Practical Steps for Mental Health Awareness Week, May 13th

1. Host Workshops: Offer sessions led by professionals on stress management and self-care.
2. Mindfulness Practices: Introduce meditation or yoga classes to reduce stress.
3. Encourage Exercise: Promote mood-boosting workouts and offer incentives for participation.
4. Safe Discussion Spaces: Create judgment-free areas for mental health talks.
5. Flexible Memberships: Provide options for varied schedules and budgets.
6. Employee Wellness Programs: Support staff with stress management and work-life balance initiatives.
7. Community Engagement: Partner with mental health organizations for events and fundraisers.
8. Digital Outreach: Share resources and support online through social media and email.
9. Mental Health First Aid: Train staff to identify and assist those in need.
10. Celebrate Progress: Recognize and share success stories to inspire others.

Practical Steps to Pitching Paid Schemes for Corporate Health Club Memberships to Employers

1. **Understand Employer Needs**: Research employer needs and tailor your pitch accordingly.

2. **Create a Compelling Business Case**: Highlight benefits like reduced costs, increased productivity, and better employee engagement.

3. **Quantify ROI**: Use data to show the financial benefits of the program.

4. **Offer Customized Solutions**: Propose tailored membership packages aligned with company goals. Do as much listening as possible.

5. **Highlight Employee Engagement**: Emphasize how memberships boost morale, teamwork, and satisfaction.

6. **Provide Testimonials**: Share success stories and case studies to build credibility.

7. **Demonstrate Value-Added Services**: Showcase additional services like wellness workshops and fitness challenges.

8. **Address Objections**: Anticipate concerns and offer solutions.

9. **Propose a Pilot Program**: Suggest a trial period to showcase the program’s benefits.

10. **Follow Up and Support**: Provide ongoing assistance and resources to ensure a successful implementation.

By following these steps, you can effectively persuade employers to invest in corporate health club memberships, promoting employee well-being and a healthier, more engaged workforce.

Celebrating International Women’s Day with a heartfelt tribute to my incredible wife and business partner, Melissa Treharne! 🌟

The powerhouse behind www.myexperiences.co.uk, Melissa, thank you for your commitment to our business. From curating website content to managing customer queries , organising competitions and partner’s alongside Louise you do it all with efficiency and ease.

Balancing these responsibilities while being a Fab MUM to our son Ethan is a testament to Your ability to effortlessly navigate both roles still inspires me x

Melissa, you are the heart and soul of My Experiences. Your passion and hard work light ups my life every day. Here’s to celebrating you not just tomorrow but every day!

Happy International Women’s Day to my amazing wife, Melissa , Louise and to all the phenomenal women making a difference in the world! 🌺💪🏼 #InternationalWomensDay #WomeninBusiness

Hotel Health Clubs

(Do we ensure our teams know what good looks like ?)

It’s a pleasure to write a few words on making Hotel Health Clubs a success, which has been my business for the last 20 years.

When running a hotel health club, you are usually seen as a head of department of the hotel, but it is the only department where you run a business within a bigger business. You are fully responsible for driving sales, retaining your customers and contributing to the EBITDA of the business.

So let’s make a start

Financial
The first port of call.
Ask yourself DO I really know where I am financially. The business is an incremental business in both stats and cash, so do we lay out your finances in the same way? This is different to the hotel which is usually a seasonal year on year business.

So just ask yourself.
1. When did you last calculate your average membership price and compare it to your price list? Then ask how much do I potentially discount and why?
2. Do you calculate the yield of your club, this would be a main KPI for a hotel and therefore, should be no different within the club.
3. Do you layout the DD Movement, DD rejections and annual payers month to month and compare to your joiners and leavers. Does it follow TREND or are you giving to much away ( IE FREE MONTHS here and there )
4. As businesses we rely on members staying longer? So does your software give you average member length of stay? In my last 20 years, I have probably only met a handful of managers who have measured this. Could you imagine a Mobile phone provider not doing this? So why don’t we?

