Retain me why don’t you?

Those that know me will appreciate that I am no gym bunny. I am in the mass of people that go for a few months to achieve a specific goal (or simply because I have got fat) and then disappear off the radar. I am currently off the radar (and consequently getting fat).

When I join a gym I vary between a gym that has my favourite piece of exercise equipment and the one that is shiny and new and nearer my office. I have signed up for both of these gyms in the past 12 months. Although not by design, neither of these gyms happen to belong to one of the big groups.

Now given we are in recession and I have gone to these gyms before you would think I would be peppered with sales calls trying to get me back into the exercise routine wouldn’t you? Well you’d be wrong. I have in fact received absolutely 0 calls. Not one.

Being a sales man I am easily sold to and it would not have taken much to entice me back in. However now I almost resent giving them my business because it would appear that it means so little. Just to avoid purchasing a whole new wardrobe I am going to have to bite the bullet but I’d feel so much better if they called me.

We should all double check that we are doing everything we should be doing to win business before using the easy excuse (4b I think in the book of easy excuses) of the recession.

BHF taking aim at the good guys?

The recent broadside from the British Heart Foundation aimed at the leisure sector http://is.gd/4DZdO and the news that Taybarns all you can eat restaurants are booming (some are serving up to 10,000 customers a week!) http://is.gd/4E7GK shows that we have a long way to go in the battle against obesity.

Some of the leisure centres that are undoubtedly benefitting from the recent MoreActive4Life/Change4Life campaigns seem to be undoing their good work by vending calorific junk food. While it is correct that we should be revising our food offering to be more healthy at these places it does seem a bit unfair to target the leisure sector which is doing it’s best to get young people more active more often.

The fact is that young people visiting these leisure centres do see the benefit of exercise and that is part of the battle won. Would the studies commissioned by the British Heart Foundation and the Food Commission be better placed helping the leisure sector understand those young people that are not active, and therefore in far more danger of becoming obese than those undertaking physical activity?

UPDATE 28.10.09 Check out the FIA's thoughts http://thefitnessindustryassociation.blogspot.com/

It's good to talk

Great news http://is.gd/xGS1 from the FIA and the Leisure Database Company about the resilience of the health and fitness sector.

A few key facts from their latest piece of research:

3% annual growth
Market value of £3.77bn
Membership numbers have grown by 0.8%
12.1% of UK population are members of a health and fitness club/public owned fitness facility
114 new public/private fitness facilities
119,000 new members at these new sites

Let's hope this gives the private and public operators alike the confidence to keep investing in their facilities and their staff. It is too easy in these challenging times to batton down the hatches 'just in case' but qualified research like this should help justify a more 'business as usual' approach.

We have probably talked ourselves deeper into the recession than was necessary but equally we should be able to talk ourselves out of it too so spread the word.

Are we missing a trick?

At the LIW office today it is Digital Achievement Day (Twitter tag is #ubmdad) across the company where we are celebrating our digital successes. This is easier for some products than others as we run Technology for Marketing, Internet World etc. However, there is some impressive innovation from the less than usual suspects with Songs for Security (we kid you not), Through the Keyhole (from the Interiors Group) and a Venue Finding Competition (www.venuefinder.com).

LIW for it’s part has been blazing away on the digital trail for a few months and has built up communities across the breadth of the show on Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook and this blog.

During this exercise it has been interesting to note the differing levels of take up in these markets but none of them have really grasped the bull by the horns. This is surprising. The common factors that unite LIW visitors is that they want to attract more visitors, more often, increase secondary spend and keep them safe while they are there. Surely the ability to build up tight, loyal communities and engage with them regularly with their wholehearted permission should be leapt upon shouldn’t it?

We are no experts and are just finding our way but if we can be of any help at all we would be happy to try.

Nautilus UK MD, Alan Vickers

Shortly before witnessing the unveiling of the new Schwinn cycle, I take some time to chat with Alan Vickers, new MD of Nautilus, who shares his thoughts on the health club industry and what lies ahead for Nautilus in 2009. I'm sure that Alan's experience in strategic roles with global brands like Nike and Reebok, will stand Nautilus in good stead for the future.

Early morning Krank for LIW

Jonathan Monks, Tom Hammond, Jeff Davis and Jon Johnson, join Jonny G for an early morning Krank cycle. Jonny's passion and vision for the industry was inspiring and having worked out for 30 minutes on it I can assure you that it provides an effective CV and upper body workout!

Krank Cycle launch @ IHRSA 2009

In true American style, the Jonny G (inventor of spinning) Krank Cycle is launched at IHRSA 2009 alongside Matrix. Who would bet against this innovative, flexible, complimentary and inclusive fitness equipment becoming a central feature of health clubs all over the world?

