Each month Blair McHaney, the CEO of MXM, sits down with Rachel Zabonick-Chonko, the editor-in-chief of Club Solutions Magazine, for a frank discussion on the current state of the fitness industry.
BLAIR MCHANEY’S POV SHOW NOTES
Top of Mind Thoughts on Mental Health and the Industry:
GYMS Act
- 149 cosigners in the House, that is more than they had on the Restaurant Act.
- 15 Senators are currently supporting.
- Visit IHRSA.org and click on the Gyms Act — Save Fitness button.
- Support is needed!
Proof of Vaccine Requirements
- Equinox and SoulCycle requiring proof of vaccination, but majority of their members are already vaccinated.
- Not a fan of putting gyms and small businesses in a position to have to police things.
- Having to show proof of vaccinations will be a rough spot.
- “It’ll be a rough spot; we’ll work our way through it, and we’ll come out better on the other side.”
- Mask mandates will likely come back in certain areas.
- Know where your customer base stands.
- Boldly take your stance.
- Will likely depend on your demographic and geographic location.
Marketing
- Marketing Rebellion by Mark Schaefer
- Your members are your marketing department.
- The most human company wins.
- Use technology to create more human-to-human interaction.
- Hyper-localize your voice and your brand.
- Create more personal experiences.
- Two-thirds of the marketing happening around your business, you aren’t participating in.
- Your members are marketing for you by word of mouth, online discussions, Instagram and even TikTok. Check out this example from Rochester Athletic Club.
- Members are brand ambassadors.
Final thoughts: “Hang in there. We will get through this.”
For more insights from Blair McHaney and to learn more about MXM, the world’s leading experts on Operational Member Experience Management, visit mxmetrics.com.
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Rachel Zabonick-Chonko is the editor-in-chief of Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@peakemedia.com.
