POWERHOUSE BUSINESS
2013
JOURNAL
SUPERGEAR BECOME A PRO-SHOP SUPERHERO
THE SUCCESS OF THE SOUTHERN MECCA
GROUP FITNESS - EUROPA SUPER CUT THROUGH THE SHOW RECAP COMPETITION
CLEAN GYM EQUALS PROFITABLE GYM
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TABLEOFCONTENTS
Powerhouse Business Journal 2013
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30
41
Evolving To Increase Profit..............................................24 Show Case Facilty .............................................................30 COVER STORY: Become A Pro Superhero ..................36 The Sourthern Mecca ........................................................38 Les Mills: Group Ex...............................................................41 Stay In Touch With InTouch Follow up ........................53 2
Keeping Things Squeaky Clean .................................59
POWERHOUSE BUSINESS JOURNAL 2013
Europa Supershow Re-cap .............................................55
Making Marketing Memorable.......................................72
Serving Up Profits For Your Facility .............................63
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®
est. 1975
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Co-Founder: William Dabish Co-Founder: Norman Dabish CEO: Henry Dabish
Powerhouse Business Journal is a publication that is dedicated to the owners, and staff members of all Global Powerhouse Gym locations. Powerhouse Business Journal PRODUCTION Published By: Sesi Design Group Art Director: Joseph G. Sesi Editor-in-chiEf: Henry Dabish Managing EDITOR: Jeff Robinson
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Locations ……………………………………………….4 Preferred Vendors ………………………………..6
Copyright 2013, all rights reserved, PHG Business Journal. Reproduction in part of whole is prohibited without the express written permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed herein are the views of authors. We recommend those starting an exercise or sports regimen do so under the supervision of a medical professional. PHG Business Journal welcomes submissions: By submitting material to us, you warrant that use of the submitted manuscripts, photos or drawings by us will not infringe the copyrights of any third party and that the material may be published in print or online without any further permission. For more information email preferredvendor@powerhousegym.com.
Partner with Powerhouse: Powerhouse Gyms International offers a variety of options to best fit your business model and budget to reach our network of owners, staff and members. For more information email preferredvendor@PowerhouseGym.com
Supplement Vendor Program ……………..9 Dabish Report ………………………………………12 PHG News …………………………………………….16 Tech ………………………………………………………20 PHG Community………………………………….26 Pro Shop ………………………………………………36
POWERHOUSE GYMS INTERNATIONAL 355 South Old Woodward, Suite 150 Birmingham, MIchigan 48009 PHONE (248) 476-2888 Fax (248) 530-9816 info@powerhousegym.com www.powerhousegym.com
Branding …………………………………………….44 Customer Service………………………………..53 Gym Upkeep ……………………………………….64 Marketing …………………………………………….72
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LOCATIONS INTERNATIONAL Bahrian Manama LOCATIONS Bangladesh Bangladesh
Bhutan Bhutan
British West Indies
Grand Caymen Islands, BWI Grand Cayman Islands, BWI Express #1 Grand Cayman Islands, BWI Express #2
Canada Windsor
Chile
Barnechea Concepcion El Bosque Norte Huechuraba La Dehesa Mall Plaza Norte Mall Plaza Vespucio Penalolen Club Rancagua Santiago Vitacura
China
POWERHOUSE BUSINESS JOURNAL 2013
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Beijing Changzhou, Jiangsu Province Chengde, Hebei Province Chengdu, Sichuan Province Chongqing, China Cixi, Zhejiang Province Dalian, Liaoning Province Fuzhou, Fujian Province Hangzhou, Lvzhou, Zhejiang Province Hangzhou, Shuian, Zhejiang Province Kunming, Yunnan Province Ningbo, Zhejiang Province Pingxiang, Jiangxi Province Pu’er, Yunnan Province Tianjin, China Olympic Center Tianjin, Gold Medal Tianjin, Hedong Tianjin, Hospital Tianjin, Teda City Tianjin, Teda Shanghai Shenzhen, Fujian Province Suzhou, Xinghai, Jiangsu
China CONT’D
Suzhou, Jinshi, Jiangsu Suzhou, Jiangsu Xiamen, Fujian Province Xian, Shanxi Province Xiangfan, Hubei Province Zibo, Shandong Province
Europe
Lier, Belgium
Germany Pforzheim Stuttgart Wedel
India
Bombay Central, Mumbai Borivali, Mumbai Lower Parel, Mumbai Juhu, Mumbai Santacruz (West), Mumbai Vashi, Mumbai Vile Parle (East), Mumbai
MALDIVES Maldives
MAURITIUS Mauritius
NEPAL Nepal
Puerto Rico
Guaynabo, San Juan
QATAR Doha
Russia Federation
Ekaterinburg, Urals (Hohryakova Str.) Ekaterinburg, Urals (Serafimy Str.)
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka
Thailand Chiang Mai
United Kingdom Hyde, Cheshire
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands Christiansted
USA LOCATIONS
ALABAMA Albertville Huntsville ARKANSAS Fayetteville Little Rock CALIFORNIA Burbank Chatsworth Lancaster Placerville Redwood City San Jacinto Santa Rosa Torrance Yucaipa CONNECTICUT New Haven DELAWARE Seaford FLORIDA Daytona Beach Gainesville Jacksonville (Atlantic Beach) Jacksonville (Baymeadows) Jacksonville (Beaches) Jacksonville (Mandarin) Jacksonville (Merrill Road) Jacksonville (North Side)
Jacksonville (Orange
Dearborn
Plainsboro
Park)
Detroit Grand River
South Hackensack
Jacksonville (Parental
DeWitt
NEW YORK
Home Rd)
East Lansing
Bayside
Jacksonville (San Jose)
Farmington Hills
Bronx
Jacksonville (St. Johns
Fenton
Center Moriches
Blu! )
Flint
Corona
Jacksonville (Westside)
Frasier
East Setauket
West Palm Beach
Gaylord
Long Island*
Pensacola
Grand Haven
Miller Place
Tampa
Highland Park
Rochester
Tampa Downtown
Jackson
Staten Island*
GEORGIA
Kalamazoo
Syosset
Brunswick
Lake Orion
Utica
Waycross
Lincoln Park
Yonkers
HAWAII
Madison Heights
OHIO
Aiea
Milford
Berea
Honolulu
Novi
Canton
Maui
Owosso
Elyria
INDIANA
Saline
North Olmstead
Kokomo
South Haven
Toledo
KENTUCKY
South Lyon
Twinsburg
London
Southfield
PENNSYLVANIA
Louisville
St. Clair Shores
Philadelphia
MARYLAND
Traverse City
SOUTH CAROLINA
Cambridge
Troy
Greenville
Ocean City
West Bloomfield
Hilton Head
Salisbury
Ypsilanti
TENNESSEE
MASSACHUSETTS
MISSOURI
Columbia
Auburn
Joplin
Dickson
Plymouth
NEVADA
TEXAS
Webster
Elko
Lake Jackson
MICHIGAN
NEW JERSEY
Port Neches
Adrian
Bloomfield
Witchita Falls
Birmingham
Hamilton
VIRGINIA
Brownstown
Hillsborough
Shenandoah
Chesterfield
Linden
Stephens City
Clinton Twp
Marlboro
Woodbridge
W W W. P O W E R H O U S E G Y M . C O M
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PREFERRED VENDORS
POWERHOUSE GYM PREFERRED VENDORS As a Powerhouse Gym Owner you get buying power! Powerhouse Gyms International has negotiated exclusive discounts and pricing structures with the leading companies in the industry…our Preferred Vendors. The following are companies that have gone through a stringent product approval process and have been invited to participate as Preferred Vendors and recommended suppliers for Powerhouse Gyms. Each company is committed to providing top quality products, superior customer service and special Powerhouse-only pricing. It is to your benefit to allow all Preferred Vendors a presentation opportunity in order to obtain a complete understanding of what the industry has to offer. 1. You get a great price (savings from 10 to 25% on equipment and prices below wholesale list on various supplements) with fast, efficient delivery. This alone can cover the cost of your first few years of license fees. 2. You get service. Tell them that you are a Powerhouse Gym Owner and they will know how to take care of you If there is ever a problem you know the manufacturer will get it taken care of fast because there is strength in numbers and as a Powerhouse Gym Owner, you are part of that strength. 3. You get quality. Since Powerhouse Gyms are known for being state-of-the-art training facilities, we are very particular about the equipment and products that are included in our gyms. Powerhouse Gyms International Website, Email: Newsletter & Social Media Powerhouse Gym Website and Email: jrobinson@powerhousegym.com Powerhouse Gym Social Media socialmedia@powerhousegym.com Powerhouse Gym Sportswear, Merchandising and promotional Items Office Depot - Promo Items Mark Bratto Phone: 586-746-7691 Email: Mark.Bratto@officedepot.com Powerhouse Gym Licensed Apparel Krystal Dabish Phone: 248-530-3623 Email: krystal@powerhousegym.com
POWERHOUSE BUSINESS JOURNAL 2013
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Weight and Cardiovascular Training Equipment Free Motion Fitness Mike Hibner Phone: 866-833-5622 Email: mhibner@freemotionfitness.com Life Fitness/Hammer Strength David Young Phone: 800-543-3880 Email: david.young@lifefitness.com Matrix Fitness Andy Richters Phone: 949-212-3322 Email: andy.richters@matrixfitness.com Precor Ray Quivey Phone: 317-691-4446 Email: quivey@precor.com
UMAX Steve Gelbond Phone: 916-276-1840 Email: sgelbond@umaxstrength.com Specialty Training Equipment Ab Coaster Sean Gagnon Phone: 908-879-2713 Email: sean@abcoaster.com
Insurance American Specialty Health Phone: 619-557-2235 Korotkin Insurance Group Matt Warsh Phone: 248-352-5140 Email: mattw@korotkin.com Janitorial, Cleaning & Maintenance
FitWall Doug Brendall Phone: 307-638-4046 Email: doug@brendleusa.com
Cintas Lisa Luttrell Phone: 513-701-2011 Email: luttrellL@cintas.com
Vertimax Al Marez Phone:800-699-5867 ext. 114 Email: al@vertimax.com
Jani-King Andrew Espitia Phone: 972-991-0900 Email: aespitia@janiking.com
Exterior & Interior Signage and Branding
Gym Management Software, Billing, Collections & Merchant Services
FatHead Towbey Kassa Phone: 313-373-6067 Email: towbeykassa@fathead.com
ABC Financial Lisa Conyers Phone: 800-622-6290 Email: Info@abcfinancial.com
Image Works Jim Neil Phone: 775-351-1700 Email: Jim@imageworks4signs.com
First Credit Services - Collections Paul Errigo Phone: 732-726-5690 Email: perrigo@firstcreditonline.com
Office Depot Mark Bratto Phone: 586-746-7691 Email: Mark.Bratto@officedepot.com
Twin Oaks Software Carole Oat Phone: 860-829-6000 x 281 Email: coat@tosd.com
Sesi Design Group Joseph Sesi Phone: 248-594-7800 Email: joe@sesideisgn.com
Nutritional Products & Supplements
Juice Bar
Architecture / Designs
Europa Justin Weeks Phone: 800-447-4795 Email: justinweeks@europasports.com
City Blends Stephanie Suddarth Phone: 877-525-3637 x 201 Email: Stephanie@cityblends.com
Hubert Fixtures Betsy Henkel Phone: 800-543-7374 Email: bhenkel@hubert.com
NOW Foods John Urban Phone: 800-999-8069 Email: john.urban@nowfoods.com
Power Blendz Chris Hack Phone: 866-455-0024 Email: Chris.Hack@schwartzlabs.com
Optimal Design Systems International Bruce Carter Phone: 954-385-9963 Email: bruce@optimaldsi.com
Sports Drinks & Cooler Drinks
Group Exercise and Training Acesories
Education/Information
Europa Justin Weeks Phone: 800-447-4795 Email: justinweeks@europasports.com
Biospace Daniel Park Phone: 323-932-6503 Email: daniel@biospaceamerica.com
Club Industry Mark Betz Phone: 203-358-3713 Web: www.clubindustryshow.com
Pepsi-Cola Company/Aquafina Janel Loose Phone: 989-213-5147 Email: janel.loose-pickens@pepsico.com
Les Mills International Julie Riker Phone: 949-349-9168 Email: julie@lesmills.com
IHRSA Merideth Poppler Phone: 800-228-4772 Web:: www.ihrsa.org
External Marketing & Advertising; Direct Mail / Email:
Polar Electro Inc Jesse Harper Phone: 800-841-8333 Email: jesse.harper@polarusa.com
Valassis Thomas Storch Phone: 734-957-0336 Email: storcht@valassis.com Constant Contact Elliot Grossman Phone: 781-482-7090 Email: egrossman@constantcontact.com Internal Marketing Promotions & Advertising ClubCom/Powerhouse TV Kelly Truman Phone: 1-866-CLUB-ADS Email: kellytruman@clubcom.com TAC On Hold Systems Vince Koegle Phone: 800-613-3197 Email: vince@taconhold.com Textmunications Nick Miniello Phone: 925-777-2111 Email: nick@textmunications.com InTouch Follow Up Erin Dalzell Phone: 360-450-3746 Email: edalzell@intouchfollowup.com
SPRI Dean Young Phone: 847-968-7925 Email: dean.young@spri.com Schiek Mark Troudt Phone: 920-426-2676 Email: mark@schiek.com Office Supplies / Print and Documents
National Academy of Sports Medicine(NASM) Angelique Collins Phone: 800-460-6276 Email: angelique@nasm.org American Council on Exercise (ACE) Robby Boyd Phone: 858-576-6524 Email: Robby.Boyd@acefitness.org SAUNA Sunlighten Brooke Basaldua Phone: 877-292-0200 Email: bbasaldua@sunlighten.com
Office Depot Theresa Samonie Phone: 248-277-4055 Email: Theresa.samonie@officedepot.com Payroll Processing & Human Resources ADP Brenda Baldner Phone: 313-845-6999 Email: Brenda_Baldner@adp.com Audio / Visual Supreme Audio, Inc. Bill Hymen Phone: 800-445-7398 Email: bill@supremeaudio.com
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Flooring Centaur John Donati Phone: 800-536-9007 Email: john@centaurfloors.com
If you have any questions regarding the Preferred Vendor Program, please contact (248) 476-2888 ext.114. To reach by email, preferredvendor@powerhousegym.com. W W W. P O W E R H O U S E G Y M . C O M
Show your members how big our family is!
