Here It Is..

Over the last few weeks I’ve visited eight fitness facilities.  And in each case there were signs and banners with the company name and logo either above the entrance or out front or both.  BUT…. once you walked through the front door all branding… all logo imprinting  …all company identity were gone!  No logos  -  No branding – No nothing….anywhere!  

Here’s what is even more frustrating.  Three of the facilities spent “big money” on sales and marketing consulting firms.  One attended a mastermind meeting that cost over $2,000. 

When I asked if any of the consultants or marketing gurus mentioned in-house branding or logo imprinting within their facilities the answer was NO.  I mean not even a mention!

Instead, they were up-sold into new programs including social media programs, conversion systems, telephone scripts and all the rest.

This is Outrageous!

When you consider how inexpensive it is to create banners, window clings, posters or murals for your walls… its just a crime that so many excellent fitness entrepreneurs are missing a key element of Marketing 101.

What’s the Big Deal..?

So why is this such a big deal?  Well for starters, let’s begin with the premise that word-of-mouth resulting in referrals is often considered the most effective (and least expensive) tactic to gain new members and clients.  If that’s true, then it’s absolutely essential for YOU as a success-minded fitness professional to constantly and consistently “pound” YOUR BRAND into the consciousness of your current clients and members.

Doing this is what’s known as creating “impressions.”

For example, if you hang 2 huge banners with your logo in your facility and 10 people view both banners you’ve created 20 impressions.

2 (banners)  x 10 (views) = 20 impressions.

 O.K., so if you do just a little bit of math and think about having 10 to 20 big logos inside your facility (depending on size) and anywhere from 20 to 1,000 members/clients each day… and multiply that by 3-5 days a week or more….  you can see the impressions really add up! Over the course of year it’s easy to generate 1,000,000 impressions — in even the smallest facility!

What Good are Impressions?

Impressions are what keep your brand and business in “top-of-mind awareness” among your clients and members.

Maintaining this high level of awareness is what drives word-of-mouth that result in referrals.

Impressions is what drives and increases awareness of your business throughout the community, too.

Creating impressions is exactly why advertisers pay the big bucks on T.V.  They are creating millions of viewer impressions all at once.

Think of how Coke sponsors American Idol and how Jennifer and Randy always position the Coke cup with the logo facing the cameras.  For Coke, it’s millions upon millions of “positively reinforced impressions” on the minds of American youth culture.  It’s HUGE!

But Wait, My Consultant Said..!

Yes, I know your consultant told you to only focus on “response strategies and tactics” and to not waste a single nickel on any kind of branding.  And, for the most part he or she is right.  I do NOT advocate “image advertising” of any kind.  I totally agree with “response advertising.”

But LISTEN… inside  your own club is NOT advertising!  It’s YOUR SPACE!  It YOUR TIME!  It’s your ONE OPPORTUNITY to create a huge IMPRESSION on dozens, maybe hundreds of people every day!

And… once it’s done, it’s DONE!

Think About This..

If I’m “Art’s Fitness Center” and my member just completed a workout… and is full of endorphins, oxygen and elevated blood flow… feeling on-top-of-the-world…. then, the final thing I want him or her to see upon exit is MY LOGO!

I want that member to associate “feeling fantastic” with my LOGO... my BRAND… my BUSINESS!  And, when his or her friends ask about the new healthy look.. I want “Art’s Fitness Center” to come flying out of my member’s mouth!

 Okay, Open Your Eyes!

So, now take a look around your facility.  What do you see?  Or should I ask..“What is it you don’t see…?”

Here are a couple of thoughts…

• See if any of your members or clients can paint a mural of your logo on your walls (trade out)

• Did you know you can even get 72″x 48″posters created for about $150?  Check out your local Kinkos, Staples or print shop.  Or call me.

• Read this...

• More...

I once listened to a business owner tell his story. He owned gumball stands – the pedestal kind with the glass bubble “head” and the “quarter-slot” payment mechanism.

He wasn’t doing great.

He had gumball machines in offices (lots of “traffic”) and everywhere he could think of — but he needed to do better or he would go out of business.

Here’s his dilemma: He had a product that had almost NO VALUE, his product was sold everywhere (a SATURATED MARKET), it had a FIXED PRICE of 25 cents (you can’t change the price on a gumball machine), and there was NO SIGNIFICANT DEMAND for his product. But he figured out a creative way to make a killing.