So when you create financial / statistical information, some things to think about:
• Why do you measure it?
• What does it tell you?
• What practical actions does it create within the business?

Hotel Club Operations
Whether you work in a 5 Star Hotel or a budget market, do you know what good looks like and most importantly do your team know what good looks like.
In a business you are expected to hold multiple skills: H&S, Sales, Operations, Customer Service, Management, Coaching, Leadership, Finance etc.
You cannot be good at everything, so please ensure you utilise other Hotel department heads to help you. Always remember in hotels, it is not them and us, you are a team, we are not running ICI and nobody has the answers to everything. Asking for help from someone else who has a better skill set to improve or approve what you do, is a strength. I wish I had learnt that earlier in my career and was more comfortable with who I was as a leader.

So just ask yourself. How do I improve showing my team what good looks like:
1. When did you ask your direct report or the head housekeeper to walk your club, to pick up on attention to detail and operational standards? We all need fresh eyes.
2. Do you walk every team member around the club, it should only take 5 to 10 minutes, but will allow you to address operational and brand standards. This will give other fresh eyes an opportunity to give feedback for improvement, if necessary.
3. When you set your rota do you align key tasks to the people on duty? Does everyone know what needs to be done and when? How much down time is wasted within your business?
4. If you set a team meeting time, keep to it, whatever is happening in the club! When did you last ask your direct report to sit in on your meeting ?
5. If you set one to one objective / tasking sessions, make it your priority.
6. Even if you are not part of a chain. Do you have your own brand standards and do the team know what they are?

Remember anything you start, ensure you’re consistent with it. The moment you miss a meeting, do not carry out a one to one, you have lost the dressing room and as result your business performance will slide and team members will start to leave you.

Inspecting what you expect
In many cases your clubs will be open 110 to 120 hours a week and maybe more, but usually you are contracted to 40. (I can hear you now. I do a lot more than that)

So it is important. You inspect what you expect on arrival of your shift and whilst your away from the business.
So a little bit of Mirror gazing?

1. Do you have a set of tasks when you come on duty you check first, before moving onto other actions? i.e. Do you always review your daily problem swipes?
2. If you have asked for something to be done while you are away, has it been done? And if not why not?
3. Before you set new tasks or tell team members to do this that and the other, have you gone back through what you asked them the first time to do?
4. Do you check the detail of what you have asked to be done? Is what you have asked to be done easily checked, i.e. that call to an expired member the DD reject, the prospect enquire, the member care call etc.
5. Have you got systems on checking when you are not in the business? The mystery call, the mystery walk in, the mystery member experience, does the hotel Duty Manager have 5 to 10 simple checks on their walk round that you would like them to do?
6. Now with email and social media. Do we respond to our clients when you are not in the business within a timely manner?
Now for a bit of sales / Help people BUY. ( FUN taken seriously)
Whether it is a team effort or you have a dedicated sales team. Prospecting for new members and keeping members longer has to be FUN taken seriously, just remember it is very unusual for a team member to come into the workplace and WANT to do a bad job. The failure of most clubs sales processes is we do not make PROCESS stronger than the people, we do not make the team confident with the process, we do not reward the team, praise and make it fun.

So as a wise man once said to me:
1. Break the sales process into small sections so it can be trained, coached and repeated, within 5 minutes. Repetition builds consistency and therefore will improve your sales.
A. Professional enquire (Do we have a script?)
B. Professional greeting (Do we have a script?)
C. Needs analysis (Do we have one and does it drive Open questions?)
D. Tour (Do we ask questions that result in a yes answer?)
E. Price present (Have we listened and presented the best option for them?)
F. Close (Have we actually asked them to join the club?)
G. Referral (GDPR is not a reason not to ask, if they would like to bring a friend in)
2. Ensure you measure performance every day, not just when you are in the business. The Key performance indicators must be available for all to see every day.
A. Enquires
B. Calls made
C. Appointments set
D. Presentations made
E. Sales Completed
G. Referral potentials

When you leave the business at night, think about how to improve your performance, who else in the team is doing the same. It does not matter if you are team of 6 or bigger, everyone must know where we are everyday with joiners and leavers

3. Making it fun: Is setting targets that are achievable and can be built on. Do not set targets that can never be reached! Better off setting lower targets initially and then building on them.