Order the PHG Location Poster and Travel Member Cards Today. Contact:
Jeff Robinson
(248) 476-2888 ext.114 jrobinson@powerhousegym.com
®
ER
TRAVEL MEMB
TO: T YOU LOG ON TION NEARES M O FOR THE LOCA C . M Y EG
W W W. P O W E
RHOUS
_____ ____________ ____________ ____________ NAME: _________ _______ ____________ ____________ ____________ MEMBER #: ___ _____ ____________ ____________ ____________ ___ ___ : ES PIR EX ____ ____________ ____________ GYM OF: ______ POWERHOUSE _____ ____________ ____________ : ____________ to permit , Licensee agrees AUTHORIZED BY Gym® membership
Facility T pired Powerhouse of the state where the ROCITY AGREEMEN ce of a current, non-ex who resides outside to MEMBERSHIP RECIP card or other eviden . Licensee also agrees of a Powerhouse Gym® of a valid membership days, to any member same state as the Facility Upon presentation who resides within the . to seven (7) consecutive on privileges, for up accompanying guests a Powerhouse Gym® of any er to as memb well any as to complimentary visitati ee fee ate personnel of Licens a 50% discounted daily corpor all to n, duratio is located and extend of any visitation privileges, permit complimentary
®
© 2011 Powerhouse
Gyms International.
All rights reserved.
This program aims to please both yourselves and your members. As a Powerhouse Gym Owner you will receive the best pricing, services, education, and guaranteed sales which include a 90 day product return policy. If any product(s) for whatever reason do not sell in 90 days, you are able to return the product(s) and Europa will distribute back to you the best possible product(s) that suit your club and its clientele. The supplement companies that are a part of this program will have ability to give Powerhouse Gym locations special promotions such as free samples & giveaways, raffle events, education on their product line, and more. Creating exciting events helps your members know that “they are not just a number” and displays your loyalty and commitment to their health and wellness. As a part of the Powerhouse Gym Family, we humbly request that your club supports the supplement companies that are listed below, above all others. These companies have chosen to support our Powerhouse Gym family over all competitive fitness chains granting us the ability to go above and beyond our competitors promotional and advertising programs. Supplement Vendors & Our Friends:
• • • • •
ABB Athletic Edge Nutrition Cellucor Cytosport Gamma Labs
• • • • •
Gaspari Nutrition Grenade Kay’s Naturals Metabolic Nutrition Muscle Tech
• • • • •
Powder Kegs Rebootizer RSP Nutrition Top Secret Nutrition VPX
IMPORTANTANNOUCEMENT
I would like to formally announce to you and your staff Powerhouse Gym’s brand new Supplement Alliance Program. This past 2012 year, Co-Founder of Europa Sports Distribution and former Powerhouse Gym Owner Eric Hillman, and myself have united together to create an extremely unique partnership program targeting select supplement companies that can aggressively support our gyms.
The supplement companies listed above have aided to help make it possible for Powerhouse Gyms International to ensure the largest presence at this year’s Mr. Olympia Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada. Their support has allowed us the following: $50k Sponsorship at the 2013 Olympia, $60k for a 20x40 interactive island booth located in front of the main expo entrance, right next to the Joe Weider Publications booth, a 30 second loop commercial during the Olympia Competitions, a gift certificate for you, courtesy of Europa Sports and Powerhouse Gyms International, toward any supplement company that is a part of the Supplement Alliance Program. We look forward in seeing you Thursday, September 26th 2013 at the Powerhouse Gym’s Annual Convention along with this year’s 2013 Olympia Expo in Las Vegas. You will all receive a pass for the Olympia Expo held Friday the 27th and Saturday the 28th opening at 10 am. You deserve a vacation for all of your dedication, loyalty, and above all else the hard work spent throughout the year. Show your support and visit the Powerhouse Gym’s Interactive Booth at the main entrance at The Olympia Expo (booth #812). Thank you in advance for your cooperation and support! Sincerely,
William K. Dabish William K. Dabish
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DABISHREPORT POWERHOUSE BUSINESS JOURNAL 2013
12
T
he original Powerhouse Gym location was founded in 1975 by William and Norman Dabish. It continues to thrive after 38+ years in operation and was the beginning of one of the largest and well respected health club organizations in the world. The health club business is as popular as ever and Powerhouse Gym is still riding that wave. Today, Powerhouse Gym has 300+ licensees in 39 states and 20 countries. As a brand we continue to adapt, change and grow to meet our customers fitness needs. Powerhouse Gym has recently launched its newest club “POWERHOUSE FX”, which caters to the semi private functional training clientele. The clubs are about 3,000 sq. ft. and feature the latest training stations covering areas such as kettle bells, wild ropes, pull up stations all rolled into an intense workout. Recent exposure at the Mr. Olympia, Europa Expos and Flex Magazine have received great reviews and responses from our customers and gym owners alike. Millions of dollars are spent every year marketing and advertising the Powerhouse Gym brand. Various forms of media are used from direct mail, television, radio and billboards to endorsements by professional athletes and celebrities. Recently, Powerhouse Gym has received national exposure on television shows such as ABC’s “Extreme Makeover”, ESPN, and NFL Network. Powerhouse will remain committed to finding different avenues in which to better promote the Powerhouse brand. National ad campaigns with Muscle & Fitness and Flex Magazines have tied in with additional opportunities for grand openings, such as month-end membership promotions designed to bring additional foot traffic to our facilities. The marketing, brand recognition, support and guidance from Powerhouse Gyms International are all important; however, the most important tool is the experience of others. One of the primary benefits of being associated with the Powerhouse Gym organization is the ability to network with your fellow owners as well as with our corporate office. We encourage you to reach out and share ideas and information with one another. Our Powerhouse Gym convention is one of the best events that we have to gather hundreds of owners from all walks of life to share ideas and their own personal experiences. In conclusion, I would like to welcome all of our new Powerhouse Gym owners and Preferred Vendors to the Powerhouse family and wish continued success to our existing locations. There have been many changes in the industry since the opening of the first Powerhouse Gym, yet we continue to adapt with the times and remain successful. As we continue to face challenges we are committed to overcoming them and remaining the most powerful brand in fitness. We look forward to strengthening our bonds with friends and business associates alike and look forward to celebrating our 40 year anniversary. Sincerely,
Henry W. Dabish CEO Powerhouse Gyms International 248-476-2888 x 108 henry@powerhousegym.com
HENRY DABISH, CEO • POWERHOUSE GYM INTERNATIONAL
www.korotkin.com
We’re here to spot you. At Korotkin Insurance Group, we have been servicing the needs of our customers since 1913. With over 100 years of experience, it’s no wonder we have become the exclusive insurance vendor and trusted agent for Powerhouse Gyms International. As specialists in the health and fitness industry, we have access to the very best insurance programs strictly built to cover the needs of gym owners across the country.
Our staff of fifty will provide unmatched customer service in a way that is automated and virtually paperless. Our in-house claims department also sets us apart from our competitors by working handson as your liaison during a moment of crisis. We provide loss control services that include sample waivers, incident reporting materials and safety guides for every gym owner. We offer a full package policy for your club which includes workers’ compensation and professional liability to cover your personal trainers and group exercise instructors. Call today, and let us do the heavy lifting on all your insurance needs. PREFERRED INSURANCE VENDOR OF
Matt Warsh, CLCS (248) 350-5838 | mattw@korotkin.com
The discussions of opening Powerhouse Gym in Japan could not come at a better time as statistics from the Japan Productivity Center show that the number of joggers in Japan has risen by 12 percent, to 25 million, in the past year. The Tokyo Marathon, which allows a maximum of 32,000 runners, fielded more than 311,000 applicants in 2010, the largest number ever. It is no secret that Japan has always been a fitnessconscious nation since the beginning of recorded history, with rituals like morning calisthenics. People would be amazed to learn that “wellness” broadcasts are featured every morning and have been a mainstay at schools and factories since the early 1950s. The government remains very active ever since it instituted a national Health and Sports Day in 1966.
KON-NICHIWA (HELLO) POWERHOUSE JAPAN Before Co-Founders William and Norman Dabish created the brand Powerhouse Gym, they operated under the name of Warrior Martial Arts Supply. The two young brothers became one of the biggest retail sellers of martial arts and boxing supplies while just in their early teens. That was when they were introduced to the late honorable Sensei Brian Frost, where both brothers earned their black belts in the ancient Japanese art of Koei-Kan Karate. Now 37 years later, the Dabish family is working to bring the Powerhouse Brand to Japan, the land that helped teach them so much. Sensei Frost left America and served his apprenticeship under Master Onishi and studied in Japan as an Uchi Deshi (live-in disciple) at the Master’s home. He not only shared the art of Japanese karate with the young Dabish brothers, but also the art of Japanese living and keys to longevity. Every time you turn on the TV, the media is busy telling us how the world is getting fat -- but Japan is now committed to staying fit! A March 2010 survey of 3,000 Japanese adults found that 45 percent of respondents engage in some form of exercise. Walking was easily the most popular activity, being done at least once a month, with one or two days per week being most typical for about 22 percent. Surprisingly, 35 percent of respondents said that they exercise more today than they did 12 months ago.
INTERNATIONALNEWS
“When I received a phone call that expressed interest in bringing the Powerhouse Brand to Japan it meant so much to me personally. I was truly humbled because I know how much the Japanese teachings from our Sensei Frost were held so dearly and respected by my father and uncle and are a part of Powerhouse’s roots to this day,” said CEO Henry Dabish.
