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At Netpulse, we're on a mission to help fitness club operators around the world streamline their operations, engage their members and market effectively. We're constantly updating and adding new features to the platform.Read More
History is a little fuzzy on the origins of the suggestion box, but the anonymous tip box has existed in businesses for at least 110 years. Then came online surveys as the feedback method of choice.Read More
Netpulse has partnered with premium at-home fitness provider LES MILLS On Demand (LMOD).
Clubs now have the ability to provide the world's best online workouts to their members through their own branded apps.
Mar 22, 2018
eGym to acquire mobile app business of Netpulse,
the leading provider of customized apps for fitness facilities
● The eGym ONE connected training floor now reaches 12,000+ facilities globally
● The eGym / Netpulse combined mobile platform solves all aspects of a club's mobile needs
● eGym CEO Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer: "Valid and digital training documentation essential factor for successful training"
● Netpulse CEO John Ford to become new CEO eGym North America
● eGym workout tracking now available in the Netpulse App
Helping your members experience your club mobile app at the right time is crucial to the percentage of your members that you can convince to download your app in the early stages of joining.Read More
Feb 8, 2018
Well, we're done with January! From what I'm hearing, it was a fantastic one for most of our clients. Increased membership, smarter onboarding and a more directed approach with the mobile app.Read More
Jan 8, 2018
We're a week into the New Year and I'm loving the feedback we're getting from clubs utilizing the app. Prospects love it, new members are using it and they have added the app into their business strategy. Just like I mentioned in my last post, there are 5 steps to success with your mobile app in 2018 and today I'm coming at you with step #2!Read More
Dec 20, 2017
To our valued customers:Read More
Dec 12, 2017
Let's face it, we're about 2 weeks away from the busiest time in our industry. Quite simply, it's crunch time. As you're reading this, you are probably preparing marketing material, training sales staff and optimizing operations for the massive influx of prospects.
This is the time of year when people are coming through your door looking to change their lives. Unfortunately only 8% of people achieve their New Year's Resolutions, and as we see year in and year out, a good number of people that walk through the door in January, are no where to be found by the next December. It's actually been shown that 80% of the people that join in January are actually gone in 5 months.
Luckily for you, you have an amazing resource in a mobile app that can really differentiate your facility from the ones that see that 80% churn.
This year my resolution to you, is that because of your mobile app, you are going to retain more members, bring in more prospects, and make more money.
You have my word. But how do you do that?
I don't want to overwhelm you with a ton of steps, so today I'll share with you step 1 and over the coming weeks we will share with you the following steps.
It's important that you take action on each step, and if you do, I promise that not only will your app engagement increase but your facility engagement will go through the roof as well.
So what does this mean? It means that your app has to be an integral part of your business process. What I mean by this, is that it should be a direct part of your marketing, your club tour, and your sales process. Even before we can engage a member with the app, we have to make sure that they know about the app right? If someone doesn't know about a feature, they can never benefit.
As you're optimizing operations this year there are a few things that you can do to to take action on this step.
#1. The app needs to be part of your sign up process: It's part of your gym so make it part of your tour, your sign up process and your onboarding. Make it an integral part of the facility. It is the passport to your business. It's how you communicate with members, how they sign up for classes, see the class schedule and earn rewards points.
#2. Emphasize the value: Ask yourself this: Why would I download the app? Remember this, people don't care about features, businesses care about features. Instead of showing the features, provide "Here's what you can do with our app". NOT "here's what our app can do." Identify your members reason for joining your gym in the first place and focus on the app features that are most relevant to their reasons for joining. (This is Sales 101 by the way).
#3. Highlight the core features: What are the features that your members will get the most out of. Pick 2-3 that will really WOW the member. Your Rewards program? The class schedule if they take classes? The workout tracking? What about your app is going to change the experience in the gym for this member.
#4. Don't Overwhelm Users: Keep it simple. Your pitch should be the value and the core features directly related to that member's goals. Help them download the app, show them a few things and let them be on their merry way.
#5. Have a direct Call to Action: For some facilities the call to action is, "Download the app or you won't be able to check in." For others, they have a deal in the deals tile, something like a free month, discounted sign up fee, personal training special etc, that can only be utilized if a member downloads the app. Getting users immediately involved in your app helps them continue to grow as engaged users and allows them to get excited about your app.
Go ahead and take action on step one and keep an eye out in the coming weeks where we will be sharing how you can gain access to steps 2-5.
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LONDON, U.K — November 2, 2017 — Netpulse, the #1 provider of mobile apps for health clubs, announced today that Soll Leisure is its first customer in the U.K to re-launch their club mobile app with the integration of eGym, a best-in-class open source intelligent cloud-connected solution. The new Soll Leisure mobile app will enable members to track comprehensive strength training exercises, create custom workout plans and get prescribed routines from personal trainers thanks to the eGym Trainer app and Fitness app.Read More
Press Release Oct 18, 2017
SAN FRANCISCO, USA — October 18, 2017 — Netpulse, the leading provider of mobile apps for health clubs, today announced Plus Fitness as its newest client. The Plus Fitness mobile app, along with eGym Trainer App, will enable the franchise to more effectively prescribe workouts to members and engage them on their smartphones.Read More
NEW YORK, New York. — September 18, 2017 — Netpulse, the #1 provider of mobile apps for health clubs, announced today important enhancements to its partnership with eGym, the leader in digital fitness and training. In the deepening partnership, John Ford, CEO of Netpulse, will additionally take responsibility for driving the growth of eGym's North America business in a joint sales partnership. The sales partnership extends to Europe, where the eGym team will further support Netpulse's rapid global expansion. A new product integration plan will see eGym's rich digital training tools embedded directly inside the Netpulse mobile apps.Read More
Sep 25, 2017
Recent reports have shown that mobile users are averaging 5 hours a day on their phones. One report even noted that 58% of all smartphone users don't go one hour without checking their phones. Imagine the opportunities for you to engage your members while they are constantly looking at their phone; searching, communicating and tracking.Read More
Article Sep 12, 2017
On the evening of August 25th 2017, Hurricane Harvey reached land in Rockport, TX, a small town just about 3 hours south of Houston. With wind gusts as high as 130 miles per hour and rainfall hitting 50+ inches, Harvey was the nation's first major (Category 3 or stronger) hurricane landfall since Hurricane Wilma struck South Florida in October 2005, an almost 12-year run.Read More
If you're ever in or around Madison, Mississippi and want to get a workout in, look no further than Madison Healthplex Performance Center. This week our Template For Success interview is with Kerri Cook who is the Marketing Coordinator at Madison Healthplex. She wears multiple hats around the club and is a major reason why Madison has been so successful in running their club mobile app.Read More
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Sep 5, 2017 — Netpulse, the #1 provider of mobile apps for health clubs, announced today that UFC GYM, a client who uses their full suite of mobile tools, exceeded 100,000 referral leads in the first half of 2017, just six months after launching their mobile app.
With over 140 locations throughout the world, UFC GYM gives UFC enthusiasts and fitness seekers of all ages the opportunity to practice the training techniques of famed UFC athletes. The franchise has grown rapidly with more than 50 locations opening in the past two years and over 50 locations planned for next year. To support this growth, UFC GYM knew that digital would be a critical component of their offering.
Article Aug 29, 2017
This past week I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down and talking with Gio Piediscalzi, the Membership and Sales Manager at Northwest Community Healthcare Wellness Center. Gio also is the extremely successful App Manager in the facility who has guided this 5,000+ member multi - purpose facility to over 2,000 downloads in just under 4 months.Read More
Article Jul 5, 2017
My heart sank upon learning that Michael Scott Scudder had passed away earlier this week. Michael has been among the most insightful and invaluable contributors to the commercial fitness industry. He spent the last 35 years coaching club operators and helping them grow, personally and professionally.
I first met Michael several years ago by way of an introduction from Kelly Card. We immediately hit it off and started talking about technology and marketing. As a newcomer to fitness, I was blown away by Michael's wealth of knowledge about trends and history. We quickly became friends, frequently writing ebooks and hosting webinars together. Oh man, did we have fun doing those webinars! Michael and I had a blast playing off of each other, joking and sharing some wisdom to the 100+ attendees that dialed in each time.Read More
Press Release Mar 21, 2017
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — March 21, 2017 — Netpulse, the #1 provider of mobile apps for health clubs, announced today that Club Pilates is its newest customer. The new Club Pilates mobile app makes class schedules, booking, purchasing classes and tracking workouts seamless for members.
Founded in 2007 and franchising since 2012, Club Pilates is the nation's largest and fastest growing Pilates franchise. The concept has taken off quickly: there are over 400 locations sold in 33 states and 2 countries. Its growth has been led by CEO Anthony Geisler, former LA Boxing / UFC Gym owner. The studios have been so successful in part due to their required minimum 500 hours vs. the common 40 hours of instruction for trainers. The result is a wildly popular fitness franchise that employs over 500 instructors who will deliver over 7 million workouts to tens of thousands of members in 2017.Read More
Press Release Feb 28, 2017
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — February 28, 2017 — Netpulse, the #1 provider of mobile apps for health clubs, announced today a new partnership with eGym, the leader in digital fitness and training. The new integrated product will enable members to track comprehensive strength training exercises, create custom workout plans and get prescribed routines from personal trainers.
With eGym's integrated product, health clubs using the Netpulse mobile app will be able to provide the advanced workout tracking capabilities of eGym. eGym offers two seamlessly integrated apps: one for the personal trainer and one for the gym member. With a library of over 1,000 exercises, personal trainers can intuitively create highly individual routines and gain insights into their clients' progress based on their activity data. Gym members will be able to track their activities, follow their individual training plan and enjoy motivating features like progressive activity levels and competitive leader boards. These features allow for a higher level of interaction between personal trainers and their members.
