A Business Link For Circuit Training Gyms.

2014-07-16T07:17:00.001-07:00

However, we are planning to make some of our more popular audio files available for download! See the list and purchase a download here: http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/TracieJohanson.

Change Stations Now CD Download

2014-05-16T03:32:00.002-07:00

BIG NEWS! Our most popular change stations now CD is available as a digital download for the first time! Many of you who own a circuit training health club similar to Curves have requested this change stations now CD as an audio download, and we're glad to say that finally you can download it for just a fraction of the original cost!

To purchase this file for just $2.99, click here.

This cue CD download is titled "60 Second Cue Change Stations, Female Voice, No Heart Rate Check" and has the following description: This CD simply says "change stations" at 60-second intervals, and is perfect for use with the Zumba circuit-training format featured at many health clubs where gym members exercise for 60 seconds on a machine and then perform Zumba for 60 seconds.

To purchase this file for just $2.99, click here.

Converting our extensive library of audio cue CD’s and posting them online for such a dramatically reduced price isn’t going to be cheap. Want to speed up the process so we post more files faster? You can help by spreading the word to your friends who may also be interested in our circuit training change stations now CD audio files. The more we sell, the faster we’ll be able to post new files for download.

As always, you can find any of the other 24+ titles we offer here.

Don't forget about our 100% free library of articles for gym owners, which you will find here and here.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Is A Wake-Up Call For Health Clubs

2014-01-13T23:06:00.000-08:00

According to Wikipedia, "Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is an American federal holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around the time of King's birthday, January 15".

Martin Luther King, Jr. is a real American hero.

For health club owners, however, this holiday is also a benchmark of sales and profitability. Because of New Year Resolutions, January is quite simply the best month of the year for selling new health club memberships. As proof, consider that one of the top searches on Google right now is "health club near me". Americans are feeling fat after the holiday feasts, and are ready shed those pounds.

If you're a gym owner, and you're not absolutely rockin' the sales right now, then you're in trouble. It's that simple. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a wake-up call for health clubs because it falls about halfway through the month, right when gym owners should be selling more new memberships than Fido has fleas. THIS IS YOUR WAKE-UP CALL.

Some of the industry GIANTS like Gold's Gym are seeing as much as a 100% increase in member sales during the month of January (source: The Wall Street Journal).

As a gym owners, if you're not selling like crazy right now then you've really missed the boat. All is not lost, however. Read these articles NOW for advice on how you can "stop the bleeding" and start selling:

If you haven't yet read these two articles, it's almost too late. What are you waiting for? These are completely 100% free articles designed to help you earn more money. READ THEM NOW.

Funny Christmas Poem About Dieting

2013-12-10T22:59:00.001-08:00

Funny Weight Loss Jokes

2013-10-29T08:57:00.000-07:00

Weight Loss One Liners and Jokes To Make You Smile

TEN AGAIN?

A man asked his wife what she'd like for her birthday. "I'd really love to be ten again" she replied wistfully.

On the morning of her birthday, he arose early, got up, made her a nice big bowl of Frosties and then took her off to their local theme park. What a day! He put her on every ride in the park: the Death Slide, the Wall of Fear, the Screaming Monster Roller Coaster, everything there was.

Five hours later she staggered out of the theme park. Her head was reeling and her stomach felt upside down.

Right away, they journeyed to a McDonald's where her loving husband ordered her a Happy Meal with extra fries and a refreshing chocolate shake.

Then it was off to the cinema to see the latest blockbuster, complete with a hot-dog, popcorn, a big fizzy drink, and a huge bag of M&M's, her favorite sweets.

What a time she had!

Finally she wobbled home with her husband and collapsed into bed exhausted. He leaned over his precious wife with a big smile and lovingly asked, "Well, Darling, what was it like being ten again?"

Her eyes slowly opened and her expression suddenly changed.

"You idiot", she replied. "I meant my dress size..."

And the moral of the story:

Even when a man is listening, he's still going to get it wrong.

A SHORT HISTORY OF MEDICINE

"Doctor, I have an ear ache."

2000 B.C. - "Here, eat this root."

1000 B.C. - "That root is heathen, say this prayer."

1850 A.D. - "That prayer is superstition, drink this potion."

1940 A.D. - "That potion is snake oil, swallow this pill."

1985 A.D. - "That pill is ineffective, take this antibiotic."

2013 A.D. - "That antibiotic is artificial. Here, eat this root!"

THIS IS FOR OLDER PEOPLE ONLY!

Younger people try it at their own risk.

For those of us getting along in years, here is a little secret for building your arm and shoulder muscles. You might want to adopt this three days a week.

Begin by standing straight, with a 5 - LB. potato sack in each hand. Extend your arms

straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can - try to reach a full minute. Relax.

After a few weeks, move up to 10 - LB. potato sacks, and then 50 - LB. potato sacks, and eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100 - LB. potato sack in each hand and hold your arms straight out for more than a full minute.

After you feel confident at that level, start putting a couple of potatoes in the bags.

CALORIE COUNTING PRINCIPLES

Dieting is a lot easier when you factor in recently determined calorie counting principles. The following are calories that don't count:

CUSTOM-MADE FOOD: Anything somebody made "just for you" must be eaten regardless of the calories because to do otherwise would be rude. But don't worry, because the calories don't count.

FOOD EATEN QUICKLY: If you are rushed through a meal, the entire meal doesn't count. Conversely, if you have ordered something fattening and now regret it, you can minimize its calories by gulping it down.

OTHER PEOPLE'S FOOD: A chocolate mousse that you did not order has no calories. Therefore, have your companion order dessert and you taste half of it.

INGREDIENTS IN COOKING: Chocolate chips are fattening. So are chocolate chip cookies! However, chocolate chips eaten while making chocolate chip cookies have no calories whatsoever. Therefore, make chocolate chip cookies often but don't eat them.

LEFTOVERS: An extra hamburger, a hot-dog butt, half a Twinkie, anything intended for the garbage has no calories regardless of what happens to it in the kitchen.

TV FOOD: Anything eaten in front of a TV has no calories. This may have something to do with the radiation leakage, which negates not only the calories in the food but also all recollection of having eaten it. In fact, entire " no-calories dinners" are now manufactured and frozen for this purpose.

ANYTHING SMALLER THAN ONE INCH: contains no calories to speak of. For example, chocolate kisses, cubes of cheese, or maraschino cherries.

CHILDREN'S FOOD: Anything purchased, produced or intended for a minor is calorie-free when eaten by adults. This category covers a wide range, beginning with a spoonful of baby tapioca-consumed for demonstration purposes-up to and including cookies baked and sent to college.

CHARITABLE FOODS: Girl Scout cookies, bake sale cookies, ice cream socials and church strawberry festivals all have a religious dispensation from calories. I heard this last Sunday.

LEFT-HANDED FOOD: If you have a drink in your right hand, anything eaten with the other hand has no calories.