Just like Americans, people are aging all around the world and are turning to fitness for answers. An increased focus on health and well-being as the nation of Japan ages is a key factor in the rising popularity of sports that older citizens can take part in such as walking and jogging. Powerhouse hopes to take some ideas that have helped make a difference in America and share them with their new family in Japan, such as the 24-hour concept to accommodate the schedules of busy workers and help them arrange flexible workout routines and fitness activities. Fitness centers, running clubs, weight-loss centers and nutrition programs/centers are growing in number and popularity. Group exercise is taking off and personal training is becoming a very hot topic. There are also some unique forms of fitness that have evolved from some of the ancient ways of Japan’s combat history. Women, for example, have been flocking to a hot new aerobic activity in Tokyo known as Samurai Camp where they wield swords to shed pounds. Master Onisha’s teachers once served as the bodyguards to the Emperor of Japan. Who would have ever thought in 1975 when the Dabish brothers began to learn Japan’s ancient arts through Sensei Frost that there would be a fitness center located just steps away from the Imperial Palace?
With honor and respect, rest in peace
Sensei Brian Frost
September W W W.16, P O W E2009 RHOUSEGYM.COM
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PHGNEWS
Powerhouse gym novi featured on extreme makeover - weight loss edition
Former WWE champion Dave Batista won his MMA debut AT CES MMA. Former WWE champion Dave Batista made his MMA debut at CES MMA, facing veteran mixed martial artist (and 300 pounder) Vince Lucero in the night’s main event. It was a risky first fight for Batista, given the 40+ pro fights of Lucero. But Batista was able to score a first round TKO after a rocky start. Lucero caught him and hurt him very early and then pushed him back with a flurry of punches. Batista hung on while Lucero held him on the cage, landing some punches. He clipped him again seconds later and then caught him some more, but his punches had no real snap on them and Lucero did look to tire early on.
POWERHOUSE BUSINESS JOURNAL 2013
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welcome powerhouse gym washington twp, mi Owned by Chris Kakos, the current owner of Powerhouse Gym(s) Southfield, South Lyon and Saline. This Powerhouse Express Gym features top of the line strength and cardio equipment. Keep up the great work Chris!
The journey started at Powerhouse Gym Novi where the couple was put up to the task of burning a combined 7000 calories in order to qualify for the show. Chris Powell was tasked with helping Jason and Rachel save their marriage -- as well as lose weight -- on the episode of “Extreme Weight Loss.” The couple was on the brink of divorce, but they wanted to find a way to save their marriage, as well as lose weight, for the sake of their 5-year-old twins. The pair were a combined 350 lbs. overweight. Neither of them carried that weight when they got married 18 years ago, so it was symbolic of their struggles and the darker side of their fractured marriage. But the “Extreme Weight Loss” process isn’t an easy one, and at times it looked like this experience would only push them further apart. Jason struggled with self-doubt, not just about the workout but about holding his family together and even about his job. Chris helped talk him through the emotional struggles to get him back on track with his weight loss goals. As the pounds came off, the couple found new passion for one another. Jason even reproposed to his wife at the same place they originally got engaged: on top of the Empire State Building. Amazing transformation guys!
Welcome powerhouse gym New haven, ct
Welcome Powerhouse Gym Hamilton, NJ
Formerly a ‘Golds Gym’, The Super Gym (as it’s known to those local to the area) converted to a Powerhouse Gym in recent months.
Owned by Romeo Tendencia and Brad Spingarn. This 18,000 sq ft facility membership includes free areobics classes and free spin classes. Top of the line strength and cardio equipment, child care, one on one and group training available. 100% all natural smoothie bar also featured at the facility. Club catters to all levels of fitness.
Operated by brothers Darin, Jerry and Dino; This gym is the definition of what you would consider a hardcore facility. The equipment is older than many of its members, but maintained to allow for those looking for the hard-core feel of a location to feel at home. They’re the home of IFBB Pro Evan Centaponi as well as many others. The brothers are also the head of the NPC for the State of Connecticut. During the summers they open the garage doors to allow for the gym to get hot, the members can feel the heat while getting in a good workout. If you’re ever within a hours drive of this location, it’s a must try for any real gym-connoisseur.
Welcome Powerhouse Gym Standish & Rockford, MI Both locations owned by Glenn Bailey. He has been able to influence two smaller towns into the love of fitness. Cattering to all levels of fitness, also offering tanning, and personal training. Glenn comes from a Mixed Martial Arts background, so he offers a varity of defense and karate classes at his locations.
Welcome Powerhouse Gym Linden, NJ Owned by Maz Ali, The Powerhouse Gym in Linden took both sides of the spectrum into consideration when putting together their club. It has a family friendly atmosphere but it also apeals to the heavy lifters. Everything was beautifully put together from the layout of the equipment to the lockrooms. This is a very well designed facility that takes pride in providing the necessary things that your everyday person would need including group fitness classes and childcare. Keep up the great work guys! W W W. P O W E R H O U S E G Y M . C O M
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PHGNEWS Above: an overview of their pro shop and juice bar. below diamond plated cardio area with HDTV’s for viewing and mirrored group fitness studio.
POWERHOUSE GYM CANTON - Raising the bar By Staff There’s no question that when Chris Maggorri set out to open his Powerhouse Gym, he wanted it to stand out at first glance. Providing every different aspect of fitness that one could dream - all under one roof. Whether you’re a fan of strictly weight lifting, or a treadmill warrior, Powerhouse Gym Canton has you covered. Featuring both state of the art pieces of cardio and strength equipment, strategically placed to allow for maximum amount of machines as well as an enjoyable experiance for the member.
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You can’t forget about the large mirrored group fitness studios as well as the functional training areas. Everything is beautifully designed and maintained to attract anyone looking for a new fitness home. Fully equipped with extra large tires, speed training equipment, a batting cage, and kettlebells to name a few of the standout pieces of equipment you’ll find.
SOFTWARE | PAYMENT PROCESSING | MARKETING
WHY ARE MORE CLUBS CHOOSING ABC? ABC Financial’s DataTrak Software Updates are Automatic, Seamless and FREE. With ABC Financial’s cloud based club management software, you will never be required to upgrade or purchase a newer version of DataTrak. Our software updates are automatic and seamless. As an ABC Financial client, you will always operate on the most current version of DataTrak and never be charged an upgrade fee. Our DataTrak software averages more than 45 enhancements annually, all of which are developed to help you better operate your business, service your customers and increase profitability. Visit us at the Powerhouse Convention, Las Vegas, NV. We invite you to learn more about what ABC can do to improve your efficiency and profitability. Contact our sales team today at 1-800-551-9733 or visit us at abcfinancial.com Like us on
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SOFTWARE • PAYMENT PROCESSING • MARKETING ©2013 ABC Financial Services, Inc.
TECH
ABC Financial: Keeping Your Books Healthy Technology is moving faster and faster with each passing moment and it is very important that gym owners and staff stay in touch with what is happening, as this is a key ingredient in the recipe for a successful health club. You can trust ABC Financial, a leading software provider for the health and fitness industry. Launched in 1981, ABC Financial has revolutionized software and payment processing for the health and fitness industry with their DataTrak software. Powerhouse Gym owners are benefiting from the strides ABC continues to make as a company designed to help other companies grow. Known for their first-class customer service, ABC also continues to advance in producing user-friendly software. ABC Financial has become the choice of more than 3,700 health clubs throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. “Perhaps of all the great services ABC has to offer, the one I like most is the ability to up-load membership agreements and become a ‘paperless’ gym,” says Jeff Robinson, sales associate at Powerhouse Gym Novi. “It really helps when a phone call comes in or a member is at the front desk and they have a question about an annual maintenance fee, or, for example, they thought they had unlimited tanning. You
can just log in, pull up their name, and then pull up their orginal agreement from when they joined to solve the issue right there. You don’t realize it, but you can keep the flow of traffic moving because you do not have to take a message, dig through a file cabinet and then return the phone call.” When support is needed, ABC Financial continues to uphold their commitment to Powerhouse Gym owners to do their part to make sure that the gym is successful. After all, their success as a company depends on your success as owners. Because the strength of ABC Financial depends on the health of their relationships with customers, they provide top-shelf service at all levels. ABC Financial continues to deliver cutting-edge technology with one goal in mind – to maximize revenue throughout the clubs they serve. For the most advanced and up-todate club management software, comprehensive payment processing services, customized marketing programs and customer service that’s second to none, choose ABC Financial. Contact them at abcfinancial.com or (800) 551-9733 and let them show you why they are the industry leader in software technology. W W W. P O W E R H O U S E G Y M . C O M
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TECH
Analyze Each Aspect of the Sale for a Profitable 2014 By Staff
Sales drive profitability in any industry, and the fitness industry is no different. Whether you want to increase your membership core, personal training revenue, or any other profit center at your facility, improving sales is clearly a priority. Yet this is often approached incorrectly by focusing on the end result and not the actions it takes to get there. It is not enough to tell the team, “We need to sell a thousand memberships.” That doesn’t paint a picture of how the team can meet the goal, nor does it indicate where to look if the objective goal is not being met. On a basic level, sales of anything require you to track certain key metrics. The examples below use membership sales to illustrate the point, but the same interim steps must be tracked for personal training, swim lessons, merchandise sales, and any other club sales goal. •
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•
Leads Generated: A lead is simply a name and contact information; no needs analysis or sales presentation has been performed. Do you track how many new leads you get each month, where they come from, and which marketing efforts are bringing them in? Do you track what lead sources advance to the next step, becoming Quality Prospects? Tracking these is much easier if you have Contact Management Software. (Some fitness club management software includes CMS, or there are generic programs for sales tracking/reports.) Quality Prospects: Leads step up to a Quality Prospect with another active step toward joining your gym; for example visiting and touring your facility or clicking on the “join offers” section of your website. Some centers find success in motivating this next step by designing and maintaining a high-quality website. Do you track the ratio of lead conversions to Quality Prospects? Closing Percentage: Do you track the percentage of Quality Prospects who become members (closing percentage)? If your analysis shows a big gap between Quality Prospects and closing sales, it could be you’re not making it easy enough for interested prospects to join. Club management software can accept payments online and import member information directly into your club software, making a prospect nearly a click away from being a member. For those prospects who actually visit your club in person, the conversion attempt should be done by the team or individual most skilled at closing sales.
Careful analysis of each type of conversion rate gives you valuable insight into which lead generators, marketing efforts, conversion tools, and sales staff are working best for your club and lets you make experimental changes intelligently. Improve your staff’s skill set/effort in terms of contacting leads (calls, emails, referral attainment) if the leads aren’t turning to Quality Prospects. Train/retrain your sales staff or examine the price point of your offer if Quality Prospects aren’t turning into members. (A well-trained sales team should close more than 50 percent of Quality Prospects.) These strategies also apply to personal training, programming revenue, and retail sales. Leads for these revenue centers are all members and guests of the center. Quality Prospects are individuals who have expressed some definable interest in the product or service. Club management software can help you track this in fine detail, and the more details you examine, the more you will see — male/female ratio, age groups, zip codes, etc. — so many factors can affect your sales results. If you don’t know which aspect of the total sales process is broken, it is exceedingly difficult to fix it and optimize sales. If you take the time to track these numbers and then focus on the areas that need improvement, results will improve, guaranteed.
TECH
Bailey’s checking camera aka eye in the sky.
CCTV Systems Keep You Secure Health clubs and gyms are ideal candidates for video surveillance because of their continuous flow of members. At certain country clubs or exclusive gyms, perceived wealth of members can make them and their property, as well as club property, an easy target for thieves. A carefully installed video surveillance system can keep your members, staff and assets safe from theft, vandalism and violence. Video surveillance can also be substantial pool information in costly lawsuits caused by members. Benefits of Gym CCTV Systems: 1. 2. 3.
Prevent theft and vandalism. Protect members. Cameras, especially in parking lots, can protect the cars of your members and staff from break-ins. Improve image. Video surveillance systems, along with providing top-notch security, also give a good impression on potential members and can help assure current members that they are safe at your facility.