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Industry Trends Feb 21, 2017
Marketing for fitness facilities has evolved tremendously. More succesful operators are investing in digital marketing, which is increasing traffic, leads and conversions.
Industry consultant Michael Scott Scudder compiled incredibly valuable insights on the best uses of club marketing budgets. Check out our latest infographic to see what he found.
Press Release Feb 14, 2017
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Feb 14, 2017 — Netpulse, the #1 provider of mobile apps for health clubs, announced today that Jazzercise is its newest customer. The new myJazzercise mobile app offers members easy access to track their exercise and see the company's schedule of thousands of classes across the world.
Jazzercise, the original dance party workout, has grown into one of the world's leading dance fitness companies. Their 8,300+ franchisees teach more than 32,000 classes each week globally. The workouts include constantly changing moves, new beats and a variety of classes. It all began in 1969, when Judi Sheppard Missett started the fitness revolution that became Jazzercise. She still leads the company and even teaches classes each week. Today, Jazzercise is ranked #5 on the list of Fastest-Growing Franchises and #81 overall on the Franchise 500 List by Entrepreneur Magazine.Read More
This week's feature article actually comes from three separate sources:
First, what is "Integral Fitness?"
Well, it isn't necessarily an "is" - as much as it could be a different way of thinking about our business. Lemme 'splain.
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SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Jan 10, 2017 — Netpulse, the #1 provider of mobile apps for health clubs, announced today that Fitness Evolution of California, a fast-growing 50 club chain, is its newest customer. The FitEvo mobile app will offer members access to robust workout tracking, fitness challenges and a comprehensive mobile rewards program.
Fitness Evolution is a premium fitness club without premium prices. Their locations combine state-of-the-art equipment, classes, and amenities with a friendly environment and supportive staff, starting at just $9.99 per month. Their popular EvoFiit group training program provides members with a challenging and upbeat environment without a studio. The chain currently has 50 locations in the Northern California area, with plans to grow significantly in 2016.
We work at both ends of the fitness industry – with those gym owners who are just starting out and want to shorten the learning curve and those who have been in business are in need of a turnaround (and everything in between).Read More
Twenty years ago, fitness companies worked hard on their interactions with clients. Everything was about communicating correctly. Employees were taught to "overcome objections" and how to speak with clients. Others worked on communication materials sharing a view of service benefits and fitness concepts.Read More
We've spent the last twelve weeks writing a series of blog posts about how your club can use digital tools to increase your marketing effectiveness. Now that we've covered all of the tools, this post is supposed to help you get started. There's a lot to take in, especially if you're just starting to use digital marketing tools. These 4 steps to improve your gym's digital marketing tactics will help you properly use these new tools to outrun your competition.Read More
With the world growing more connected by the day and with billions of people primed to buy smartphones over the next five years, building one's brand through the internet has never been more vital. Over the last few years however, popular platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have become inundated with things like bland advertising campaigns and uninteresting corporate social media presences.Read More
Classic tactics such as direct mail, cold calls, TV ads and signage have been the backbone of club's marketing efforts for decades. These non-digital tools still have purpose today, but to get the most out of these tactics you should try applying digital concepts to them. If you can answer these questions about each of your tactics, your marketing effectiveness will likely improve. Here are the three questions to consider:Read More
Many businesses have already started generating buzz for the holidays. A survey of online retailers found that 59 percent of retailers in the US and UK kicked off their holiday promotional campaigns in September. While you may not have a million dollar budget, you can leverage tools such as social media or your club's mobile app to connect with your members and deliver offers that will get them excited this holiday season.Read More
Fitness Tech Oct 28, 2016
In the old days, members had to fill out reams of paperwork to refer a friend. Now they can seamlessly use your club's mobile app to make referrals. All they have to do is tap on their friends contact in their smartphone and your app takes care of the rest by sending an automated text message with a link to download your app. Once they've downloaded the app, the the prospect can sign in and seamlessly visit your club with a mobile guest pass.Read More
Fitness Tech Oct 27, 2016
Imagine a wearable you don't have to remember to put on every day and would be impossible to lose. Chaotic Moon, an Austin-based technology firm, has created a prototype line of "Tech Tats", which are skin-mounted monitors that provide a live reading of vital signs through a small circuit using electric paint.Read More
Marketing Article Oct 21, 2016
Google Adwords is one of the most popular online advertising platform for both display ads and search engine ads. Display ads are graphical banner ads that appear on Google's network of millions of websites -- much like an online billboard. Search ads are text ads that appear when people search for specific keywords in Google.Read More
Beacon technology is changing the way smartphones interact with the real world. These devices, known as iBeacons, are coin-sized items that can be placed in locations and communicate with a smartphone that is nearby. They have become increasingly more popular in retail locations as the technology allows for stores to send customers tailored offers, notifications, and coupons based on where they are in the shop.Read More
Marketing Article Oct 14, 2016
Online business review directories allow customers to share their experiences and give a rating. Owners and managers are also able to publicly directly respond to reviews. Yelp is the most popular, but other sites such as Yellowpages, Angie's List, Foursquare and Google Places are influential as well.Read More
Netpulse, the #1 provider of mobile apps for health clubs, announced today that its mobile platform now integrates with InTouch Technology's lead management solution. The integration enables health clubs to automatically track mobile referrals and guest passes by seamlessly creating and updating leads in the club's sales management system. This initiates customized prospect follow up and reminders for the club's sales team, which decreases the chance of missed sales opportunities.Read More
Training Oct 10, 2016
Indoor or outdoor, cycling is considered one of the best forms of cardiovascular exercise, because it has virtually no impact on the body. Whether you're cycling to get outside more or to save money on your daily commute, there are health benefits to cycling that other forms of cardio can't replicate.Read More
Many clubs run already run rewards programs. But these programs are often still run with pen and paper, with club staff having to manually record everything, or through clunky third party websites. Reward programs should support desirable real world behaviors, drive digital engagement and incentivize key conversions. Mobile is ideal for a successful rewards program because it has the ability augment real world behaviors and induce behavior change. For example, when you reward members for checking-in, you're incentivizing them to go to the club, which increases retention and keeps members who would have otherwise quit coming back to your club.Read More
Let's fast forward four years to 2020. Technology will become the backbone of the new health club model, allowing members to connect more than ever before. Offering the ability to connect members to club technology will no longer be a differentiating factor but an industry standard; how your health club personalizes the member experience is what will set your gym apart from the competition.Read More
What do you charge for your membership fee? $20 a month? $100 a month for advanced classes? Even if you charged $1,000 a month, you wouldn't even come close to the most expensive gyms in the world. These gyms are opulent, sometimes ridiculous, and all have very, very high membership fees. Wondering what $2,500 a month gets you? Read on to find out: these are the three most expensive gym memberships in the world.Read More
Did you know that Americans now spend more time on social media than any other online activity? This means there's a large group of active and potential new members out there for you to engage with. Engaging with prospects and members on social media can not only drive brand recognition but drastically increase sales.Read More
Fitness Tech Sep 26, 2016
Nothing is more deflating to a member's fitness motivation than arriving to an overcrowded gym. The American Council of Exercise polled people asking, "what keeps you from going to the gym?" With 46% of respondents saying that they're too crowded, it's clear that this is a major hurdle for members to stay engaged with your club. Instead of merely surviving in a crowded-gym, members want to know how to avoid the overpopulated times throughout the day.Read More
Many people have the same problem with cardio machines - they don't have the patience for them. Cardio machines can deliver a killer workout, but when I'm at the gym I don't have the patience to run in place on a treadmill for thirty minutes, so I end up doing more weight lifting instead where I can quickly switch exercises. While these cardio machines may not be any more effective than the average treadmill or bicycle machine, they certainly would be more interesting to use. These are three crazy cardio machines you have to see to believe.Read More
Push notifications (also referred to as push alerts) are short messages that are delivered to smartphones. The messages will flash on the home screen if the member is actively using their phone or will appear the next time they check their phone. That's the power of push - if your members have the notifications enabled, they will see your messages.Read More
Members are the lifeblood of a fitness franchise. Though clubs are starting to grow their ancillary sales, members still remain the primary revenue driver for a health club bringing in an average of $521 per year. However, with 30% of members leaving every year and acquiring new members costing 5 times more than just keeping existing members, it's clear that a good member retention strategy is vital to the longevity of a club.Read More
Many clubs already have a rewards program. Unfortunately those programs are often run through third-party websites, or even pencil and paper. A mobile rewards program drives member engagement because it's so easy for members (and club staff) to use. Members automatically earn points when they engage with your club using their smartphone, such as when they sign in, track workouts, book classes or make a referral. Members redeem their points for rewards, such as club merchandise, free PT sessions and other goods or services.Read More
Email marketing has been around for a long time, but is still one of the most powerful ways to reach out to your prospects and current members. Placing messages right into your prospect's inbox is a very personal touchpoint and is a easy way to reach your contacts, especially when compared to direct mail or phone calls. Sending special offers to your prospects is also key to nurturing them through the sales process.Read More
Club Management Sep 12, 2016