Now, before I tell you what he did, STOP and THINK. What would YOU do in his situation.

• How would you make a killing selling gumballs?

• Don’t read further until you think of SOME STRATEGY.

• When I tell you what he did, you can compare your idea to his.

OK. I hope you have stopped and thought about YOUR strategy to make a gumball killing.

Ready for his solution?

Here’s what he did…

In every gumball machine, he added a single gumball that he had specially made. It had a smiley face — which was worth a very special, high-value prize.

They just needed to contact him and they would get the free (but highly valued) prize.

He would then refill the machine and add another special smiley-faced gumball
and the whole thing kept going.

Now, this REALLY WORKED well for him. At some of his machines, he would have to refill them several times a week. I can’t remember exactly how much money each machine would hold, but it might have been around $80 per gumball machine (times 20 to 50 machines).

This promotion worked great because people were risking only 25 cents for a chance to win a SUPER-VALUEABLE prize package. So his promotion idea generated a good income for him.

But HOW did he pay for the prize packages
with his profits from his gumball machines?

He didn’t.  He didn’t PAY anything for these prize packages. He contacted businesses and worked out a deal with them. He worked deals with places in Las Vegas and other resort cities.

For example, even in Las Vegas, an empty room for a hotel is ZERO income for that room. And hotels often have periods when many of their rooms are empty. So it’s a benefit to them to have him send them leads–even if they are giving the room away for free.

The hotel can upsell the (gumball) buyer to another room (or an extended stay) for just a few dollars more, or they can make money when the person orders room service or eats in the hotel dining room, or plays in the hotel casino.

Anyway, it’s a WIN-WIN-WIN. The buyer gets a luxury package, the business man makes a killing at his gumball machines, and the hotel makes money during their slump periods.

So in this case, the value of his product was low, but he added VALUE to it by OFFERing the CHANCE to win something that was many times the value of his product (and the price of it too).

I really love this story because it shows real creativity. Look again at what he had going AGAINST him: he had a product with no real value, it wasn’t something that people needed to buy (like food), people could get the same product anywhere (and probably cheaper if they bought it in bulk), he had a fixed price, and he had no real demand for his product. And, with a 25 cent product, there was no way for him to drop his prices or offer a discount to undersell his competition. So he was forced to be creative and it worked better than he could have imagined.

OK…here the business owner CREATED additional value for a common commodity.

It wasn’t a unique product at all but his OFFER was unique.

Whatever product you have, unique or not, it’s only a part of your OFFER (the way you bundle your product with other VALUEABLE benefits). Any common product can be made unique by changing your OFFER. It’s your OFFER that’s important, and it’s your offer’s VALUE that you want to protect by never discounting or devaluing it.

I’m writing about it because it is about to affect our own whey protein in terms of availability and pricing.

First off, there is a global shortage of high quality whey protein.  You can google (global shortage of whey protein) and find lots of information.   I do not really know if this shortage is real or man-made (like the so-called oil shortage) whereby commodities speculators are the driving up the costs.

There is another “conspiracy theory” that contends the cost of high quality whey protein is being driven sky high in order to make room for other sources of protein such as soy, rice, pea and even hemp.

In the end, it doesn’t really matter.  The fact of the matter is that high-quality whey protein is at the highest prices in history.

Cost-Cutting in a Competitive Market

As a result of the short supply, pricing increases and other issues, manufacturers are faced with finding strategies to cut costs.

• For example, one of the cost-cutting tactics is to import whey protein from Asia.  This practice has become quite controversial due to questionable quality control procedures, potential contamination during transport, exposure to heat and humidity, etc.

• Another cost-saver is to manufacture huge batches (hundreds of thousands of jugs) and then store in temperature controlled facilities.   However, many experts argue that whey protein, even though processed, filtered and dried, may still act as though it’s biologically active and begin to degrade.  Proper storage will determine rate of degradation.  There are plenty of scientists who refute this claim so the debate is “hot and heavy!”

• And, even if the whey protein remains stable, most whey protein formulas have other vitamins and nutrients mixed into the formula… and those “extras” may spoil or degrade much more quickly than the whey protein resulting in an inferior product — affecting taste, mix and uptake.