We at CCTV Monitoring provide low-cost surveillance solutions round the clock and provide a daily report of gym activities including members and staff. We also provide the daily working hours of staff. Â At our low cost, you can reduce the working hours of staff and save lots of money with the guaranteed round-the-clock security. In case of emergency, we reach out to local law enforcement/ambulance to get timely help. We provide a dedicated account manager who is available to resolve any issue 24/7. Our monitoring staff is highly trained and equipped. Please visit us at www.cctvmonitorings.com and ask for a free sample report.
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TECH
Evolving To Better product. Increase Profit
Better service. By Carole Oat National Sales Manager, Twin Oaks Software
been attributed to sending email blasts with specific offers The fierce competition in the health club industry grows to these people on a regular basis. Many clubs also track more intense. Many clubs are being forced to lower their their marketing demographics to determine the best dues and/or increase services to stay competitive. How use of advertising expenses. Another option is to send do you differentiate your fitness center from the rapidly professionally developed email blasts to all households expanding $10 per month chains/franchises? within a seven mile radius that have an average income over Let’s start with some of the obvious basics that have been a certain dollar value. It is important to have a software around for years. The club needs to be clean and the module that tracks the follow up on these leads as well as equipment maintained and working. The club employees close percentage for the sales staff. should be friendly and outgoing. The décor must be bright Reducing expenses is another way to increase the bottom and lively. Your business is to promote and improve wellline. The on-line joining module results in less membership being, socialization, and health. Retention and usage are • People time directed to the This redirects energy and effort paramount. Outstanding personal service by sale. our dedicated Team Members. towards positive affirmations to customers that increases We are seeing some unique and different business models. It retention. This requires a reformatting of the commission used to be that multiple layers of management• Product and staffing structure to prioritize versus the initial sale. were in place to service customers and run the business, Free, simple, secure state of the artretention Club Management Software. An on-line member dashboard also allows payments, protecting even the smallest dollar values. Many owners SOFTWARE BILLING informational changes, and health care reimbursement are now going to the- opposite extreme. They • Pricing are operating RETURNS MANAGEMENT forms to be made member fromand home. This is less with 24/7 remote access for most operating hoursTotal and only lowest cost provider with by thethe best products services. costly for the club; and eliminates a negative emotional staffing with a combined membership/front desk person experience for the member. from 3pm to 8pm. Membership is bought on-line or during Many clubs are sending email blasts to customers offering a those hours. This eliminates the traditional organizational free half hour fitness assessment if the member changes their model of a general manager, office manager, membership billing method from credit card to checking. This reduces sales representatives, and most of the front desk staff. merchant costs and provides an opportunity to sell personal The hundreds of thousands of dollars that are saved in training. A new trend is to limit some lower priced on-line compensation are deemed to more than offset the errors and memberships to only checking accounts for monthly billing. inefficiencies that occur as a result. The industry is evolving so rapidly. There are so many more Owners that decide the best solution is to run their business examples of owners increasing revenue or reducing expenses exceptionally well are adding many additional profit that aretoday. being used successfully every day. This is why it is streams and are using industry resources to develop means Start improving your results so important to be teamed up with a management software of increasing revenue/cutting expenses. Some of the biggest 1-866-278-6750 orprovides an industry experienced, dedicated company that revenue enhancements are related to on-lineCall memberships, account manager that can Proven highlight allresults. of the possibilities. personal training, and classesvisit and us per at visitHealthClubSoftware.com purchases. These The key as a business owner is to be presented with an are many times emotional decisions that need to be tied exhaustive list of successful new developments—and to into the customers feelings and state of mind. The ability to be showed the resulting pros and cons of implementation. make a spur of the moment buying decision eliminates many The bottom line is a business must evolve rapidly, and with people procrastinating or never taking action. intelligence; to stay ahead of the fierce competition in the Another significant way to increase membership is to fitness industry. document all prospects, former members, expiring members, and low usage members. Dramatic increases in sales have
Working on the areas that matter most.
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Community, Charity and Joplin Powerhouse Gym Special from the Staff of Joplin, MO Powerhouse Gym We wanted to share with all our fellow Powerhouse owners some of what we had to overcome after the devastating tornado in 2011, and also what we chose to do to help turn things around. Here are the main charity/foundations we have chosen to get involved in:
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Hope 4 You: A local breast cancer charity that keeps all monies raised local. This organization has a primary fundraiser each year, the Hope 4 You 5k run. This charity launched the same year we opened Powerhouse Joplin and we have become its largest supporter. Each year we have won awards at the race for largest team, money raised and top finishing places. Children’s Miracle Network: In 2011 we staged a “No Shave January” and raised more than $5,000 in one month. Powerhouse members and local businesses all pitched in to make this such an amazing success. Cable One Advtersing and Dr. Fly’s Salon were major contributors. Joplin R-8 Schools: As you know, Joplin was hit with one of the largest and deadliest tornadoes in recorded history last summer. One of the biggest losses was Joplin High School. One of the largest high schools in the state of Missouri, it
was completely leveled. Through a few of our members we heard that weightlifting/conditioning may be cancelled for all teams except football because of a lack of facilities. We reached out to the Athletic Director and came to an arrangement whereby all varsity athletes and non-athletes could use our facility for free. Many local businesses were taking advantage of the school district and charging high fees to rent areas to place students. We thought it was our duty to lead the way and give these kids a place to feel safe and teach them about lifelong health and fitness. Powerhouse Joplin donates all staff hours and facility fees for this project. Tornado relief: After the tornado, Powerhouse was the first facility to open up and provide free, hot showers to Joplin residents. We also made sure that all workers who came here to aid in relief efforts were given free/special memberships. Police, SWAT, EMT, fire fighters, National Guard and hospital staff from all over the United States came to Joplin to help and Powerhouse Joplin did our best to give these people a place to unwind and get a great workout. We still receive thank you emails, notes and calls from the men and women who temporarily made Joplin and Powerhouse home.
In Their Own Words “We would like to introduce everybody to Powerhouse Gym & Fitness, Joplin, Missouri. Many of you know Joplin as the city destroyed last summer by the deadliest tornado in U.S. history. But Joplin is so much more. It is a small town with wonderful people and that is why we opened Powerhouse Joplin. We felt reaching out to our community as soon as we opened was a great way to establish us as not only a great fitness club but also as an integral part of Joplin. “We know that as owners/GMs you probably get requests for charity donations every day. We think that choosing one or two and really driving your members to support them is the best way to help brand your club. This approach also allows you to make the biggest contributions to your chosen charity and make a bigger impact with the local media.
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“Don’t feel bad about doing press releases to make sure that everybody is aware of the good things you do for your communities. This will help bring in new members as well as build a sense of pride among current members leading to better retention. Charity is important in how you brand your club, but doing charity to help increase your club success is even better. Our motto is ‘results start when you do!’ This is true for our members and it is true for all owners!” Tatum and Jason Zurba Owners, Powerhouse Gym Joplin W W W. P O W E R H O U S E G Y M . C O M
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SHOWCASECLUB
All in the Family
Powerhouse makes a big impression By United PFR When co-founder William “Big Will” Dabish was recently asked why Powerhouse Gym never went “public,” followed the “Wall Street” business model or just cashed in his chips and rode off into the sunset with all the riches a man could dream of, he responded with a deep and powerful statement: “The Powerhouse soul is not for sale.” A leader can be measured by many marks. Two come to mind when “Big Will” is mentioned: a man true to his word and one who never gives up, no matter what adversity he may face.
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William Dabish is a pioneer in the fitness industry. He has touched countless souls during his journey through life and helped transform many lives through fitness. He has also helped to put food on the table for many families and provided them with a piece of the American Dream. At just 15 and 16 years of age, he and his late brother, Norman Dabish, grew Powerhouse Gym from its humble beginnings and developed it into a global brand. What many might not know is that it all started one day when Big Will stood in the “Original Powerhouse Gym” and said to his younger brother “Big Norm,” “We are going to open gyms all over the country.” Thirty-seven years and more than 20 countries later, the same passion drives Big Will to this day.
Much has changed in the fitness industry in the 37 years since the Dabish brothers founded Powerhouse Gym, and new gym brands are popping up left and right with the influx of “Wall Street” backing and private equity money. Meanwhile, the simple time-tested “basics,” as Big Will calls them, have helped the Powerhouse Brand remain the foundation and principles of a business model for personal success. These “basics” were quickly seen when our team recently arrived at the Novi, Michigan location. Prior to arriving we were very excited because of the “buzz” that surrounded this new location, but we were surprised to learn before we arrived that only one year before, this 60,000-sq.-ft. building was open under a different brand-name and failed miserably, to put it mildly. It literally had only a handful of members working out and perhaps a dozen pieces of equipment the day Big Will spearheaded his most recent project. When we entered the massive gym, there stood the cofounder working right on the front line with staff and gym members to help lay out equipment being unloaded from three semi trucks. Before Mr. Dabish even was aware of our arrival, John Lepak from the Powerhouse corporate office quietly whispered to us, “This is for the cause, not the camera. This is what Big Will does because he truly cares, from the depth of his soul, to help people.”
While most people in his position would be enjoying retirement on a beach speaking to us via cell phone, Big Will still enjoys being on the front line in the trenches leading by example – even after opening hundreds of gyms over 37 years. A member of our team asked if Powerhouse was still familyowned, or had become a publicly traded company. Big Will responded with a heartfelt message that sent chills through all our bodies. “My brother and I were approached by countless people through the years who showed us how much money we would make if we sold our brand or took our company public and we could have easily done that,” he told us. “But one thing they never understood was that it was never about the money. I would have been left with a life with no reason. My brother and I made a vow that if the Powerhouse Gym Brand were to ever die, it would die free with honor and with valor.” While Big Will has “passed the torch”, so to speak thirtyseven years later, the Powerhouse legend lives on and its foundation is stronger than ever. In recent years, many Powerhouse owners have had to deal with all the new gym brands opening up in what seemed like every strip center across the country. Ironically enough, financial experts are now predicting that the family-founded, family-
owned Powerhouse Brand and all of their licensees are in prime position to capitalize on what they are seeing as the beginning of the end of the “financial fitness bubble.” The problem one consultant recently pointed out at the corporate office is that many of these new gym models were built on a foundation that was nothing more than a house of cards – while Powerhouse still has a foundation that is a formula to build empires through the annals of time. “People are always over-complicating things in this industry and that is why gym owners fail. If you have a system in place and you follow it, you will not fail,” says Johnny Dabish, son of the late Norman Dabish. “My cousin Michael [Big Will’s youngest son] works countless hours making sure that the system here and in Ypsilanti, Michigan, is in place and it is being followed. He is always open to new concepts to improve the system and that helps a great deal as well.” It was amazing to walk into a Powerhouse Gym seeing that big muscle man “classic logo” that so many people think symbolizes body building -- only to learn it is a symbol that has united millions of people around the world through serious fitness, not body building. Our team was amazed to see things like supervised child care, a juice bar, a basketball court, racquetball courts, a private family locker room, pool and hot tub, spa and an amazing “Her House” section for women only. W W W. P O W E R H O U S E G Y M . C O M
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Another incredible thing is that the classic logo features this massive image of a barbell bending to the weight of the big plates loaded on it, but our team all agreed we were seeing the most incredible selection of equipment under one roof that we had ever witnessed. There just happened to be a delivery that day still being unloaded from massive crates which our tour guide, Jonathon Dabish, explained in great detail as he pointed to each box. He also took great pride in letting us know most of it was from a loyal, lifelong friend of his uncle and father, Andy Ricther of Matrix. He made sure we saw the same type of heavyweights you see on that classic logo, but there was amazing technology from touch-screen workout machines to Lance Armstrong virtual racing bikes being unloaded. “It is important to establish a good, profitable business so we can reinvest into our gyms and give our members something to get excited about,” he said. “But my father and uncle always reminded everyone that it is customer service that has always been Number One and shall forever remain the pillar for owning a successful gym. That is why all of our members are greeted and known by their name, not just a membership number.” The technology was like something you might expect to see at Epcot Center, not in a gym. There were incredible machines from companies like Avanti, Matrix, Life Fitness and Precor, and weight and muscle management systems like
Bio Space and Myzone that build a bridge, rather than a wall, between the bodybuilder and the senior citizen. There was clearly no “stereotypical member” at Powerhouse Gym Novi and everyone felt welcome. We soon were introduced to Big Will’s son Victor, who still manages The Original Powerhouse Gym but now is helping do his part at the Novi location as well. “No matter what city you go to or what type of equipment you have in your gym, one thing remains the same, members. It’s simple and my dad always taught all our owners to provide the best customer service for your members because they are your best commercial,” Victor said. “We are in a position to help our members change their life. And when you can make a life-changing impact on a person and you truly care about them, that’s just something that money cannot buy. That tree will always provide fruit.” As quickly as Victor said hello and shook our hands with a welcoming smile, he was back to helping train a group of new members. They were all eager to boast about how he had helped them overcome their personal fears of being overweight and actually starting to workout.