Owning a successful fitness club is more difficult than ever. With low-priced competition expanding every year and members using wearables to workout anywhere they want, it's harder than ever to stay in business. Whether you're a new franchisee or a long standing local health club, here are 5 huge mistake you can avoid while running your club:Read More
The announcement of the new iPhone 7 stole the show at Apple's launch event on Wednesday September 7th, but Apple also quietly announced plenty of cool new tools for fitness fans as well. The big fitness news is all in the new Apple Watch. Along with more powerful hardware, the new Apple Watch Series 2 is now much more fitness friendly, and appears to becoming an essential tool for fitness tracking enthusiasts, especially when compared with the Series 1. Here are the 7 big fitness announcements from Apple's launch event.Read More
The world is going mobile. Almost 70% of Americans own smartphones and spend over 3 hours a day using mobile apps. Your members are looking for digital ways to engage with your club and a mobile app is one of the best ways to do so. With the right features your app can become the one-stop-shop for all of your members' fitness needs. Members who have smartphones can download your app and use features such as mobile check-in, referrals, class signups, fitness challenges and tracking.Read More
Fitness Tech Sep 6, 2016
With constant innovation in the fitness tech space, there are always new technologies on the market. But what is the future of fitness tech? Does 3-D fitness technology have the potential to be a force in the industry?Read More
Rewards programs aren't new. Frequent Flyer Miles, hotel rewards points and "buy-10-get-1-free" ice cream punch cards have been around for decades. Your club probably has a rewards program as well. But many clubs are still using a website, or even worse pencil-and-paper to track their rewards points. Going forward, your club needs to have a mobile rewards program. Here are 5 crazy statistics that prove why.Read More
The old thinking in marketing is to blast your message out to as many people as possible -- whether they want to hear it or not. The goal of smart digital marketing is to bring interested people to you. Drawing prospects in with relevant and informative content will create more customers and brand loyalty than purchasing another billboard or direct mail campaign. Your blog's content can attract people who would have otherwise never heard of your club.Read More
Marketing Aug 29, 2016
Despite global popularity, YouTube remains an untapped channel for many health club owners. How do you run a successful Youtube channel and what types of videos should you post?Read More
Marketing Article Aug 24, 2016
While many clubs already have a website with basic business information, members today expect a much more engaging web experience than they did in 2000, including interactive features, a modern design and useful content. If you combine a well-designed website with a regularly updated blog, your website will convert prospects into new members by itself.Read More
Club Management Aug 22, 2016
Let's fast forward four years to 2020. Just a few years can bring momentous change; compare 2007, when the iPhone was first introduced, to 2012 when 20 billion apps were downloaded. As the growth of apps and technology explodes, classic brick-and-mortar businesses, like health clubs, get increased pressure to evolve or get left behind.Read More
Club Industry released their annual list of the top 100 Health Clubs. While many club's positions on the list are similar to last year's, deeper analysis reveals some interesting industry trends. These are the important 4 takeaways you need to know from Club Industry's Top 100 Clubs List.Read More
New technology has changed the way clubs do marketing. It not enough anymore to simply print out some flyers, run a newspaper ad and call it a day. It's a nuanced, data-heavy and technologically savvy practice that can help your club acquire more members than ever before. Not sure where to get started? Are you using some digital marketing tools, but not in a coordinated way?Read More
Marketing Aug 16, 2016
It's no secret that membership sales are the most important part of operating a successful gym, and running promotional campaigns is the easiest and most effective way to reach prospective members. Even the best sales staff will have times when new members are hard to come by. If you've experienced a lull in membership sales it may be time to rethink how you're attracting customers.Read More
It's impossible to deny that smartphones have become more important than computers for many people. In Thailand for example, there are almost 50% more phones than there are people. As more and more people go mobile, it's important for your company to go mobile too. At this stage of the game, your customers aren't hoping that you'll have a mobile strategy--they're expecting it.Read More
Membership Sales Aug 10, 2016
Imagine a sales rep that literally never sleeps. She spends every day and night engaging with members, talking to them about trying personal training, or she is chatting up prospects, getting them excited about all of the benefits of a membership with your club. Your Club Mobile App is that amazing sales rep (and it never takes a lunch break).Read More
Maintaining a steady stream of new referrals is vital for any health club. Many clubs allow members to make referrals year round, but find that many of their referrals come in during contests. But what if you could run a successful referral contest every day? New technology makes creating a successful daily referral machine possible.Read More
Guest Post Article Aug 5, 2016
Most people have an idea of what the perfect gym looks like. You might imagine a picturesque gym with brand-new equipment and spotless floor-to-ceiling windows. But having a good gym is more about what you can't see. Functionality and environment are more important than shiny signage. But what are the functions your club needs to focus on and what are just distractions?Read More
The rise of digital and mobile technologies demand an upgrade to the way we approach rewards programs in the fitness industry. With so many new high-tech options out there, it's tough to determine what rewards program is right for your club. What are the features your program needs to engage your members and unlock powerful marketing opportunities?Read More
Marketing Article Jul 29, 2016
Yelp is an online business review directory with a social media twist. Yelp hosts profile pages for businesses where customers can share their experiences and leave a rating. In turn, business owners can respond to reviews, post pictures and share other information about their business.
Yelp should be treated as one of your most important social media channels. 81% of customers conduct online research before making a purchasing decision, and Yelp is often the first website they visit. If your Yelp page is incomplete and filled with bad reviews, it will have a direct negative impact on your club. But with a little work, your Yelp page can serve as a free marketing channel that converts curious clickers into real new members.Read More
Marketing Article Jul 27, 2016
There are many digital tools your club can use, but just using a bunch of tools at the same time isn't a real strategy. Running your club's social media account is smart digital marketing tool, but it's not a strategy. Neither is running referral competitions or having a rewards program. A true strategy requires all of your tools to work together in a deliberate, coordinated way. Clubs with successful digital strategies think of their strategy in terms of different layers that are dependent on each other to succeed. These are the three levels of a building successful digital marketing strategy.Read More
A little motivation is a powerful thing. Some of your members don't need any help; they already workout every day in pursuit of their fitness goals. For everyone else, a little push is necessary. One of the most motivating tools is a Rewards program. Members take club-positive actions such as signing in or registering for a class, and earn reward points they can redeem for club merch, free PT sessions or other prizes.Read More
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — July 19, 2016 — Netpulse, the #1 provider of mobile apps for health clubs, announced today the release of Mobile Feedback, a new product for the Netpulse Club Mobile App that allows health club operators to seamlessly collect real-time feedback from members through their smartphones. With Mobile Feedback, members have an opportunity to rate the club after each workout, providing valuable information that helps operators identify which members to upsell, and which members to prevent from cancelling their membership.Read More
Pokemon Go is the latest viral sensation and a fascinating business case. Pokemon Go is a smartphone mobile app based on the popular Pokemon franchise. Players can catch, train and battle with virtual creatures that can only be found in the game when the players are in certain real-world locations. Players meet up in real life hot spots to train and battle each other at virtual gyms. After launching on July 8th the game is already is on pace to be one of the most popular apps of all time.Read More
What you need to know this week (July 11) in fitness tech:Read More
Converting prospects into new members is one of the most essential--and difficult--tasks for clubs. Clubs have been trying to use traditional marketing tactics for decades to get new members in the doors. While these tactics reach members, they often don't reach them in the right time or place. Push notifications are short messages that directly appear on members' smartphone screens. Reaching members directly on their smartphones is revolutionizing referrals. This case study covers how one club sent just one push notification and in return earned $9,600 in new memberships.Read More
Social media is now the homepage of the internet. Whether to read the latest news or check-in with friends, people are spending more people on social media than ever before. With 2 billion users and nearly 5 billion posts every single day, Facebook is by far the most popular social media platform out there, making it potentially the most powerful marketing tool for your health club.Read More
Did you know that almost 2 billion people use mobile apps on a daily basis? Mobile apps are the way that the majority of us interact with the different brands in the world. For the news, you might have the New York Times as your go-to app. For discounts, you might tap open Groupon. For fitness, why can't your club's mobile app be the go-to for all of your members?Read More
Snapchat is the newest, quirkiest and fastest growing social media platform on the market. It's a mobile messaging platform that lets users sent temporary photos, videos and drawings and it's primary audience is the Millennial generation. People generally use Snapchat to share small moments of their day with their friends, but it's also beginning to double as a marketing tool for business across all industries.Read More
At this point you probably know how important mobile apps are to all of us. In fact, 85% of all smartphone usage time is spent using mobile apps. But did you know that a mobile app is also key to your gym acquiring new members and keeping them engaged?Read More
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With club memberships steadily increasing over the last 15 years (from 32.8 million in 2000 to 54.1 million in 2014), it's evident that fitness is becoming a bigger part of Americans' lives. But fitness is more than an hour on the treadmill or skipping ice cream once a week. Living a healthy lifestyle is something that people are thinking about all day, not just when they are actively working out.
With more than 78 billion apps downloaded last year, it's clear that mobile technology is impacting every facet of our lives, including how we work out. Between mobile apps, wearable devices and group fitness classes fitted with all sorts of technology, health clubs aren't what they used to be.
