Webinars Launch This Month

Last week we did a practice run of our webinars with “15 Outreach Programs in 30 Minutes” and what a huge success! It was very successful with 81 participants experiencing our first webinar. The common feedback was how convenient the training is – “Not having to leave the club and get a 30 minute hit of motivation is awesome. We’ll be signing up for the sales webinars for sure.”

If you missed the webinar, you can see and hear it by clicking here.

To register for the sales webinars click here.

Smart & Dumb Things for your Sales People

This month I read Anne Danter's "Smart and Dumb things that affect my buying decision" courtesy of Jeffrey Gittomer:

• smart 1. Honesty. Truth at all times and at all costs. Do not lie and think you'll get away with it, because you won't. If I can't tell you're a liar immediately, I soon will and one lie banishes you.
• dumb 1. Telling an expedient lie. We have it in stock (and you don't). It will be delivered on Thursday (and it isn't). Or, it's backordered and you didn't have the common courtesy to call and tell me in advance.
• smart 2. Give me valuable ideas. If you can provide suggestions or ideas on how to make my life (work, personal or family) better, you'll be a hero to me and a valuable resource.
• dumb 2. Function only as an order-taker. Rush in at the last minute, pressure me about the impending deadline and demand the sale now or else.
• smart 3. Understand and be interested in me. If you make an attempt to show interest and understand, I'll spend all the time in the world to educate you, because you'll only be better equipped to help me.
• dumb 3. Communicating non-sense. Illustrate a lack of understanding and appreciation for my position, my job pressures or what makes sense to me.
• smart 4. Treat me with respect. Be courteous, on time and well mannered. If you're not, it's a guaranteed deal-killer.
• dumb 4. Bad manners. Late, interrupt, poor attitude, and the inability to listen cuts off the ink supply to my pen.
• smart 5. Be a decent human being, with some sense of ethics and morals. It makes me feel positive about doing business with you and gives me some reassurance you won't try to screw me over.
• dumb 5. Schmooze bad about the competition. Talking out of turn about others. It arouses suspicion every time, that either you and/or your product are less than desirable.

Facebook Takes Over the World

In the past 12 months, 75% of ALL internet users have talked to friends on Facebook, 70% have accessed You Tube content, 65% used Wikipedia and 33% used Twitter reported Nielsen last month.

What was particularly interesting is the online advertising revenue in these sites has increased to $4.1billion in just the Australian market. Plus there is a projection that this will increase by 10% each year for another 3 years and could surpass newspaper advertising revenue by 2011.

So despite recent negative media coverage, Facebook continue to grow with more than 10 million Australians now on Facebook with the average daily visit to Facebook being 17 minutes.

Not Happy Boss

A survey of 1500 workers in Australia found the following results:

• 12% would leave because a lack of opportunity for advancement;
• 10% for job dissatisfaction;
• 9% for lack of professional development;
• 8% for poor work-life balance;
• 8% work-related stress.

The survey further found that employees who were asked to take concessions during the Global Financial Crisis – work longer hours, take leave without pay, forced annual leave, wage cuts and so on – were the number one group considering moving.

It Is All About The Experience

A great lesson can be learnt from Virgin Blue boss John Borghetti on what makes an airline succeed or fail: “They are all flying the same tubes at 35,000 feet with seats. The only thing that makes the difference is the people who are handling customers.”

A great reminder for us all John.

Soccer World Cup: No GFC Impact!

During the World Cup this month, it is expected that 40 billion people will watch the event world wide – making it the most watched event. IBISWorld predict that Aussies will spend $884 million on merchandise, electrical equipment, pubs, food and booze, and gambling. Further if we had made it to the second round it could rise to $1.25billion!

For Sale: Clubs & Equipment

Thanks to Paul from Orange who suggested that we launch a classifieds page on our website. Which we have done! For just $45 you can load anything you want to sell and it will be up for a month.
Check out the classified ads here.

This month for sale is:

• Lifefitness Bikes – upright and recumbent
• StarTrack V Bikes
• Personal Training Business in Tasmania

A Funny Thing Happened

This month’s story comes from Sherry: "My friend has security footage of all front desk activities. One tape showed what was really happening when the owner was away. A grossly overweight (and under clothed) 300 lb friend of the receptionist was behind the desk with her dirty bare feet up on the counter while her shorts were hiked way up her thigh so a staffer could ink a fake tattoo on her cellulite butt. She has 15 minutes of this on tape while members were passing by the dirty feet to sign in. Needless to say, the staff forgot that there were tapes running – and the staffer was immediately fired."

If you have any funny stories that have happened in your gym, at a gym you train at or with personal training send them through and each month one random contributor will win 2 thirty minute business coaching sessions. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

July Specials

This month we have linked up with a great supplier for an awesome opportunity for you to increase your sales and retention of your members and clients.

Sonja from Real Body has a great product called ‘Nutritional Complete.’ This is a complete nutrition & meal planning software solution for Health Professionals, Fitness Professionals & Health Clubs to provide to their members / clients. The web-based software application can be accessed by users directly from your website (or ours) and can also be branded with your own logo. This intelligent, user-friendly program will help users to follow personalised and tailor made meal planners using recipes created by 3 of the UK’s most sought after nutritionists…they will be able to create meal plans, recipes and shopping lists in less than 15 minutes all personalised to their own goals.