4. Share the results. Utilise the office board, group chat, reception clip board or on a daily handout. Once your team sees a positive net member movement, they will feel the BUZZ, but again if you’re not in the business, everyone should be able to update the membership. Most people like being accountable and responsible, especially when the news is good.

5. Praise and reward the team for performance. Don’t ever forget to Say Thank You!!

Finally
Each month I just spend 30 minutes writing down, what do I do really well? What can I do a lot better and what actions must be stopped.

If you need extra help then contact me

In the competitive landscape of hotel health clubs, member engagement stands as a cornerstone for success. However, ensuring sustained engagement goes beyond mere amenities and facilities; it requires a strategic approach that emphasizes creating lasting habits and fostering a sense of community. In this article, we delve into the imperative of strengthening member engagement programs, with a particular focus on the critical first six weeks of a new member’s journey.

Understanding the Importance:
Member engagement isn’t just about keeping members occupied; it’s about building relationships and loyalty. Research indicates that a new member is most likely to refer a friend or family member within the initial six weeks of joining. This underscores the significance of capitalizing on this crucial window to embed a culture of engagement that resonates with members, encouraging not just their continued patronage but also advocacy.

Mapping Out the Engagement Program:
Creating a robust member engagement program entails meticulous planning and execution. Here’s a structured approach across six weeks:

Week 1: The Welcome Experience

Personalized Welcome: Greet new members with a personalized welcome message or gesture, making them feel valued and acknowledged.
Orientation Session: Offer a guided tour of the facility, introducing them to equipment, amenities, and available services.
Goal Setting: Conduct an initial consultation to understand their fitness goals and aspirations, laying the groundwork for personalized engagement.
Week 2-3: Onboarding and Familiarization

Introduction to Classes: Encourage participation in group fitness classes tailored to various interests and fitness levels.
Buddy System: Pair new members with a buddy or mentor who can provide support, guidance, and encouragement during workouts.
Progress Tracking: Introduce members to fitness tracking tools or apps to monitor their progress and celebrate milestones.
Week 4-5: Engagement Activation

Social Events: Organize social events or networking sessions to foster connections among members and create a sense of belonging.
Educational Workshops: Offer workshops or seminars on topics such as nutrition, stress management, or injury prevention to enhance member knowledge and engagement.
Feedback Mechanism: Solicit feedback through surveys or focus groups to understand member preferences and areas for improvement.
Week 6: Recognition and Reward

Milestone Celebration: Recognize members who have achieved significant milestones or progress towards their goals, reinforcing their commitment.
Referral Program Promotion: Highlight the benefits of referring friends or family members, incentivizing referrals through rewards or discounts.
Renewal Incentives: Introduce exclusive renewal offers or perks to encourage members to extend their membership beyond the initial period.
Key Strategies for Success:

Personalization: Tailor engagement initiatives to individual preferences, ensuring a customized experience that resonates with each member.
Consistency: Maintain regular communication and interaction with members to sustain engagement and foster long-term relationships.
Community Building: Cultivate a sense of community by facilitating social connections and creating opportunities for members to interact and support each other.
Data-Driven Insights: Leverage data analytics to gain insights into member behavior and preferences, optimizing engagement strategies for maximum impact.
Conclusion:
In the competitive landscape of hotel health clubs, member engagement is not just a buzzword but a strategic imperative. By implementing a comprehensive engagement program that spans the critical first six weeks of a new member’s journey, hotel health club operators can not only cultivate a loyal member base but also drive referrals and advocacy. By prioritizing personalization, consistency, community building, and data-driven insights, operators can elevate member engagement and position their clubs for sustained success in the ever-evolving fitness industry

If you haven’t seen it yet, where have you been? Plastered over the television, bus shelters and billboards around towns and cities all across England in the recent weeks has been Cancer Research UK’s new campaign to warn people of the danger of obesity when it comes to cancer.