Check out our latest infographic for some insight on the Mobile Revolution, and see how it impacts your club.Read More
Branding is one of the most important parts of any business. It's how your customers recognize you and how you are perceived by the public. Your brand is the idea that your members are going to connect with when they think about your club. With fitness industry competition higher than ever, it's important to have a recognizable brand that members can identify with and relate to.Read More
Today we have apps for nearly anything, and the trend is only going to keep growing. Within minutes, you can hire a dog walker, a dry cleaner or a grocery deliverer all through mobile apps. Just like apps are becoming the new normal for everyday tasks like dog walking, a club mobile app is becoming the new normal for gyms around the world.Read More
Fitness Tech Jun 21, 2016
Wearables are officially more than a fad. Starting out as trendy wristbands, wearable technology has upgraded and is completely changing the fitness industry.Read More
It's now easier than ever before to get your club's brand in front of the eyes of millions. How? Through the power of social media. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have redefined how people around the world communicate and as a result have also redefined how businesses need to market themselves. In 2016, almost 80% of Americans have a social media account, and within three years there are expected to be as many as 3 billion social media users worldwide.Read More
Keeping your members engaged is one of the most important tasks for any club. Fitness challenges are an excellent engagement tool. They keep members motivated to keep working out and the friendly competition helps build a community. But many clubs still run challenges the old fashioned way--with pencil and paper, and with members' progress tracked by hand. This case study covers how one club used new technology to revolutionize their fitness challenges, and saved a $450 membership in the process:Read More
If you run a health club, you probably know that your member management and billing software (MMS) is the lifeblood of your business. It gives you data on important things like attrition rates, delinquent payments and even reasons why your members cancel their memberships.Read More
Push alerts are the future of member marketing communications. They're short messages that are instantly delivered to your members' smartphone home screens. Members that opt-in to receiving alerts engage with the messages 20 times more often than with the average fitness industry email. This case study shows how one club utilized the power of push to sell 20 new personal training packages--with just one push alert.Read More
Marketing isn't easy. Marketing your health club in the digital age is even harder. With more people using smartphones and other digital devices than ever, your club has to figure out how to update your marketing strategy for the 21st century. Not sure where to start? Here are a few ideas that can help get you started.Read More
Marketing Jun 8, 2016
Everyone knows Youtube is big. But do you know just how massive Youtube has become? Youtube reaches more 18 to 34 year-olds than any cable network in the US and has over a billion users that watch hundreds of millions of hours of videos everyday.Read More
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — June 6, 2016 — Netpulse, the #1 provider of mobile apps and technology solutions for health clubs, announced today that it has raised $13 million to support its accelerating growth. The investment, led by August Capital and with participation from Javelin Venture Partners, Nokia Growth Partners and DFJ Frontier will fuel Netpulse's continued expansion as the dominant market leader for mobile technology in the fitness industry.Read More
Fitness Tech Jun 3, 2016
The wearables market is projected to be worth over $12 billion worldwide within two years. In our latest piece, The Guide to Wearables 2.0, see how to take advantage of the wearable revolution to better engage your members.Read More
Figuring out the best strategy to get the most out of your club mobile app isn't easy. Which aspects do you prioritize? How do you know if you're on the right track? Is a mobile app even right for your club? Here are the five most important questions you need to ask yourself before getting started.Read More
Listen360 analyzed 9,900 survey responses from customers of 66 randomly selected Fitness and Health brands to determine what makes members tick. They categorized their responses into three categories: Barriers, Delighters and Key Drivers.Read More
Marketing May 26, 2016
Instagram is a social networking app that is used to share photos and short videos. Although there is space to write captions and a comments section, Instagram is a mostly visually based social network. It's the newest of the Big Five (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, Yelp), but it already has more than 400 million monthly active users.Read More
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — May 26, 2016 — Netpulse, the #1 provider of mobile apps for health clubs, announced today the launch of its Enterprise Mobile Platform, a complete digital solution for enterprise health clubs to deploy a mobile app that will drive club marketing, member engagement and operational efficiency. Combining industry-leading technology with deep customization, the Enterprise Mobile Platform enables large fitness organizations to deliver a robust mobile app to market at a fraction of the time and cost of building from scratch.Read More
In The Future of Wearables in Health Clubs webinar, Netpulse VP of growth Greg Skloot and MYZONE co-founder and president Emmett Williams, discuss how club operators can leverage wearable technology to engage members and boost retention.Read More
Marketing May 25, 2016
Get amped for the Mobile Marketing Bootcamp, a 5-part interactive email course! Savvy club operators are discarding traditional marketing methods for new mobile tactics to achieve amazing results, like increasing referrals by over 300%.
By the end of this course, you'll master acquiring new members and selling more services, like PT, at a far lower cost of acquisition.Read More
Seemingly overnight wearable tech has transformed into one of the biggest consumer trends in the world. From devices that shock you out of your bad habits, to watches that give you data about the quality of your sleep, these tiny devices have no apparent limits.Read More
Most gyms follow the same marketing playbook. Direct mail, cold calls, emails, print advertisements and maybe a TV spot if the budget allows it. This playbook has been the health club standard for decades. But in 2016 it is becoming clear that these marketing tactics are growing increasingly stale. Nearly 2/3 of Americans own a smartphone and the effect of mobile hitting the mainstream has revolutionized many industries, including hotels (Airbnb), taxis (Uber) and killing time on the subway (Candy Crush).Read More
Unless you've been hiding under a rock you've probably noticed the recent rise of wearables. You're likely already familiar with personal tracking devices like Fitbit or apps like Apple Health, but there's another category of fitness tracker that you may not be as familiar with—the group heart rate monitoring system.Read More
A midsize club chain was doing well, but was facing the eternal health club pain point: acquiring new members. They tried traditional tactics, but they weren't getting enough new members into the club. Furthermore, the club was spending a fortune on billboards or TV ad buys. They needed a marketing strategy with a better return on investment.Read More
Marketing your gym just isn't as easy as it used to be. Billboards, direct mailers and other member acquisition strategies simply aren't as effective anymore because of the ways that most modern gym members consume their information. With more people than ever owning smartphones and over 50% of all digital media being consumed on mobile devices, your gym may struggle to reach and engage new members without integrating new innovations into its marketing strategy.Read More
The average gym member of today is more tech savvy than they were just five or 10 years ago. As a result, they expect your club to be too. Though wearables are officially mainstream, the field of nutrition tracking apps on the market is less robust. Integrating nutrition tracking into your club can give your gym the competitive edge over your competitors, while also creating new avenues to increase revenue.Read More
A club reviewed their revenue and expenses for the month and determined that they needed to increase non-membership revenue. Selling memberships alone simply wasn't driving profitability, and the operators know they had to focus on other sources, like personal training.Read More
What if a single 200 character message could make your club almost $10,000 more in annual revenue? With push notifications, it's possible.Read More
Marketing May 6, 2016
Twitter is a microblog used to share short bits of information (under 140 characters). It's one of the most popular social networks in the world and is the platform that offers you the chance to directly engage with the most members. Whether you are an expert or are logging on for the first time, here are 5 Twitter tips for gyms.Read More
What if a single message sent to a member's smartphone could help your club sell dozens of personal training packages or bring in thousands of extra dollars in annual revenue? With the power of push notifications, all these things are possible.Read More
A club wanted to focus on improving member engagement. They wanted to host a fitness challenge but their past efforts hadn't gotten the results they were looking for. Instead of just trying again with a new theme or more expensive prize, they decided to try something new and hosted their new challenge through their club mobile app.Read More
Marketing May 3, 2016
One club brought in $9,600 in new annual memberships from one push notification. Another sold 20 personal training packages. It's not magic, it's mobile. In our Ultimate Guide to Push Notifications, you'll learn all of the secrets to using push notifications.Read More
Today, having a good member management and billing system (MMS), like ClubReady, is not the only prerequisite for running a successful club. In an increasingly mobile-driven world, launching a Club Mobile App is quickly becoming a requirement and one of your members' most demanded club amenities. However, just launching any mobile app is not enough. Your app needs to become the center of your club's fitness experience, meaning it should integrate with all of your club technology, especially your MMS.Read More
In the Mobile Marketing for Health Clubs webinar, Greg Skloot and Keith Lansdale discuss how club operators can increase engagement, aquire new members and sell more services with mobile marketing.Read More
Your club probably has everything. Shiny new showers, excellent customer service and you even have multiple squat racks. You've built a fitness temple, but why aren't the new members coming?Read More
Fitness Tech Apr 28, 2016
Elevate, the United Kingdom's largest B2B event dedicated to physical activity, is just around the corner! With over four thousand attendees from disciplines like sports science, leisure management, performance and even government, Elevate is a premier networking and learning opportunity for the fitness industry.Read More
A small health club was facing an age-old industry problem: how were they going to get new members through the door? Their 300 members loved their focus on boot camp training, but they needed to reach new prospects. They had tried traditional marketing tactics like direct mail campaigns and new club signage, but their dollars weren't getting new members in the door.Read More
Press Release Apr 26, 2016
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — April 26, 2016 — Netpulse, the #1 provider of mobile apps for health clubs, announced today a new integration with MYZONE, an accurate heart rate monitoring system that rewards effort. The integration will enable health clubs to offer members direct access to MYZONE wearable data within their club's mobile app. Members can now check-in to the club, view class schedules, book personal training sessions and access their MYZONE workout data all from one app.Read More
Smartphones have changed the way people exercise. Mobile apps now enable people to track workouts, set goals and analyze progress over time. With the current market value of health and fitness apps at $4 billion, it's clear that they've become an integral part of the fitness industry.Read More
Club Management Apr 22, 2016
Every club is going to lose members. But are members leaving for reasons you can fix, such as unfriendly staff or outdated equipment? Or do members most often quit for reasons out of your control, like moving away or due to an injury? IHRSA issued a comprehensive survey in the United States to determine the biggest reasons why members quit their health clubs. Here are the top 5:Read More
Traditional marketing tactics just don't work the same anymore. Direct mailers and billboards simply aren't as effective as they used to be, because the way people consume information today is drastically different than it was even ten years ago.Read More
Marketing Apr 20, 2016
Getting your club's mobile app on the App Store is a big accomplishment, but it's only half the battle. Now the hard work of convincing your members to download your club mobile app begins. It doesn't have to be hard though--here are 5 ways to convince members to download your app.Read More
At some point or another, everyone has found themselves in front of a mirror. Maybe you had to do your hair, makeup or just wanted to check out your guns after a good workout. Either way, most mirrors until now have been used to highlight the external features of our bodies.Read More
Club marketing tactics haven't really changed in decades. Many health clubs "stick with what they know" and spend a vast portion of their marketing budget on signage, billboards, or radio and television advertisements. While those methods worked for a long time, they become less effective every year. Here are 4 reasons why your club's traditional marketing tactics are outdated:Read More
20 years ago Tina Day was only a member of The Alaska Club, who dropped her young daughter off at the club's child care facility while she attended her favorite group fitness classes. Today Tina and her daughter are still members -- but now when Tina is done with her workout, she steps into her role as the Director of Marketing & Public Relations for the Alaska Club.Read More
Fitness Tech Apr 14, 2016
The rise of wearables over the last five years has been meteoric. Almost 25% of Americans now own one, nearly 15% use them daily and within two years the global market is expected to top $12 billion. The hype behind them makes sense. They're trendy, futuristic and help millions of people accomplish their personal health goals.Read More
FIBO 2016 features 3 conventions in 1: FIBO Expert, FIBO Passion and FIBO Power. The three shows feature 850 exhibitors and 136,000 visitors from April 7-10th in Cologne, Germany. With so much to see and do at FIBO, it's easy to miss out on new and exciting fitness innovations. In case you're not in Germany or spent all your time checking out the FIBO Power bodybuilders, here's a recap of what's happened:Read More
Fitness Tech Apr 12, 2016
When you are assembling your club's marketing budget, it's important to determine how much each of your members is worth. The best metric to use is the Lifetime Value (LTV) for each of your members. This is the total amount of revenue you expect to earn from a member during the length of their membership at your club.Read More
Fitness is going global! People around the world are recognizing the importance of staying fit and healthy. But not all fitness is created equal. Does the country with the most clubs have the fittest population? Does high fitness revenue mean lower obesity? Find out which country comes out on top as the healthiest with our International Fitness Showdown!Read More
Fitness Tech Apr 12, 2016
FIBO 2016 is over, but its impact on the fitness industry will reverberate for the rest of the year and beyond. The fitness industry is shifting rapidly and the biggest trends at FIBO will soon become standards in the fitness industry. Here are three of the biggest trends from FIBO that will affect your club's business in the future.Read More
Fitness Tech Apr 9, 2016
The wearable revolution is here. Wearables are the talk of every 2016 tech convention, new products like Fitbit's Alta and Blaze are flying off the shelves, and within two years the global wearable market is expected to be worth over $12 billion. With #FIBO2016, one of the biggest fitness industry events in the world, we decided to take a look at the sexiest wearables on display at the Exhibition Centre Cologne in Cologne, Germany.Read More
I spoke on April 7th at FIBO 2016 about "How to Convert Digital Customers into Members, and Members into Digital Clients."