 She is providing a 20% saving of all annual subscriptions for her web-based software for nutritional and meal planning.

 For a thorough overview click here.

New Google Ranking Using Caffeine

Last month The Web Show Room announced changes to how Google will rank your website.

The upgrade has been called 'Google Caffeine' and the emphasis of the change is on rewarding websites that consistently publish fresh content. In Google's own words the changes reflect the fact that "with the advent of video, images, news and real-time updates, the average webpage is richer and more complex".

Google are claiming that Caffeine will result in "50% fresher results for web searches".

As a suggestion to keep your content fresh consider

1. It is now more important than ever to maintain an up-to-date news area and/or blog on your website.
2. You need to keep your content fresh and if possible diverse (for example new articles, video, audio and maps).
3. If you are not doing this already then you need to start taking social media tools like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn seriously.

You should not view Google Caffeine as a threat. By responding to the changing environment more effectively than your competitors you have a great opportunity to redefine how Google perceives your website. Use these changes to get more site visitors and most importantly, more customers.

The Interactive Instructor

My great friend Kris Tynan has just written her first book and what an awesome book for every gym and personal training business: The Interactive Instructor! When I asked what it is about she said:

“Service excellence on the gym floor remains elusive and this has a knock on affect to customer satisfaction and retention.  If your team struggle to make contact with your members consistently on the gym floor ‘The Interactive Instructor’ might just be what you are looking for. Long overdue, the book is chock-full of practical advice that will enable gym floor instructors – new and experienced – to communicate with customers more confidently.

Kris has had many years of experience in this area and her straight forward hands-on approach makes the tools and tips she presents easy to understand and apply.

The book is normally $NZ28 but Kris has given you a discount – just $NZ25. So for a limited time if you quote this promotion you are eligible for a discount  - To order and for more information go to www.lightenup.co.nz/interactive-instructor.  To claim your discount use the discount code ACTMAN then ‘JT rocks’ in the following membership or registration line.

You Tube Clip of the Month

Ben from Shapes Health Club in Perth, Western Australia shared this great clip with me. It is a lively RSA Animate, adapted from Dan Pink's talk at the RSA and illustrates the hidden truths behind what really motivates us at home and in the workplace.

Don’t forget to check out Active Management’s You Tube Channel.

FREE GIFT Account from Active Management

We all know how busy life can be and are always looking for ways to save us time and money.  Active Management has found a great system that does both of these things while maintaining those all important relationships with clients and family.  As a distributor for ‘Send Out Cards’ we can send greeting cards, event invites, reminders, gifts and much more all without leaving the home or office.  Send Out Cards allows you to design your own cards and import your database to generate marketing campaigns or simply send your Mother a birthday card!

As a regular e-news reader, we are offering you the chance to send a card on us!  Test out the system and see if you could use this fantastic tool to save you time and money too.  Simply follow this link to redeem your free gift account: www.sendoutcards.com/78042 and click on the ‘FREE GIFT ACCOUNT’ banner.

Love Clever Marketing

Tips to Attract & Retain Members

Here are some ideas from Tim Reid – The Ideas Guy!

1. Get my MESSAGE right
All too often business owners race off and spend time and money worrying about where to place their message. The thing is, the choice of medium is largely determined by budget...and of course by whether your prospects are at the other end of that media channel. But appearing in the greatest medium in the world is going to have little impact if what you're saying isn't compelling. So here's four questions to answer:

• What business am I really in?
• What problem am I solving for my customers?
• How do I want people to perceive my business?
• And most importantly, what does my typical customer look like?

2. Turn features in to PACKAGES
I was once the Marketing Manager for Flight Centre. A wholesaler came to me and offered a package to sell that included a return airfares, 10 nights accommodation and a free massage. I got him to add 9 more massages, a bath robe on the bed each night and a facial scrub. I then named it the BALI PAMPER PACK and it sold like hot cakes. Package stuff up, give it a fun name and watch it run off the shelf.

3. Now, get your MEDIUM right
Let's forget advertising for the moment...it's a bottomless pit and I bet you're not sure of it's working or not. Try these five things instead:

• Run quarterly information evenings where members can ask questions, learn new things. Get them to bring a friend. Have a guest speaker. Congratulate members who are achieving great things with their fitness.
• Send a birthday card to every single member. I use this system. It allows me to schedule cards months in advance that then get printed and posted for me at a fraction of the cost.
• Create a Facebook Fan Page...This will enable members to interact and share their experiences. You can listen to the conversation and contribute where need be. You'll learn alot!
• Spontaneously reward people who are making real effort. This will encourage word-of-mouth.
• Create a highly targeted Google Adwords campaign.

If you'd like a bit more of where that came from then register here for a free marketing idea a week for 52 weeks or come to my next 2-Day Marketing Workshop in August.

If you have any questions about your business or if you want more information about any of the topics discussed in this issue of Active Report, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call me direct at 02 8007 0347.

Until next month, be well and stay active!

Justin Tamsett