AND LAST, FOOD ON FOOT: All food eaten while standing has no calories. Exactly why is not clear, but the current theory relates to gravity. The calories apparently bypass the stomach flowing directly down the legs and through the soles of the feet into the floor. Walking seems to accelerate this process, so that a frozen custard or hot-dog eaten at a carnival actually has a calorie deficit.

IS THAT EXERCISE?

Too many people confine their exercise to jumping to conclusions, running up bills, stretching the truth, bending over backward, lying down on the job, sidestepping responsibility and pushing their luck.

DIET BUDDIES

Mary announced that she was going to start a diet to lose some pounds she had put on recently.

"Great," Sue exclaimed. "I'm ready to start a diet too. We can be dieting buddies and help each other out. And when I feel the urge to drive out and get a burger and fries, I'll call you first."

"Wonderful," Mary replied. "I'll go with you."

FIVE STEPS TO A HEALTHY DIET

The Federal Drug and Food Administration is planning to issue a guide for proper eating:

A. List your ten favorite foods.

B. List your five favorite beverages.

C. List all green vegetables that look like marsh grass, fur balls, or little trees.

D. List water.

E. Avoid A & B; eat only C; drink only D.

WHAT'S A SCALE?

Two youngsters were closely examining bathroom scales on display at the department store.

"Have you ever seen one of these before?" one asked.

"Yeah, my mom and dad have one," the other replied.

"What's it for?" asked the first boy.

"I don't know," the second boy answered. "I think you stand on it and it either makes you mad or cry. That's what it does to my Dad and Mom."

JOGGING

The trouble with jogging is, by the time you realize you're not in shape for it,

it's too far to walk back!

DEFINITION OF AEROBICS

The word 'aerobics' came about when the gym instructors got together and said: If we're going to charge $10 an hour, we can't call it "Jumping up and down"!!

MIRACLE TODDLER DIET

Miracle Toddler Diet! Guaranteed Results!

People are always on the lookout for a new diet. The trouble with most diets is that you don't get enough to eat (the starvation diet), you don't get enough variation (the liquid diet) or you go broke (the all-meat diet). Consequently, people tend to cheat on their diets, or quit after 3 days.

Well, now there's the new Toddler Miracle Diet. Over the years you may have noticed that most two-year-olds are trim. Now the formula to their success is available to all in this new diet. You may want to consult your doctor before embarking on this diet, otherwise, you may be seeing him afterwards. Good Luck!

DAY ONE:

Breakfast: One scrambled egg, one piece of toast with grape jelly.

Eat 2 bites of egg, using your fingers; dump the rest on the floor.

Take 1 bite of toast, then smear the jelly over your face and clothes.

Lunch: Four crayons (any color), a handful of potato chips, and a glass of milk (3 sips only, then spill the rest).

Dinner: A dry stick, two pennies and a nickel, 4 sips of flat Sprite.

Bedtime snack: Throw a piece of toast on the kitchen floor.

DAY TWO:

Breakfast: Pick up stale toast from kitchen floor and eat it.

Drink half bottle of vanilla extract or one vial of vegetable dye.

Lunch: Half tube of "Pulsating Pink" lipstick and a handful of Purina Dog Chow (any flavor). One ice cube, if desired.

Afternoon snack: Lick an all-day sucker until sticky, take outside, and drop in dirt.

Retrieve and continue slurping until it is clean again.

Then bring inside and drop on rug.

Dinner: A rock or an uncooked bean, which should be thrust up your left nostril. Pour Grape Kool-Aid over mashed potatoes; eat with spoon.

DAY THREE:

Breakfast: Two pancakes with plenty of syrup, eat one with fingers, rub in hair.

Glass of milk; drink half, stuff other pancake in glass.

After breakfast, pick up yesterday’s sucker from rug, lick off fuzz, and put it on the cushion of best chair.

Lunch: Three matches, peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Spit several bites onto the floor.

Pour glass of milk on table and slurp up.

Dinner: Dish of ice cream, handful of potato chips, and some red punch.

Try to laugh some punch through your nose, if possible.

FINAL DAY:

Breakfast: A quarter tube of toothpaste (any flavor), bit of soap, an olive. Pour a glass of milk over bowl of cornflakes, add half a cup of sugar.

Once cereal is soggy, drink milk and feed cereal to dog.

Lunch: Eat breadcrumbs off kitchen floor and dining room carpet.

Find that sucker and finish eating it.

Dinner: A glass of spaghetti and chocolate milk. Leave meatball on plate. Stick of mascara for dessert.

Enjoy!

THANKSGIVING TEMPTATION

T’was the night of Thanksgiving, but I just couldn’t sleep.

I tried counting backwards. I tried counting sheep.

The leftovers beckoned – the dark meat and white,

But I fought the temptation with all of my might.

Tossing and turning with anticipation,

The thought of a snack became infatuation.

So I raced to the kitchen, flung open the door.

And gazed at the ‘fridge, full of goodies galore.

I gobbled up turkey and buttered potatoes,

Pickles and carrots, beans and tomatoes.

I felt myself swelling so plump and so round,

'Til all of a sudden, I rose off the ground.

I crashed through the ceiling, floating into the sky,

With a mouthful of pudding and a handful of pie.

But, I managed to tell as I soared past the trees…..

“Happy eating to all – pass the cranberries please!”

May your stuffing be tasty, may your turkey by plump.

May your potatoes ‘n gravy have nary a lump.

May your yams be delicious, may your pies take the prize.

May your Thanksgiving dinner stay off of your thighs!

CHOCOLATE CHRISTMAS

T’was the night before Christmas and all round my hips,

Were Fannie May candies that sneaked past my lips.

Fudge brownies were stored in the freezer with care,

In hopes that my thighs would forget they were there.

While Mama in her girdle and I in chinstraps,

Had just settled down to sugar-borne naps.

When out in the pantry there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the kitchen I flew like a flash,

Tore open the icebox then threw up the sash.

The marshmallow look of the new-fallen snow,

Sent thoughts of a binge to my body below.

When what to my wandering eyes should appear:

A marzipan Santa with eight chocolate reindeer!

That huge chunk of candy so luscious and slick,

I knew in a second that I'd wind up sick.

The sweet-coated Santa, those sugared reindeer,

I closed my eyes tightly but still I could hear:

"On Atkins, on South Beach, on Zone Diet, on TOPS,

A Weight Watcher dropout from sugar detox."

From the top of the scales to the top of the hall,

Now dash away pounds; now dash away all.

Dressed up in Lane Bryant from my head to nightdress,

My clothes were all bulging from too much excess.

My droll little mouth and my round little belly,

They shook when I laughed like a bowl full of jelly.

I spoke not a word but went straight to my work,

Ate all of the candy then turned with a jerk.

And laying a finger beside my heartburn,

Gave a quick nod, toward the bedroom I turned.

I eased into bed, to the heavens I cry,

If temptation's removed I'll get thin by and by.

And I mumbled again as I turned for the night

"In the morning I'll starve... 'till I take that first bite!"