• Some brands have significantly lowered the quality of their protein down to 50% whey concentrate.  This is less than ideal for athletes, fitness enthusiasts and active lifestyle adults.  It’s also dishonest if its being marketed as a “Sports Nutrition” formula.

• Finally, there are cost-cutting manufacturing procedures such as increased line speed, non-filtration processes and environments where the protocol, itself, is legal, however, sub-par for a “Sports Nutrition” formula.

The New Formula / Decision

Recently, I was faced with these choices:

• Discontinue our Whey Protein Formula
• Lower the quality of the product formulation
• Continue to produce a high-quality product at a higher cost

First off… #2 is never an option we consider for any of our products.  Period.  So, despite the supply shortage and price volatility, I decided to “bite the bullet” and continue with our new Whey Protein Formula.

The quality of our formula is of utmost importance since so many professional and amateur athletes use it (despite the fact they professionally endorse other brands).

Our relationships with trainers for pro teams and athletes requires all formulas be constantly assayed for label claim and banned substances at independent labs.  I tell people we are the most assayed supplement line on the planet!

It should go without saying that the most important reason for our obsession with quality is YOU.  Especially since you may be wrapping your name on this formula.   Your clients and members expect the absolute best from you — as they should!

Our new Whey Protein Formula is not only a superior product, but mixes and tastes better than most.  This is because we take the extra steps to produce the highest quality formula possible.

• For example, we retain a separate company to create our delicious flavorings of rich Dutch Processed Cocoa and Vanilla Creme (tastes like angel food cake).

• We also take the extra step to include an “instantizer” to the powder.  That’s why you’ll notice the powder mixes so easily with milk or water and does not stick to the side of your glass … or get clumpy.

• We continue to only produce short run batches… usually under 2,000 jugs – thus ensuring a consistently fresh product formula.

• The whey protein is secured from a U.S. -based supplier in California and maintains no less than 80% quality level.

• And now, for the first time, we are using STEVIA as a sweetener.

The pricing for this new formula is $34.99 per 2lb jug.
Suggested retail price is $49.99 – $61.99
Available starting May 10th.

While I realize this is a significant price increase, (and that we may lose some customers) we “price-checked” similar formulations and found it to be competitive.  Surprisingly, even less than some of the “designer whey protein” powders being marketed under the Sports Nutrition banner.

At the end of the day I simply refuse to compromise.  For me, personally, it’s either “game on” or not at all.

• Commercial Weight Loss Centers (Jenny Craig, Weight Watcher’s, NutriSystem)
• Hospital Weight Loss Programs (Medifast, Optifast, etc.)
  
• Magic Pills & Drinks (fen-Phen, Slimfast, Hydroxycut,  etc.
• Fitness-based Weight-Management Programs

Now, EVERYBODY is a Weight-Loss Expert!

But that’s all changed.  Now it seems everyone (and his brother) is  a weight-loss expert with some “secret formula” that guarantees quick results.

Or, “new research” that has uncovered the secret to losing belly fat.

And, then there’s Lap-Band surgery… but I’m not even going to go there…!

To make things even more pathetic… almost all weight management programs (even the credible ones) make heavy use of the internet, including FaceBook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIN, Craig’s List, blogs, websites and on and on.

So, now we have Internet Marketing Scammers participating and adding to the Weight-Loss Chaos!

Why is This So Disturbing…?

Yep… this is a much more dangerous landscape. Why? Because so many of these new weight-loss marketers know absolutely nothing about fitness.. and even less about credible, long-term weight-management.

It’s the Glitz

Here’s what the quick-fix scam artists do.   They write great sales copy. They make incredible offers. They promise unrealistic results. They show phony before & after photos.  Fake testimonials.  They create “info products.” They sell “magic pills.”   They create weight-loss “membership sites.”  They are in it for one reason: Quick Bucks.

O.K. — I’m done with my rant.  You get the idea!

What They WON’T Do…

Do you know the ONE THING the scam artists, commercial weight-loss centers and other non-credible experts WON’T Do..?

They will NOT stand before you… eyeball-to-eyeball and tell you the truth about how your body actually functions.  Mostly, because they, themselves, don’t know.

Instead, they:

• hide behind their websites
• hide behind their direct mail pieces
• hide behind their advertising
• hide behind their false claims and play upon the emotions of the consumers
• THEY HIDE. 

