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