Creative Fitness Partying

St Patricks day fun, lead by the Creative Fitness Marketing boys on the FIA boat party at IHRSA 2009 in San Francisco...

IHRSA president, Joe Moore's positive outlook for the global health and fitness industry

Three shows for the coin op market - surely not?

Following ATEI earlier this year we highlighted an interesting market situation regarding trade shows for the coin op and amusement markets. Scroll down to 30th January to see chapter one!

Last week this story took another twist at a meeting organised by BACTA, held in Birmingham and attended by BACTA members/ATEI exhibitors. The outcome of this meeting was for BACTA to seek a tenancy at ExCeL exhibition centre in east London on the same dates as ATEI in January 2010.

This will certainly be a challenge for Clarion Gaming, organisers of ATEI, to overcome but what will happen to the IGX event run by Intergame? On hearing the news Intergame’s David Snook said: "We have had some talks with BACTA's sub-committee set up to advise National Council on the new show project. We feel that there is a great deal of synergy between us. In the final analysis we must keep our promise to our exhibitors to listen to their views." This would seem to suggest that they are happy to compete with Clarion Gaming but would step aside if BACTA wish to proceed independently.

There will be twist and turns in this saga to come with all parties having the potential to take the moral high ground but who REALLY wins? Trade shows are designed to bring a marketplace together in a dynamic environment yet when there are competing events (potentially three of them in this case) those that really suffer are the visitors and exhibitors who are forced to make difficult choices while the market decides which event to support.

Long term of course the market will choose and status quo will be restored with one strong event that best serves the industry but in the meantime this situation will just add to all the other challenges this sector faces.

Fitwittering

Why should fitness equipment suppliers care about Twitter? Observations of a Twitter newbie.

Twitter is the fastest growing online networking tool and an internet phenomenon - it as grown tenfold in the last year in the UK. Source: http://is.gd/kcYI

There are already Twitter communities (predominantly US based) of fitness enthusiasts, semi professional athletes and professional sports personalities. See http://www.blogger.com/www.twittfitter.com as an example.

These communities swap training programmes, nutrition tips, diet ideas and performance updates. The vast majority of these communities regularly use fitness equipment. In addition, they are information hungry. Do you want to know what is being twittered about your company? Then go to http://search.twitter.com/ and put in your brand details. See below for Precor:

JPmicek: @GMicek36 LOL! I just tweet while I'm doing cardio on the Precor. No way I culd tweet during workout w only 30-45 seconds between sets :)
about 8 hours ago from Twittelator · Reply · View Tweet · Show ConversationHide Conversation

Tajah: 35min on precor: avg HR 154, cal burned 507.8, gluteal workout 2. Yay! It feels great now but I'm gonna hurt 2morrow!
about 8 hours ago from mobile web · Reply · View Tweet

Dallas_Listings: This Precor commercial treadmill were just inspected and serviced. There are 5 left to choose from. Features:... re: http://ff.im/1eVCT
about 9 hours ago from FriendFeed · Reply · View Tweet

PubKevin: Headed to the ymca gym on clement. To run or to precor?
about 11 hours ago from TwitterBerry · Reply · View Tweet

16thstreetj: The whole staff just worked off the hamantaschen by carrying new Precor dumbbells into the fitness center. Insert dumbbell joke here _____
about 18 hours ago from web · Reply · View Tweet

FatBoyGetsSlim: @Smudged I used to love this one eliptical called the "AMT" (All Motion Trainer) made by PRECOR. We had one at uni. Shame it's about $8k!
1 day ago from web · Reply · View Tweet · Show ConversationHide Conversation

LakersDotCom: Andrew Bynum is on a stationary bike and the Precor machine: http://sn.im/cn99q
1 day ago from web · Reply · View Tweet

adventuregirl: Going to go put my fat *ss on the Precor then off to Ikea...
1 day ago from web · Reply · View Tweet

FullLife: @wendybattles Traveling - my plan? - have a fridge in the hotel -plan to fill it with fresh fruits and veggies + hit the Precor fitness room
1 day ago from web · Reply · View Tweet · Show ConversationHide Conversation

nimmons: Precor usa. Cardio theater. 956I.
2 days ago from twidroid · Reply · View Tweet

glasgowunisport: 2 demo Precor AMT machines are now gone. Tell us what you think though! sport@gla.ac.uk
2 days ago from Netvibes · Reply · View Tweet

reaqueen: Studying genesis. Good time this morning. Now at gym on precor.
2 days ago from twitterrific · Reply · View Tweet

amesburyma: For Sale: PRECOR 5.19 EFX Elliptical Cross-Trainer Elliptical Ellipse (Amesbury) $1250: Rated Recently .. http://bit.ly/18zwyd (expand)
3 days ago from twitterfeed · Reply · View Tweet

Nycromancer: youll be performing at Hell, so hit the precor to be in great shape when youre on stage on Wed.
3 days ago from txt · Reply · View Tweet

msurman: @dria I LOVE my Precor. I use it all the time. I find them way smoother and nicer than Life Fitness.
3 days ago from TwitterFox · Reply · View Tweet

Twitter was not designed to be a commercial business tool but it can be used to derive commercial benefit. The opportunity exists for fitness equipment companies to develop pull marketing from thousands of gym equipment users.