NEW YEAR DIET

T’was the month after New Year's, and all through the house,

Nothing would fit me, not even a blouse.

The cookies I'd nibbled, the eggnog I'd taste,

At the holiday parties had gone to my waist.

When I got on the scales there arose such a number!

Then I walked to the store (less a walk than a lumber).

I'd remember the marvelous meals I'd prepared;

The gravies and sauces and beef nicely rared.

The wine and the rum balls, the bread and the cheese

And the way I'd never said, "No thank you, please."

As I dressed myself in my husband's old shirt

And prepared once again to do battle with dirt.

I said to myself, as I only can

"You can't spend a winter disguised as a man!"

So, away with the last of the sour cream dip,

Get rid of the fruitcake, every cracker and chip.

Every last bit of food that I like must be banished

'Till all the additional ounces have vanished.

I won't have a cookie--not even a lick.

I'll want only to chew on a long celery stick.

I won't have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie,

I'll munch on a carrot and quietly cry.

I'm hungry, I'm lonesome, and life is a bore.

But isn't that what January is for?

Unable to giggle, no longer a riot.

Happy New Year to all and to all a good diet!

Funny Gym Jokes

2013-09-22T20:55:00.000-07:00

Good Gym Jokes to Make You Smile

WEIGHT LOSS

My friend and I joined a weight-loss organization. At one meeting the instructor held up an apple and a candy bar.

"What are the attributes of this apple," she asked, "and how do they relate to our diet?"

"Low in calories" and "lots of fiber," were among the answers.

She then detailed what was wrong with eating candy, and concluded, "Apples are not only more healthful but also less expensive. Do you know I paid fifty-five cents for this candy bar?" We stared as she held aloft the forbidden treat.

From in back of the room a small voice spoke up. "I'll give you seventy-five cents for it."

DIETS

Dieting?

For those of you who watch what you eat, here's the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting medical studies.

The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

The Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

CONCLUSION:

Eat and drink what you like.
Speaking English is apparently what kills you!

ITALIAN PASTA DIET

It Really Works!
You walka pasta da bakery.
You walka pasta da candy store.
You walka pasta da Ice Cream shop.
You walka pasta da table and 'fridge.

IN THE BEGINNING

In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth and populated the Earth with broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.

Then using God's great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and Krispy Creme Donuts. And Satan said, "You want chocolate with that?" And Man said, "Yes!" and Woman said, "and as long as you're at it, add some sprinkles." And they gained 10 pounds. And Satan smiled.

And God created the healthful yogurt that Woman might keep the figure that Man found so fair. And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and sugar from the cane and combined them. And Woman went from size 6 to size 14.

So God said, "Try my fresh green salad." And Satan presented Thousand-Island Dressing, buttery croutons and garlic toast on the side. And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast.

God then said, "I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them." And Satan brought forth deep fried fish and chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And Man gained more weight and his cholesterol went through the roof.

God then created a light, fluffy white cake, named it "Angel Food Cake," and said, "It is good." Satan then created chocolate cake and named it "Devil's Food."

God then brought forth running shoes so that His children might lose those extra pounds. And Satan gave cable TV with a remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried before the flickering blue light and gained pounds.

Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fried them. And Man gained pounds.

God then gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald's and its 99-cent double cheeseburger. Then said, "You want fries with that?" And Man replied, "Yes! And super size them!" And Satan said, "It is good." And Man went into cardiac arrest.

God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery.

Then Satan created HMOs.

MOM KNOWS BEST

I am five feet, three inches tall and pleasingly plump. Recently, after I had a minor accident, my mother accompanied me to the emergency room.

The ER nurse asked for my height and weight, and I responded in a serious tone, "Five-foot-eight, 125 pounds."

While the nurse pondered this information, my mother leaned over to me ... "Sweetheart," she gently chided, "this is not the Internet."

TATTOO

As an obstetrician, I sometimes see unusual tattoos when working in labor and delivery. One patient had some type of fish tattoo on her abdomen. "That sure is an unusual looking whale," I commented.
With a sad smile she replied, "It used to be a dolphin."

CHOCOLATE

A good piece of chocolate has about 200 calories. As I enjoy 2 servings per night, and a few more on weekends, I consume about 3,500 calories of chocolate in a week, which equals one pound of weight per week.

Therefore, in the last 3-1/2 years, I have had chocolate caloric intake of about 180 pounds, and I only weigh 175 pounds.

So... without chocolate, I would have wasted away to nothing about 3 months ago! I owe my life to chocolate!!

WEIGHTS

Somewhat skeptical of his son's newfound determination to become the next Charles Atlas, the father nevertheless followed the teenager over to the weight-lifting department.

"Please, Dad," whined the boy, "I promise I'll use them every day."

"I don't know, Michael. It's really a big commitment on your part," the father pointed out.

"Please, Dad?"

"They're not cheap either."

"I'll use them Dad, I promise. You'll see."

Finally won over, the father paid for the equipment and headed for the door.

From the corner of the store he heard his son yell, "What! You mean I have to carry them to the car?!"

ROUTINE

Two women who had just met at a health spa were talking about their lifestyles and how they hope to stay healthy. One asked the other to detail her daily routine.

"I eat moderately," she replied, "I exercise moderately, I drink moderately, and I live moderately."

"Is there anything else you do?" her new friend asked.

"Yes," she said, "I lie extensively."

PRAYER

Now I lay me Down to sleep I pray the Lord My shape to keep.
Please no wrinkles. Please no bags.
And please lift my butt before it sags.
Please no age spots. Please no gray.
And as for my belly, please take it away.
Please keep me healthy. Please keep me young.
And thank you dear Lord for all that you've done.

NUTRITION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it...don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body, and you have body fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain...Good.

Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: You're not listening. Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

Q: What's the secret to healthy eating?
A: Thicker gravy.

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO ...... Cocoa beans ... another vegetable!!! It's the best feel good food around!
Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.
Now go have a cookie...flour is a veggie!

PARADISE

An 85-year-old couple, having been married almost 60 years, had died in a car crash. They had been in good health the last ten years mainly due to her interest in health food and exercise.

When they reached the pearly gates, St. Peter took them to their mansion, which was decked out with a beautiful kitchen and master bath suite and Jacuzzi.

As they "oohed and aahed" the old man asked St. Peter how much all this was going to cost.

"It's free," St. Peter replied, "this is Heaven."

Next they went out back to survey the championship golf course that the home backed up to. They would have golfing privileges everyday and each week the course changed to a new one representing the greatest golf courses on earth.

The old man asked, "What are the green fees?"

St. Peter's reply, "This is heaven, you play for free."

Next they went to the clubhouse and saw the lavish buffet lunch with the cuisines of the world laid out.

"How much does it cost to eat?" asked the old man.

"Don't you understand yet? This is heaven, it's free!" St. Peter replied with some exasperation.

"Well, where are the low fat and low cholesterol tables?" the old man asked timidly.