As we made our way to exit the facility, Will’s youngest son Michael, the manager of Michigan’s Novi and Ypsilanti locations, exited his office. He not only wanted to thank us for stopping by, but to make sure that we had a positive experience. It became obvious our small team was now walking with more positive power with each step we took as a result of this interaction with staff members. We all stopped and commented how every member of the staff made us feel like we were now part of the Powerhouse family, and also how all the staff and members interacted as a family as well. It became obvious that what truly separates Powerhouse Gym from other brands is the Dabish family values, the deep roots of this global brand. We would like to thank Mr. William “Big Will” Dabish and everyone at Powerhouse Gym Novi for having us as their guests that afternoon. And to all the Powerhouse Gym owners who may read this story, remember that the Dabish family and your fellow family of owners are always only a phone call away. You are a true part of the “American Dream.” Best wishes and much success to all!
United is dedicated to support and raise funds for non-profit organizations that truly need funding for philanthropic purposes. United works with schools, churches and non-profit's who tackle poverty, disease, and natural disaster relief. United uses today's integrated marketing skills to fundraise, the web, along with interpersonal connections, working with 33 thousands to ensure quality and quantity of fundraising. Our mission is your success, through unity! For more information visit: www.UnitedPFR.com
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PHGCOMMUNITY
Powerhouse Gym Muscle Lifts Entire Community Albertville, Alabama
Marketing and community outreach are sometimes not just measured by the amount of hits on your Facebook page or how many postcard mailers you sent out. Jeff Beaver and his staff at Albertville, Alabama, continue to do an incredible job working with the community, spending countless hours and tireless effort -- and it shows by the amount of support they get back.
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For example, the “Blessings in a Backpack” program makes sure that more than 37,600 schoolchildren don’t go hungry. It’s this type of community outreach that is the reason our Original Powerhouse Gym location is still open today 37 years later in one of the toughest inner-city neighborhoods in America, where it remains a pillar of strength in the community. Owner Jeff Beaver and his staff worked tirelessly during the tornados that tore apart so much of their community this past year. Jeff worked side by side with the emergency staffs on-site helping to locate bodies buried under thousands of pounds of debris and rubble left behind from the storm. Some of those people did not make it, but Jeff gave his heart and soul to trying to save lives. On behalf of our co-founders Big Will Dabish and the late great Big Norm Dabish, and the entire Dabish family, we would like to say thank you to Jeff and his entire staff for helping those who need it most.
What a Blessing! My 8-year-old daughter said, “Mom, you know those bags we stuff for the backpacks?” I replied yes. She said, “A girl in my class has the snacks from the bag.” I asked, “Has she always brought those snacks?” My daughter said, “No Mom, before she got the bag she never had snacks.” Powerhouse Gym employee Powerhouse Gym in Albertville, Alabama promoted the first annual Blessings in a Backpack 5k to help local schools feed the children who need assistance. One year later, the program has grown and what started as an effort to feed 150 children is now a county-wide program to feed 1,500 children. Not only did the 5k help the national non-profit Blessings in a Backpack program, it grew a sense of unity within the community. Some people participated in the race as their very first 5k and their goal was to cross the finish line. Everyone who started the race finished the race.
Powerhouse Gym Fenton Gets A Facelift New owner Kevin Law assumed ownership on April 1, and has begun a plan of renovation not only in facilities and equipment, but also in services and accessibility. Called Powerhouse 365, Powerhouse Gym has already undergone many physical changes — from an emphasis on cleanliness and sanitation to a more open floor plan and a renovation of showers and dry saunas. The popular smoothie bar will be re-opening and exciting new cardio equipment will be added. But more importantly, it’s a whole new attitude at Powerhouse. As a longtime active member himself, Law knew that some updates needed to be made in order to keep fitness a priority in people’s busy lifestyles. “We’re already open 365 days a year, and it costs only $1 a day to work out as often as you want at Powerhouse,” said Law. By Christmas, he plans to have transitioned Powerhouse into a 24/7 facility, so that members can work out whenever it fits their schedule.
New Haven Gym -
Heavy Lifting for Diaper Drive The Montanari brothers of the Powerhouse Gym are aware of the diaper need among poor and low income families in the community and are holding their first diaper drive at the gym, said Tony Croce, a longtime employee and good friend of the brothers. “Traditionally, the Montanari brothers give back to the community throughout the year,” said Croce. “We were thinking about doing something before our annual toy drive in December and we happened to think of a diaper drive because of the need for diapers in the community.” the collected diapers from drive will be donated to New Haven Home Recovery, a non-profit organization that provides emergency shelter for women and children.
According to Croce so far the diaper drive has been slow but he said their drives are always attract late bloomers. The Powerhouse Gym Diaper drive was open for anyone in the community to donate. John Arsini, of the Executive Auto Group in Wallingford has been a member of the gym for five years and made the first donation of diapers, a generous one.
“We’ve been fortunate but there are less fortunate families out there that need diapers,” said Arsini. “It is well worth while to be able to help the non-profit organization provide these families with their needs.” W W W. P O W E R H O U S E G Y M . C O M
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Become A Pro Shop Pro! By Mandy Clement
Retail clothing stores must present inventory in a visually appealing way to make the most of their sales floor experience. Clothing merchandise should be organized so customers can shop easily. Also, when it comes to increasing sales by way of visual merchandising, your store must take full advantage of its add-on possibilities. Smart Floor Plan When a customer walks into your clothing pro shop, have on display the newest apparel, either folded neatly on tables, dressed onto mannequins or both. Other areas of your store should highlight top sellers such as hoodies or basic tees, followed by complementary items. Set up your store in quadrants, with similar items grouped together in each section. Keep shorter racks in the middle of the store and taller ones near the back. A combination of racks, tables and mannequins gives the store character and adds another layer of visual appeal.
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Easy-to-Shop Store A messy store can affect sales negatively. Disorganized clothing racks that are too full deter customers from shopping, trying on clothes and ultimately buying your merchandise. Make sure racks are spaced evenly, and group like items together. For example, place tees on a separate rack from sweats or sweatshirts. If hangers can’t glide easily across the rack, wax the metal bar. Make sure each rack is visibly identified and sizes are well-marked.
Rack Displays A pair of pants or a tee can get lost in a large rack. Pull a garment and hang it on the outer hook of a straight rack. You can further merchandise the outfit with a complementary piece of clothing. If your rack space has a glass top, merchandise half-mannequins on top of a rack with a complete look available at that same rack. Wall Space Clothing stores should look full and inviting. Use the wall space to increase the visual appeal of clothing for sale. Walls are good areas to display pants, sweatshirts and basic tees. Any clutter will make your store look instantly messy, so keep the walls to no more than two stacked racks to avoid overcrowding. End Cap Merchandising Because end caps are some of the most valuable real estate in retail, use these areas to feature the most popular or expensive clothing for sale. Avoid using end caps for extravagant displays, as a large mannequin or table can take away valuable space that can be used instead for accessories or other merchandise. Use end caps to merchandise a complete look for the best possible chance to add on to a customer’s purchase.
Official Powerhouse Licensed Apparel
For more information or to order PHG Licensed Apparel: www.PowerhouseGym.com and click on Gear! sales@powerhousegym.com Products and styles may vary without notice.
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PHGCOMMUNITY Powerhouse photo of matt, john and eddy with some of their favorite downtown tampa members
The Success Of ‘The Southern Mecca’ Downtown Tampa Fitness Scene Thrives Pull up to the stoplight at the corner of Kennedy Boulevard and Meridian Avenue in the Channel District of Downtown Tampa and what do you see? Chances are pretty good your eyes will wander toward the floor-to-ceiling windows framing people working out at Powerhouse Gym Downtown Tampa day or night.The popular high-end workout spot is attracting so many bodybuilders and lesser mortals that a 10,000-feet expansion is already in the works for the three-year-old gym, including a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) facility being opened by former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) professional wrestling champion Dave Batista.
bachelor’s degree in business; John worked at a Gold’s Gym in San Francisco (in his late teens) and attended junior college. When John decided to open his own gym, he opened a Powerhouse Gym in Huntington Beach, CA. When Matthew and Eddy teamed up with John, the three brothers opened additional gyms in California, including in West Los Angeles, Fullerton and Fountain Valley. They also operated the corporate location in Venice, CA. The West Los Angeles location has been featured on fitness-oriented shows, including Extreme Makeover.
The expansion also is designed to provide additional space for free weights and machines, and will better accommodate Suncoast Physical Therapy, Infinite Vitality (medical group for anti-aging, weight loss and rejuvenation medicine) and more. Completion is expected by February 2013.
Fitness fanatics can see the difference by taking a tour. The gym is equipped with more workout equipment and options than one can wrap their head around. In fact, PGDT wins awards each year from Powerhouse International), including Best Powerhouse Gym of the Year (2009), Best Powerhouse Gym Interior (2010) and Best Representation of Powerhouse Brand (2011).
The Power Behind Powerhouse
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Three brothers with a lot of drive, motivation and passion for fitness provide the brawn and brains behind Powerhouse Gym Downtown Tampa. A combined 25 years of experience from three diverse backgrounds and key timing made it possible for owners and operators Matthew Midyett, Eddy Midyett and John Sanguinetti, all of Tampa. Eddy chose the downtown location. He was already living in Tampa, and space available at Grand Central at Kennedy appealed to him as one of the best locations in the city, a real “destination.” In a sluggish economy, he explains, a buyer’s market complete with better lease, leverage and negotiation options, provides an environment for gyms to thrive. The 40,000-square-feet Powerhouse Gym Downtown Tampa opened in 2009 as a state-of-the-art, energetic workout facility. The brothers’ diverse backgrounds contribute to the success of PGDT. Matthew previously owned an auto repair shop; Eddy worked in the development field and received a
How Is Powerhouse Gym Different?
Members have access to TRX suspension training (using body weight and gravity), a rock climbing wall with sand pit (for agility, endurance and instability), dumbbells up to 200 pounds, dummy (for lifting), Cardio Theater (televisions on cardio machines), punching, speed and sand bags, boxing and more. An interesting workout option is the Santa Monica Stairs, a set of stairs as steep as the actual Santa Monica Stairs in California. Members often walk, sprint or lunge up and down the stairs with sand bags or a dummy. PGDT’s O2 VR Cycling puts a new spin on the nationwide spinning phenomenon. The virtual reality course transitions from city to country to coast, and members enjoy actual footage of California wineries, Redwoods, Gold Country and coast. “Pure oxygen blasts enhance the cycling workouts and makes for a better recovery,” says Matthew. If members prefer cycling individually instead of in a class, that option is available.