I focused on digital conversion - converting prospects to members using digital tools and channels, and driving a desirable actions from a club's member base. I looked at digital conversion techniques from other industries that inspired us, and how they can be applied to the fitness industry.Read More
The fitness industry is becoming more technologically advanced. Products are rapidly being released that transform members' fitness experiences. There are wearables that can track your heart rate, virtual reality fitness companies that help transport your workout to a fantasy destination of choice, and even body scanners that can analyze your risk of obesity or heart disease within 30 seconds.Read More
Marketing Apr 5, 2016
Larry Page, co-founder and CEO of Google, recently said, "We are no longer in a mobile-first world, we are in a mobile-only world."
You only have to look around to realize the authenticity of this statement. By the numbers, there are roughly 6.8 billion mobile phone subscriptions, compared to a world population of 7 billion. In fact, more people have access to a mobile phone than they do a functional toilet.Read More
Marketing Apr 4, 2016
If you're like most club operators, you've already jumped onto the social media bandwagon. You may even be tweeting regularly or sharing interesting pictures with your followers on Facebook and Instagram. For many clubs, the challenge is that you aren't getting enough followers or likes, and you're wondering if social media is worth your time. You're busy running your club after all!Read More
With #FIBO2016 right around the corner, the biggest names in the fitness industry are getting ready to flood the Exhibition Centre Cologne in Cologne, Germany. The show, which features over 725 exhibitors from 40 different countries, will take place from April 7-10 across over 130,000 square meters of exhibition space.Read More
Today, having a good member management and billing system (MMS), like ABC Financial, is not the only prerequisite for running a successful club. In an increasingly mobile-driven world, launching a Club Mobile App is quickly becoming a requirement and one of your members' most demanded club amenities. However, just launching any mobile app is not enough. Your app needs to become the center of your club's fitness experience, meaning it should integrate with all of your club technology, especially your MMS.Read More
Fitness Tech Mar 31, 2016
As the Super Bowl of the fitness industry, #IHRSA2016 definitely sets the tone for much of what will happen in fitness in 2016 and beyond. Over 400 vendors from almost 80 countries displayed cutting-edge technologies, programs and fitness equipment during the four day expo.Read More
Industry Trends Mar 30, 2016
April's annual FIBO convention in Germany is the world's leading event for the fitness industry. 850 exhibitors and 136,000 visitors will occupy 10 convention halls to display and learn about the latest innovations of the fitness industry from April 7th to 10th.Read More
The old club marketing tactics are expensive and ineffective. The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Budgets will show you a new way to allocate your marketing budget to tactics with the lowest member acquisition cost in the fitness industry.Read More
Fitness Tech Mar 29, 2016
Netpulse is excited to present you with Club Mobile Apps: Build or Buy.
Orangetheory, Gold's Gym, and Retro Fitness have launched club mobile apps. Many other fitness organizations are trying to advance their digital strategies as well. The biggest question is: do they buy a customizable solution or build an app themselves?Read More
Marketing Mar 28, 2016
What good is designing a great brand identity, if your club doesn't use it correctly? Once you've identified how you want your club to be perceived by your members, the next step is ensuring that your members actually do view your club in that desired manner.Read More
Fitness Tech Mar 25, 2016
The Twittersphere was buzzing with excitement during #IHRSA2016. It was nearly impossible to keep up with the new IHRSA tweets being posted every second. Don't worry about missing anything though - we've compiled the funniest videos and other social media highlights for you here. Enjoy the best of Twitter from #IHRSA2016.Read More
In case you missed it (ICYMI), Nir Eyal, author of Wall St. Journal bestseller, Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products, and CEO of Nir and Far, closed out the action at #IHRSA2016 with a keynote address about how habit-forming products and services can help the fitness industry engage and retain their members.Read More
Fitness Tech Mar 24, 2016
Today's #IHRSA2016 spotlight is on innovator and industry veteran Life Fitness. Life Fitness has created fitness solutions for trainers and clubs for over 45 years. After inventing the Lifecycle exercise bike, the first electronic piece of workout equipment, Life Fitness has pursued their mission of keeping people active with a wide range of cardio, strength and group training products.Read More
New technology has been taking the fitness industry by storm, and as expected, the 35th annual IHRSA tradeshow didn't miss a beat. Vendors, keynote speakers and club operators have come from all over the world to showcase and experience the latest and best the industry has to offer.Read More
Industry Trends Mar 24, 2016
The action was fast and furious on the third and final day of #IHRSA2016. With over 400 exhibitors from around the globe even Superman couldn't experience everything that IHRSA had to offer. For the mere mortals that couldn't see it all, we've got you covered with a recap of all the highlights from Day 3.Read More
Fitness Tech Mar 23, 2016
As the biggest week in fitness reaches its halfway point, so does our series of booth spotlights on our favorite companies at the show. Today's star of the show? Matrix Fitness.Read More
Marketing Mar 23, 2016
#IHRSA2016 is up and running and we're on the ground with the latest updates. Here is the Day 2 recap. The highly-anticipated tradeshow featuring the fitness industry's top vendors finally opened to the public at 10 A.M. and will run today and tomorrow until 6 PM. It features over 400 exhibitors from dozens of countries showing off the latest technology, products, services and innovations the industry has to offer.Read More
At IHRSA? Make sure to visit our integration partner ASF Payment Solutions at #IHRSA2016 booth 2625. ASF is one of the industry's leading providers of gym management software and payment solutions for the past 40 years.Read More
In case you missed it (ICYMI), Greg McKeown, CEO of This Inc., began Day 2 of #IHRSA2016 with a keynote address about the value of essentialism in modern leadership.Read More
In case you missed it (ICYMI), Jay Baer, author of Youtility and Hug Your Haters, kicked off #IHRSA2016 with a keynote address about how to make your club's marketing strategies truly useful.Read More
Fitness Tech Mar 21, 2016
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#IHRSA2016 is here! Over the course of the biggest week in fitness we're going to be running booth spotlights on our favorite companies at the show. This week kicks off with a spotlight on our friends over at ABC Financial.
With eight clubs in and around the city of Philadelphia, Sweat Fitness has been a staple in the City of Brotherly Love since opening for business 20 years ago. Each location has it's own distinct personality and feel, while also providing valuable amenities such as an indoor track, a swimming pool and body fat analysis.Read More
Comedy Mar 18, 2016
Fun Guy Friday: your weekly dose of fitness satire.