St. Peter lectured, "That's the best part. You can eat as much as you like of whatever you like and you never get fat and you never get sick. This is Heaven."

With that the old man went into a fit of anger, throwing down his hat and stomping on it, shrieking wildly.

St. Peter and the old man's wife both tried to calm him down, asking him what was wrong. The old man looked at his wife and said, "It's all your fault! It's all your fault!"

His wife said, "My fault? What are you talking about?"

He yelled, "If it weren't for your blasted bran muffins, I could have been here ten years ago!"

Increase Member Retention with "Teachable Moments"

2013-05-16T21:38:00.002-07:00

One of the best ways to create loyal gym members is to become their reliable source for health and fitness advice. When they feel that you, the health club owner, are on their side in the fight against fat then they'll be far more likely to recommend you to friends and remain a happy gym member.

A great way to become a reliable source of health and fitness advice is to review the daily news and turn current events into "teachable moments" for your gym members. For example, today the New York Daily News ran this story: "Worse than fast food? Meals at independent restaurants average over 1,300 calories a plate, study finds". (read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/worse-fast-food-meals-independent-restaurants-pack-caloric-punch-article-1.1342837#ixzz2TSHACuyK).

As you're probably aware, articles and studies like this are a dime-a-dozen. Just about every health and fitness magazine has done a similar article, and for good reason. This stuff SELLS. People are interested about fast food nutrition. People want small, sound-bite nuggets they can use to make healthier choices in their everyday lives. (Hence the runaway success of the "Eat This, Not That" books.)

So how do you use current events to increase member retention? How do you become a reliable source of health and fitness advice by using current events?

The easiest way is to write short, informative articles and distribute them to your gym members. Come up with a clever name "Jane's Nutrition Blast" or "Notes From The Weight Loss Boss". Distribute these short articles as a handout in the health club, by email newsletter, by posting on your site and by posting on your Facebook page. Get 'em OUT THERE and make sure each one includes your gym name and contact information.

When you've been doing this for a while, you'll gain a reputation as a gym owner that ALWAYS knows what's going on with health and fitness news. Gym members will come to you FIRST for advice on the latest weight loss story or gimmick or fad, and you'll be the local expert! Don't be surprised if word eventually gets out and you have the local media asking you for quotes or opinions!

Need an idea to help you get started? Here's a link to an article about fast food and weight loss, which coincidentally is in the news today.

The bottom line is that using teachable moments to help your gym members lose weight will inevitably increase member retention and turn you into a local fitness expert. Eventually you'll have a growing library of AWESOME articles.

How to Increase Gym Membership Retention

2013-05-14T21:56:00.003-07:00

How to Increase Gym Membership Retention

How Partnering with Medical Providers Creates a Win-Win-Win Situation

Perhaps more than anyone else, people trust their health care provider. According to a poll done by Gallup in November 2012, the #1 most trusted profession in the United States is nursing. The 2nd most trusted professional is the local pharmacist, followed by medical doctors at #3.

As a gym owner, one of the best things you can do to increase member retention is to get members' health care professionals involved in their weight loss journey. By getting a doctor or nurse involved in the fitness process, you're actually creating a win-win-win situation where the provider, the gym member and YOU the health club owner all benefit.

The first "win" is obviously for the gym member. Deciding to exercise is a pretty big decision for most folks, and one that's hard to stick with for the long term. By getting their doctor involved, they'll get some personalized advice and yet another person in their corner cheering them on as they seek to lose weight. That gym member will (hopefully) have the support of their family, friends, co-workers and now their doctor as they push themselves to new heights of physical fitness. That's a huge win for them! After all, who's more qualified to provide accurate advice and reassurance that exercise is indeed worth the effort?

The second "win" that occurs when you partner with medical providers is reserved for you, the gym owner. When you have a member who's making typical progress with weight loss and overall fitness, it's often the case that this "typical" progress is too slow for them. This feeling of too-slow is the danger zone of member retention! If Sally is exercising 3x per week and isn't seeing immediate payoff, she may quit the health club in frustration (just like she quit the last 14 diets she was on).

By partnering with Sally's medical providers, however, you can give her some serious reassurance that she is indeed making worthwhile progress! The doctor can show that discouraged gym member that although the scale may not be dropping as fast as she may like, there are other significant and measurable benefits to regular exercise. For example, maybe Sally's blood pressure has dropped since she joined the gym. Maybe Sally's resting heart rate has decreased since she joined the gym. Maybe Sally's balance has improved, or maybe her strength has increased, or.....well, you get the picture.

When the doctor or nurse is involved, you can let THEM explain the benefits of regular exercise to your gym members. In other words, you'll have the most trusted professionals in the country affirming what you've been saying for years: consistent exercise works and is specifically working for Sally (or Bob, or Jane, or Mary). THAT is the big win for the gym owner, and that's how to increase member retention by partnering with medical providers.

So, exactly how do you partner with medical providers?

The easiest way is to encourage the gym member to discuss their fitness results with their doctor. You're probably already measuring and weighing them on a monthly basis (if you're not, you should be) and tracking that information to show them progress. Each and every time you add to that tracking page, you should provide the gym member with a copy and encourage them to share it with their doctor. Every time. Those that do discuss their progress with their doctor will hear nothing but positive reinforcement to keep at it, keep exercising, stay motivated and overall to NOT QUIT. Can you think of a doctor that wouldn't recommend continued exercise?

Another way to partner with medical providers is to bring them into the health club. Any time you can get a doctor, physical therapist, or chiropractor into your fitness center, it's a very positive thing.

But how do you get medical providers into the gym? This brings us to the third and final "win" for this member retention strategy, and that win is for the medical providers themselves.

Many health care providers are out there actively seeking new patients. Health care is, after all, a business and every business needs customers. Find a doctor that needs more patients, and invite that doctor to do a 1-hour guest lecture in your gym. They can give a speech about the benefits of exercise, a different topic, or just host a no-holds-barred question and answer session with your gym members. This format is VERY successful in drawing a crowd (anyone heard of a little show called The Doctors?).

Okay, so to summarize this strategy of how to increase gym membership retention by partnering with medical providers, you'll basically be creating a win-win-win scenario. The "win" for the doctor is that they basically get to give a 1-hour commercial to a captive audience of targeted consumers who already care about their health. That's PERFECT for any health care provider who needs to pick up some new clients. The win for the gym member is that they'll get some expert advice that is personalized to them, along with a dose of encouragement that could make all the difference as they strive to achieve their fitness goals.

Finally, the "win" for you as the gym owner is that you get educated and motivated health club members who will not quit the gym because their doctor told them not to! Exercising to lose a few pounds and look better is one thing. Exercising because your doctor has personally examined the gym and has instructed (prescribed?) that you continue working out is another thing entirely! Once you obtain the endorsement of a member's health care provider, chances are you've got them as a member for life.

How Are You Going To Sell More Gym Memberships Today?

2013-05-13T05:43:00.000-07:00

How are YOU going to sell more gym memberships today?