The Gauntlet is a 1,000-square-feet outdoor area. Since it is the same climate as outside, it is ideal for members to replicate and weather the conditions they work out in outside of the gym. Monkey, pull-up and parallel bars, beer kegs (for lifting), kettle bells, sleds, tsunami ropes (for aerobic and muscle resistance), chains, tires (to flip) and sledge hammer are among the highlights. “It is great for members who want to take their workout up a notch,” says Dan Long, a Fat Loss Motivational Life Coach, personal trainer and key force in PGDT ‘S Kill Mode Boot Camp. A former restaurant manager and would-be proprietor for Outback Group, he pursued his passion for fitness and could not be more pumped up about it. “Everything I do with Powerhouse Gym is awesome, says Long. “I could not imagine not doing what I am doing.” Long is involved with the Chik Fil A Fall Stampede (benefiting cancer-stricken children), which PGDT sponsors. PGDT targets and attracts members of all ages. At first glance, it may seem like the facility is for the elite athlete, but members of varying fitness levels and ages work out at the facility, including new moms, retirees and families. The brothers say that beginners feel as comfortable as the more advanced members. Most members range in age from 22 to 46, including many Grand Central at Kennedy residents.
The owners regularly walk the floor to interact with members and visitors. Listening to member suggestions and constantly striving for improvement are also everyday occurrences. Recently, they added a new clock shortly after a member suggested it. They also ask visitors how they like PGDT and what they would have liked to see. Member Julian Payne of Tampa says he has belonged to many gyms, has been a personal trainer and has competed in bodybuilding competitions, so he is finesse with fitness. “PGDT is diverse and provides non-conventional options to work out and create muscle confusion, like TRX (suspension training) and a sledgehammer. It is a very motivational gym and its workout options remind me of Rocky Balboa in the Rocky IV movie,” says Payne. PGDT also offers amenities such as an onsite dry cleaning service, tanning and spray tanning. Be Seen Dry Cleaning has drop-off stations in each locker room, to accommodate members’ dirty laundry. Within the locker rooms are steam rooms with eucalyptus spray (for opening pores and aromatherapy). The Guardian Air system reduces air pollutants and the possibility of “sick building syndrome.”
Formula For Success
Speed Source Athletics, established by professional sprinter and exercise physiologist Mark Gochenour, is a program offering sports training combined with exercise physiology. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions and other NFL teams, and SWAT and DEA enforcement agencies have been involved with Speed Source Athletics.
The three owners says they strive to provide customer service that is friendly and eager to help, and a staff that goes gentle on the sales pressure.
Licensed Massage Therapist Jeff Trager, the “Knot Doctor,” independent registered dieticians and independent personal trainers are also available to PGDT members.
“Other factors in the formula for success include keeping the gym clean (porters are cleaning all day), knowing everyone’s name, overall energy and letting the club sell itself,” says Matthew. “We make everyone feel welcome, like family.”
Individual memberships begin at $34 per month (pre-paid) and go up to $69 (monthly). Corporate rates are also offered.
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GET A LES MILLS GRIT SERIES TEAM IN YOUR CLUB ™
ATTRACT NEW MEMBERS + INCREASE PROFIT WITH THE LES MILLS GRIT™ SERIES SMALL TEAM TRAINING SOLUTION. Take your club to the next level with the latest high intensity interval training from Les Mills. LES MILLS GRIT™ SERIES is a powerhouse program that delivers serious results fast and gets your members hooked. The LES MILLS GRIT™ SERIES solution is your answer to small team training profit from the world’s leading fitness experts.
GET LES MILLS GRIT™ IN YOUR CLUB AND RECEIVE A LAUNCH KIT PACKED WITH 30 YEARS OF MARKETING EXPERTISE. YOU’LL GET THE TOOLS YOU NEED TO LAUNCH THE LES MILLS GRIT™SERIES INCLUDING POINT OF SALE MATERIAL, DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MARKETING ASSETS AND PR CONTENT.
Get the LES MILLS GRIT™ SERIES solution to drive new members and profit for your club. Contact Les Mills today for a consultation. getlesmillsgrit.com facebook.com/lesmillsgrit
Group Fitness is the Best Way to Catch Couch Potatoes
By Phillip Mills, CEO, Les Mills International As fitness professionals, we are naturally keen to share our love of fitness with our members. They have paid good money to be in a club or center; we are duty-bound to share with them the benefit of our years of experience and expertise in getting them in the best shape possible. However, one thing I have observed in my years in the trade is that the initial zeal with which people start coming to our gyms is sometimes lost in the first few weeks. It’s often because new members, with minimal guidance, have given their all in one or two fitness classes to kick off their gym membership and promptly find they can’t move for a week. By the time they are able to walk without wincing again, their momentum is gone, sometimes for good. As a result of a seeing this trend, I have become convinced about the benefits of starting new members gradually, and the veracity of that observation has now been backed up by quantifiable scientific research. Conducted last year in association with Pennsylvania State University, we found a group of 25 “couch potatoes” and prescribed for them 30 weeks of group fitness classes. Group fitness was chosen because it offers all the elements we know most people like: music, community and a hell of a lot of fun. It wasn’t a case of stuffing them into Lycra and forcing them to sweat their way out, however. The study we designed allowed them to “dip their toes” in a wide variety of Les Mills classes – classes that emphasize a cardio workout (like BODY ATTACK®), those that target strength (BODYPUMP) and those that promote flexibility (like BODYFLOW®). The first six weeks “acclimatized” participants to incorporating group exercise into their daily lives by allowing them to do just 20 minutes of their chosen class, with the intensity ramping up steadily but manageably after that. Most importantly, participants were allowed to continue eating as they had done all along, with no dietary restrictions of any sort. The physical results of the study were certainly exciting enough to confirm that an hour a day, six days out of seven, of any type of heart-rate raising exercise makes a dramatic difference to health. There was a six percent decrease in body fat across the group of 25 (some of whom, it should be remembered, where still eating Twinkies and drinking soda
throughout); LDL cholesterol readings dropped by 10 per cent, trunk fat and triglycerides took a dive and pelvic bone density and cardiovascular fitness all increased dramatically. None of this will be all that surprising to fitness advocates. What might be more interesting to note, however, is that attendance in the study clocked in at almost 99 percent over the 30 weeks. Most of the study subjects continue with group fitness to this day. Slowly and steadily is the way we now know is best if the goal of a club is to lock customers into their memberships with enthusiasm and motivation. There are a couple of ways club managers and staff can ensure they replicate these results with their own members, but it takes a little more than just buying a license from Les Mills. Group exercise has to be properly managed: new members should have someone work with them to guide them through the schedule of classes, pointing out what would suit – perhaps even attending with the member and reminding them it is ok to leave the class if they’ve had enough. We call this “managed acclimatization,” and it has been proven to work. With the right management and range of classes on offer, group fitness can reach beyond female members and win males over too. A large menu of group fitness and small-team training options is another way to build enthusiasm; the mixing and matching of different classes alleviates boredom and keeps members challenged. We want club members to find enjoyment in group exercise that will keep them coming back and enhance the sense of community, critically important factors in their choice of where to spend their fitness dollars. As gym owners, we need to ensure we better “sweat” our assets, wringing every ounce of enjoyment from them for members and keeping them coming back for more. Phillip Mills is the CEO of Les Mills International. To learn more about the Get Fit Together program, please visit www.lesmills.com/getfittogether. W W W. P O W E R H O U S E G Y M . C O M
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Consider These Things
“Many people do not realize the importance of a good exterior sign program and maintaining brand integrity with the global PHG brand. Monthly and media ad campaigns can cost thousands of dollars each year whereas a highly visible and well-maintained sign can gain you the same benefits for a one-time cost,” says Bill Walker of Bergen Sign Company in New Jersey.
By Staff
BRANDING
Choosing a Sign Company? We all have a cousin who has a friend who is in the sign business, or perhaps your general contractor knows a local company. There are many reputable sign companies both locally and nationwide that provide excellent services in the design, production, manufacturing, and maintaining of exterior signs. So how to choose one? Here are several key factors to consider when deciding which sign company best suits your needs: 1.
Make sure you are in compliance with the usage of the Powerhouse Logo as per your license agreement.
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Be sure to verify the experience of the company. You get what you pay for as the saying goes, and this is one area you cannot afford to cut corners on.
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When price shopping, don’t take the bait on the cheapest price up front because in the long run, the expense of repairs and maintaining your sign may end up costing you money and business.
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Get educated on the different types of lighting and different types of signs available.
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Who is doing what? Does the company do the actual installation or out-source the job? Who handles ongoing maintenance and repair? What is the total cost of your sign including design, shipping and installation?
A Word from the Experts Matt Czyl from Icon Signs prefers their Lo-Pro LED. “It is four times brighter and has two times the lifespan of regular signs and also is ultra thin. It leads the industry with superefficient, cost-effective lighting. Not only does it showcase your logo in the best possible light, it stays brighter longer than any other low-profile letters.” Icon’s R&D team has devised a way to use 1 ½-inch-thick acrylic, as well as the standard 1-inch-thick acrylic and still evenly illuminate the face. The advantage to the thicker acrylic is that it allows to use of Lo-Pro letters with any stroke width.
DOES YOUR GYM
Powerhouse LOOK Adds THIS GOOD? It Could! Muscle with Fathead Custom Graphics for Any Surface from Fathead
Contact us to learn more! CorporateSolutions@Fathead.com Powerhouse locations can now add some “local sports 1-888-270-9255 flavor” to their gyms from an incredible catalog of sports team graphics and athletes through Powerhouse Gym’s new partnership with Fathead, which also offers special Powerhouse branded graphics. “It doesn’t matter how many times I see it — I’m always amazed at how our graphics transform a previously boring space. And whether it’s a complete transformation with specifically designed custom graphics or just some wellplaced Fatheads of local heroes from our catalog to give a business a more ‘hometown’ feel, our clients have always been equally amazed,” says Thomas Hill, a Key Account Manager at Fathead. Christopher Ehman, the Facility Supervisor at the University of Michigan Stadium, is a Fathead fan, calling the company “a very user-friendly and professional team to work with.” “I look forward to targeting a few more areas here that we can ‘liven up’ with some Fatheads,” Ehman adds. W W W. P O W E R H O U S E G Y M . C O M
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BRANDING
Exterior Signage: Flex Your Muscle Loud and Proud By Staff There are many things to consider when dealing with exterior signage on your Powerhouse Gym. Your main sign can be a costly investment and is one area you should not cut corners on. It will, after all, serve as the main visual that people will see for many years to come. The main purpose of your sign is to stimulate your business and draw new members. There are many types of exterior signs to choose from including LED, neon and digital. Remember, you can create the greatest Facebook special or postcard mailer campaign but it is your exterior signage that makes the first visual impression. This is especially important for new gyms that start off with pre-sales. They need as much exposure as they can get to attract members and promote their new location. Nothing makes this statement better than a powerful sign. Aside from your permanent sign, there are a variety of exterior signage options featured on the all-new Office Depot Powerhouse website. You can choose from banners, yard signs and many more that can be specialized for your personal location. Some signs have a blank center so you can reuse them as you rotate your specials. Get creative and include such things as: special offers and events, seasonal specials, tanning, pro shop, chiropractic, juice bar, groupex and a local charity fundraiser. You can also advertise “corporate discounts” to attract new members from the business community and a “local residents’ discount” as a way to show your support of the community that supports you.
