The Ashbourne Advisor

In this issue of the Ashbourne Advisor we explore ways in which clubs can play to their strengths in the face of
increasing competition from national chains. Being a local independent club is in itself a great strength and we can
help you to promote that in your area through email and your website.

In the centre spread, see some ideas on how to compete head-on with hefty marketing budgets of the large chains…

Ashbourne has been providing membership services to martial arts academies for a number of years. Recently we have noticed a surge in the number of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) clubs, many of which offer both MMA and gym facilities under the same roof. This represents a great opportunity for cross-selling both membership types.

In this special edition we take a closer look at how Ashbourne has helped to support two clubs which are offering both MMA and gym facilities. Ashbourne has been able to support these clubs with services which have helped to secure vital cashflow and increase retention rates.

Welcome to the first Racquets Club Advisor, focusing on clubs which incorporate squash and racquets facilities as well as gym/fitness facilities. In this issue is a case study on how a Midlands-based health and racquets club, The Manor in Ilkeston, has been able to transform the way in which membership payments are handled by switching to Ashbourne.

Also, we are able to offer some special deals to England Squash and Racquetball members across the UK. 

In this issue we focus on the value you can gain from using the Ashbourne Membership Validation System.

Also included is information on Amazon Leisure, the UK's premier new and used fitness equipment supplier. There are special introductory deals available from Amazon for all Ashbourne customers. Please call 01953 498098 for more information. 

A new Ashbourne Advisor has just been published and distributed.

In this issue we give hints and tips on the best way for clubs to maximise the use of social media, with a focus on Facebook. Setting up a Facebook Fan Page is a great way to engage with your customers and prospects.

Also included is a feature on the innovative Thomson Fitness Consultants service.

This special issue of our A5 4-page colour newsletter is a case study.  It illustrates ways of controlling membership and increasing secondary spend, by looking at the experiences of Clifford Health Club near Nottingham.

 You can view or download this special issue by clicking on the links below. You will be prompted to 'open' or 'save' the file. If you select 'save' simply save the PDF file to a location on your hard disk.

This A5 4-page colour newsletter provides information and advice on improving membership retention and recruitment.  Issue 7 focuses on the growing opportunities for independent operators to work together, to meet up and to find recognition. There is info on the Independent Operators Unite (IOU) initiative and the new National Fitness Awards.

There is also information on the State of the Industry Report 2010 and a new report into Low Cost Budget Gyms.

You can view or download issue 7 by clicking on the links below. You will be prompted to 'open' or 'save' the file. If you select 'save' simply save the PDF file to a location on your hard disk.

This A5 4-page colour newsletter provides information and advice on improving membership retention and recruitment.  Issue 6 focuses on the importance and benefits of monitoring members' visiting patterns and entry eligibility via a simple swipe card system. We also check out the latest Apple iphone fitness apps and underline the value of gyms setting up programmes which complement these. There is also a review of LIW 2009.

You can view or download issue 6 by clicking on the links below. You will be prompted to 'open' or 'save' the file. If you select 'save' simply save the PDF file to a location on your hard disk.

This A5 4-page colour newsletter provides information and advice on making the best use of networking to improve membership retention and recruitment. Networking, whether at face-to-face at events like breakfast meetings, or online via social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, is booming. For thousands of small businesses, networking is proving to be the most cost-effective way to reach new customers and to find reliable suppliers. Yet the independent gym sector (largely all small businesses) appears to be reluctant to embrace the opportunities available. We show what is available in this fast-growing marketing channel. We also preview LIW 2009, and outline the new Active4Life programme.

You can view or download issue 5 by clicking on the links below. You will be prompted to 'open' or 'save' the file. If you select 'save' simply save the PDF file to a location on your hard disk.

This A5 4-page colour newsletter provides information and advice on capitalising on the interest in the 2008 Beijing Olympics to encourage visitors and new members to attend your health club facility.  We also look at how you can use other sporting events to attract attendance. There are also 5 great tips on membership retention.

You can view or download issue 2 by clicking on the links below. You will be prompted to 'open' or 'save' the file. If you select 'save' simply save the PDF file to a location on your hard disk.

This A5 4-page colour newsletter provides information and advice on all aspects of membership recruitment and retention. In this first issue we explore the value of conducting an exit survey when someone leaves: this can produce some valuable information. We also look at the importance of the introduction of smoking ban in creating extra impetus to encourage people to give up smoking and how health clubs can play a valuable part in the process. opportunities available.

You can view or download issue 1 by clicking on the links below. You will be prompted to 'open' or 'save' the file. If you select 'save' simply save the PDF file to a location on your hard disk.