Are you content with the number of health club memberships you sold last week? How about last month?

If last month wasn't good enough for you, then maybe it's time to set a new goal.

C. S. Lewis once said that "You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream.".

So, do you have a goal for how many gym memberships you're going to sell this month? How about TODAY. Do you have a goal, written down, for how many gym memberships you're going to sell today?

If you don't know where you're going, how will you know which direction to take or how fast to run?

If you don't have a goal, then how will you find the motivation to get started? If you don't have a goal, how will you ever find a sense of satisfaction upon reaching that goal? If you don't have a goal, then how will you ever decide to change strategies? If you don't have a goal, then how will you ever accurately and objectively measure success?

Running a health club business (or ANY business) without goals is bit like driving a car without a steering wheel - it's possible to go fast, but where are you headed?

If you don't have a goal for selling gym memberships, then you don't know where you're headed today. Set a goal, and do it today. Because "You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream.".

Are Anytime Fitness Enrollment Fees Too Low?

2013-05-07T21:58:00.000-07:00

Are Anytime Fitness Enrollment Fees Too Low?

Here's a question you don't often hear asked: are Anytime Fitness enrollment fees too low for their own good?

Too low for WHOSE own good, you ask? After all, people joining as new gym members of Anytime Fitness surely don't mind if prices drop.

But from the standpoint of a small business owner, and specifically as a health club owner, are Anytime Fitness enrollment fees too low right now?

Anytime Fitness "regular" prices may vary depending on where you live, but some sources have quoted these averages:
1 year Membership: $33 a month plus a one-time $39 key-fee for anytime access,
2 year Membership: $29 a month plus a one-time $39 key-fee for anytime access.

Take a look at the picture posted to the right. This is a real promotion being offered by Anytime Fitness in my area. For a very limited time, you can join for $1 + 1 month free. I took this picture today. While I'm sure this promotion may indeed "make the door swing", there are two distinct drawbacks to running a health club promotion where you DRAMATICALLY drop the price:
1) The existing health club members who paid more than a buck for their membership will feel like they were ripped off. At best, they will feel disappointed that they missed out on a good deal because they joined too soon. Some of them who joined very recently may ask the gym owner to honor the sale price for them as well and give them a partial refund.
2) The second drawback to running a health club promotion like this is that, for SOME people, you effectively (and permanently) lower the value of the membership. Many customers keep a "running tally" in their mind of how much things should cost. When a price drops to a new low, what you've done is set that price mentally lower for the price-conscious customer. You've lowered the bar, so to speak.

Many potential customers who haven't yet joined the health club, but WANT to join, will refuse to join the gym until the price is back down to that "new low" of $1 + 1 month free. It's a mental game of sorts, where people take pride in achieving the lowest possible price on their purchases. They'll remember that price, and some of them will remember it for a long time. So next month when Anytime Fitness offers memberships for $10 (or whatever), those price-conscious consumers won't bite.

This concept that the customer remembers the lowest market price and waits to buy until they can meet or beat that price isn't exclusive to the fitness center industry. Many consumers "stock up" on groceries when they can get a great price. I've been known, for example, to buy ten tubes of toothpaste when I see it on sale for less than I've ever seen it before. I remember that lowest market price and buy accordingly.

Another great example is the purchase of stocks. Many traders will analyze a stock and look at the 52-week high and 52-week low. If nothing intrinsic to the business has changed since it hit that 52-week low, then I may decide to wait and buy when it hits that 52-week low again. Why pay more for the stock than the 52-week low?

To summarize, the major drawback to running a great health club sale is that you run the risk of angering existing gym members who recently paid more while at the same time "cheapening" the value of the membership in the minds of some cost-conscious consumers.

So, back to the original question: are Anytime Fitness enrollment fees too low?

Despite the theory that this $1 sale can backfire, Anytime Fitness has been doing quite well for itself: "The chain of franchised gyms spans 14 countries. As No. 14 on our list, the company notched steady growth even as sales climbed to nine digits. Revenues approached $500 million last year, nearly double the company’s 2009 take" (SOURCE: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jjcolao/2013/02/06/americas-most-promising-companies-the-top-25/)

The bottom line is that there are probably better ways to run a health club promotion. But that fact doesn't seem to be hurting Anytime Fitness, who was recently awarded a #6 ranking in Entrepreneur's "Franchise 500 List".

JC Penny Back To Issuing Coupons In 2013

2013-05-05T22:13:00.002-07:00

JC Penny Back To Issuing Coupons In 2013

Small business owners, take note of what has happened to JC Penny over the last 17 months! Books will be written, and classes will be taught, about the story we've seen unfold at this once-dominant retailer.

Just in case you're not aware of the JC Penny story, here's the Cliff Notes version. About 17 months ago (November 2011) they hired Ron Johnson as their new CEO. Johnson was basically hired to attract younger, richer customers. Ron was "a good bet" too, because he used to be Apple Inc.'s senior vice president of retail and helped create that company's very successful retail stores.

Under Ron's leadership, JC Penny rolled out their "fair and square" advertising campaign. Instead of advertising specific products, and a temporary price reduction for those products, this new ad strategy instead emphasized the convenience of Every Day Low Prices (referred to as EDLP in the retail world). "In one spot, a dog jumped through a hula hoop held by a little girl. The text read: 'No more jumping through hoops. No coupon clipping. No door busting. Just great prices from the start.' (SOURCE: http://www.9news.com/money/333745/344/JC-Penney-ad-apologizes-to-customers)

To make a long story short, the switch from coupons and sales to Every Day Low Pricing simply didn't work. The company's sales dropped faster than Lance Armstrong's popularity after he admitted using performance-enhancing drugs. In early May 2013 JC Penny released a commercial confessing to the blunder: “It’s no secret,” begins a new J.C. Penney television ad, to a soft piano soundtrack and nostalgic images of old storefronts. “Recently, J.C. Penney changed.” In the ad, the company shies away from directly addressing Johnson’s upgrades, including Denim Bars to help J.C. Penney shoppers find the perfect jeans, not unlike Apple’s Genius Bars.....these and other missteps (including, presumably, the chain’s much-derided moratorium on discounts and sales) are glossed over as “changes” in the ad" (SOURCE: http://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2013/05/01/j-c-penney-releases-apology-ad-begging-shoppers-to-come-back/)

Okay, so what's the take-home message for small business owners like us? While many business lessons can, and will, be taught from the JC Penny story the salient point here is that customers LOVE a sale. Always have. Always will.

Maybe you've seen the bumper sticker that boldly states "You can have my gun when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers." This classic American quote has been around for decades, becoming famous when it was featured in the movie 'Red Dawn'. It's not a huge leap of the imagination to see JC Penny customers shaking their collective fists at Ron Johnson, screaming out their mantra: "You can have my coupons when you pry them from my cold, dead fingers".

Taking away their coupons was probably the death-knell for Ron Johnson.

So, as a small business owner, are YOU offering coupons and sales to your customers?

