More Fitness Club Member Service & Retention Articles
Secrets to ‘Spectacular’ Customer Service
From September 2008 Club Business International Magazine
Doing the BBB One Better
From June 2008 Club Business International Magazine
How to Go from Waning to Waxing: Characteristics of High-Retention Clubs
From March 2008 Club Business International Magazine
How to Turn Attrition Around
From March 2008 Club Business International Magazine
"Gems" from the Gurus
From August 2007 Club Business for Entrepreneurs Magazine
The Industry's Best Retention Tool: Get Active! magazine works wonders for clubs, members, communities, and the public's health
From July 2007 Club Business International Magazine
Are You Failing Your Members?
From May 2007 Club Business for Entrepreneurs Magazine
Customer Service Doesn't End With the Sale!
From February 2007 Club Business for Entrepreneurs Magazine
The Membership Retention Triad: Branding, Customer Service & Programming-For-Success
From February 2007 Club Business for Entrepreneurs Magazine
Programming for Profit: Fun, Fitness and Financial Success
From May 2006 Club Business for Entrepreneurs Magazine
Group Fitness Management Key to Business Success: Professional's Corner
From November 2005 Club Business for Entrepreneurs Magazine
Active Seniors = Loyal Members
From August 2005 Club Business for Entrepreneurs Magazine
Early estimates from an annual tracking study indicate U.S. health club membership increased by 3% last year, from 42.7 million members (over the age of six) in 2006 to 44.1 million in 2007, while industry revenues increased by 5% to $18.5 billion. |
U.S. Clubs See Growth in Membership, Revenues Data reported in IHRSA's 2007 Profiles of Success indicates that clubs have also recently improved upon membership retention: from 70% in 2005 to 73% in 2006. Simultaneously, participating IHRSA clubs raised total revenue per member by nearly 5.5% in 2006, to $741.80. The typical club surveyed in regards to non-dues revenue reported generating 32% of total revenues from internal profit centers. Additional results found that clubs' steady improvements in 2006 in revenue growth (5.4% over 2005) and membership growth (4.2% over 2005) contributed to an overall improvement in productivity and profitability. Specifically, the average respondent reported a 6.6% increase in revenue per square foot (to $53.50), while club profitability for the entire sample improved by better than three percentage points to 11.3% (pre-tax earnings as a percentage of revenues) in 2006. "These observations reflect clubs’ ability to control costs while generating overall growth," said Katie Rollauer, IHRSA's Senior Manager of Research. Company Profile: Planet Fitness Based in Dover, New Hampshire, and founded in 1992, Planet Fitness, the "Judgement Free Zone," is one of the leading franchisors of fitness centers in the United States. Planet Fitness has become one of the fitness industry’s low price/high value leaders and has mastered the art of the "simple operating model." The Planet Fitness model removes all unnecessary expenditures, which allows the owner to focus all of his or her energy on simply serving the members. There are no high-pressure sales; the atmosphere sells itself. Cleanliness and friendliness are the top priorities. Each membership provides a great value for the fitness consumer’s dollar. The company prides itself on providing a respectful, "judgment free zone" environment where everyone can feel accepted and respected regardless of health and fitness levels. Planet Fitness currently has 240 franchise locations and company-owned gyms in 29 states and continues to grow at a rapid pace. Save 25% in IHRSA Store Through June Spring has sprung at IHRSA’s online store – and all IHRSA items are 25% off from now until the end of June! Sale items of special interest to Club Business for Entrepreneurs readers include: IHRSA's 2007 Guide to Membership Retention: Industry Lessons on What – and What Not – to Do New in this second edition: a thought-provoking introduction by former IHRSA executive director John McCarthy, the latest industry statistics, and four real-life case studies of IHRSA clubs with successful retention programs. Mastering Health Club Management Managing a successful health club requires a mosaic of skills. A key part of becoming an exceptional manager is being receptive to new ideas; filtering out those ideas that are not quite right for your business, while enthusiastically embracing those that will enhance the club experience for members and staff. Often, valuable insights do not filter into the public domain and so are lost to managers seeking ways of making their club flourish. So, for the first time, 13 leading sector specialists share their experience in one unique book. Open any chapter to gain invaluable insights into: market positioning, member profiling, team building, innovating, club finance, leading teams, managing a crisis and much more. Buy individual chapters or the entire publication! IHRSA's Financial Management Tool For the first time you can now get the professional edge you need with the industry's most powerful and affordable management tool. This exclusively designed, easy-to-use system provides you with the strategic information needed to take your club to the next level. You'll gain a competitive advantage with sophisticated financial planning that will help increase profits and improve cash flow. Visit www.ihrsastore.com and type springsale as the coupon code during checkout to receive your discount. |