Orlando. The home of Mickey Mouse and painful humidity. Of course #IHRSA2016 is the main event this week, but the conference center is just the tip of Orlando's iceberg of awesome attractions. Everyone knows about Disney World, but Orlando has so much more to offer if you step off the beaten path. Like a frozen bar or gator theme park!Read More
Fitness Tech Mar 17, 2016
The biggest names in the fitness industry are all getting ready to descend into the Orange Country Convention Center in Orlando to attend IHRSA 2016, the industry's premier trade show. With over 10,000 attendees from nearly 80 countries #IHRSA2016 is sure to be a hotbed of innovation, education and of course, fitness.Read More
Industry Trends Mar 16, 2016
With the number of people holding gym memberships at all time highs, one would think that people are more healthy and active than ever before, right?Read More
Fitness Tech Mar 15, 2016
The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association is holding its 35th annual convention next week in Orlando. With over 10,000 members from 75 countries, IHRSA is a chance to meet members of the fitness industry from around the globe. One of the highlights of IHRSA is learning from some of the best and the brightest in the industry at keynote speeches at networking events.Read More
With the IHRSA trade show just a week away, it's probably safe to say that all of us at Netpulse can't wait for the event to finally kick off. The four-day event takes place March 21-24 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. The banner message for the Netpulse booth this year is that "Fitness is going mobile."Read More
For ten years, Pivotal Fitness has provided members with with top notch fitness facilities in four South Carolina cities, and in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. At 50,000 square feet, the club caters to a wide range of members, offering group classes like Zumba and yoga, personal training sessions, and even includes a nursery for parents.Read More
Comedy Mar 11, 2016
Fun Guy Friday: Your weekly dose of fitness satire.
Once upon a time in 1991, being in a history textbook meant something. It signified that humanity collectively decided that you were worth remembering. Then the internet happened. Now we no longer get to choose what gets remembered - the internet records everything, forever. While the fact that my Facebook page is eternal bodes poorly for my future Presidential run, I am thankful for the internet because now America's brief obsession with spandex and group exercise will live on forever too.Read More
Remember when you couldn't make a phone call and check your email at the same time? Well times have changed. The upcoming March 28th release of the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset officially ushers in a new era of technological innovation.Read More
Industry Trends Mar 9, 2016
2016 will see the introduction of microtransactions to the fitness industry, a business model where consumers purchase individual units of products and services instead of packages. Clubs can use microtransactions to sell members individual personal training lessons or group classes at a discounted price. This enables members to purchase services in a way that best fits them. For example, instead of having to sign up for a four week class or PT package, members will more often be able to purchase single sessions at their convenience, right from their smartphones.Read More
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — March 8, 2016 — Netpulse, the #1 provider of mobile apps for health clubs, announced today the release of Mobile Acquisition Add-Ons, four new features that will transform the way club operators acquire new members. These features for the Netpulse Club Mobile App allow operators to leverage their members' smartphones to seamlessly attract prospects and convert them into members at a far lower cost than traditional marketing.Read More
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Our world is becoming increasingly mobile, as evidenced by the nearly 180 billion apps downloaded in 2015. What this means is that when your business decides to enter the mobile app foray, you'll need to know exactly what you're looking for in terms of design, or else your app will fall almost immediately to the wayside.
Comedy Mar 4, 2016
Fun Guy Friday: Your weekly dose of fitness satireRead More
Michael Dabish grew up with Powerhouse Gym. His father is a founder of Powerhouse, and Michael spent his adolescence with the club as a part of his family's' business. This instilled a passion for fitness that continued into adulthood. Today, Michael continues living a healthy lifestyle; he loves actively pursuing and achieving his fitness goals, and enjoys being a part of the fitness industry.Read More
Marketing Mar 2, 2016
Every business has a brand. Put simply, your brand is the idea or image that your members connect with when they think about your club. As competition in the fitness industry increases, it's more important than ever to have a recognizable brand that members (and potential members) identify with and relate to.Read More
Industry Trends Mar 1, 2016
With club memberships steadily increasing over the last 15 years (from 32.8 million in 2000 to 54.1 million in 2014), it's evident that fitness is becoming a bigger part of Americans' lives. But fitness is more than an hour on the treadmill or skipping ice cream once a week. Living a healthy lifestyle is something that people are thinking about all day, not just when they are actively working out.Read More
With two locations in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Sky Fitness has built itself into into a visionary health club since opening up shop ten years ago. Their two 40,000 square feet facilities are designed with the committed health club member in mind, complete with yoga and pilates studios, nationally certified fitness experts and a rock climbing wall.Read More
It's safe to say that the world has changed dramatically in the last few years. We can summon taxi's with the tap of a finger, chat face-to-face with friends on the other side of the globe and even experience other people's experiences virtually. So why is it that so many health clubs still use analogue methods to market their services? As technology continues to become a more prevalent, the only way to stay competitive is to structure your gym's marketing plan around digital platforms.Read More
One of the top ways for gyms to stay competitive in the fitness industry is to make sure that they have a great locker room. A clean, comfortable locker room can really create an impression on a prospective member and help them pick a gym to join. Today, many clubs have taken this idea to the next level by following current trends of upgrading their locker rooms into luxurious escapes from working out. Don't have the budget for a steam room? Here are 5 budget-friendly ideas that can help to give your locker room that luxury feel!Read More
Club Management Feb 24, 2016
After eight years of analyzing business results data from over 8,000 clubs, Michael Scott Scudder has discovered the five characteristics that failing clubs have in common.Read More
The fitness industry is changing. Today's members are responding to a new way of approaching fitness -- where wearable integration, mobile club check-ins and hyper-personalization are becoming the norm. Furthermore, the rise of large high-value, low-cost chains, specialty studios and apps like ClassPass are fundamentally changing the ways clubs do business.Read More
Fitness Tech Feb 22, 2016
As technology becomes a bigger part of the world around us, it's allowed people to create things never before imagined. It's redefined countless industries and has completely transformed our idea of how things are supposed to work. For the fitness industry, it means there's never been a more exciting time. Dozens of startups have begun trying to answer the question: How can we make fitness easier? And they've had some amazing results.Read More
Billed as the region's most complete fitness center, the Wilmington Athletic Club has served the small North Carolina port city for almost 15 years. Since opening it's doors as a racquetball facility in 2002, the club has transformed into a 35,000 square foot facility that includes a full-sized basketball court, cardio and weight training, massage therapy and even a dietician.Read More
Comedy Feb 19, 2016
Fun Guy Friday: Your weekly dose of fitness satire.
Just as we all face the inevitability of death, your club's equipment will too one day perish. Instead of investing $6000 in a treadmill that will break down and join the rust heap in the sky anyways, consider some of these extremely low-cost equipment alternatives.Read More
There's nothing anybody hates more than buying or downloading an app that doesn't do what they expect it to. That's why almost a quarter of all mobile apps are used only once. With mobile apps becoming a bigger part of the fitness industry, your club has to make sure its app doesn't fall into the one-and-done category. It isn't enough to have members download your app; it needs to be something that'll engage them and make them want to use it again. And the key to that is one thing--personalization.Read More
Fitness Tech Feb 17, 2016
Your Bi-Weekly Dose of Fitness Tech News
Competition in the fitness industry is fierce. New clubs seem to open daily, and everyone is fighting for members. The obvious goal for all operators is growth--both in number of members and locations. But as much as you may dream of having dozens of locations across your region, the reality is that only few are set up to succeed. Launching additional locations is a costly venture and if done poorly, could literally cause a once profitable business to shutter.
Introducing The Club Scalability Map...Read More
Club Management Feb 15, 2016
You may have suspicions about what bothers your club members the most. Is it lines for the equipment? The radio stations? Are your trainers too tough? Fortunately, Blair McHaney of Clubworks has taken the guesswork out of it. After analyzing over 400,000 data points assembled via Medallia, Blair determined the top seven things club members hate.Read More
After 19 years of working at Exertec Health and Fitness Center, Nori Hongo was looking for a way to take his club to the next level. After earning his degree in Commercial Fitness Management, Nori has spent a majority of his career building Exertec into the popular health club it is today.Read More
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Looking to increase member engagement and spur some friendly competition in your club? Use your club mobile app's challenges feature.
Club Management Feb 11, 2016
Every business has a brand. Put simply, your brand is the idea or image that your members connect with when they think about your club. As competition in the fitness industry increases, it's more important than ever to have a recognizable brand that members (and potential members) identify with and relate to. To get started, we need to answer the question, "What does a brand do for my club?"Read More
Push notifications, short messages that pop up on your members' smartphone screens, can be one of the most powerful marketing tools for your club. With push notifications you can alert members of open spots in a class, flash sales of gym services or merchandise and timely club updates. Push notifications are a potent engagement tool--as long as your members stay subscribed. It's easy to drive your members to unsubscribe by misusing push notifications. Here are the 5 secrets of sending powerful push notifications.Read More
Industry Trends Feb 9, 2016
We're excited to present the free PDF "10 Tech Trends in 2016." This guide will give you valuable insight on the emerging technology trends that will impact your club and how to capitalize on them to increase member engagement and drive revenue.Read More
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You've hired a great staff, purchased the newest equipment and have a diverse range of regulars who work out at your club. But how well do you really know your business? The best way to ensure your business is as successful as possible is by digging deep into your performance metrics. Your member management system (MMS) is your best friend when it comes to being able to parse through all the numbers.
Jennifer Morgan knows good design when she sees it. After earning her bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, she worked as a freelancer for Premier Fitness. Jennifer used to lead classes and do freelance design work for Premier Fitness but eventually joined full time, and is now their Fitness Director.Read More
Comedy Feb 5, 2016
Fun Guy Friday: Your weekly dose of fitness satire.