Be honest. When was the last time you ran an ad in the local newspaper that had a coupon for $___ off the usual price? When was the last time you ran a radio ad offering $___ off for the next 10 people who called your business? When was the last time you announced (on your Facebook page) that you were offering a $___ discount today only? Have you grown complacent and quit sending out coupons?

If you quit sending out coupons, and quit offering sales, you do so at your own peril.

After all JC Penny is back to issuing coupons in 2013 and THEY had to learn this lesson the hard way.

Take a lesson from Ron Johnson and issue some coupons in 2013.....because customers LOVE a sale. Always have. Always will.

FREE Small Business Marketing Ideas

2013-05-02T22:17:00.002-07:00

Since when do small business marketing ideas have to cost an arm and a leg? The simple answer is: THEY DON'T. Some of the best small business marketing ideas are completely FREE of charge.

Today, like many days, I went into the nearby Subway for a $5 footlong sandwich. Love that deal! Anyway, as I entered the clerk behind the counter said "Hi, welcome to Subway" in a friendly voice. As I was paying for my order that same clerk greeted another customer that had just entered. I got the distinct feeling that this crew is greeting EVERY customer that enters their store. It sounded like an honest greeting, too, not contrived or forced.

Maybe they got the idea from Jacksons, one of many local gas stations. I've been going there for years, and it is a very rare day when you can enter without being verbally greeted with a friendly "hello" or "how are you today?"

How much does it cost these businesses to greet their customers? ZERO.

How much goodwill does this simple gesture create? Hard to say.

There are studies upon studies proving that people value good customer service. It's been proven again and again. Without a doubt, a friendly greeting is plain old-fashioned good customer service.

This tactic not only creates loyalty, but it can also make the cash register ring. People will pay more for good customer service, and that's a fact. For example, near my home we have a grocery store where the service is bare-bones. They don't bag your purchases. They don't even have "baggers" on staff. Carry it out to your car? Forget about it! As a matter of fact, if you encounter one of their employees on the sales floor you almost guaranteed to be ignored completely.

On the other hand, I also live near another grocery store that is more traditional. They have a Courtesy Clerk bagging groceries, and they'll take it out to your car if you want. Some of the clerks will smile and greet you. They are, at least, making an effort towards customer service. This store charges much higher prices than the no-service store.

The service-oriented grocery store is still in business. This means that at least some consumers will pay more for the same product when that product is offered with a serving of customer service.

Back to the smile and greet thing. Smiling and greeting each customer as they walk in the door is a free small business marketing idea that just may pay off for you and your business. It takes little effort. The cost is zero. The goodwill created, while hard to quantify, is still real enough to generate more sales.

.....and that, ladies and gentlemen, is enough for both you and I to take a good hard look at implementing this free small business marketing idea.

Why not require the front desk staff in our gyms to greet each person as they arrive? In doing so, we'll be adopting the tactics embraced by:
-> Subway (the world's largest submarine sandwich chain with more than 37,000 locations around the world)
-> Jacksons (a nationally recognized chain of over 200 Chevron/Texaco/Shell branded convenience stores in 5 western states)
-> Walmart (each week, more than 200 million customers and members visit their 10,700 stores under 69 banners in 27 countries and e-commerce websites in 10 countries. With fiscal year 2013 sales of approximately $466 billion, Walmart employs 2.2 million associates worldwide.)

Yup. Walmart has perfected this free small business marketing idea. They hire people to be nothing but greeters. You think you know better than Walmart, the biggest retailer in the world? Hey, Walmart does a lot of things wrong but this is one thing they do right.

So, it really is true. Some of the best small business marketing ideas are completely FREE of charge.

Gym Membership Drive Ideas for May

2013-04-30T18:10:00.001-07:00

Believe it or not, tomorrow is the first day of May already. School is almost out for the year and summer's about to begin. How are you doing on selling gym memberships?

Do you need some gym membership drive ideas for May?

Thankfully, we have a list of more than thirty free advertising ideas and marketing tips that will help you sell more gym memberships this May! When you have a product to sell (which you do: health club memberships), then event marketing can be a powerful way to boost sales. In other words, you can form a connection between a national event and your fitness center. By partnering with a national event or cause in this way, you gain the double benefit of helping a worthy organization while at the same time dramatically improving your own sales and profits. It's the perfect win-win situation!

Click here to read our 100% original article that is PACKED FULL of gym membership drive ideas.

How To Sell More Gym Memberships This October

2012-09-30T20:51:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow is October 1, and like most gym owners or health club managers you're probably wondering how to sell more gym memberships this month. After all, the big boom of holiday sales won't begin for at least a month. People aren't thinking about squeezing into that holiday dress yet, and gift certificates as last-minute stocking stuffers won't sell until late December.

But there is some good news! October is literally PACKED with awesome opportunities for health club advertising! As a matter of fact, there are so many great marketing ideas for gyms in October that we had to categorize them into nine different sections! You can read all about it.....for FREE.....click here to read our original article titled "How To Sell Gym Memberships In October".

Yet another GREAT example of how you can sell more gym memberships this month is by issuing a press release to the local media. Write up a short article on the topic of Halloween candy. You could call it "Halloween Candy Calories Add Up To One Scary Story" or maybe "10 Ways To Lose Weight This Halloween". Make it short, concise, and catchy.

Then, when the local newspaper prints the article, they'll include a short promotional blurb about your gym. It's sometimes called an author's box, and it basically lists your qualifications and contact information. If you can, you should mention that you're offering a limited-time Halloween promotion. For example, you could trade 5 pieces of Halloween candy for free 1-week pass.

Print up this article and distribute it in the health club, too. Email it out to gym members. Get it out there as much as possible, simply because it's free advertising for you! For a sample article you can use to get you started, click here.

Now get out there and sell some more gym memberships this October!

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Best Gym Marketing Ideas For August

2012-07-31T23:36:00.003-07:00

Welcome to August!

Smart health club owners know that the best gym marketing idea this month is the back-to-school promotion. At back-to-school time, moms (and dads) suddenly have more time to do something for themselves. Why not encourage them to spend that time exercising?

As a fitness center owner, not only can you market to parents this month, but you can also target teachers and other school employees. How about offering group discounts to teachers? If you decide to go this route, don't forget to make up some posters to hang in the teacher's lounge of the local school.

Also, keep in mind that when school starts, so do the inevitable fundraisers! Kids are ALWAYS looking to sell chocolate bars, cookie dough or books. Why not help them meet their financial goals, while they help you meet yours?

Here's how: consider providing the local school with a customized and personalized gym membership offer: "Friends of ABC School can join this month for $75 registration (instead of the usual $150) and $50 will be donated directly to ABC School". The kids will do the selling for you, distributing their flyers all around the neighborhood. All you have to do is sign up the new members and give the school a check at the end of the month.

