Business Planning/Strategies Articles

The following list of resources act as a supplement to the article "30 Ways to Make More Money: Win the Leverage Lotto!" as seen in the July-August issue of IDEA Fitness Journal. Each of them offer more in-depth information for the majority of the ideas presented in the article.

Have you ever wondered if partnering with daily deal sites is worth the investment? According to Bloomspot, one of many daily deal companies, the answer is yes. The organization analyzed customer transaction data from about 2,000 participating businesses in core markets. Here are a few highlights:

You’re already an active blogger, and you’ve got hundreds of Facebook fans and TwitterTM followers. You consistently post relevant, informational updates and messages. You encourage feedback, and you foster conversations among your followers. Your clients are engaged and enthusiastic. But you feel you’re in a bit of a rut, or you see that your audience isn’t really growing. Now is the time to mix in other social media tools and tactics. newsletter_teaser: You’re already an active blogger, and you’ve got hundreds of Facebook fans and TwitterTM followers. You consistently post relevant, informational updates and messages.

When you decided to become an independent exercise entrepreneur, you had a core focus and a vision of how you would help your clients. But overnight you also became the accountant, janitor, customer service department, blog writer, fitness manager and CEO—all rolled into one. newsletter_teaser: When you decided to become an independent exercise entrepreneur, you had a core focus and a vision of how you would help your clients. But overnight you also became the accountant, janitor, customer service department, blog writer, fitness manager and CEO—all rolled into one.

Treadmills, ellipticals, indoor cycling classes—sometimes the same old thing becomes, well, old. To alleviate the boredom that can set in—and that ultimately reduces members' motivation to exercise—many facility owners and managers are shaking up their programming by taking their clients outdoors. newsletter_teaser: Treadmills, ellipticals, indoor cycling classes—sometimes the same old thing becomes, well, old. To alleviate boredom, take members outdoors.

If we had it to do all over again, there wouldn’t be much we would change, if anything. We, and IDEA, have come to this exact moment in time as a sum of all the parts, moments, people and happenings—both amazing and sometimes not so great—that have happened on our journey since we founded IDEA.

The National Business Group on Health estimates that the corporate wellness market will grow 18% over the next 5 years. This puts the fitness industry in a perfect-storm position to create or embrace the opportunity. The major factors catalyzing this storm are rising disease and disability among Americans and relentless annual increases in healthcare costs.newsletter_teaser: The National Business Group on Health estimates that the corporate wellness market will grow 18% over the next 5 years. This puts the fitness industry in a perfect-storm position to create or embrace the opportunity.

Facility managers and directors are in a strategic position to bring health-and-wellness solutions to members across all ages and stages of life. Where to begin? newsletter_teaser: Facility managers and directors are in a strategic position to bring health-and-wellness solutions to members across all ages and stages of life. Where to begin?

When your dream team is happy, their attitudes are positive and they are friendly, open and welcoming. The team members get along and they take time to engage with participants and members. newsletter_teaser: When your dream team is happy, their attitudes are positive and they are friendly, open and welcoming. The team members get along and they take time to engage with participants and members.

When employees feel uninspired, they don’t think about how to improve the systems at their facility. They aren’t interested in sharing their great ideas, and they don’t care about really engaging their clients. They show up, do their jobs and put in just enough effort to mitigate performance issues, but they don’t extend themselves any further. You have to remind them to smile when they’re greeting members and remind them to call clients by name. Their bodies show up for work, but their hearts and souls are missing. newsletter_teaser: When employees feel uninspired, they don’t think about how to improve the systems at their facility. They aren’t interested in sharing their great ideas, and they don’t care about really engaging their clients.