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No matter what message you choose to display, remember that signs should always be placed in high traffic areas where they will receive maximum visibility from hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people during their daily travels. Social media and digital marketing are the hot topics these days when it comes to marketing, but remember that exterior signage is an essential form of advertising. Promoting your gym and your specials with exterior signs are time-tested marketing methods. Unlike radio or television advertisements that are only seen or heard at the select times your budget allows, your exterior signage remains on constant view 24 hours a day. The Powerhouse Brand and Logo are both very eye catching. What you place on the additional signage does not need to be entertaining to be effective, but it does need to reach someone even if they only see it for a split second. Powerhouse Gyms International offers its licensees two
options for their signage with the Powerhouse Classic Logo and the Powerhouse Fitness Logo. Recently a well-respected marketing company visited the Powerhouse offices and, after conducting extensive research, found that the Powerhouse Classic Logo received the most positive reviews from all categories covered. “Regardless if you choose the Classic or Fitness logo, it is how the gym chooses to brand itself inside that really sets the tone. You have a global brand, a name respected around the world on the outside of your gym, and as a franchisee you still get to create your own marketing campaigns to place on banners and yard signs without having to jump through hoops or ask permission from some board of Wall Street suits. What more could you ask for?” said Tim Mumford, manager of Powerhouse Gym Ypsilanti, Michigan. “At this year’s Powerhouse Owners convention, tied in with the Club Industry trade show, I was approached by a person who wanted to explain how we need to change our Classic Logo and go with a softer look. I wish I had time to share with him what that Classic Logo stands for in my life personally and all it represents to countless people around the world,” said John Lepak of Powerhouse Gyms International. “Take a look at the photos from our new 60,000-sq.-ft. location in Novi, Michigan. The Classic Logo is featured everywhere inside the gym and on all marketing materials. We offer things like child care, racquetball, basketball, hot tub, pool, yoga, a huge free-weight section and even a women’s-only section. It’s all on how you, as an owner, choose to design your club,” Lepak added. While Powerhouse Gyms International continues to be approached by countless individuals and companies who offer their opinions and suggestions about Powerhouse Branding, you as small business owners can all be proud that your Powerhouse Gym is a symbol of strength in your local community. Wall Street and private equity-backed gym brands dump millions of dollars into “think tank” meetings on how to attract members through catchy signage, gimmick phrases, attacking other gym brands, and marketing pitches. But they forget that good old-fashioned customer service is the key to keeping members happy -- and a happy member is the best form of advertising you can ask for. Fancy new logos and marketing pitches may get people in the door and closing tactics may get them to join … but it’s the key principles the Powerhouse Brand stands for that will keep them there as loyal members for generations to come. Flex your muscle loud and proud through your exterior Powerhouse signage!
CUSTOMERSERVICE
Here is an actual e-mail correspondence regarding a recent 30-Day cancellation from Downtown Tampa Powerhouse Gym. ------------------------------------------------------------------------From: (Member) To: Matt Midyett Subject: Membership - Cancellation 30-Day Notice Date: Sat, 11 Feb 2012 Hello Matt -
How to Handle a 30-Day Cancelation By Staff No one likes a cancellation, but one of the worst things to happen in your gym is for your staff to create an unpleasant experience for the member who is cancelling, whatever the reason may be. It is almost becoming an epidemic where sales staff are ignoring cancellations because they are in fear of being punished from management and losing commission.
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Since (Member’s) injury last year -- he is just not using the gym very much, and we would like to cancel his membership. I understand we need to give 30 days notice. Can you please let me know if you need any additional information from us in order to cancel? Will you confirm the day that his membership will expire and the last monthly payment for his membership? Thanks in advance for your help! (Member) -----------------------------------------------------------------------To: (Member) Subject: Re: Membership - Cancellation 30 Day Notice From: Matt Midyett Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2012
As an owner or manager, you must create a comfortable atmosphere for your sales staff first and foremost when it comes to the cancellation process. We all know a request to cancel will not just “go away” so we must address the issue from day one.
Hi (Member), sorry he is all set 02/15/12 will be his last monthly billing. He may use the gym until 04/15/12. The only charge you should see after this month will be in August for the annual assessment fee for 2011. That will be $29. Thanks for your business! Matt ------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is always best to take a very pro-active approach to see that legitimate cancellations are handled in a prompt and professional manner. You must also have a timely process in place to handle unhappy members who wish to cancel for various reasons.
From: (Member) To: Matt Midyett Sent: Wed, Feb 15, 2012 Subject: RE: Membership - Cancellation 30 Day Notice
Even if you issue the cancellation, remember that small decrease in your monthly draft could just possibly result in a financial gain if you leave that customer with a positive experience.
Thanks so much! Also just wanted to take a minute to say what a positive experience we’ve had -- nothing but excellent customer service. Everyone is very accommodating and professional -- and a great facility and staff. Love the new workout rooms and classes too. Thanks for making it so easy to be a member! I love my membership :) Have a great day & thanks again for all your help! (Member)
UFC Hall of Fame Ken Shamrock
Olympic Gold Medalist Tianna Madison
Today Show’s Matt Lauer Kai Green IFBB Bikini Pro Tianna Ti
Daytona Victory Lane PHG Motorsports
PHG Albertville, AL Racing Team
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WWE Invades PHG Downtown Tampa Co-Founder “Big Will” with IFBB Pro Figure Ava Cowan
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By: Scott Johnston, CEO of InTouch Technology What do you do if you have a large number of leads leftover in your sales pipeline at the end of the month? If you’re one InTouch Follow-Up customer, you develop an innovative marketing campaign to kick off the next month with a bang. Best Fitness, a chain of 10 clubs in the US northeast, uses InTouch Follow-Up to drive sales and ensure that sales staff stick to their sales process. Because all sales activity is tracked in InTouch Follow-Up, the management team can see exactly how their clubs are performing at any point in time.
CUSTOMERMARKETING
Cutting Through the Noise with Text Messaging
When Best Fitness experienced a downturn in sales in March and had a lot of leads left in their pipeline at the end of the month, the company decided to send out a text blast. We worked with Dave Dos Santos, CEO of Best Fitness, to develop a campaign that would leverage our new texting features and target the leads leftover from March. On April 1st, 2013 Best Fitness sent out a text blast to all their leads from the past 45 days. They offered a standard “join for free” promotion and sent out approximately 3,300 text messages through InTouch Follow-Up. Their results were staggering: - 20 responses at one location within 3 hours of the blast being sent - 288 new members by the end of the first day - 25% of monthly quota reached by April 5th across 10 clubs - 37% of sales directly attributed to the text blast were 16-45 days old If you’re considering running a text message marketing campaign to connect with leads or members, here are some best practices that will help you maximize your ROI.
Keep messages personal Text messaging is about personal communication so write in the first person and sign your messages. Include a time-limited call to action Let the recipient know what they need to do and by when to take advantage of your promotion. A call to action provides a focus for your text message, a way to measure your success and direction to the person receiving the message. Putting a time limit on your offer creates a sense of urgency and encourages people to take action immediately.
Targeted messaging Your text blasts and offers need to be appropriate for the audience. Segment your list of leads or members so you can create targeted messages and promotions based on where people are in the sales cycle.
Drive conversations Allow the recipients of your blast to reply back and continue the conversation with you via text message. This helps you build a relationship with your leads and members so you can sell more effectively. What surprised me most was the feedback from Best Fitness’ sales staff who said that text messaging was helping them build personal connections with their leads and shorten their sales cycle. Texting is the newest method of communicating with leads and members and clubs everywhere are embracing it as a way to cut through all the consumer noise and drive their sales. W W W. P O W E R H O U S E G Y M . C O M
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PROSHOP
Europa Sports Products: Your Preferred Powerhouse Gym Partner Europa Sports is the leading distributor of sports supplements, beverages and accessories to the sports nutrition industry. As a Powerhouse Gym Preferred Partner, we offer dedicated owner support to your gym. Our Franchise Department knows how to cater to the specialized needs of a Powerhouse Gym. We provide the following: •
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Sampling Support
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Sports Nutrition Trends
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Extensive Inventory
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New Products
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Standard Opening Order
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Dedicated Online Portal
With an integrated network of seven stocking locations across the United States, we can maintain an immense inventory to meet shipping needs. Our national distribution footprint allows us to develop multi-site fulfillment solutions that deliver the hottest products and brands to most customers in one or two business days, using both standard shipping and route delivery. Working closely with Powerhouse, we can create specials to be customized specifically for owners. Plus, you can even check your pricing program as well as product information and news alerts online through a dedicated Powerhouse Gym Portal. Other market-specialized services that can boost your gym business include drink cooler programs, cold pack nutrition bars (for those hot months), web-fulfillment, and much more. Contact your Europa Franchise Coordinator or Sales consultant at (800) 447-4795 for additional information on how Europa can help your gym succeed.
Powerhouse partners with Europa for Supershow & Sunshine in Orlando! Long time friends and business associates Eric Hillman (former Powerhouse Gym owner and Co-Founder of Europa Sports) and William Dabish (Powerhouse Co-Founder) captured the true magic of what makes brands like Europa and Powerhouse so special on April 27th and 28th in Orlando Florida. While "Big E" and his team brought together some of the biggest brands in the supplement industry for the Europa Get Fit & Sports Expo, "Big Will" was the special guest host, along with supplement company Cellucor, of the official Powerhouse Booth at the Europa tradeshow and also hosted some of the best business owners in the Powerhouse network in a small roundtable meeting that weekend. The Europa shows are an incredible opportunity for Powerhouse Owners and all their staff members to attend the "Europa University" where they can attend a day long accredited conference that focuses on sports nutrition education and the incredible revenues gyms can generate through proper education. It was an amazing weekend in Orlando that also included a expo/trade show with some of the biggest names in the supplement industry, NPC amateur contests, IFBB pro events, Obstacle course, MMA, Wrestling, Powerlifting, kids events and much more!
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Be sure to ask about the upcoming schedule of Europa Expos coming soon to Hartford Connecticut, Dallas Texas and Phoenix Arizona where Powerhouse Gym will be hosting all owners and staff members to attend. For more information contact kate@powerhousegym.com W W W. P O W E R H O U S E G Y M . C O M
Nation’s Largest Distributor of Sports Supplements Wholesale inquiries only. Call or visit us online today!
1.800.447.4795
LIMITLESS TRAINING The SYNRGY360 system adds an inviting, dynamic and customizable small group training option to your gym.
SYNRGY360 training redefines the small group workout. The groundbreaking fitness solution appeals to exercisers of all abilities and offers unlimited options to improve strength, endurance, balance and flexibility.
LEARN MoRE: lifefitness.com/synrgy 866-638-9301 Š2013 Life Fitness a division of Brunswick Corporation. All rights reserved. Life Fitness is a registered trademark of Brunswick Corporation. SYNRGY360 is a trademark of Brunswick Corporation. USC-045-13 (08.13)
Think Clean. Think Safe. Protect Your Investment. From your locker room to your weight room, trust Cintas with your safety.
Cintas mats capture and remove contaminants from your facility.
Maintain your gym’s appearance through the use of microfiber mops. Wet and dry mop service is available.
Remove soil and other odorcausing bacteria. Our UltraClean® service eliminates daily build-up that other products cannot reach.
For more information, contact the National Service Team at 1-800-795-7368.
Powerhouse Gym Ad_FINAL.indd 1
Provide protection to your members & staff with an AED program. Cintas service includes program training, a launch kit and ongoing service of your AED equipment.
Trust the Team with the White Truck™
Cintas: Keeping Things Squeaky Clean
8/30/13 1:21 PM
Powerhouse Gym Co-Founder William Dabish always reminds people that despite the advances in technology, one of the pillars of success in the gym business is keeping a clean gym.
Clean Restroom Solutions Cintas provides a complete cycle of clean with four solutions that help you deliver a clean restroom for your customers and employees.
As an owner, show your customers you care about their health and wellness by keeping your gym clean. Preferred Vendor Cintas partners with many of our locations to create an affordable and effective program that caters to the needs of the members -- and the budget of the owner – with these services:
Essentials: Cintas’ restocking service ensures your restrooms have full and functioning dispensers and the highest-quality hand care and paper products.
Safe Floor Solutions You can help protect your employees, customers and assets with a safe floor program. Cintas creates a complete cycle of clean for the capture and removal of dirt.
Maintain: Cintas ensures you have the right tools and proper cleaning chemicals to keep your restrooms clean.
Protect: Cintas’ comprehensive mat system delivers constant protection throughout your facility to capture and remove all dirt and moisture before it even hits the floor. Maintain: Cintas ensures you have the right tools and proper cleaning chemicals to help deliver safe floors. Deep Clean: A periodic professional cleaning by Cintas Tile & Carpet Deep Cleaning is the final step to remove build-up that occurs even with proper protection and maintenance.
Protect: In between cleanings, Cintas’ odor control and auto flush units keep your restrooms looking and smelling clean.