Concerned about that whole "giving a check" part? You shouldn't be. If you gain 10 new members you wouldn't have gained without this promotion, and those 10 new members pay you $750 of which $500 you have to give to a worthy cause, then YOU STILL WIN. After all, you still get the $250 in registration fees. You also get to keep the ongoing monthly revenue, which is the real goal here anyway.

Need more ideas on how to make more moolah this month? Check out our 100% original, and 100% free, article titled "How To Sell Gym Memberships In August".

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Curves For Women Cost Of Membership

2012-07-11T22:24:00.000-07:00

The Curves For Women cost of membership dropped this week when they rolled out a national ad offering "Get 2 Free 2-Week Curves Memberships". In short, Curves is offering one two-week membership for you, and one for a friend.

So is this a smart move on the part of Curves, or has the 900-pound gorilla in the fitness industry finally made a mistake?

The short answer is "no", Curves has not made a mistake by offering literally millions of free guest passes. Let's face it, the folks at Curves are SMART. You may not like their business model. You may not like their workout. You may not like their machines. But the one thing you cannot dispute is that they know what they're doing. Curves didn't get to be the biggest health club franchise by being stupid.

By offering so many free guest passes, Curves is simply playing a numbers game. They know that for every x number of women they get through the door, y will join as full paying gym members. By offering these free passes, Curves is simply increasing the number of tours their clubs will give (x) which will in turn increase the number of women joining the club (y).

Some fitness center owners are, believe it or not, afraid to offer free guest passes. They fear that offering a free trial pass will "cheapen" the membership somehow. They fear that it devalues the health club membership.

To answer that objection, just consider the facts:

CostCo is well known for offering free samples of the food items they sell. Is CostCo stupid? Of course not. CostCo is one of the most successful retailers in the world.

Car dealers offer you the opportunity to take a free test drive of any car, at any time. Why do they do that? Doesn't it "cheapen" the car? Of course not! Car dealers know that the free test drive is a proven method to increase sales.

Retailer Bed, Bath and Beyond provides a display of most items. In other words, they take the item out of the box and set it up so you can mess around with it and check it out. It's the coffee-maker equivalent of the free sample, and IT WORKS. Customers are much more likely to buy a product when they can feel it, see it and "kick the tires", so to speak.

So, did Curves make a mistake by running a newspaper insert offering "Get 2 Free 2-Week Curves Memberships"?

Nope.

Savvy gym owners will follow their lead and crank up their distribution of guest passes. It's a proven business method that works. Need some ideas on how to get more guest passes into the hands of potential customers? Check out our articles titled "Health Club Advertising Ideas - Guest Passes" and "Health Club Marketing With Free Passes".

We Found Some Low Price Gym Equipment

2012-06-04T08:25:00.001-07:00

We're always on the lookout for low price gym equipment, and we recently found a site that impressed us with their HUGE selection and great prices. It's called Wayfair and you will find them by clicking here. Now, normally we don't endorse other companies, but the prices at Wayfair are so good that we personally purchased several pieces for our home gym. I bought the "Amber Sporting Goods Neck Harness" for just $12.99 which was less than 1/2 the price I found on other sites. Also got the "Body Solid Bicep Bomber" for about $3 less than the actual Body Solid site. What really surprised me is that I picked up the "Body Solid Leather Triceps Strap" for $30.25 from the Wayfair site. This exact same item is listed as $49.00 on the Body Solid site.

So that's why we're referring a site to you. It's very rare when we do, but Wayfair has the prices and the selection to earn our endorsement. You should check it out.

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Health Club Marketing Ideas For June

2012-06-01T22:47:00.001-07:00

Wow! It's June already, and that's when business starts to slow down for most gyms. June is when the weather really gets warm and people are more apt to get their exercise gardening, jogging or hiking. That leaves even less time for gym memberships!

Smart health club owners know that they can't back off the marketing and advertising in June. Indeed, it may be a good time to put even more effort into your marketing program!

Need some ideas? Just click here to read our 100% original article titled "How To Sell Gym Memberships In June". In this article you'll find a half-dozen great ideas to help you sell more health club memberships.

Want another low-cost marketing idea? June is also when your gym members are bringing out the BBQ and having some picnics. A good marketing idea is for you to help them create a healthy BBQ. plan that they can use all summer!

Think about how powerful that idea can be IF it's implemented properly.....

To fully maximize this idea, the first step is to announce a BBQ for all gym members. But it's not a "regular" BBQ with all the fatty foods, piles of chips and oceans of high-calorie drinks. Instead, this BBQ will be completely healthy.

To make it more fun for everyone (and guarantee that you don't have to buy all the food) make it a potluck BBQ, requiring that everyone attending bring something to eat. The rule is that whatever you bring has to contain less than 300 calories per serving (or 200, or whatever).

As the gym owner, you'll provide the location (outside the gym), the BBQ(s), the tables, the chairs and probably the eating utensils.

On the day of the BBQ, have a panel of judges pick the winning food entries. You could award a prize for best tasting, lowest in calories, and most innovative. Use your imagination and have fun! Give out the awards, take a lot of pictures, and make sure everyone learns that a BBQ doesn't have to pack on the pounds.

After the BBQ, you'll want to announce the winners in the gym newsletter or on the bulletin board. Another good idea is to copy and distribute the winning recipes.

You'll also want to write and print up some articles explaining how to host a healthy BBQ. Leave these in the gym so everybody can pick one up.

Okay, so what does this health club marketing idea accomplish? First of all, the members who attended had a fun time. That's always good for member retention! Secondly, they're all going to have healthier BBQ meals all summer long. When Jane tells her friends that she learned this awesome and healthy recipe at her gym, that's some tremendous word-of-mouth advertising! Finally, this marketing idea probably got you some free publicity. After all, you DID let the local media know about the BBQ and invite them to attend? Right? If not, don't despair. You can always submit some photos and the article about how to host a healthy summer BBQ. Odds are good that the local newspaper will run that article and include a photo, even though the event is over.

If you need some healthy BBQ ideas, just click here to read a short but informative article. This is one we wrote a while back and yes, you DO have our permission to copy and distribute it in your gym.

Here's to a successful (and profitable) month of June!

National Curves Day Is A Great Gym Marketing Idea

2012-05-16T07:03:00.002-07:00

Attention women's only circuit training gym owners! Are you aware that May 13 through 19 is National Women's Health Week? If you read our article How To Sell Gym Memberships In May then you're aware of this already, AND you have some good ideas to help you take advantage of this event.

(In case you missed this article, simply scroll down to the blog post below this one.)

National Women's Health Week is simply too good an opportunity for the circuit training health club owner to pass up. Curves knows this, and they've taken this event to a whole new level with their National Curves Day.

In honor of National Women's Health Week, Curves is giving away one million 30-day free memberships. That's huge! The usual stipulations apply (new members only, cannot be combined with any other offer, etc.).

Curves is hammering this idea with tons of advertising, and I'm sure the consumer response will be tremendous. If the Curves marketing machine is running full steam (as usual), my guess is that every woman joining for their free month will go onto a specific "lead list". They will be carefully tracked, and will be given an offer similar to this one: "Join Curves before your 30-day free trial membership ends and we'll take 50% off the regular registration fee".

