"Once firmly established, a fitness club offers the owner far more security than the salaried worker will ever experience. Employment opportunities in the fitness trade and inducements offered to personnel tend to fluctuate according to economic conditions. The prospects for stability are often much better for an independent enterprise. Those who own their own business cannot be fired. They need have little fear of petty jealousies, factions, internal politics, or favoritism. Instead, they have the forces of competition and the marketplace to worry about. The circumstances may not always be rosy but at least an owner's ability to act is unbridled."

"Many of the typical managerial concerns such as planning, decision making, organizational patterns, effective communication, and budgeting are universal necessities regardless of the nature of the business. However, it is usually a mistake to suggest that all traditional business practices can be applied to a commercial fitness club. Fitness is not like manufacturing or retailing where a certain actual material commodity is produced and sold, year after year. Fitness is not tangible. It is a service and the customer's interpretation of the quality of that service is often very puzzling. In addition, program appeal is far less stable and the public's interest in fitness activities seems to shift overnight. If anything were to characterize a successful commercial fitness enterprise, it would be that the business is in a constant state of flux, changing with the mood and interests of its members. This is not a business for those with rigid ideas or a conservative approach to serving others."

"Perhaps in some past era, managing a fitness business only demanded credentials such as having a heavenly body, being athletic, or having won a special weight lifting trophy. However, the fitness customer of today is too sophisticated and knowledgeable to be impressed by physical manifestations of others. They want results for themselves. The ability to provide clients with interesting and effective programs accompanied with a certain degree of refinement and "style" is the only thing that will catch their attention."

SELECTED CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: Working in the Fitness Industry / Typical Structures / Corporate Fitness / Hospital Based Fitness / Community Fitness / Commercial Fitness / Should You be a Club Owner? / Preparing for Club Ownership / Service / Member Expectations / Member Needs / Measuring Expectations of Service Quality

CHAPTER 2: The Risk of Club Ownership / Why Does A Club Fail? / Inexperience / Personnel Recruiting Difficulties / Too Little Money / Government Regulations and Paperwork / Liability Insurance / Increasing the Chances for Success / Government Assistance / Management and Technical Assistance / Trade Associations / Suppliers and Equipment Vendors

CHAPTER 3 Owning A Fitness Facility / Starting a New Club / The Market Analysis / The "Conventional" Club / Is the Market Expanding? / Parking and Traffic / Finding Opportunities / Buying an Existing Club / Why is the Business Being Sold? / Will it be Profitable? / Raising Money / Debt and Equity / Government Loans

CHAPTER 4 The Club Manager As Planner / The Importance of Planning / Mission / The Planning Process / Forecasting / Expect Competition and Respond to It / Strategies to Keep the Competition at a Distance / Planning for the Future / Growth and Maturation / Franchising / Management Succession / Keeping the Business In the Family

CHAPTER 5 Locating and Organizing the Club / Choosing the Club's Location / Accessibility / Factors that Affect Fitness Demand / Membership Zones / Legal Considerations / Organizing / Classical Theory / Typical Structures / Directing Operations / Time Analysis / Lack of Planning and Indecision

CHAPTER 6 Making Decisions / Making Wise Decisions / Types of Decisions / Who Makes the Decision? / Four Approaches to Decision Making / Elements of a Good Decision / Weak Decision Makers / Decisions Necessitate Change / Improving Decision Making Skills / Decision Making "Tools"

CHAPTER 7 Maintaining Standards and Keeping Control / Measuring Performance / How to Establish Standards / Taking Corrective Action / Information Management / Financial Control / Budgets / Responsibility Centers / Audits / Non-financial Control / Special Reports / Dysfunctional Consequences of Control

CHAPTER 8 Member Management / Member Characteristics / Exercise Attrition / What is the Club Member Worth? / Membership Plans and Fees / Price Setting / Initiation Fees / Annual vs. Monthly Payment Plans / Bundling vs. Unbundling / Daily Operation / The Front Desk / Computer Systems / Check In and Security / Handling Complaints

CHAPTER 9 Club Marketing and Sales /Service Marketing / Quantifying a Sales Opportunity / Basis for Club Marketing / The Tools of Marketing / Research / Build a Data Base / Survey Methods / Advertising Objectives / Writing the Ad / Advertising Media / Evaluating the Effectiveness of Advertising / Publicity / Public Relations / Target Marketing

CHAPTER 10 Managing Club Personnel / Typical Club Employees / Staffing Considerations / Delegate / Determining the Job Structure / Job Analysis / Finding Qualified Job Applicants / Selecting Personnel / Screening Candidates / Documentation / Job Evaluation / Training and Development

CHAPTER 11 Risk Management / Types of Risk / Controlling Risk / Fitness Standards / Warnings, Waivers and Release of Reliability / Record Keeping / Types of Insurance / Security / Laws That Affect Clubs / Membership Contracts / Employment Relationships / Tort Liability / Response to Accidents and Emergencies / Injury Reports

CHAPTER 12 Programs and Profit Centers / The Value of Programs / The Programming Staff / Steps to Consider When Adding a Program / /Profit Centers / Proshops / Rental and/or Repair Service / Day Care / Outdoor Play Area / Laundry / Food Delivery / Vending Machines

CHAPTER 13 Member Retention And Staff Motivation / Motivation: An Overview / Early Theories / Contemporary Theories / Equity Theory / Expectancy Theory / Reinforcement Theory and Free Will / Motivating Members / The Participant / The Staff / The Program / Goal Setting