Web Based Health Club Management Software Blog

Effective Collections will increase your Net Revenue

2011-05-11T12:49:00.000-07:00

Collecting monies due from your clients can be very draining and unproductive for your business. Typically the best way to handle this process is to have a company that specializes in collections, such as First Credit Services.

Shape.Net software electronically transmits selected members that owe you money and sends the contact info of each member to First Credit Services. By the way, they have been working in the fitness industry since 1993, making them extremely effective in collecting money from gym members.

FCS will then place them in a collections process that is effective and results driven.

STEP 1 - Pre Collect - Friendly automated professional calls will be made in your name. Over 60% of declines will pay you in this stage. There is no charge to you for this.

STEP 2 - Phase 1 program - 3 letters and 3 days of calls will be made to your members over a 2 month period to get your members to make payment. There is an approximate charge of $12 to you for each member for this service.

STEP 3 - Phase 2 program - After about 3 months, they go into a highly effective and traditional collection program that will produce revenue for you on accounts that will typically be written off.

Bottom line, Shape.Net fully integrates with an effective collection company that will ultimately increase your monthly revenue with minimal effort on your part.

Have a great day !!!!

Larry King

How Best to Utilize a Software System

2011-01-12T17:16:00.000-08:00

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

Albert Einstein

Most people that use software will get frustrated at some point in time.
The best way to minimize this is to take advantage of any training that is available.
It is also extremely important to do this on a consistent basis.
If the suggestions are followed that are described below, you will more effectively use Shape.Net (or any software) which will ultimately make you more productive and increase the opportunity for your business to be more successful.

In regards to the Shape.Net system, there are 7 things that an end user should do to most effectively use the system:

1. Attend the first New Client training session
It’s always a good thing to attend the first training session to get an overview on how to best use the software.
2. Schedule a weekly coaching session
At the login screen, get into the habit of setting up a 25 min coaching session once a week for at least the first 4 weeks.
3. Attend a webinar every week
There are several webinars offered every week. Attend at least one a week.
4. View videos
There are 5 min online help videos on important areas in the system. Take the time to view them all during the first 2 weeks.
5. Use the knowledge base
Get comfortable with using our online help tools to assist and guide you on handling different tasks.
6. Attend a seminar
We offer four 2 day seminars every year that are a great way to most effectively learn about all of the great features in the system.
7. Follow us on Facebook
Follow us so that you can stay up to date on special offers, business tips and the latest industry news.

Make 2011 the best year for your business. One of the most effective ways to do this is to continually educate yourself with the suggestions described above when using your management software.

Have a great day !!!!

Larry

How to Provide Great Client Service !!

2010-11-19T08:35:00.000-08:00

When starting a new business, it's exciting to get new clients.

As your client base grows, you will learn very quickly how important client service will become if you want to continue the growth and success of your business.

The 5 core values for successfull client service are:

managing client expectations
maintaining high availability
practice courtesy and respect
practice honesty in all communications
be proactive in your service

At Shape.Net, we have been working hard to continally improve the client service area of our company. We have, as most companies do, learn the most from making mistakes. We have implemented procedures to best satisfy the effectiveness of the 5 core values of great client service that were mentioned above.

Since we are a software company, we understand that the best way to help our clients and to keep them satisfied is to offer effective software training. We provide new client orientation webinars every week. Addionally, we offer weekly webinars on specific areas of the software such as scheduling and financial reporting. There are four 2 day seminars every year (in different parts of the United States) where you can meet some members of the Shape.Net team along with sharing other ideas with businesses that use Shape.net. On-site training is also available.

Other areas of our client service is the ability for clients to schedule 10-25 minute live mini-training sessions to better educate themselves in areas they need the most training.
These sessions are available every day.

We also provide an online HELP Portal that gives the client the option to look in our knowledge base to see how to do something. There are also online videos to show the different steps needed to perform certain functions such as purchasing a membership or scheduling a personal training session.

If the client cannot find what they are looking for in the knowledge base, they can submit a support ticket. After the ticket is sent, an auto-email is immediately sent back to the client suggesting where in the knowledge base their question can best be answered. This is a great feature that we have which is accomplished by our software analyzing the email that was sent. This provides an immediate response to our client. Additionally, one of our client service reps will read the ticket and respond with the appropriate solution.

