IHRSA 2019 Thoughts From Kelly McCauley
I just returned from IHRSA 2019 feeling inspired and ready to take action in my fitness business! I am fortunate to have made such wonderful friendships with professionals from all over the world – all because of this amazing conference. I have grown personally and professionally because of the educational resources IHRSA provides. I learned a great deal again this year, but here a few highlights and key takeaways:
After reading Denise Lee Yohn’s book, What Great Brands Do, and listening to her interview on the The Fitness Business Podcast, I was excited to hear Denise’s keynote speech: The Fusion Formula: Brand + Culture= Results. Creating an amazing customer experience has always been my primary focus as a studio manager, and Denise expanded my thinking on this topic. We spend a great deal of time talking about the customer experience and journey, but we often overlook the potential influence the employee experience can have on the customer. “Employees can and will only deliver experiences that they experience themselves.”
I loved Chantal Broderick’s session on High Performing Habits of Fitness Business Leaders. We can all be more proactive and thoughtful about how we help those we lead, and she provided a list of the 6 Profiles of Giving. You can’t be everything to everybody, but find the ways of giving that best fit your interests and skill set. I found this list to be a great tool and it is perfect to share with colleagues.
Hannah Stael von Holstein from Discover Strength simplified the marketing funnel when she cited the common sense approach that Horst Schulze, President of Ritz Carlton, applies to his business. Although it is not always easy to implement, if we consistently focus on these core principles, and make decisions and take actions based on them, our businesses will be successful: 1. Retain Customers 2. Get New Customers 3. Get more out of current customers 4. Profitability
Whether you are a fitness business owner or a fitness professional, if you value on-going learning and growing your network, I highly recommend attending IHRSA 2020. You will make new friends, build new skills, learn “BEST” practices from industry leaders and leave feeling inspired and excited about your career. I wish you well and see you in San Diego at IHRSA 2020!
Kelly has over 10 years of fitness management experience. She was a trainer & manager for two Philadelphia personal training studios. Since 2009 Kelly has worked as a manager for Vertex Fitness. She planned 3 PUMPED community fundraising events and organized two successful Fitness Leaders Summits. Kelly is passionate about networking, building relationships and continuous learning. She stays current on fitness trends, attends industry conferences and shares sales & marketing strategies daily with fitness professionals through social media.