Deep Clean: Let Cintas do the heavy lifting when it comes to deep cleaning. With Sanis UltraClean® service, old dirt and grime disappear. A periodic deep clean also makes dayto-day cleaning easier. First Aid & Safety Cintas offers a single-source solution for first aid and safety products designed for the workplace. Our on-site AED, coupled with a comprehensive training program, can help increase the survival rate from sudden cardiac arrest.
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GYMUPKEEP
A Clean Gym Is a Profitable Gym Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish By Staff As we know, members can be very picky and it is hard to make everyone happy all the time. One item always on the Top 10 things members have issues about is broken equipment. Preventative maintenance is the key to keeping your gym’s equipment from breaking down. You will find with a regular schedule of simple tasks to perform that you might end up saving thousands of dollars a year in equipment repair costs! Where Do I Start?
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Think of it as your personal training department. Your members can train seven days a week, but if they are not maintaining a healthy lifestyle outside the gym, they will not achieve the desired results. And just because someone may be toned and tanned does not necessarily mean the “insides” are in great shape. The first thing to do is to create a journal that lists all pieces of equipment in your gym. Make notes of not only issues that come up for repair, but also track your performed maintenance -- changed plug, took off and cleaned belt on treadmill, etc. The majority of preventative maintenance can be done by a member of your staff who you select and have trained. Start with a call to your Preferred Vendor representative(s) who handles your account.
Keep It Clean
Not only do your members like a clean gym, but your checkbook will be thankful as well. Most people are surprised to learn that a simple thing like wiping off the dust from your equipment will help prevent more serious damage down the road. This is important when training your cleaning staff. Detail to equipment cleaning must be taught just as certain training must be done with your sales staff. Be sure to always completely vacuum the machines to remove all dust and dirt; once they make their way deep into the moving parts and become layered in, it might require taking the entire machine apart to clean out those parts. This is especially the case when dealing with cardio units. Dust
and dirt easily make their way behind the moving belts on treadmills and also into the electronics of the unit. This is a recipe for “Out Of Order” cardio signs.
Using the soft brush attachment on your vacuum is the safest way to vacuum the treadmills to make sure you can loosen dirt but also not bang up delicate electrical parts.
Ellipticals and Steppers
Owner and Manager Follow Up
These should be wiped down multiple times per day and vacuumed at least once each day. Miss no part including electronic displays, moving arms and legs, and handrails. Areas where handles are located should also be checked for cracks.
Bikes
With upright, recumbent and spinning bikes, make sure your cleaning staff checks the basics each time as they wipe them down to clean off sweat and dirt. It’s amazing how peddles and seats can be fine one minute and loose the next. If you hear a squeak or a clanking noise, check it out immediately!
Pin-loaded and Plate-loaded Equipment
Just because these timeless gym favorites seem to look and function much the same as they did years ago, don’t be so quick to assume that is the case. These units are in need of regular upkeep just as much as your cardio units. Be sure to keep all moving arms and cables well lubricated as some cleaning agents can dry these out. These units need multiple daily wipe-downs and a good end-of-the-day thorough cleaning not only to ensure a clean and healthy workout for your members, but a long and healthy life for the units. Be sure to have the upholstered areas checked for stability each time they are wiped down to make sure nothing is loose or coming loose.
Be sure that you schedule a quarterly review of all your equipment. This should include: checking seats, backrests, cables and moving arms on your plate-loaded and pinstacked machines; seats and peddles on bikes; all moving arms and legs on ellipticals; and the tread on the belts on treadmills. Also run a complete check on all electronic parts to machines including but not limited to: calorie counters, distance tracking, channel changer, volume control, and USB ports. This is also a great time to check all the fabric for small cracks that can soon turn into larger tears. Do not cut corners by using a low-budget cleaning solution when cleaning upholstery. This may save you a couple pennies now, but it just may end up costing you thousands in new upholstery much sooner than you should need it.
Treadmills
As the saying goes, we have saved the best for last. Treadmills remain the most popular – and expensive – pieces of equipment, according to stats from Powerhouse Gym locations. This is perhaps the area of your gym that needs the most attention throughout your hours of operation and afterwards. It’s one thing to have an “Out of Order” sign on your hack-squat but you’re going to get a lot of questions and complaints if your treadmills aren’t working. It is also a very big turn-off to prospective members touring your gym to see “Out of Order” signs on your treadmills.
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There are many areas of daily cleaning important for treadmills. Be sure to brush off the belts and both vacuum and wipe down all the surrounding areas around the belt. Raise the treadmill as high as it will go to vacuum underneath, as this is a favorite place for dust and dirt to accumulate. Your treadmills have more electrical parts and wires than any other piece of equipment so be sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
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CITY BLENDS SMOOTHIE CAFÉ Serving Up Profits For Your Facility By Stephanie Suddarth With increasing competition among health club facilities today, there is an ever-present need to expand a club’s amenities in order to retain customers and bring in new ones. City Blends Smoothie Cafe offers a profitable, simple, and fast way to do just that! As well as being a great business decision to increase the bottom line, installing a City Blends in your facility will offer your members a vital social center that will allow them to develop relationships with your staff and other members. Most importantly, a City Blends Cafe gives health club owners the ability to offer a variety of nutritious and delicious smoothies with the consistency and quality of a name brand, proven product line that includes built-in support and a professional first-class marketing. It’s proven that adding a City Blends gives gym owners an additional profit center. A successful, well-run City Blends can generate approximately $3.00 profit per smoothie sold, which could mean additional daily profits of hundreds of dollars. And it’s so easy! In most cases, City Blends can be integrated into the front desk area, and transform it into an extremely effective profit center. City Blends utilizes a unique and fool-proof turn-key blending system that is fast, simple, and allows portion and calorie control to be “on the money” every single time. Many club owners have described the installation of a City Blends Smoothie Cafe as the single best business investment they have made and some have recouped their investment in as little as 3 months!
City Blends is the leader in this industry and is passionate about delivering the best possible product and customer service in order to provide clients with the most competitive, profit-generating facilities, while offering the health club members healthy and delicious beverages. You can join us in…….MAKING THE COUNTRY HEALTHIER ONE CITY AT A TIME!
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W W W. P O W E R H O U S E G Y M . C O M
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GYMUPKEEP
Jani-King Is The Standard For Clean In today’s ultra-competitive marketplace, the one thing that powers companies forward is their commitment to customer satisfaction. That’s what has been driving Jani-King commercial cleaning for the last 40 years. Spotless is our standard and it’s been integral to our success. With over 120 regional support offices worldwide, Jani-King is the global leader in commercial cleaning and stops at nothing to deliver unrivaled janitorial services to the people who matter most in your business. We understand that your top priority is your members and our franchisees will stop at nothing to provide the best in janitorial services.
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Jani-King is trusted by many of the world’s premier brands in a variety of industries as being the best cleaning business. These leaders rely on local Jani-King franchise owners for their steadfast commitment to customer satisfaction. We pride ourselves in becoming the best cleaning business and for you that means perfect results every time. Jani-King’s quality control system mandates that all cleaning services are scrutinized through routine inspections, ensuring accountability at all times. Jani-King’s
commitment to being the best cleaning business makes us your premier choice for janitorial services. Jani-King Commercial Cleaning provides: • A superior clean through our “Double Check” system to ensure accountability each and every time • A local operations team on-call 24 hours a day, willing to work at a moment’s notice • A safe “green” clean with environmentally friendly HEPA vacuums and microfiber dusting cloths For more information contact:
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MARKETING
Making Marketing Memorable
POWERHOUSE BUSINESS JOURNAL 2013
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By: Jon Butts, President of Muscle Up Marketing We live in a world today where everyone is information rich and time poor. Recent studies show that Americans are subjected to an average of 287 meaningful branding and advertising messages each day. This means any given month, your club’s potential members are seeing about 9,000 other advertisements. The vast majority of marketing impressions that consumers see are instantly forgotten. The question is - how can you ensure your Powerhouse Gym is one of the few marketing campaigns consumers will remember? There are four common elements the most successful health clubs share when it comes to memorable marketing. First, they plan their marketing budget in advance. Second, they market every month of the year. Third, they utilize multiple channels to hit the prospects numerous ways. Lastly, they are consistent with their branding between all campaigns. From the 1,000+ health clubs I have worked with over the years, I would estimate less than 15% of clubs nationwide are consistently doing these things properly. I would also estimate that less than 15% of clubs nationwide are consistently satisfied with their marketing results and are exceeding target numbers each month. This is not a coincidence. We have all heard the adage, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. This is no different with marketing. I cannot stress enough the importance of planning out your marketing budget in advance. Too often I see club owners delay until the last minute and then try to rush something together without much thought. Marketing is the lifeblood of your business, so you need to treat it accordingly. In the fourth quarter of each year, you need to determine your total marketing budget for the following year. We can then break this down into what you should be spending each quarter to properly allocate your total budget based on seasonality. Obviously it doesn’t make sense to spend as much in June as you do in January, so there will be some variance of your budget by quarter. Once you have your budget broken down by quarter, we recommend taking it one step further and planning exactly what you will do each month for the next quarter. This means not only what types of marketing you want to do each month (direct mail, billboard, etc), but the specific offer you want to run for each month. If you are really ambitious, you can go ahead and plan out all of your marketing plans for two quarters in advance. However, we do not recommend going out more than six months in advance. Too much can change over the course of a year, so it is in your best interest to only create a month-by-month plan for 90 to 180 days in advance. As each quarter winds down you can then reflect on what worked the best for you, as well as any changes in your market or competition, and then develop the plan for the following quarter based on your current situation. The next common theme the most successful clubs have is that they market all twelve months of the year. Each marketing campaign builds off of the last one and leads to a snowball effect of momentum. Do not be the club that stops marketing during the summer. This loses all the momentum you have built up over the course of the year. While you do not have to allocate as much to summer marketing as you do for January, it is important to stay consistent with it and not to let your foot off the gas.
One of the major benefits of this many club owners do not realize is that most of your competition either stops marketing completely during summer or considerably scales back. This presents a huge opportunity for you. For these few months you are not competing with all the other clubs in your market for the prospects attention. Their mailboxes and minds are empty, which allows each impression you hit them with to make a deeper impact. This will also play to your advantage come the fall. By staying consistent every month, you will always stay top of mind with the prospects in your community, so you will have a great fall. In the meantime, your competition will be starting back from square one every year. The third common element the health clubs with the most marketing success share is that they utilize multiple channels. While it is true that direct mail is the single most important piece of the marketing puzzle, it alone cannot carry all of the weight to achieve the numbers you want. Everywhere we look these days we are bombarded with advertising. This makes it more important than ever to utilize more than one channel with your marketing each month. Your goal is to make your message as sticky as possible so it resonates with the consumer. Not everyone is ready to join a gym on any given day, but if you remain top of mind, that prospect will eventually come in to your gym when they are ready. The last thing you want is your prospects going on Google and searching every health club in your town. By continually hitting them through different channels, it increases the chance of being remembered. The majority of people don’t join a health club from seeing one impression. Instead, they join from a combination of impressions. Any given month, you need to have at least six different campaigns going to drive new members in to your club to break through the mind clutter of your prospects. Direct mail can do the heavy lifting, but always have at least five other methods of generating traffic going each month. Sending out an email blast to prospects right after they get a mailer has proven to be a nice one-two punch that brings a lift to overall response. In addition, having a strong referral program and social media strategy are both musts in today’s market. Your prospects are everywhere and therefore you need to be everywhere with them. One or two impressions a month when they are seeing 9,000 is not going get your club remembered. Finally, the fourth piece to the memorable marketing puzzle is to keep your branding consistent. This is one of the biggest pitfalls club owners make. Not only do you need to keep your branding consistent from one month to the next, you need to have your branding mirror itself on all the different campaigns you have going on any given month. If your direct mailer looks nothing like your outreach flyers and your billboard doesn’t match either, you are setting yourself up for an uphill battle to be remembered. All campaigns should build off of each other while letting the consumer know what you are all about. Avoid the sea of sameness and incorporate images of your club on your marketing wherever possible. Differentiate yourself from the competition.
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