If I were running a Curves gym, then I would also send each trial member on that lead list a postcard in the mail reminding them of that offer. Then, about a week before their 30-days is up, I would give them a phone call to remind them that their 50% off registration offer is about to expire. Basically, I would attempt a minimum of four sales attempts during that free thirty days.....one per week.

Smart Curves gym owners will also take that specific lead list and send any remaining non-joiners one final postcard. This should be mailed a couple weeks after their 30-day trial has ended, and should say something like "Miss us? We miss you too! Bring in this postcard for 40% off regular registration. Offer expires in ten days".

There are a million ways to create a gym marketing plan around National Women's Health Week. The idea of National Curves Day is just one idea. It's a good one, but it's not the only way to float this boat! Many circuit training health club owners can come up with even more creative and effective marketing ideas. They key is, however, that you actually have to DO IT. Get started NOW! It's almost too late.

If you want to read some other great gym marketing ideas written by health club owners just like you, click here.

(By the way, www.cuecd.com has absolutely no affiliation with Curves. Our mission is to help ALL gyms and health clubs be more profitable and more successful. Sometimes we do use Curves as an example, but that's because they do a lot of things right. After all, they're the biggest circuit training gym for women on the planet and they didn't get that way by being stupid.)

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How To Sell Gym Memberships In May

2012-05-08T08:53:00.000-07:00

It's May, that time of year when health club sales tend to slow down a bit. Thankfully, we have a list of more than thirty free advertising ideas and marketing tips that will help you sell more gym memberships this May! When you have a product to sell (which you do: health club memberships), then event marketing can be a powerful way to boost sales. In other words, you can form a connection between a national event and your fitness center. By partnering with a national event or cause in this way, you gain the double benefit of helping a worthy organization while at the same time dramatically improving your own sales and profits. It's the perfect win-win situation!

Interested? Click here to read the article, or simply cut and paste this link into your browser: http://www.cuecd.com/article.asp?ID=58

A few gym owners, not all, may also be interested in what some have called the "most powerful" health club article they've ever read. It will not apply to everyone. It may not apply to you. But for those select gym owners out there who are ready to take the next step, this article is pure gold. It's titled "Earn Some REAL Money With Your Health Club"and you can read it by clicking here. It's not a sales pitch for anything. It's just designed to get you thinking outside the box.

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Best Gym Marketing Ideas For April

2012-04-01T20:38:00.001-07:00

Well, it's April again and you know what that means.....you get even more free marketing ideas for gym owners!

Click here to read our original article titled How To Sell Gym Memberships In April. In this article you'll learn over a dozen new advertising and marketing ideas for health clubs!

Oh, and if you're looking for a good price on high-quality gym equipment we recommend you check out SmoothFitness where you get Factory Direct Prices on High Quality Ellipticals– Save up to 45% off MSRP.

Free Publicity Ideas For Gym Owners

2012-03-17T06:31:00.000-07:00

If you're a regular reader of our articles and our blog, then you know that the www.cuecd.com team recommends getting FREE publicity whenever possible. After all, why pay for advertising when you can get it completely free?

Well, today's a good time to get started. It's almost Easter, and that gives any small business owner an excuse to get some more free publicity! Here's how.....

Since you own a health club, and you're a local expert on diet and exercise, why not create a story for the media? Write a short article about something Easter-related, like how many calories are in Easter candy or how many calories you burn during a 30-minute Easter egg hunt. Keep it short, fun and informative. Then give that article to the local newspaper and ask them to run it in their publication.

Although you won't get paid for your submission, you will get an "author's box" at the end of the article that says who you are, what gym you own, and include your phone number. Some newspapers will also print a photo of you alongside the article. That article is now basically just a free advertisement for you! Hundreds, if not thousands, of people will read that article and instantly make the connection that you are a health and fitness expert. If you help them make that mental connection often enough, then when it's time for them to join a gym they're going to think of you first.

If you need a good example of how to write an article like this, click here to read an article we wrote titled Easter Weight Loss Tips. It's short and informative, making it exactly the kind of article that newspapers need on a daily basis!

Of course, you should also plan the two slam-dunk Easter ideas for any health club: the coloring contest and the Easter egg hunt.

Get an Easter coloring page, photocopy it, and pass it out to the children of your gym members. Submissions should be posted in the health club and the winner selected the last business day before Easter. You may want to consider having the members vote to determine the winners. Have small prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. The kids will have fun, the parents will appreciate it, and you'll have more loyal members.

You should also host an Easter egg hunt to take place the Saturday before Easter. If you make it open to just gym members, then they'll appreciate your efforts and be more loyal to your business (increased member retention). If you make it open to the public at large, then you'll get quite a few non-members into the building and you'll have the opportunity to give them a tour or at least a brochure.

If the coloring contest and/or the Easter egg hunt is open to the public, don't forget to release that information to the local media. After all, that's even more FREE publicity!

These are all just basic free publicity ideas for small business owners and for gym owners in particular. For a much larger list of FREE articles for health club owners, click here.

How To Sell More Gym Memberships In March

2012-02-29T21:56:00.001-08:00

Believe it or not, tomorrow is the first day of March. That means new sales opportunities for you, the gym owner!

Click here to read our 100% original article titled "How To Sell Gym Memberships In March".

Oh, and in case you've missed it, we have big news! The www.cuecd.com team has joined Linkedin so you can join our professional network. Click here to view our Linkedin page. Once you're there, you can choose to follow us if you want. You'll get even more insider information for health club owners!

Free Marketing Plan Examples For Small Businesses

2012-02-05T20:32:00.000-08:00

While marketing plans are critical for all small businesses in this economy, if you own a health club it's even more important that you implement solid advertising and promotion techniques.

If you haven't yet done so, you should take a minute to read the free marketing plan examples we've provided for all circuit training gym owners. One of the best to read right now is titled How To Sell Gym Memberships In February, and you can read it FREE by clicking here.

There are also many articles in our library that are suitable for just about any small business, not just for health clubs! Check it out today and start increasing sales immediately!

The Biggest Loser - Health Club Marketing Idea

2012-01-03T21:54:00.000-08:00

In case you missed it, THE BIGGEST LOSER was back on television tonight with the start of a brand new season! This show is always successful, always popular, and always a lot of fun.

As a gym owner, one of the best things you can do right now is to piggy-back on the success of THE BIGGEST LOSER show.

Click here to read our article titled Circuit Training Ideas On A Budget - Biggest Loser. In this article we teach you how to host a BIGGEST LOSER contest. It’s very inexpensive, highly motivational for your members, and guaranteed to bring you FREE publicity! Really, circuit training ideas just don’t get any better than this!

Oh, did we mention that we're providing this article for FREE? Click here to read it NOW.

.....and if you need a new and innovative "change stations" CD, don't forget that we offer dozens of options here.....as always, our "change stations" CDs are just $10 each!