After a season full of insufferable Deflategate Hot Takes, Super Bowl 50 is finally here! We're here to break the big game down for you--but instead of discussing irrelevant things like "What team wants it more" or "Which QB has the best fashion sense" (Hint: It's not the guy who tucks his jersey into his jeans on national TV), we're going to break it down by what matters--speed and size. Who is fit enough to survive the 60 minute battle for glory?Read More
Going green is not a passing fad, nor does it have to involve going through a byzantine certification process. Utilizing environmentally friendly practices is not only important to your members, but it will also save your club money. Equinox and The Green Microgym are great examples of clubs that made the investment into going green and are now reaping the rewards.Read More
Fitness Tech Feb 2, 2016
Catch up with the best innovations from CES 2016 and more! Here are the most important fitness tech industry news stories in the February 2016 edition of Fitness Tech News.Read More
The first iPhone was released on June 29, 2007. It took less than nine years for smartphones to change from a novelty to a necessity for millions of people. Smartphones are used for everything now -- from commuting to working out, even dating. In fact, you're probably reading this on a smartphone right now.Read More
Jeannie Carter was once the only girl in a family full of boys. She spent her childhood competing against her older brother and cousins in every sport under the sun. After cheerleading in high school and college, Jeannie found a desk job, and sat there for years. Once she was married and had a child, Jeannie decided to get active again and moved her career into the fitness space. Now she is the Group Fitness & Programs Director at Minton's Sportsplex, the largest gym in the AK-LA-TX region.Read More
Member Engagement Jan 29, 2016
Often times when members decide to sign on with a certain health club, price is a major determining factor. So as a club owner, you already know it's never easy having to tell your members that their monthly dues might have to increase, even if it's absolutely necessary to sustain your business. If your club gets 10% more expensive, and there happens to be a club across town that offers the same services for cheaper, what's stopping your members from joining your competitor?Read More
Marketing Jan 28, 2016
The average email user receives 147 emails a day… and deletes 71 of them. It may seem impossible for your club's message to cut through the noise, but it's actually easier than you'd think. E-mail marketing is still one of the most cost-efficient and successful ways of reaching your members. Health and Fitness emails have a 23% open rate, and 44% of email recipients make at least one purchase based on promotional emails.Read More
Member Engagement Jan 27, 2016
If you own a club or work within the fitness industry, you probably ask yourself this question every night before you go to bed, and again every morning when you wake up.
How on earth do I keep my members?Read More
Barre is one of the fastest-growing fitness trends in the industry. According to the American Council on Exercise's 2015 Industry Trend Report, in the last two years barre has grown globally by 141%, and has already been adopted by almost 1/3 of the fitness industry. With dozens of studios set to open across the country, here are five must know facts to keep your club ahead of the competition.Read More
Marketing Jan 26, 2016
We're excited to present a new ebook, "The Mobile Marketing Manifesto". The old ways of club marketing are rapidly dying. Luckily, the surging growth of smartphones has created an exciting new way to acquire more members and sell more services at clubs. It's called Mobile Marketing.Read More
As businesses adapt to the 21st century and focus their marketing efforts on reaching customers on the Internet, it's become difficult for companies to find ways to engage users amidst the advertising overload. Customers have also become more aware of the breadth of choices available to them, which has led to a sharp decline in brand loyalty in recent years. With social media usage among 30-49 year olds jumping by 69 percent in the last ten years, the need for health clubs to find ways to leverage the mediums available has never been greater.Read More


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Positioned gracefully across the Book of Psalms is a string of seventy-one pearls, lovely beads of wisdom followed by the admonition SELAH which means, "Pause, think on these things, meditate."
Psalm 21:1-2 "O LORD, the king rejoices in your strength. How great is his joy in the victories you give! You have granted him the desire of his heart and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah."
In this pearl, King David rejoices in God's strength and power to grant victory. He credits the Lord with giving him the desires of his heart and answering his prayers.
You might be thinking, "How nice. But, of course, David was a king." King, shming! What matters here is not "his highness" but his "lowliness of heart," his humility. David had a heart after God, rejoicing in God's strength and in God's salvation—not his own. And in David's meekness, he shows a Christlikeness that we are to emulate.
It is identification with Christ that reveals a heart after God and opens the doors of heaven to us . . . all of us, no matter our social status
Look up: 1 Samuel 16:7; Psalm 37:4; Matthew 11:28-29; Romans 8:32; Philippians 2:5-8

subset: commoncrawl


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GSM Team Wins Bay Area MBA Portfolio Challenge
(Davis, CA)—A team of four UC Davis MBA students recently won the CFA Society of San Francisco's second annual Bay Area MBA Portfolio Challenge. Competing teams spent three months trading and tracking a $1-million portfolio using the Stock-Trak virtual brokerage investment simulation platform. Investments were limited to U.S. traded equities.
While most portfolios worldwide suffered record losses, the team of Bay Area Working Professional MBA students—Jeffrey Ngai, Srinivasan Ramani, Soyen Shih and Wayne Zhong —devised a strategy and execution of trades to make consistently positive returns, bringing to life the "Opportunity Made Everyday" motto of the stock markets. The team's portfolio grew 363 percent, achieving a 10.56 Sharpe ratio, which measures reward-to-risk.
The team attributes its success to a disciplined and effective risk management strategy.
"Although the market had declined about 30 percent during the first 10 months of 2008, when the challenge began in mid-October, we thought it still underestimated the severity of the recession and overestimated the effectiveness of the federal government's aid to the financial industry," noted Wayne Zhong. The team used half its capital to short the market, betting correctly that that the financial and retail sectors would fall.
With market volatility at an historical high, they put the rest of their capital to work with a disciplined strategy to day-trade the leveraged market index ETF and take advantage of the intra-day market movement. Daily picking one or two market trends and making one or two well-researched and sizable bets, the team made more profitable trades than losing ones. "In the long run," explained Zhong, "one or two percents gain per trade added up to a nice increase."
Twenty-two Bay Area b-school teams—including three from UC Davis and teams from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, Wharton West, San Francisco State University and Mills College—competed in the challenge.
The team's faculty advisor was Associate Professor Joseph Chen, who taught an investment analysis course in the School's three MBA programs last fall. One project gave the students experience estimating capital market assumptions and optimizing stock portfolio—valuable lessons that helped propel the team forward in the competition.
The team won "Bay Area bragging rights" and passes to CFA Society of San Francisco professional development meetings to hear the seasoned insights of investment industry leaders. The society's more than 2,900 members include investment professionals at Bay Area banks, insurance companies, investment counselors, brokers, public agencies, universities and corporations.


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Today we have another fantastic competition on offer to our readers, courtesy of Cooler Master. They have handed us a ton of goodies for you guys to claim in the New Year ! 1st Prize is: Cooler Master Storm Trooper Case This is one of the finest cases on the …Read More »
Home / Tag Archives: cooler master prizes


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Huggies® Sweepstakes are chances to win big prizes! And they're easy to enter: all you have to do is visit the Redeeming Points page, select the Sweepstakes you'd like to enter and submit your entries for a chance to win. At the end of each Sweepstakes promotional period, we'll randomly select the winner(s) from those who have entered and notify them immediately. Each sweepstakes includes the ability to submit multiple entries.
What is a Huggies® Sweepstakes?
Sasha V. -


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Sunday 11 September at 17h00
We begin our season with three highly qualified young artists. Algarvian Soprano Beatriz Miranda began her music studies at the Conservatório Regional do Algarve with Irene Ainstein, took up singing at the Conservatório National in Lisbon in 2010 and since 2015 she has been at the École Normale de Musique in Paris. In 2015 she won first prize of the highest category for singing at the National Singing Competition at the Official Conservatoires for Music in Lisbon. Her debut as soloist was in Pergolesi´s Stabat Mater with the orchestra of the Conservatório National. Since then she has sung in Jean-Baptiste Lully's Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, Hartmann's Chaplin-Ford-Trott, Monteverdi's L'Orfeo and Gustav Holst's chamber opera, Savitri.. She also sang at the Early Music Festival in Loulé and in recital presented Couperin's Leçons de Ténèbres in Lisbon and Faro. In both 2015 and 2016 she was selected for Summer in Payerbach, an intensive vocal programme for young opera singers.
Tenor Andres Feliu was born in Seville and began his music studies in Tavira and Portimão before being accepted at the Conservatório National in Lisbon for opera and Early Music studies, and then moving to Paris to the Conservatoire Jean-Philippe Rameau. Andres has attended masterclasses at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, Amsterdam Conservatory and the Teatro Nacional São Carlos, Lisbon. He was also selected for the Summer in Payerbach, and the Eva Linda Musikakademie, Tirol. Over the last year Andres has graduated from the École Normale de Musique de Paris. His next move is to Los Angeles this autumn, where he will to continue his studies with Vladimir Chernov and Olga Toporkova.
Tyler Catlin is a conductor and pianist from Atlanta, Georgia. He was Music Director with NANOworks Opera (Cincinnati) and Assistant Conductor with the Seven Hills Sinfonietta (also Cincinnati) and since then has conducted widely in the United States. Tyler has conducted productions of Cosi fan tutte and Haydn's La Canterina. He has collaborated with San Francisco-based Black Box Baroque productions of Ariodante and Orlando and Waffle Opera´s Threepenny Opera. He was Music Director and conductor for Opera Theatre Unlimited's debut production of The Turn of the Screw. Tyler has been involved in the productions of Le Nozze di Figaro, Peter Grimes, L'Elisir d'amore, Postcards from Morocco, La bohème, and Lucia di Lammermoor. In 2016 he assisted Sian Edwards in a production of Carmen at the Dartington International Summer Music Festival.
Tyler is passionate about the holistic approach to score preparation, and his strong background in music theory and history adds a deep understanding of language and culture to his love for the human voice. Tyler currently resides in Paris where he maintains a coaching studio.
They will be playing arias from Handel´s Opera Cilea and melodies and songs by Fauré, Debussy, Poulenc and Schubert.