‘OB_S_ _ Y is a cause of cancer’ reads the campaign, or as the charity put it, an advertisement. The most sobering game of hangman you’ll ever play isn’t just for fun, however. There’s a serious point to it, that obesity is linked to 13 separate forms of cancer, yet only 15% of people know that.

Cancer Research claim that breast cancer, bowel cancer, cancer of the womb and oesophagus, pancreatic cancer, kidney, liver, upper stomach cancer, gallbladder, ovarian, thyroid, myeloma and meningioma cancer are all linked to being obese.

The correlation between obesity and cancer is a stark one. Those who are obese are almost twice as likely to develop liver, kidney, upper stomach or esophageal cancer, whilst obese women are two to four times likely to develop endometrial cancer, otherwise known as cancer of the uterus lining.

The link between the two comes as a result of three things. Obesity leads to an increase in insulin, which alongside other growth factors causes cells to divide more often and results in a higher risk of these cells turning cancerous. When you have excess fat cells in the body, more specialised immune cells are sent to them to remove dead and dying cells. These immune cells release chemicals known as cytokines, which leads to inflammation. As a result of inflammation the cells divide quicker and raise the risk of cancer in the same way as an increase of insulin. In women, after the menopause oestrogen produced by fat cells leads to quicker division in the breast and womb and increases the risk of cancer in these areas, which are the two types of cancer with the closest link to obesity.

The commonly known consequences of obesity are nowhere near as severe as this. High blood pressure, high cholesterol and the risk of a heart attack or stroke are all well known to be more likely if you are carrying excess timber and despite the recent advances in the treatment and survival rate of cancer patients, the threat and fear of the words ‘you have cancer’ are still one of the most feared in the country today.

It just goes to show how important not only education is around the fact obesity can cause cancer, but how crucial it is people who are at risk of some of the most deadly cancers known, due to their weight, are made aware of the dangers of obesity.

It is crucial we tell our loved ones, our friends and family and ensure they’re telling their friends and family and make sure we spread the word of just how dangerous obesity is.

But if you are reading this and you are obese then that doesn’t mean you should panic. The risk of cancer reduces with every pound and stone you lose. Get to the gym, get on a treadmill or an exercise bike as even half an hour a day on your lunch break, after or before work can reduce your risk of becoming a cancer patient. Lose the pounds before it’s too late.

Good Christmas? Nice dinner? Nice presents? Good, that’s how Christmas should be done of course, but now it’s time to tone that turkey-filled stomach and pulverise those extra pounds you’ve gained over the festive period.

A Christmas meal alone contains around 1,500 calories, three quarters of your recommended daily allowance.
With pigs in blankets around 100 calories per one, a glass of mulled wine 119 calories and champagne potentially even more than that, it’s easy to consume more calories than your brain can even think of over Christmas.

But it’s Christmas right? Not a problem? Not if you go about it the right way.

It will come as no surprise that January is the most popular month of the year for people to join the gym, with over 12% of new members joining in the opening month of the year compared to an average of 8.3% throughout the rest of the year according to the International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association.

So here are some top tips when it comes to ensuring post-Christmas success in the gym.

1. Start early

Don’t wait too long before starting back at the gym. There are five whole days between Boxing Day and New Years Day alone, what’s wrong with them? Waiting too long to return to the gym may make those extra calories consumed over Christmas a lot more difficult and time consuming to lose. If you want to see progress from before Christmas, the earlier you get back to the gym the better.

2. Make a new year’s resolution

People do still do this don’t they? It may be a long lost tradition now days, but it could be key to your post-Christmas workout.