We also provide live phone support and will be introducing a Help On-Line Chat Feature in early 2011.

In Summary, there are many different client service tools that are available to our clients.
Management software can become very complex and can become overwhelming to an end user.
If the client takes the time to continually educate themselves with the power of the Shape.Net system, they will help their business grow along with taking advantage of the tremendous power of the internet.

Have a great day !!!

Larry

Why Biometrics is a great solution for Health Clubs and Membership Management Issues !!!

2010-09-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

Please take the time to read this great BLOG written by one of our important and valued business partners:
John Trader
Communications Specialist
M2SYS Technology
www.m2sys.com

If you own or operate a club or membership facility then chances are you may face some of the same member management issues and problems that your peers and other competitors in the industry deal with on a daily basis. Inefficiencies in the bar code swipe or RFID check-in technology that cause delays, inability to stop fraud or “privilege sharing” and no clear cut path to eliminate the waste and expense that is associated with the manufacturing and maintenance of your plastic membership cards are all common themes that consistently plague member driven facilities, sap profits and impede productivity. Furthermore, the threat of security breaches to sensitive member information has left many member-driven organizations searching for a safe and effective way to manage their databases. The truth is, running an efficient and profitable membership-based organization is virtually impossible without the use of advanced technology.

What Is Biometrics? Why Does It Work Well In Membership Management?

The advent of biometrics has revolutionized the way that membership organizations have addressed these areas of concern and established itself as a mainstream, value added solution to the growing concerns borne by member driven institutions. Biometrics is the use of unique human physiological characteristics (i.e. – fingerprint recognition, fingervein, palm geometry, iris patterns, etc.) for identification and authentication purposes. Biometric technology offers distinct advantages over more conventional check in methods and promotes a more sound and intuitive approach to membership management that positively impacts return on investment.

Here are a few reasons why biometrics can offer your organization a distinct competitive advantage versus more conventional methods of check-in and member data management:

#1 – Biometrics reduces fraud – Even with the most vigilant member check-in policies and procedures in place, you can not completely eliminate fraudulent entry into your facility through conventional check-in methods like barcode scanning or Pin Pad entry. Members can still share ID cards and passwords with non-members which can cause unnecessary wear and tear on your equipment, larger than normal crowds at peak times of facility use and unhappy members that end up waiting or not being able to use equipment or amenities at your facility. Biometric fingerprint recognition check-in procedures ensure that members checking in are who they say they are and can even be placed in multiple locations throughout your facility so that only legitimate members can access areas that are exclusive to their privileges.

#2 – Biometrics creates efficiencies – With conventional check-in methods, if a member forgets their card, a staff member must take the time to look up their record manually to verify their identity. This interruption can cause lost time and productivity affecting your bottom line. Biometrics allows you to speed up member check-in by eliminating the need for manual searches from lost or misplaced ID cards because a member will always have their biometric fingerprint identification when they check-in. Plus, you can eliminate the need for ID cards completely, saving money in your budget normally allocated to this expense that you can re-invest in your organization or philanthropically in the surrounding community.

#3 – Biometrics helps save the environment – Think for a moment about the amount of energy, time and resources that are needed to manufacture one plastic membership card. Now multiply that by the number of members at your facility. Now multiply that by the number of locations. Perhaps you are a national chain and have locations all throughout the country or even across the globe. Add them all up and then factor in all of the other membership facilities throughout the world who still have not adopted biometric technology. The fact is that according to a recent report on CNN, “Americans generate enough plastic in one year to shrink wrap the state of Texas.” Granted, most of that plastic created is through the manufacturing of consumer products but as a business owner, you can do your part to help reduce your carbon footprint by switching to a biometric solution that eradicates the need to create any plastic cards whatsoever. If you print the ID cards directly at your facility, this translates into less ink for the printers, less electricity to run the laminator, less paper being consumed and less waste being generated by the production process and the absence of discarding expired or unused cards. It also makes members happier that they no longer have to worry about carrying around an ID card that they could potentially lose or become stolen.