Quintinha da Música is at Covas de Prata near Tavira
Tickets are €25. To book please contact: Este endereço de email está protegido contra piratas. Necessita ativar o JavaScript para o visualizar.
Andres Feliu
Beatriz Miranda
Tyler Catlin


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Ar-15/m16 Pistol Buffer Tube Phase 5 Tactical.
Product Description
Foam-Covered Tube For A Custom AR-Style Pistol
Machined aluminum buffer tube assembly gives your AR-style pistol a neat, finished look. Nitrile foam rest padding resists chemicals, abrasions and temperatures from -20° F to 220° F. Includes mil-spec endplate and castle nut; accepts a mil-spec carbine buffer and spring.
AR-15, Issue:11, Page:042
Big Book Catalog, Issue:71, Page:045
SPECS: Aluminum, hardcoat anodized, matte black. 73⁄8 " (18.7 cm) long. 1¼" (3.1cm) O.D. Tube comes with endplate and castle nut. Complete Assembly includes tube, endplate, castle nut, recoil spring, and carbine buffer.
Ar-15 Pistol Buffer Tube Brownells.
Product Description
AR-15 Pistol Buffer Tube ready to install on your AR-15 pistol build. Extruded from 6061 -T6 aluminum & finished with a matte black hard coat anodizing. Accepts common braces & fits standard AR-15 lower receivers.
Locking Buffer Tube Folding Adapter Sb Tactical.
Product Description
SB Tactical Locking Buffer Tube Folding Adapter is reversible and will work with any screw-in style buffer tube. The Locking Buffer Tube Folding Adapter does not work with any firearm that requires a buffer or spring to operate.
- 6061 Type III Anodized Aluminum
- Low Profile
- Reversible
- Locks in both closed & open positions
- For Use With All Buffer Tube Receptacles (Not Compatible with AR Platforms)
Ar Pistol Buffer Tubes Sb Tactical.
Product Description
Designed for Fit and Function
SB Tactical offers both an AR-15 Pistol Standard Buffer Tube as well as an AR-15 Collared Pistol Buffer Tube! Both Buffer Tubes provide optimal fit with an SB Tactical Pistol Stabilizing Brace, however the Collared Pistol Buffer Tube is designed to minimize SB Tactical brace rotation and slippage.
- 1.2" diameter
- 7075 T6 type III aluminum
- Rear QD
The SB Tactical AR-15 Pistol Standard Buffer Tube and AR-15 Collared Pistol Buffer Tube were designed to provide the ultimate fit, function, and ease of installation for the AR-15 pistol shooter.
Ar-15/m16 Hex 2 Pistol Buffer Tubes Phase 5 Tactical.
Product Description
The Phase 5 Hex 2 pistol buffer tube has been specifically designed to utilize the Sig Sauer SB15 Pistol Stabilizing Brace. The Hex-2 is a heavy duty USA certified 7075 T7 billet aluminum pistol buffer tube with the versatility to use the Phase 5 nitrile Foam Pad (included) or the SB15 Pistol Stabilizing brace (sold separately). Working closely with Sig Sauer the Phase 5 Hex-2 was a special project that involved a number of firearms instructors, law enforcement professionals and AR Pistol enthusiasts alike. While asking questions along the way and updating the design based on the recommendations given by all; the Hex-2 has become the perfect component for any AR pistol build. Both the Hex 2 pistol buffer tube and Hex2 pistol buffer tube kit include a castle nut, end plate and foam pad. The Hex 2 pistol buffer tube kit also includes a Phase 5 Enhanced Buffer Spring and carbine buffer.
AR-15, Issue:11, Page:042
Big Book Catalog, Issue:71, Page:045
Sbx-K Stabilizing Brace Sb Tactical.
Product Description
Stability & Improved AR Pistol Control
The SBX-K Pistol Stabilizing Brace is SB Tactical's second generation brace designed for Sig Sauer's MPX and MCX line of AR-15 style pistols. Made from a high-quality, elasto-polymer, the SB Tactical's SBX-K Pistol Stabilizing Brace can be strapped around the shooters forearm for better accuracy when shooting one handed.
With a more streamlined design than its predecessor, the SBX-K Pistol Stabilizing Brace employs a wider strap to give extra stability when strapped to the forearm. Brace can also be pressed against the cheek for a third point of contact to stabilize the pistol when firing.
- Fits 1" to 1.2" dia. buffer tubes
- Adjustable nylon stabilizing strap
- Can also be used on conventional AR-15's
Big Book Catalog, Issue:71, Page:194
Vector Psb Pistol Stabilizing Brace Sb Tactical.
Product Description
Enhances Control Of Your KRISS Pistol
The SB Tactical Vector PSB Stabilizing Brace is designed to give you extra stability when shooting the KRISS Vector SDP pistol. Pulled against the cheek, without touching the shooters chest, the Vector PSB acts as a third point of contact to stabilizing the pistol.
Made from a high-quality, elasto-polymer, the Vector PSB Stabilizing Brace can be strapped around the shooter's forearm, giving the shooter better control while firing the KRISS Vector SDP pistol one handed.
- Can be adjusted to an angle for proper use on forearm
- Allows for good sight picture
- Ready for mounting on the KRISS M4 adapter (sold separately)
- Adjustable nylon strap for secure fit on forearm
The SB Tactical Vector PSB Stabilizing Brace is NOT to be used as a shoulder stock. Using the brace as a stock while installed on a pistol constitutes a "redesign" of the device according to the ATF, and such misuse may subject the user to severe criminal penalties. If used as a stock, the resulting firearm will be subject to all provisions of the NFA and all NFA rules would apply.
Big Book Catalog, Issue:71, Page:194


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Completely disregarding what happens in the books or spoiler whispers, I've manged to figure out the entire True Blood finale just from gut instinct, pictures, the finale promo . . . and what I want to happen.
Here's the full promo:
So where did we leave off? Oh right Sookie was screaming, Bill's going to sex-kill Maryann, and Sam is taking care of wild children. Might as well start from the assumed beginning.
Bill walks into Sam's bar and tells Sammy boy what's up. You may be able to change into a flying puppy person but I'm a f-ing vampire now get up and help me save my lady, because while I was playing the world's most boring game of vampire yahtzee, she managed to get herself kidnapped, which is usually what happens with her when I'm not around. Here is my, "I'm serious face."
Sam says No Way, but then remembers he's a giant push over so you know he will end up with Bill begrudgingly headed to Maryann's meat house as a swap sacrifice. And from the looks of it, he does, Bill at his back telling Maryann he's got her puppy. Then she makes an approving claw hand.
Meanwhile Eric is getting tuned on...because fangs are vampire *cough cough* well you know.
Eric is feeling frisky because the Queen Vampire of Louisiana is making sexy mouth movements on his face and then, after countless hours of fanged dry humping, they move to New Orleans together, or so say the tabloids. The two of them live happily ever after with messy sex hair feeding off the blood from ladies' upper leg parts, making it look like they are doing something way sexier but in reality they're just drinking blood. So that's nice for them.
Back in Bon Temps, Andy and Jason get ready to fight the crazy Maryann, but not before Jason accidentally shoots a baby bird with his gun and cries about it.
Andy takes Jason aside and reassures them that the bird went to heaven, and they change clothes and suit up for battle. Seriously that whole earlier scene is such a set up. But who cares it's Andy and Jason versus the world with their nifty stocking caps and casts. I love seeing Andy being paired up with Sam and Jason lately, and I'm happy to see it continued on in the finale.
Even if it doesn't go well. Since Jason presumably gets kidnapped and Andy gets rudely pushed to the ground by Maryann's black eyed minions.
All the naked crazy people are now in clothed in bridal white, including Sookie and Terry. After showing off her light finger power, she's most likely Maryann's new sacrifice - hence Sam and Bill teaming up.
Jason and Andy are kidnapped, the minion Maryann and Sookie are all wearing white, ann And Tara is almost showing full frontal but never actually going totally naked. Because while all the other lady characters have gotten naked Tara has managed to eek out just shoulders and silhouettes thus far, which is kind of BS.
But anyways the entire cast is moved to the front lawn of Sookie's house, where Sook tells them all this is so much worse than the time she almost got raped, again, just so you know it's been a hard week on her. Sam and Bill show up with a switcheroo deal for the troublemaking Maryann. And Bill says, "MARYANN I'll SWAP you one cocoon SUUKIE for this HERE-RAH puppy transformer-ah." Maryann takes the deal and throws in something extra, she tells Eggs to take off his shirt and stab himself because we're all tired of his character anyways. So he does...
Let's go ahead and assume that a much more important character other than Eggs also gets severely wounded, like Sam, or even dead because Sookie is really torn up about something in the end... And I can't imagine anyone being upset about a cracked Egg.
Still, I'm not getting the feeling that Sam is dead, especially with these pictures below, but they could be from a flash back so hey what do I know? Maybe Sam gets stabbed and Eggs gets dead, or that's just wishful thinking. Also don't think I've forgotten about my little Jessica! This exceedingly blurry pic leads me to believe that Jessica eats some poor trucker. Remember she was really hungry and all but dumped in the last episode. Time for some splurging I say.
So Jessica gets her fix, and Eggs dies... if we keep saying it maybe it will come true! Some way or another Vampire Bill out-clevers Maryann, because that's what he does, saves Sookie, and it's business as usual in Bon Temps. Charlaine Harris comes in and orders a Tru Blood because she's a vampire doncha know and Sam asks her if he can start wearing shirts less tight on his biceps. She says no.
And Vampire Bill and Sookie throw a big "Eggs Is Dead" party and dance and laugh, have blood sex, and laugh and dance and we all do the same.