As published in Club Solutions' Supplier Voice! 

Engaging The “Back-Row” Member

Most group fitness instructors with full classes do a fantastic job of delivering great motivational and technical cues, while infusing a “fun-factor” into their class experience.  The place where so many fall short is in their efforts to really connect with the "back row" members.  “Back-row” members are typically in the back row for a reason. For many, it’s their first time participating or they feel self-conscious about working out in front of other people. They often arrive right on time or a little late and sneak out early if they can manage to do so discreetly. Many of them have made continuous, but inconsistent attempts to sustain a pattern of healthy habits.  They are willing to invest some time in exercise, but need personal support and direction on how to use this time wisely. A group fitness instructor can make or break a member’s experience, which is why it is so vital that the instructor engage the first-time and “back-row” members to create an environment that will encourage them to come back.

Engaging a “back row" member can be quite simple if the right steps are taken.  Here's five helpful tips to maximize their experience.

1. Acknowledge them, but don't single them out.

Don't make the mistake of asking new members to raise their hands.  Most of these members enter a class feeling a little insecure. An instructor's job is to make them feel welcome and comfortable.  Approach them with a smile, introduce yourself, and a give them a few helpful tips.

2.  Make eye contact.

It's crucial to let these members know you haven't forgotten about them as the class progresses.  An easy way to do this is to make   eye contact with them a few times throughout the class.  This will motivate them to push themselves and remind them that you care about           their experience.

3.  Cater to these members with helpful cues.

Cue in a way that specifically helps them and still speaks to your regular attendees.  The more clear and concise the instructor is, the better the member's performance and overall experience will be.

               

4.  Remind them that practice makes perfect, or at least progress.

Many "back row" members have tried a variety of classes without knowing that it's important to take a new class at least three times to judge whether the class is right for them and can help them achieve their fitness goals.  As an instructor, it's your job to inform them and get them to return.

5.  Always invite them back!

Let new class members know that you would love to hear their feedback and you are happy to answer any questions they may have.  Finally, thank them for trying your class and show your gratitude by asking them to return.

Instructors can be the difference-maker between a “back-row” member giving up, or becoming an engaged fan for life. Share these simple and subtle tips with your instructors and give them tools to create an environment that not only attracts newcomers, but keeps them coming back!

At Fitness On Request, we're trying to walk the walk as much as we talk the talk. So in June, our employees are participating in a month long SQUATATHON, designed to get our buns and thighs in killer shape by mid-bathing suit season. Join us in our mission to get from 50 to 250 squats in June!! 

Does your facility have the "X Factor"? Check out Club Solutions April Editorial about video based groupX!

Ironman Triathletes Train With Health Club Technology 

Group fitness classes at Bodyworks Fitness in Parksville, British Columbia are in high demand. Like many fitness centers, their goal with group fitness is to attract members and keep current members better engaged. The difference, however, between what most clubs offer and what club owner Dale Nagra offers, is significant. 

In January of 2012 Dale made the decision to add the amenity that would change the way his club operated. Fitness On Request is a comprehensive, video-based group fitness platform that allows Dale to offer classes all day, every day in his facility – and it’s costing him less than 50 cents per class! On a touch-screen kiosk users browse through dozens of classes, select the class that interest them, and within minutes watch it begin in front of them on a massive HD screen. The system allows Dale to increase offerings for his members and simplify the management process, all while saving money – a win-win for Dale, his members, and his bottom line.  “We used to have to increase our membership prices to cover the costs of group fitness. Fitness On Request is affordable enough that we can keep our prices low and still offer MORE to our members. We’re definitely increasing sales because of it. It impresses people a lot.”  

Judy Richardson, Jackie Allen & Kim Williamson

At Dale’s facility, his members are taking approximately 300 classes per month! Among his active members is Jackie Allen, who, along with two partners Judy Richardson and Kim Williamson,  is currently training for her first Ironman Triathlon. These women have been using Fitness On Request to train for their competition by taking classes together and individually. “These classes are a great option for us. We usually take the 50 minute cycle classes together because we need to build our endurance and we need a tough workout,” Jackie says. “By the time I finish one of those classes, I’m drenched! It’s a really great workout.”


Jackie has been an athlete her entire life and is always looking for solutions to her fitness routine. “Besides just training for the Ironman, I was really interested in the Fitness On Request programming because there is so much variety.” Jackie participates in wide variety of class genres including yoga/Pilates, strength and conditioning, cycle and more. “Normally I’d wonder how I would have time to do all of these activities, but with this program, I have all of those options right in one spot and I can do it whenever I have time available.” 