#4 – Biometrics improves customer service
Finally, biometrics improves customer service. Check-in procedures are swift and accurate. Members do not have to struggle with keeping track of their ID cards or toting them around the facility. Happy and content members will be more likely to recommend your facility to their friends and family. Viral, word of mouth marketing tactics are the key to building your business and maximizing your profits. Customer retention in these tough economic times is challenging, so gearing your overall facility to a customer centric approach is smart and effective.

Other Uses of Biometrics

The application of biometrics at your membership facility can also go beyond membership management. You can also use it for time and attendance as part of your workforce management strategy. Use it for Access Control to safeguard against illegal entry of unauthorized personnel in sensitive or restricted areas of the facility. Whatever your need, biometric solutions can be utilized as modern stewards of membership management security and key catalysts to running efficient, productive and profit oriented facilities.

Who Has More Information On Biometrics Solutions?

There are many questions and misconceptions that surround the implementation of a biometric identification system. Is it expensive? Is it difficult to set-up and maintain? Which technology is the right one for my facility? What are the privacy concerns? How soon can I expect to see a return on my investment? These are all very typical inquiries we address and respond to on a daily basis here at Shape.Net Software, and we engineer biometric solutions to help our end users reach their goals and objectives. Call us at 800.381.2082, visit our Web site at www.getshape.net or drop us an e-mail at sales@getshape.net and we will help you to pioneer a solution to bring long-term value to your customers.

We look forward to making your business better !!!!

It's Easy to go Paperless !!!

2010-08-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

If you have a business, you probably waste a lot of time trying to stay organized.
When you are organized, you are a lot more effective in running your business.

Getting rid of unnecessary paper will help you to get more organized.

How can you do this: Just go paperless.

Shape.Net software offers many features that can help you do this.
Digitally signed contracts, member web portal for their receipts, bar coded or fingerprint check in, and the ability to upload documents for any member are 4 simple things you can do to have a paperless business.

1. Contracts - System will generate contract after adding membership terms for specified member. Member can view contract and sign a signature pad that is attached to computer.

2. Member can view receipts - Many people would rather not get a receipt but rather have all purchases for their gym to be accessible from the member web login.

3. Check In - Using bar coded key tags or fingerprint check in is a great and easy way to eliminate paper sign in sheets.

4. Upload docs - Any document associated with a member can be scanned and attached to a member profile. This is easier than having to save a hard copy of important documents for your members.

The above mentioned elements are easy to phase into your business.

If and when you do this, you will be able to operate your business much more effectively. And your all important clients will appreciate that !!!

Have a great day !!!!!

Larry

How to effectively use the Check In Process

2010-07-07T09:07:00.000-07:00

There are many benefits that the Check In process can provide for your business.
To begin with, you need to decide what method you want your members to check in.

You can provide your members key tags or use a biometric reader (fingerprint).

Key tags are a hard thin plastic that can fit on your key chain. One side has your gym logo, the other side has a unique bar code and your gym address. If you choose to use the biometric reader, the member will just place their fingerprint in the reader at the front desk to verify who they are.

After the member checks in, a check in screen will appear to provide immediate useful information about the member to the person at the front desk.
They will know if the member owes money, has a scheduled appointment, confirms who they are with an image, and alerts the front desk employee of any important notes about the member.

There are also reports that can be generated to determine what the peak check in activity periods there are to help in staffing your front desk properly. You can also track check in reasons for members to determine why people are coming to the gym (self workout, personal training, classes, group training, pool, etc.). You can also view check in history for each member to review their check in habits.

There are also advanced settings that can track and debit the service package usage for each member as they check in. For example, a member can purchase 10 training sessions or class sessions. The member can then be scheduled for a training session or class. All the member has to do is swipe their key tag and the system will record the check in AND debit the training session from the service package. This is also great if several people are coming in for a class. They just swipe and enter. The system does all the work.

You can now sell a membership at a discounted rate and only allow that member to use the gym during off-peak hours. The system will easily confirm that the member is using the gym at the appropriate time.