Users of Twitter are naturally sceptical about businesses using Twitter for commercial benefit so an entry must be well planned and well executed otherwise it could have quite the opposite effect. The biggest benefit of Twitter is knowledge sharing and suppliers have plenty of knowledge to share: how to use specific pieces of equipment, training techniques, nutrition etc is valuable and Twitter is the ideal platform to utilise this.

The utopia is for a fitness equipment manufacturer to build up a network of followers (both brand users and non brand users) through knowledge sharing. As the community grows and strengthens more gym/home gym choices will be made according to equipment or demand to install a particular line of equipment because of the support network that can be accessed via Twitter.

Don’t believe everything you read/watch!

It’s not all doom and gloom!!

Last week LIW conducted research (via surveymonkey which is a fantastic tool) to over 200 health clubs and gyms and findings were interesting and very encouraging. In almost direct contrast to the Bleak Britain Corporation in fact.

44.6% of respondents said that recruitment of members had been ‘much better’ or ‘better’ than expected while only 16.7% said it had been ‘worse’ or ‘much worse’ than expected.

43.1% of respondents had more members than last year while 23.8% had less members than last year.

54.9% of respondents said they would be investing in new equipment this year and 25.4% of those would be spending more than £50,000.

68% of respondents were feeling ‘very’ or ‘quite’ confident about their business while only 5.8% were not feeling ‘not very’ or ‘not at all’ confident.

86.4% of respondents were considering visiting LIW to source new equipment and suppliers.

Follow LIW on twitter at www.twitter.com/l_i_w

'VisitBritain' Estimates Extra 5M Domestic Bookings

According to the Metro this morning, 'VisitBritain' is unveiling a £6.5m campaign to encourage Britons to holiday at home this year. This is helped by the weaker pound - as highlighted by Colin Dawson from BALPPA further down this blog. Christopher Rodrigues (VisitBritain Chairman) estimated this could lead to an additional 5m domestic bookings. This would be a real boon for the attractions industry on the back of two wet summers.

The attractions market is looking forward to 2009. No, honestly

A quick snap shot survey to the attractions sector would seem to suggest that operators are relatively optimistic about the year ahead. It would seem that Colin Dawson Chief Exec of BALPPA has his finger on the pulse (scroll down to see video posted in January) when we saw him earlier this year in terms of the sector looking forward to 2009 despite the doom and gloom.


On a scale of 1 – 5 how confident are you about the 2009 season? (1 being not confident and 5 very confident:))

5 13.6%
4 25.0%
3 52.3%
2 13.6%
1 0%

We didn’t ask what the reasons were but certainly a weak pound will help (more stay at home holidaymakers and more tourists) and surely this MUST be a good summer following two back to back stinkers! The old wives tale of hard winters and hot summers must be doing the rounds as we trudge through the snow and sleet.

Good on the attractions sector for their optimism and positive outlook. Many a lesson for other industries there. Let’s hope they are right.

Leisure Review Grills Jonny Sullens

It was with some trepidation that LIW welcomed in the gun slingers from the Leisure Review known for their no nonsense questions. The results can be found here:
http://www.theleisurereview.co.uk/articles09/sullens.html

The Leisure Review is a magazine offering an independent view of the leisure industry for leisure professionals working in the management, development and promotion of all aspects of leisure, culture and sport.

Coin Op Market Faces Show Choices

This week saw ATEI at Earls Court. This event was previously owned and run by the association BACTA before it was sold to Clarion 3 years ago. As part of that transaction BACTA pledged their support to Clarion for 3 years. This agreement has now come to an end and BACTA are carefully considering their next move as BACTA’s Neil Chinn says: “We are in talks with Earls Court at the moment about availability to hold a new show, which we would work on with a partner.’ (source: http://www.expoabc.com/news_detail.asp?StoryID=818 )

Running at exactly the same time as ATEI in the Hotel Ibis Earls Court was the newly launched IGX (InterGame Expo). The 30 or so exhibitors attending represented a break away faction led by Harry Levy Amusements. These exhibitors felt that recent developments on the ATEI show, and in particular the move upstairs at Earls Court to allow the co located casino events to grow further, has meant their returns from the investment in the show were suffering.