… and for good reason.  They could never stand up to the scrutiny of their products and services if someone in the audience (like me) started asking questions!

Seriously… I used to go to seminars with a pair of Skyndex calipers in my backpack — and always ask the “expert” if I could take his or her body-fat.  I was always escorted out!

Automatic “Qualifier”

Here’s how you can turn “lemons” into “lemonade!”

Several marketing researchers have shown that the type of people who purchase weight-loss products from a blog or website are not serious.   Typically, they are looking for the quick-fix just before they attend their high school reunion, the wedding, holiday socials, etc.  Duh…! No surprise there!

So, in a way… the scam artists are like a “qualifier” for legitimate programs and services.  They “skim off” the non-serious, quick-fix type of people you don’t really want to service in the first place!

The Opportunity to STAND OUT!

Here’s another way to turn lemons into lemonade.  Use the weight-loss scams as a comparison from which you STANDOUT!  It’s a huge opportunity to separate and differentiate yourself in the weight-management marketplace.

Consider how you might use these bogus scams and sites with their faulty protocol and ridiculous claims to demonstrate the difference between them and you. Between lies and the truth. Between fraud and credibility.

And, what better way to do it than to go where THEY DON’T DARE TO GO… in front of a LIVE AUDIENCE!

Unlike them, you have nothing to hide.  You have the truth.  And that, in and of itself, is INCREDIBLY POWERFUL!

Stand Up, Stand Out, Be THE Market Leader!

All of this brings me to this important point.

You can leverage this opportunity and become the absolute market leader in weight-management services by simply being REAL.

By helping people understand how their bodies work.. how weight management is a lifestyle process… you’ll gain new referrals, retain existing clients and generate consistent new revenues!

Get Your Message Out

The secret is to get your message out.  And, the best way to do this is to make a live presentation in front of a live audience.  Here’s how:

• Watch this video for talking points

• Set a Date and Create Your 45-minute presentation

• Invite members, non-members, local media, church groups, business organizations, community groups, PTA,  Local Police Dpt., Fire Dpt., etc.

• Create a 21-day promo campaign via e-mail, website, FaceBook, Twitter, postcards, posters (in-house) posters (local merchants, public billboards, telephone “hold” message, staff announcements, front desk signage

• Send a media release to local television and radio stations (as a PSA – public service announcement – if you are offering the presentation for free

For even more info, checkout the LifeTime Membership and the Marketing Manual.

It’s Show Time!

Some of our most successful, Next Generation Fitness Professional Partners present this information at least once every three months.  They present in their own facilities as well as at health fairs, corporate brown-bag lunches, churches, schools, sports teams etc.  In other words, you can take this presentation (the truth) on the road!

I hope you become a “Truth Evangelist!”

So, here we go again. Another “magic pill.”

It’s time to cast a big net.  Just watch this :60 video and discover a strategy you can implement today!

One club owner recently told me that this little piece of advice was the cornerstone to his 600% increase in sales!

So, when consumers choose a program to help them lose weight (there are hundreds of options) there should be two red flags that help them with the decision-making process.

Just these two red flags should weed out more than 90% of the available programs.

Red Flag #1:

What is the measurement for progress?

If the measurement used to gauge progress is “pounds-on-scale” or “BMI” or anything other than “body-composition” (lean mass vs. body-fat), then, run away from this program right away.

Just this red flag alone would eliminate almost all commercial weight-loss programs including the big guys such as Weight Watchers, NutriSystem and Jenny Craig.

Here’s the video that explains why:

 Learn more about this video….

Red Flag #2:

Are you required to purchase pre-packaged food?

This is where your client or member must understand the true nature and focus of the company and program they’re entrusting.

Most commercial weight-loss companies are primarily engaged in the pre-packaged food business. Actual weight-loss “programming” and “education” is just a give-a-way in order to get the client signed-up for a FOOD PURCHASE program. That’s why they practically give away the program for such a cheap price-point.

You’ll notice that at the end of every ad the commercial weight loss companies throw out a disclaimer: “Price does not include food.”

