It is not uncommon to observe the introduction of a new exercise or health promotion program into a club setting only to see it discontinued after a very brief period of time. Perhaps in some cases, based on sound business and programming analyses, such discontinuation is justified. However, far too often program calculations have little to do with the quality of the offering and far more to do with the results of either inadequate pre-program planning (staffing, promoting, pricing, and/or facilities) or unrealistic program expectations (participation and return on investment -“ROI”).
With respect to the planning issues, by following a well thought-out, established, and proven planning and implementation process, you can avoid many of the pitfalls that lead to program cancellation. And, clearly one of, if not, the essential key element of any successful program is having the right person to lead that program. However, another important element that is often overlooked or not considered at all in planning programs is the program planning support and assistance that is frequently provided by the vendors of such programs. Be it exercise equipment, exercise routines or music, or items for the pro shop, it is always advisable to consult with product providers as to how you might best plan to promote and present their products. A high quality vendor should always be responsive to such a request and should provide you with the necessary planning and promotional tools that will greatly increase your chances for success. And if they are not responsive, perhaps they are not of a quality that you want to represent to your members.
A second factor that greatly contributes to the often unnecessary cancellation of programs has more to do with managing expectations than the actual quality of the planning process. A critical element in planning any program or the introduction of any product to your members must be a realistic understanding as to how long it will take to successfully implement the product or program into your facility and have the product or program embraced by your membership. Far too often our approach, and with that, our expectations with respect to new programs, is not unlike a new member’s approach to getting physically fit – they want it after just a few weeks in the club!
Unless you are a “Fad Chaser” (which will greatly increase the likelihood that you will be out of business before long), you should approach and consider the issues associated with the implementation of new products or programs with a longterm perspective. Stated differently, one should think of programs and products that members can use over the duration of their membership and ones that will be available to help your members meet and maintain their long-term goals. A classic example of such an offering would be a high quality, safe, and proven weight management (lose, maintain, or gain) program that you know will meet the needs of all of your members and is available at all times to respond to an individual’s “readiness” to embark on such a program. However, you must remember that (not unlike a safe weight loss of one to two pounds per week), it will take some time to fully plan, staff, promote, and implement a quality program that will show the positive results (in pounds lost and in ROI) that were forecasted. Far too often club owners take a short-term view with such programs, when in fact, of all the health and fitness programs offered, a quality weight management program should be among the top ones in which to invest because the market opportunity is so big (literally and figuratively) and it is sure to be available (and expanding) for years to come.
Unfortunately, the weight management marketplace has been cluttered with products and programs that make false (if not fraudulent) claims as to their rapid effectiveness and profitability which invariably leaves club owners and operators at a loss – both programmatically and financially! However, there are several high quality weight management programs that have proven to be successful from both an individual results and a profitability standpoint. And, you will find that if you implement a weight management program that has been well designed, evaluated, and has good quality control and documented results, you, as well as your members, will be very pleased. Further, you should expect that such programs come with ongoing sales and marketing support that will greatly increase your success.
It is important to remember that the key to any long term successful program or product will be the people around it. And that is true for both the product/program vendor as well as the club operators and their staff. Stated differently – quality people offering quality products and programs will clearly lead to quality outcomes that will satisfy both your members and your bottom line. But remember, be precise, persistent and patient in developing and implementing your programs as that will lead to your success.
Robert C. Karch, Ed.D. is the Chairman of Biometrics Nutrition & Fitness. He can be contacted at 866.246.1922, or by email at bob@biometricshealth.com.