Dale Nagra, Bodyworks Fitness Owner 

The flexibility and convenience of Fitness On Request is a critical piece for Jackie’s schedule. “I like that there are different class lengths. If I come in on my lunch hour I may only have time for a 20 or 35 minute class, but then on the weekends or at night I can take a longer class.”  She goes on to admit, “Sometimes when I work out, I don’t want to have to think. But if I can just go to the gym and press a button and have an instructor tell me exactly what to do...it’s great. I’m constantly telling people what a great tool Fitness On Request is. I just love it!” 

The benefits of Fitness On Request come full circle in Dales club as it benefits his bottom line, the value offer for his members, and even the relationship he has with his members. “Throughout the 11 years that my club has been in business, I’ve never had as much positive feedback or as many “thank-you”s from my members as I get because of Fitness On Request. We’ve had such awesome feedback from them. It’s definitely been worth it for us.” 

My Members Take 400 Classes Per Month

In Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, a group of enthusiastic employees are finding out what high member involvement in their health club really feels like. The club installed Fitness On Request to increase the availability and convenience of their group fitness program, but hardly anticipated the incredible member response.

Fitness On Request is, like many of their amenities, free for members to use. But Marklyn Behling and fellow employees saw it as a huge opportunity to leverage and create an experience that differentiates them as a fitness facility. They installed Fitness On Request in January of 2012 and in three months following the installation they saw that group fitness classes were played over 1200 times, averaging to be about 415 class plays per month! With unlimited class plays available on their kiosk, they can offer this many classes and more, without worry of increased expenses.

This extreme level of involvement didn’t happen by accident. Marklyn and fellow employees worked hard to spread the word about their system, both throughout the community and in their facility. They make sure to show the system at the beginning of every tour as well as at the end. “Double exposure puts it back into their minds as the tour is ending.” Marklyn is confident in her sales pitch promising people, “This is a feature you will absolutely love.” And they do.

Marklyn and her team understand that group fitness can be intimidating for some, and insecurity can prevent people from taking a class. “Most people worry they are being watched while they exercise,” Marklyn says. “Fitness On Request is a way for them to do the classes while feeling comfortable.” Word spread naturally for them, and sales increased with it. “Word of mouth and referrals are big for us,” Marklyn says, “Roughly 1-2 out of 10 will join because of Fitness On Request”

Marklyn and her co-workers are a testament to the power behind proper leverage of a tool like Fitness On Request and the effect it can have on the bottom line. “Being able to do whatever class you choose, whenever you want, is huge!” she says. “People flock to that room. They are instantly comfortable with the system, and it’s way for them to gain confidence before trying other things. I love it, and I can’t imagine our club without it.”

How I Added 300 New Memberships Per Club

Andy Gundlach, owner of over 15 health clubs in the Wisconsin area, entered 2010 with a unique strategy.  Knowing the value of differentiation in his competitive market, he made plans to retrofit eighty percent of his clubs with Fitness On Request, the market leader and innovator in flexible group fitness software.

Andy knew that at the 3 year point of a club’s maturity, a large chunk of memberships fall off.  “We installed Fitness On Request in most of our clubs in late 2010 and early 2011 in order to offer something new and different.  Combining the new attribute with a marketing effort, we were able to average about 300 new members per club!” 

Focusing his energy on adding the new systems and doing little else to his clubs, Andy attributes almost all of his recent club growth and success to his newest amenity, Fitness On Request. He has now installed a system in 13 of his 16 total clubs and has plans to purchase another soon.

In May 2012 Andy, along with hundreds of other Fitness On Request customers, received a brand new (and exclusive) series of classes, produced by Elements Group Fitness. Elements classes are the culmination of years of collaboration with the some of the most respected professionals in the fitness industry. Produced by Fitness Hall of Fame member, Linda Shelton, Elements classes are results-driven and interactive - an exciting upgrade for all Fitness On Request customers.

Last year Andy proudly accepted the “Owner of the Year” award within his franchise corporation, as well as his true prize that comes from a thriving business and happy customers.

Our blog has moved!

To keep all our old stories accessible, we boxed them up and brought them along. They will all appear under July's blog posts (we thought you could handle a few mismarked dates). Enjoy this blog to read about real businesses and real people just like you who are learning how to make fitness convenient, and business profitable. From weight loss to revenue gains , we hope you enjoy these stories as much as we enjoy telling them.

Shocking Weight Loss from Health Club Technology

In January 2009, Nick Guidry looked in the mirror and didn’t like what he saw. It was over the next year that he lost an astonishing 73 pounds. Though consistent workouts and healthy eating are commonly considered “the old fashioned way,” the tools Nick used were anything but old fashioned. He attributes much of his success to a dedicated commitment to his health clubs latest feature: Fitness On Request. On January 5, 2009 Nick weighed in at 232 pounds, and by December 5, 2009 the scale had dropped to 159 – cutting his total weight by almost a third.