As you will see from the footage below the show is by no means comparable in size and production of ATEI. But that is exactly how the exhibitors wanted it according to organiser David Snook who said ‘They also bitterly resented the escalating costs to exhibit at the show, so came to us and we decided to launch a 'no frills' exhibition, responding to exhibitor demands for a modestly-priced event.’

If BACTA are to re enter the show organising world logic would dictate that BACTA and IGX team up rather than have a third event enter the market. As show organisers ourselves it is an interesting situation to observe and to see how it unfolds. Over 21 years LIW has had to constantly adapt to market change and market demands and 2009 is no different with a new two agreement with the Play Providers Association testament to that.

Is broadcast media partly to blame for recession?

Before I go any further, it should be acknowledged that the banks are principally to blame as we all know. For example, the series on BBC (Repossessed) shows how financial institutions preyed on homeowners selling debt with the promise 'you can afford it' then leaving them in wretched situations.

I like Robert Peston (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/robertpeston/) but I wonder whether his simple explanations of relatively complex issues such as toxic debt has meant that all of us better understand what is going on.

Armed with our new knowledge we are now ‘economy bores’ at dinner parties - this has replaced our normal ‘property price bore’ status for obvious reasons - and understandably we have also reined in our spending. This, coupled with the reduced availability of credit, has had a negative effect on the economy.

News is all around us. In fact, you can watch it 24 hours a day - and I'm certain my father-in-law goes close - so there is no escaping how bad things are, and now we understand why too, which is just exacerbating the problems.

I reckon the South Koreans have got it right by threatening a 5 year jail term to a blogger who warned of financial gloom in the country which upset ministers. On second thoughts, perhaps I don't.

Perversely, the UK attractions industry may do well this year as the strength of the euro and dollar will mean more UK holidaymakers will stay in the UK while the UK will be seen as a good value destination by those with the Euro and Dollar as their currency.

The health and fitness market is holding it's breath to see how new membership sales have performed in January and whether the first paycheck of the year is set to be invested in losing the Christmas lard.

We should at least try and stay positive - however difficult it is. But we’ll do well do escape broadcast media and their influence.

FitPro and LIW 2009

LIW has worked closely with FitPro for a number of years in different guises and in recent years the FitPro Business Conference has run alongside LIW. With this being rebranded as the FIA FLAME Conference and moving to Bolton in June 2009, we went down to see FitPro to see how we would work together for 2009. A fruitful meeting with Andy Jackson and Beth Prosser should see our partnership agreement extended for 2009 and when all is agreed we will let you know what the plan is.

While you wait for details of the partnership, with baited breath I’m sure, listen to what Andy thinks 2009 has in store for the health and fitness sector and what FitPro itself is working on. A lot of companies are moving to online content (look at us here) but the way FitPro has led the charge with programs such as ptonthenet is impressive and a lesson for us all.

Man City splashing their cash………

It is probably a coin flip as to whether Kaka will or will not sign for moneybags Man City and the sums involved are staggering.
See http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/7827696.stm


That said we weren’t complaining when they pitched up to LIW keen to upgrade their facilities. We know at least 3 LIW exhibitors (Pulse Fitness, Escape Fitness, Leisure Lines) that picked up business at LIW from the visiting buyers from Man City. Certainly the speed at which they worked with Escape in particular (met at the show and then a site visit on the Friday!) was impressive leading us to think that maybe Kaka will be plying his trade in front of the Gallagher brothers before the month is out.

More about Leisure Industry Week can be found at http://www.liw.co.uk/

Attractions Expo @ LIW and Colin Dawson of BALPPA

BALPPA (British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions) represent the UK attractions industry and, as such, are a key partner for Leisure Industry Week.

We met with Colin Dawson, Chief Executive of BALPPA, to discuss how we would be working together for Attractions Expo @ LIW '09. We discussed the education programme, the social element (which if you know the Attractions industry will not be a surprise!) and our forthcoming steering committee at Cadbury World. The steering committee consists of attraction operators and suppliers and it helps us shape the industry’s involvement in Attractions Expo. By the way, if you are in the attractions industry and would like to participate in the steering committee then please email chris.brown@ubm.com.

While we were with Colin we asked him what he thought the forthcoming season had in store for the attractions industry. This is what he had to say:



Colin’s optimism seems well founded particularly if UK holidaymakers holiday at home and the strong Euro and Dollar encourages an increase in overseas visitors. A good summer would also not go amiss having endured two wet ones back to back.

BALPPA also invest heavily in political lobbying and we asked Colin what were the focuses for 2009. They are essentially two recession busting ideas that should really help our attractions industry weather the economic storm, so we hope the Government sits up and takes notice.

For more information on Attractions Expo @ LIW 2009 please contact Chris Brown on 020 7955 3968 or email chris.brown@ubm.com.