had over a hundred of these specialized titles. The result is over 80 million books sold. That shows the incredible power of specialization. We want something that is just for us.

So instead of advertising a mempership program, you could offer a special "Bridal Bootcamp Program" or a "New to the Neighborhood Program" or a "Teacher's Special" or "Special Membership for Real Estate Professionals", Etc.

You get the idea.

You may have to create some partnerships for these to work correctly. An example would be to contact all the local Real Estate offices and you could figure out away to market to 2 of the above groups.

As you can see another advantage of specialization is that you can target your ads more directly and save on your advertising budget. Rather than trying to advertise
to everyone in the vacinity of your club you can focus on just getting
to the people you are targeting.

That's what he said!

noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:14:00 +0000

Few business leaders or celebrities are as polarizing as The Donald but, love him or hate him he has proven he can build an empire, go broke, fall down, bounce back bigger and better than ever. knowing this I tend to think he is worth listening to and possibly even learning from.

Donald was recently interviewed by my friends over at Bottom Line Publications. Here's what e shared.......

Even in trying times, the charismatic, outspoken Donald Trump manages to stay energetic and stimulated by life. And as we all know, money alone can’t do that for you. So Bottom Line/Retirement spoke with Trump to find out how he stays so productive and keeps challenging himself. Here are his six secrets...

1. RELENTLESSLY CONFRONT YOUR FEARS-You can’t let fear -- fear of the new, fear of growing old, fear of failure -- settle into place in any part of your life. Fear has a way of making problems bigger than they are. The trick is to recognize your fears and then zap them with a problem-solving attitude, faith in yourself and hard work.Example: I owed billions of dollars in the early 1990s, and many people thought I was finished. Major newspapers were announcing my demise. The difference is that I didn't believe that I was finished for one second, no matter what people thought. I simply refused to give in to the negative circumstances and kept working to overcome my challenges. Useful exercise: Rename your fears. Call them "concerns." Just using a different word can affect your approach and reactions. "Fears" create blocks that will only hinder your creative thinking. "Concerns" can be broken down into units of thought and dealt with in an orderly and persistent manner.

2. MAKE YOUR COMMUNICATIONS SHORT, FAST AND DIRECT-As someone on the receiving end of conversations with people who do not know how to edit themselves, I know what agony means. I think to myself, How long is it going to take for this person to get to his/her point?People are very, very busy today. They are overloaded with information. Don’t drone on and on. Don’t force people to sort through it all to get to the important stuff, the good stuff. More often than not, your listeners -- whether it’s your family, business associates or those in a social setting -- will be grateful for your ability to get to the essence quickly for them. In any conversation, I give myself an internal deadline. I say as much as I can in as few words as possible. If you practice this technique every day, whether it’s relaying a message to someone, writing a letter or ordering lunch, it will become natural for you -- and you will accomplish more.

3. PUT BAD NEWS IN PERSPECTIVE-The way you handle difficult situations in life says a lot about who you are. The same event can wipe out one person but make another more tenacious. Whenever I am in the midst of difficult times, I ask myself, Is this a blip or a catastrophe? This question reminds me that most problems are temporary if you keep your equilibrium and maintain your momentum. Realize that there will always be blips in your daily life but that you never know when the tide is going to turn in your favor, provided you are paying attention and still working toward something worthwhile. Example: I was scheduled to make a brief appearance on a boat docked in New York City and then get off before it departed on an evening-long cruise around Manhattan. I was about to leave when I noticed that the boat was already in the middle of the river! I wasn’t too happy about this turn of events, but it wasn’t the end of the world. Instead of fuming and complaining, I adjusted my mood and treated it as an unexpected adventure. I actually wound up having a memorable evening, meeting some fascinating people and getting some great ideas.

4. DON’T TAKE YOURSELF SO SERIOUSLY-Over the years, I have been offered a lot of TV commercials and turned most of them down. But my favorite one allowed me to display a self-deprecating attitude that I think took people by surprise. It’s a commercial for Visa. I’m shown on the top of Trump Tower in Manhattan holding my credit card when a gust of wind blows it out of my hand, down many scores of floors to the street below. Next, I am seen rummaging in a dumpster in search of my lost card. A well-dressed passerby remarks, "And I thought he was doing so well." I do take my work seriously -- but the ability to laugh at myself keeps my perspective intact, adds an element of fun to my endeavors and makes people realize that I’m a complex person, concerned about more than just ambition.