The Beginning of Change
His story starts before the weight loss journey as Nick was an active LPN/EMT in the United States Army serving overseas in Afghanistan.  Knowing what being in shape felt like, Nick was able to quickly detect what being out of shape felt like. It was months after his return from overseas when Nick came face to face with his weight gain. “I saw a picture of myself and I wondered what happened.”

Why Fitness On Request
He wanted to learn, wanted to be challenged, and tried every kind of workout he could find. He used multiple extreme home workouts and professional DVDs. “I’ve done them all,” Nick quotes. But after trying so many programs, Nick was asked why Fitness On Request caught his attention and got him hooked. “It wasn’t in my living room,” he responded. “It gets me away from my house and into the gym.” Nick has been using Fitness On Request 2-3 times a week since January 2009.  He compares some of the advanced level classes to “the same intensity and tempo as an actual boot camp”.

Convenience That Made A Difference
As a nursing student, Nick needed a routine that could match his unusual schedule. Fitness On Request provided a solution of flexibility and availability. “I have school at night, so now I can go in any time during the day and take a class.  I like the convenience of being able to take a variety of classes whenever I want to and it accommodates my schedule.” He usually takes a class either by himself or with a small group of others depending on what time of day he’s at the gym.

Nick’s dedication to Fitness On Request proved worthwhile. He lost 8 inches around his waist, dropped his cholesterol by over 100 points, and lowered his blood pressure from 150/90 to 118/60. “Fitness on Request has helped me maintain my weight and improve my health.” The convenience of the system and the professional accountability is provided, gave Nick the extra push to staying consistent. It’s no wonder he got amazing results.

Health Club Welcomes Growth Despite Great Competition

Monte Pearce, owner of Anytime Fitness in Nixa Missouri needed a competitive edge. In a town of about 16,000 people and a total of 8 fitness centers for locals to choose from, Nixa’s market for fitness is oversaturated to say the least. Anytime Fitness knew the importance of standing out from the crowd and creating a fitness center that draws members in.

How It Was Marketed
Monte was able to use Fitness On Request both as a value increase in his club and an incentive for new member sign ups. He ran an advertisement in the city paper announcing a ribbon cutting for Fitness On Request and the changes taking place at their club. He announced that membership prices would be increasing, but not for another week, encouraging people to sign up quick! The current price would be locked in for existing members and those that signed up within the week. There was no additional charge for use of the system. They made t-shirts and promotional items to give out as prizes for trying a class or answering a “question of the day”. With Fitness On Request he was able to increase membership prices, while still creating urgency for new member sign ups.

The Bottom Line
Besides offering something flashy and exciting, Monte and his team knew they needed something that would influence the bottom line. “What Fitness On Request brought to our club was a great retention tool, and a great closing tool. Once we show [customers] the system and tell them there’s no facility in the area that offers something like it, it makes closing the sale a lot easier.”

Monte installed Fitness On Request this past summer, a “dead season” historically for them. As the cool fall months brought increased membership sign ups, Monte and his team did an analysis to measure how many of their recent sales were a direct results of installing Fitness On Request. They counted 48 members that had signed up solely because of the system – approximately 40% of total sign ups that period. “Those [48] are customers we don’t believe we’d have if it weren’t for Fitness On Request,” Monte mentions. These results were measured either by a customer visiting after hearing about the system, or staff understanding it to be the closing factor. “We’ve had many members get their friends to sign up so that they can take a class together,” he adds proudly.

Despite a competitive market, Monte Pearce found a solution to increase memberships for his gym and raise the bar for health clubs in Nixa, Missouri.

62 New Memberships in One Month!

Anytime Fitness: Lake Wylie, South Carolina
Linda Watkins of Anytime Fitness in Lake Wylie, South Carolina was thrilled to welcome 62 new members this August – a 32 member increase from last year’s numbers. Fitness On Request was able to play a large role in this as they successfully promoted the system throughout town!

How Did They Do It?
“Promotion was key,” Owner Linda Watkins tells us. Similar to clubs in the past, Anytime Fitness in Lake Wylie hosted a party to promote their newest system. They had food, barbeque, beer, and even prizes including tickets to Carolina Panthers football games. Approximately 200 people attended the party!

Linda promoted the party using advertisements and photos in the local newspaper. While this was the main form of advertisement, word of mouth played an important role as members and employees spread the word about the upcoming party.