• “Why are you here?”  Asked of all prospective members at a club in Portland, Oregon:    “Did you come here to join a room full of equipment or are you REALLY serious about changing your body?  Because, if you’re really serious you’ll want to take advantage of our personal training and nutrition programs to ensure you’re getting the most effective and efficient use of your time and effort.  If not, you’re better off at that $10 per month club down the street!”

• Turn it In:  Dolores C. in Florida requires each new member to “turn-in” his/her bathroom scale upon membership.  That’s right, you have to turn in your scale and she keeps it for 12 weeks.  She says it drives home the concept of body-composition over pounds-on-the-scale.

• Weight Doesn’t Mean Anything:  ”If you gain 3 lbs but lose two dress sizes… would that be O.K.?  Then why are you using the scale as a measuring tool?”

• Selling Weight-Management?   Rob G. at Forever Fit, MD requires all new staff members to enroll in his facility’s weight-management program.  It’s a condition of employment.  Says Rob, “How else is the staff going to really understand what it is we do around here?  Weather it’s weight-management, fitness or sports conditioning, it’s still about proper nutrition and exercise in a structured format.”  Since implementing the staff requirement, his weight-management and other “up-sell” programs have tripled.  A little knowledge goes a long way.

• Numbers Crunch:  When met with price resistance, Dennis Foley, NYC, simply asks his female clients to put things in perspective by asking this question:  ”How much do you spend each month on hair, skin and nails?” Multiply that number by 12 for the yearly total.  Most spend well over $1,000 for less than 5% of their body.  So, almost any membership or PT package comes in under that price tag – and generally affects 100% of the body – including hair, skin and nails.

• The Lifestyle Quotient:  Do your clients think they’re really working out hard.  They probably are.  But, if they workout for one (1) hour, five (5) days a week, that’s less than 3% of the time. (Divide 5 by 168 hours)  That’s why nutrition and other lifestyle factors are so important…. yes, including sleep.

• No Guts / No Glory:  Want hard core?  Here ya go.  After a one-hour weight-management presentation (including footage of open-heart surgery) Lawrence in N. Cal., advises clients NOT to enroll in his weight-management program unless they’re ABSOLUTELY SERIOUS about making a financial, emotional and time COMMITMENT.  And for good reason.  He requires each new enrollee to sign a 7-page document that, among other things, stipulates an additional $250 cancellation fee if you fail to make all your appointments and complete his 12-Week program.  That’s in addition to the up-front $399 enrollment fee.  Has he ever collected?  Yup.  Is it legal?  I don’t know.

Compared to the 69% of adults who in 2011 said they used supplements, 66% did in 2010, 65% in 2009, and 64% in 2008.

A big reason for the upward trend seems to be consumer confidence in the safety, quality, and efficacy of supplements, with 84% of adults saying they are confident, compared to 82% who said the same in 2010.

“As consumers are more educated about the role vitamins and other supplements play in their overall health and wellness, they are incorporating them into their lives along with other healthy practices such as trying to eat a healthy diet and getting regular exercise,” commented Judy Blatman, CRN’s senior vice president of communications.

Other findings from the survey include:

• Consumers take a variety of supplements: While most supplement users take “vitamin/mineral supplements” (67%), sizeable percentages also report taking “specialty supplements” (35%), “herbals/botanicals” (23%), and “sports nutrition supplements” (17%).

• Among “specialty supplements,” the use of omega-3/fish oil supplements increased by 2%, from 21% in 2010 to 23% in 2011. The next two most popular in the category were glucosamine and/or chondroitin (8%) and fiber (8%).

• More consumers are taking their letter vitamins: Vitamin D (22% versus 19% in 2010), Vitamin C (22% versus 19% in 2010), and Vitamin B/B complex (17% versus 14% in 2010).

• Multi-vitamins are still the most popular category: 71% of supplement users take a multi-vitamin; while 53% report taking a multi-vitamin daily. Overall, 49% of all adults report taking multi-vitamins.

• Reasons for taking a supplement? It’s part of a healthy lifestyle. Consumers ranked “overall health/wellness benefits” as the main reason why they take supplements (40%), followed by “fill in nutrient gaps in my diet” (29%).

• When it comes to supplements, the survey noted that women are more likely to be supplement users than men (74% versus 64%, respectively).

• Supplements use grows with age: While 60% of adults ages 18 to 34 take supplements, the percentage increases to 69% among those ages 35 to 54, and to 78% among those 55 and over.