A simple yet challenging and realistic goal (let’s be honest you can’t lose four stone in a month) can not only make yourself more aesthetically pleasing after the festive period, but boost your morale and give you the motivation to hit the gym hard for the first few months of the year.

No point giving up a few weeks after you lose those Christmas calories is there?

3. Continue to eat right

Don’t cut certain things out of your diet to balance out the Christmas meals.

Cutting out carbs will lead to your body burning protein and lead to a loss of ability to build muscle in the months post Christmas. Cut back, don’t cut out.

With Christmas leading to constant snacks and a more irregular food intake, try and get back to a routine when it comes to food, eat regularly and space your meals accordingly, instead of just snacking on the odd mince pie or chocolate cake, your metabolism will appreciate it greatly.

4. Treat yourself

Why not treat yourself to some gym gear for Christmas? A new sports bra or some new shoes can do wonders for your motivation and nobody wants to buy some new kit and let it go to waste do they?

Maybe even treat yourself to some sessions from a personal trainer to kick-start your post-Christmas routine in style.

5. Don’t shy from cardio

Cardiovascular exercise is crucial to losing weight over Christmas as many of the festive foods can tag on those pounds with ease.

Cardio may be gruelling, but don’t shy away, go with a friend, listen to music, do whatever works for you to get you through the cardio you need to lose weight.

Mix it up, don’t get bored, your body will be more grateful for variety if cardio such as cycling, running and rowing opposed to weeks’ worth of the same cardiovascular exercise.

6. Start small and build up

For regular gym goers it may be easy for your muscles to regress and you may find when you start back you may not be able to lift the same weight as pre-Christmas.

Never fear, this is normal. However, don’t spend two hours per session thinking quantity is better than quality, it isn’t.

You will get more out of lifting lighter weights correctly than lifting the same weight for two reps for two hours, your body will soon get back to lifting the same weights you were before Christmas if you give it the time.

7. Don’t quit

The most vital of them all.
Don’t give up, you may not be able to run as far or lift as heavy as before, but you got there once and you will again. It’s only normal that Christmas has a slightly negative effect and after a year of hard work, you deserved the break!

But another year of hard work in the gym awaits and you will feel refreshed and grateful for the break once you’re hitting those high numbers once again come February, there will be a lot of people in exactly same boat as you post-Christmas.

Find a gym near you and get started!

Going to the gym can be a tough gig.

There is a lot involved in making the most of your gym experience, starting with the motivation just to go and that will-power to drag yourself to the gym and exercise when you’re tired or busy or simply not in a very good mood. From there, the commitment to eat well and to plan meals and workouts and the pressure to make time to go to the gym can all make working out on a regular basis difficult.

Yet, when you get past those slight nagging issues, it’s one of the most rewarding and aesthetically pleasing forms of exercise around and can even prove one of the cheapest if you find the right gym. Going to the gym is a lifestyle, of which we all need a break sometimes, right?

To compliment all your hard work at the gym throughout the year, going to the spa is key.

For instance, who knew that a simple massage can lead to the body removing waste products by improving the lymphatic system, aiding your intense weight-loss programme without even moving a muscle? It doesn’t just end there.

Contouring services and body polishing options at spas can regenerate skin cells and make all your hard work pay off with your skin too, something you can’t work on in a weights room!

Spa days relax muscles in order for the muscles to reset and be better prepared for that assault on the cables, as well as ensuring healthier joints by relaxing tendons to release pressure built up through vigorous exercise.

A spa day or break can take your mind off all your stressors, your issues and even the pain from yesterday’s workout and refocus the mind, ensuring you’re ready and raring to get back into the gym and smash out those personal bests you’ve been working on for months on end.

Just by sitting in a sauna or getting a massage, you can improve your body no end just by spending the day at a spa with a friend or partner, and increase your mood with the release of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that will improve your mood, your social ability memory and sleep function, important isn’t it?

Impact Experiences offers spa days and breaks for incredible value all over the country, for yourself or as a gift to a friend who needs a well earned break.

Don’t knock it before you try…