5. NEVER LET ONE PERSON DETERMINE YOUR WELL-BEING-Several years ago, the now notorious hedge fund manager, Bernie Madoff, approached me in Palm Beach, Florida, where we both owned property. He said, "Why don’t you invest in my fund?" I had enough going on in my own businesses, and I didn’t know much about him, so I declined.I know a lot of very smart people who became victims of Madoff’s unscrupulous scheme and had their futures severely compromised by it.Money is not a prerequisite to live an active, exciting life, but it does provide security, confidence and comfort. The takeaway here is that you must be careful with your financial transactions no matter how much you like or respect a person. Never bet the ranch on one person or one person’s idea. Spread your money around with numerous people and organizations. While we have no guarantees in life, we can take precautions.

6. TURN YOUR PASSIONS INTO PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITIES-One thing that I’ve learned about life is that it should be a series of discoveries. Remember how exciting it was to learn to ride a bike? If you can capture that kind of excitement as you age, you will never "stop" -- you will always be on your way to finding where you are meant to be in life. Remember, whatever you do at this point in your life, it’s better to love it. Enthusiasm on a big scale equals passion, and passion is what gives you the resiliency to take yourself to amazing places.Example: I love playing golf, so when I was looking for new real estate projects, I wanted to build the world’s greatest golf course. I spent five years reviewing sites around the world and turned down more than 200 possibilities. Finally, I found a dramatic, 1,400-acre landscape in Aberdeen on the north coast of Scotland with miles of spectacular oceanfront and sand dunes of immense proportion. The place had sentimental meaning for me -- I have Scottish roots, and my mother’s first language was Gaelic. I knew this was the right place, but the scope of development and the cost, one billion pounds, was such that no one thought I would get approval to go ahead. In fact, building this course became such a saga that the BBC hosted several documentaries and HBO did a feature. I’ll be breaking ground in 2010.

Set the controls for SALES!

noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:05:00 +0000

I do a lot of reading (makes me feel smarter than I really am) and I stumbled upon an interesting article those of us who sell memberships, manage staff or do any people-centric work should be aware of but experience tells me most are not.

In the past I've been turned on to all kinds of tips , tricks, and tactics by the guru's to get the deal, some are great and used frequently some are crap and should be left down in the dungeon from wince they came. But none are effective without the presence of one key factor......

Conversation Control!

A sale, by definition is transfer of emotion. So therefore, we must put ourselves in the best position for the exchange.

In all advisory work many words are exchanged (especially getting someone to prioritize a healthy lifestyle). It is therefore vital to have skills in managing conversations. Such skills can be called conversation control.

This does not mean manipulating other people’s natural conversation although it does imply giving it gentle pushes in particular directions from time to time.

The best way to be effective is to understand what you say and how you say it so you can influence others through your own example.

The essence of conversation control is your ability to manage your own conversation. This is not about overcoming objections or asking qualifying questions and uncovering hot buttons. What we are talking about is the ability to guide the conversation so you can do all of those things effectively.

Here is what you are trying to control.

when to be problem centered or solution centered

when to converge or diverge

when to emphasize facts or feelings

when to speed up or slow down conversations

how to identify cues and clues

how to summarize and move conversation forward

how to recognize, understand and appreciate, but assert your views

how to move from the past to the present to the future

how to manage win/lose aspects of conversations

In all of the various conversation dynamics the most important thing is to remember what the client says about him or herself. That is the key to raising energy levels; openness to your ideas and that is the key to action.

In giving advice, seek to help, not please your friend. ~Solon

Some excerpts from Source : Conversation Control Margerison C J (1988)

Steal Their Ideas!

noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:58:00 +0000

Because they are better than ours.....

I bet you've seen the stratagies 80% the clubs out there use to draw prospects in. You know the outdated stock photos and a lowball price. I was about tired of this junk when Jane rocked some sweet legwarmers back in the day.

So what's a smart club owner to do?

Why not borrow from other industries like I do especcially the super effective direct response pros. All direct response folks use these various techniques and get results. Some we have borrowed with success while other we have all but ignored. Here's some ideas!