To utilize the check in screen, the front desk employee must bring up the check in screen before the member checks in. There is an advanced feature that can be set for the check in screen to process the check in even when the check in screen is not open. This provides the opportunity for the front desk employee to handle another process in the system without having to be interrupted.

In summary, the check in process can streamline your daily operations and capture valuable client information very easily. All in all, this will make your business better....

Hope this helps...

Larry

Rome was not Built in a Day !!!

2010-06-23T06:04:00.000-07:00

Rome was not built in a day.
Take one step at a time.
Walk before you run.

All of the above are phrases you have all heard before. Yet it still amazes me how people, including myself, get overwhelmed with the never ending tasks that need to be done each day to operate a successful business. You might even handle the daily tasks, yet miss important things that are needed to grow your business successfully.

For example, you might make sure that you return every email that someone sends you each day, but do nothing regarding having a plan to handle, track and communicate with prospects that are needed to ultimately grow your business.

Shape.Net management software can handle everything you need to manage and grow your business effectively. Yet sometimes, the owner of the gym will not utilize all of the great features in the software because he/she is overwhelmed with daily operational tasks.

Shape.Net provides comprehensive value to any business that uses it, including: Membership and Personal Training management, Scheduling, Prospect management, Check In, Point of Sale, EFT, Fitness Assessments, Videos, non-member registration, digital contracts, invoices, collections, expense tracking, online access for members and trainers, Class scheduler and much, much more. Instead of using several software systems to run your business, you can use one web-based system to do it all !!!

Instead of being overwhelmed with all of these features that can help your business, implement and learn each one every 2 weeks. For example, create a simple plan to start offering and recording fitness assessments for your members. 2 weeks later, integrate your website to your Shape.Net system (easy to do) so that you can start capturing people that have an interest in your gym easily from your website.

Take it one step at a time and you will be taking strides in making your business more effective and more successful.

Hope this helps….

Larry

9 out of 12 is not that Bad.

2010-06-08T08:31:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I would like to share with all of you a great line I read a couple of days ago.

Ed Koch, the former mayor of New York City (1979-1988) was asked before an election how a voter should determine whether or not they should vote for him. Mr Koch said that if you agree with me on 9 of 12 issues, vote for me. If you agree with me on 12 of 12 issues, you should see a psychiatrist !!!

What a great point.

There are not many things in life that you will agree with someone on every single point. That's especially true with software.

Shape.Net software can help your business grow many different ways. The core functions to run a business effectively and efficiently are handled in the system. You might not agree with every single process and feature in the system, but collectively, it is very difficult to find a system that is more comprehensive than Shape.Net in the health and fitness industry today.

Have a great day......

Larry

How FACEBOOK can help your business !!!!

2010-05-26T06:26:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I tried to resist FACEBOOK for as long as possible.
I finally broke down about 2 months ago.

The reason I held off was because I've been focusing most of my time growing my software business. I felt that if I got involved with FACEBOOK I would be distracted.

After exhibiting at the IHRSA trade show in March 2010 in San Diego, we decided to create a FACEBOOK page for our company Shape.Net. We would create content to help people understand how our software product can help any type of gym. If I wrote a BLOG or wanted to share useful information about our company or product, we would post on our FACEBOOK page.

A month later, I began using my personal FACEBOOK page. I started connecting with some old and current friends. I then went to the SHAPE.NET FACEBOOK page and clicked the LIKE icon.

Two days later I log into my personal FACEBOOK page and I get a POST from SHAPE.NET.

This may sound simple but this one simple POST from SHAPE.NET was able to reach all of our clients that had a FACEBOOK page and clicked LIKE on the SHAPE.NET FACEBOOK page (just creates a technical thread). This makes it very easy to stay connected with all of your clients and/or prospects.

POWERFUL !!!!

I get it now but there are still many businesses that are not getting it and using it.

What you need to do to use FACEBOOK effectively for your business:

Create a FACEBOOK account for your business
Get people to know about it via emails
Get people to know about it via your website
Get people to know about it any way you can think of.
Post useful information on your FACEBOOK account at least once a week.

If you want to join the FACEBOOK page for Shape.Net, just go here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/ShapeNet-Software/369326429238

See you on FACEBOOK !!!

