September 2015
The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine
Gyms wait to hear if they are successful
Experts to inspire and entertain at first conference By Christina Eccles FITNESS entrepreneur and TV personality Katie Bulmer-Cooke, renowned retention guru Dr Paul Bedford and the ‘father of fitness’ Ken Heathcote will inspire and entertain delegates at the first National Fitness Conference, Workout can reveal. The trio of experts will share their top tips on marketing, social media, raising your profile and boosting retention at what promises to be an informative day for any operator looking to boost their business – without breaking the bank. The conference, organised by Script Events in partnership with Harlands Group, takes place on Friday December 4 at The National Space Centre in Leicester; prior to the National Fitness Awards in the evening at the nearby Athena. Other highlights will include a panel discussion featuring a group of National Fitness Awards’ winners who will share the secrets of their success and reveal how they capitalised on their NFA wins, as well as a seminar session on how to work with the media to secure valuable coverage for your fitness business. Workout editor Christina Eccles said: “We’re really excited about launching the National Fitness Conference and are
thrilled to have industry experts of Katie, Paul and Ken’s calibre involved with the event. “The conference will provide information and inspiration for gyms of all shapes and sizes who are looking to raise their profiles and attract new members without spending huge amounts of money. “Our aim is for delegates to leave the day with a fresh enthusiasm and tons of tips which they can immediately implement in to their businesses to ensure they get 2016 off to a flying start.” Delegates at the National Fitness Conference will also get the chance to network with likeminded individuals over a healthy lunch, as well as take a look around a dedicated exhibition space, where specially selected exhibitors will be showcasing their latest products and innovations. Christina added: “We’ve had a great response to the conference so far and are looking forward to revealing more big announcements in the run up to the event. “Watch out for more speaker news coming up on social media over the coming weeks, as well as details of how you can book your tickets at what is shaping up to be a must attend event for any forward thinking operator.”
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Speaker Katie said she is “really excited” to be involved with the National Fitness Conference and has urged operators to secure their places at the event. She added: “I'm going to be speaking about how I use social media to market my fitness services without spending a penny and how a crazy idea can become PR gold. It's this sort of content that is going to keep operators in all sectors and small business owners/independent personal trainers standing out from the competition.”
HUNDREDS of gyms are anxiously waiting to find out if they have made the shortlist for the 2015 National Fitness Awards, with strong entries this year representing all corners of the industry. From Scotland and Northern Ireland down to Cornwall and The Channel Islands, clubs from all areas have submitted nominations this year and as this issue of Workout goes to print, the team is drawing up the shortlist of finalists who will go forward to the next stage of the judging process. All finalists will then be visited by a member of the Workout team who will take a look around their facility, chat to members and staff and compile a comprehensive report to be passed to an expert judging panel –including celebrity personal trainer Richard Callender and Miss Galaxy Universe organiser Sarah Donohue – to choose the winners. Trophies will be handed out at a glittering ceremony, taking place at The Athena in Leicester on Friday December 4. Watch out for the full shortlist and details on how to book your tickets next issue.