Why The Demand for Fitness On Request
Club owners frequently had customers coming in asking about group fitness classes. Prior to Fitness On Request, no classes were offered. Owners liked the idea but initially didn’t have the space and didn’t want to deal with the issues that are incorporated with staffing live instructors. As they realized the demand for group fitness they decided to pursue an option that would work for their club.
Clients are using the system in groups, and often times just one or two people will take a class at all hours of the day and night.

How Fitness On Request Helps Generate Revenue
At the Lake Wylie location, Anytime Fitness members are not charged for their use of Fitness On Request. Owners use it as both a retention tool and a leverage point to close sales and add an extra “wow” factor to the benefits of their club. “Fitness On Request helps us close sales. Clients are impressed by the system,” says owner Linda Watkins, “I have nothing but positive things to say.”

60 New Memberships In Two Days

Anytime Fitness: Steubenville, Ohio
Arieh Ordronneau, owner of Anytime Fitness in Steubenville, Ohio was happy to report a SIXTY member increase this October after a two day launch party of their newest feature: Fitness on Request.

60 members in two days? How?
It was this time last year that Arieh was opening his club, and in celebration of the club’s first anniversary, an in store party was held to promote Fitness On Request and discounted memberships. The sale took place from Wednesday to Thursday offering customers $2 membership signups, and the first month and key card free if they signed a one year contract.

Why Fitness On Request?
Arieh was initially hesitant to invest in Fitness On Request for his club, but in his words, “the response has been fantastic. People like the 24-hour availability and having new equipment available. Fitness on Request forces people to push a little more than they usually do."

Working FOR into the Sale
During the party Arieh took prospects on a tour of his facility. At the beginning of the tour Arieh led customers into the group exercise studio and provided a demonstration of Fitness On Request by beginning a class. At the end of the tour prospects were able to return to the room and by this time see a class in action. Arieh estimates that close to 75% percent of his sales were influenced by FOR and “almost everyone was thoroughly impressed (especially when the screen came down).”

How much did it cost?
His party idea and FOR system caught the eye of the front page of Sunday’s paper after an interview he had arranged with the local paper. He then had a flyer insert in the Monday paper promoting the sale as well as sending out promotional e-mails. The total money spent on marketing was $800 for an insert in papers to 10,000 homes. Between the three marketing efforts, most prospects mentioned the article in Sunday’s paper.

Arieh’s only regrets? In his opinion, bigger would have been better. Next year’s party in Steubenville might be a festival with food, balloons, and more.

Closing Memberships "On The Spot"

Alex LaVellee and Joe Penrose are partners in the Anytime Fitness location in Richmond, Rhode Island. Alex and Joe saw their purchase of Fitness On Request as a way to generate member interest and differentiate from their competition. These were their primary goals. They had little familiarity with Fitness On Request, and primarily word of mouth recommendations, but they saw the potential and decided to embrace the concept.


Once they started using Fitness On Request they found after a few months that their closing rates were increasing. Before they installed it closing rates had been in a steady decline for months. The trend immediately reversed and actually increased substantially in just a couple of short months.
They also found that their members were willing to pay an extra $10 for the Security Key Access Fee to have Fitness On Request in their club. The immediately increased their key access fee by $10. They now charge $49.97.


Promotion — Start Out With a Bang
First, they led with a promotional campaign to coincide with the launch of Fitness On Request. They created a promotion of a “Free 7-Day Trial Membership” that got new people in the door, people who wanted to be part of a health club. Fitness On Request acted as a tie-breaker between any other club and theirs. Sign up rates began to increase.


Integrating Fitness On Request into their “Club Tour for New Members” —Adding the WOW Factor
Taking the members on the tour of the club now ends with Fitness On Request. While the prospect sees and hears many of the Anytime Fitness advantages during the tour, Fitness On Request puts them over the top. “Fitness On Request enables us to close prospective members on the spot”, said Alex LaVallee. “It removes the need to wait and decide or compare, because no other club in the 24/7 market has classes available whenever you want them. When they see the system and we tell them it comes with their membership, they ask us where they can sign. It IS the membership ‘closer’.”


How You Manage the Classes Can Help Gain Interest
Alex and Joe build excitement about Fitness On Request in their own club by organizing several classes each day, during busy morning and afternoon times so that members could see FOR in use, get excited, and curious enough to try it for themselves. “The response has been incredible, we are so pleased with our decision to buy Fitness On Request that wedesigned it into our newest club opening in October. We are also getting ready to sign for our 3rd club, and we will besure to have it in that one too,” said Joe Penrose.


Ongoing Promotion — Never Stop Promoting
Alex and Joe have been working with Fitness On Request for over a year. They continue to promote the system to their members and prospective members to keep everyone engaged with the system and continue to make it an integral part of their club and a focal point of their new member tour.