John’s October Musings

By John’s Musings

Greetings from the high mountains of Reno/Tahoe

I’m so blessed with the different people that come into my life. The content for the October Soapbox is provided by people that want to make a difference, that have a “heart” to help others and provide a better membership experience.

Social media is a necessary part of branding an athletic facility and yourself. In today’s fitness industry, you need to distinguish yourself from your competitors and cultivating your brand via social media is one way to do so. Amanda Vogel is a fitness expert and speaker that educates decision makers on group exercise, social media, fitness writing and blogging. In this Soapbox issue she shares with us her latest podcast on “Your Guide to Guest Blogging as a Fitness Expert”. In her podcast she talks about  1)What is guest blogging  2) Does blogging benefit your business 3) How do you know if a blog accepts guest bloggers? 4) How can you make your blog stand out from the crowd 5) Common do’s and don’ts and other topics you should find of interest. Take 30 minutes out of your busy schedule and listen to her blog which I believe will give you insight on burnishing your brand and highlighting your facility and yourself.

“Giving Back” is a central theme in my life. I look for opportunities to help the “less fortunate” and Don Miller (St. Vincent de Paul in Great Falls Montana) is out there making a difference with clients living on the streets and in the local prison. By providing donations of soaps, shampoos and different toiletries, we are able to help Don make a difference. I encourage our readership to looks for ways to “Give Back” to their members and their communities. This is another way to differentiate you and your facility from your competition.

I’ve known Pat Bannister since June of 2010 where he’s been managing and consulting in the fitness club business and making a difference in improving the “Membership Experience”. Keeping your facility clean should be “job one” and this means implementing programs and equipment that help eliminate Infectious bacteria and pathogens. The Wyoming Athletic Club (WAC) has become one of the first full service health and fitness centers in the U.S. to enlist the help of antimicrobial copper alloys to help protect customers from the spread of infectious bacteria. Pat and Angela have provided a brief summary on their experience with EPA-registered CuVerro®, a copper alloy that continuously kills 99.9% of infectious bacteria it touches. When I learn of something that makes a difference in facility cleanliness, it’s my desire to share this important news.

Last month’s September Soapbox issue focus entirely on Brent Darden’s crusade in helping people in the fitness industry deal with issues from Hurricane Harvey. Brent has provided us a quick update on progress he has made in raising money for the victims of Hurricane Harvey. Again, this is another example of “Giving Back” and I would encourage you to contact Brent and find out how you can get involved.

Bill McBride has been a contributor to the Soapbox for a number of years. Hes an icon in our industry and he has taken a moment to provide us an update on activities at Club Industry. Bill’s content is worthy of your attention and with Bill’s involvement in Club Industry, you should certainly think about attending next year’s event.