I) All Marketing:

Irresistible Offer
No marketing campaign to acquire new customers will perform well without a great offer.

Classic Examples:
Free Bonus Gift (i.e. McDonald's toy with Happy Meal, Cracker Jack prize, smoothie)
Money-Back-Plus Guarantee (more than money-back)
Pay Later, Pay Over Time
Get entered to win valuable prize just for stopping by ( iPod, vacation, etc)
Bring a friend, and your Enrollment is free.

Benefits-Make a list of all the key benefits of your club to the user
Highlight the biggest benefit and make a big promise (not a preposterous promise)
But mention all benefits somewhere in the ad.
Emphasize an important "hidden benefit" (i.e a “hidden benefit” of weight loss can cut down on health care costs.)

Proof
Include testimonials from ecstatic members.
Testimonials should be about the difference your club made in the lives of real people – your members.

Headlines and Sub-Heads:
Create intrigue to catch attention of "skimmers."

Photos
People want to see what they are getting.

Stunts, Events and "Happenings":
Example: GoDaddy.com Super Bowl ads are stunts.
Free food, (Free food packs a club).
Free seminar (Nutrition Info is always welcomed)

Call-to-Action:
Every marketing message should have a “call-to-action.” In other words, tell your reader/listener exactly what to do with clear instructions. “Call 1-800-XYZX” is a “call-to-action”
Make your “call-to-action” stand out. Set it a apart in a box. Make it easy to find. People want to know exactly what to do. Once they decide they want something, they want to know how to get it.

II) Direct Mail:
Unusual Packaging
Black plastic carrier
$1 bill showing through window
FedEx, USPS Priority
Big envelopes usually pull better than standard #10 -- often 100% better
Small envelopes (Monarch size) look more personal that #10s
Personalized Package to look like wedding or party invitation
Closed-face carrier to look like personal letter from friend
Hand-address in blue ink (computers can imitated hand-addressing)
First Class postage (real stamps, not meter)

Scannability:
Make your letters and ads scannable, easy on the eye.
Your headline, subheads and photos help
Keep paragraphs short – one sentence, even one word sometimes.
Underline key phrases (not entire sentences, just fragments)
Use bullets when listing items.
No one wants to be greeted with a big block of dense text
Handwritten notes in margins can be a nice touch.

III) Internet Marketing:
Add audio and video to your site.
Incorporate many of the above strategies.

IV) Traditional Advertising:
Make print ads look like articles, this alone can boost response to your ads 500%
Use mass-market advertising primarily for lead generation (not selling).
Offer something of value free to get people to respond.
Make sure your free gift is valuable and exactly in line with what we sell ......Health & Fitness
Add those who request your free offer to your list of hot leads so you can follow up with your "prospect and customer cultivation program."

If you have a ton of prospects you can sell a lot of members.

Happy Marketing!

Where Do I Get Money to Open a Gym?

noreply@blogger.com (Frank Emanuel) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:48:00 +0000

Here is a recent response I gave to someone who requested some information on new club financing. (The names have been omitted to protect the innocent) While brief I thought it might be helpful someone should they stumble across this posting and have similar questions.

Congratulations, on your decision to get involved in a great industry. I'd love to see if I can be of some assistance. There are a ton of opportunities right now to get into the club biz if you know where to look. In spite of the economy people in the know are capitalizing on the supposed downturn and having stellar years while others are struggling. That being said money has definitely tightened up on the institutional side and individual investment has become pretty scarce too. This is especially true for those embarking on their first venture in the industry. Banks and VC money is becoming less risk tolerant.However, it can get done!
One option would be to find a troubled club and negotiate a takeover in which the transaction is exercised for as little as $1 with the new ownership taking on the existing receivables base, assets, and liabilities. Depending on your financial situation this may be the best route. (I have negotiated several of these deals in the past and helped turn the club into a huge success.) There are still some more traditional options out there but in order to do a project from the ground up I would recommend working with a professional who understands all the intricacies of this industry from financing, lease negotiations, location feasibility study, competitive analysis, getting preferred status with vendors, marketing and sales expertise and finally a systematized operational approach.
Please give me a call 404-453-8420 if you'd like to talk more about your project and perhaps I can shed some light on your options.