Larry

People Like To See Their Progress

2010-05-18T07:22:00.001-07:00

There are several reasons why people go to a gym or personal trainer. One of the main reasons is to improve upon their physical shape. They might want to trim their waist 3 inches, lose 20 pounds, gain upper body strength, etc.

One effective way to measure progress is to record various measurements during the member’s first visit. For example, you could record a member’s weight, body fat percentage, and waist measurement. After 2 weeks, you could record the measurements again to see if you they are moving towards their goal.

When their goals are reached, these members can be placed in a maintenance program where they can be monitored once a month.

Shape.Net software provides the ability to record over 80 different fitness assessments. You can create simple and comprehensive assessment programs. Additionally, you can set goals for each assessment and the member can access their results anytime/anywhere via the internet.

With Shape.Net, you can easily find members who never had an assessment and send out a mass email to these members explaining the benefits of people getting assessed.

You can charge a fee for these assessments or include them is various training programs or memberships you are currently selling.

Bottom line, incorporating fitness assessments into your business will provide opportunities for you to generate more revenue in addition to adding more value for your members.

To get started, just do the following:
· Create 2 different fitness assessment programs (basic and advanced)
· Include them independently and in existing training programs
· Create a one page flyer at front desk so all members can see
· Process orders !!!!!

Hope this helps…..

Larry King

Easy way to make money with Internet Ads

2010-05-12T08:08:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

When running your business, at some point you will typically spend money on advertisements to promote your product or service. There is some financial risk involved. You might spend $2000 on a full page ad in a magazine and hope that you get new business that exceeds the amount of money you spend on the ad.

I will now provide an example of placing an ad with zero financial risk and a good chance that you will make money and help grow your business.

Shape.net management software provides the ability for members to login and access many different services. Some of the services that are available to each member:

* Ability to schedule for personal training
* Ability to register for a class
* View Videos
* View prescribed workouts from trainer
* Track cardio workouts
* View daily fitness related articles
* Purchase services
* View receipts
* View Fitness Assessments (and your progress)
* View your appoinments
* much more.....

With Shape.Net, you can place advertisements in the member login area.

When each member logs in, they will see the ad.

Bottom line, each member has a good incentive to login throughout the week. If you have 300 members logging in every day, that is alot of visability for an ad.

You can sell this ad space to businesses in your area. You will also have the ability to track how many times the ad was clicked.
We have clients that use the Shape.Net system receiving $100 a month for ad space. Additionally, the gym using the system can also use this ad space to promote products and services they are selling to their members.

In summary, you now have another way to help grow your business by using the power of the internet and effective web-based management software.

Larry

Reminders are Important for your Business !!!

2010-04-28T07:14:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Have you ever had a client miss a personal training session or a class that they ultimately wanted to attend and they basically just forget about it.

One of the best ways to remind them is to email and/or text your client a reminder of the appointment.

We all lead busy lives and simple reminders will keep your business running smoothly. Reminding your clients to attend their scheduled appointments will help them achieve their fitness goals.

Shape.Net software has several ways that these reminders are automatically sent to your clients via email and/or text message:

1. When the front desk adds appointment to the scheduler
2. When a member logs in via member web portal and schedules appointment
3. At 5pm, all clients in the scheduler for the next day will get an email and/or text message reminder about their appointment.

These simple reminders are great because they are automatically being sent to your clients.

This is just another example of how powerful management software can make your business better.

Larry

People Like to View Videos !!!

2010-04-20T04:54:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Videos are a powerful way to communicate with prospects and clients,
yet there are many businesses that do not take advantage of this opportunity.

Any process that you visually repeat over and over again can be captured in a video.
For example, you might show every new client how to properly and safely execute a bench press. If you created a video for all new members to see this process, every client will get the exact same message.

You can easily create a video library referencing each exercise. You can also create videos on different topics, such as nutrition and reasons why your members should buy your products.

These are great services to offer new and existing members. Videos will not replace your training program but will supplement it. Any member that went thru a training session can use the videos to reinforce how to do an exercise or to understand the benefits more clearly.

Sometimes just offering these video services to a prospect that is interested in joining your gym will be what's needed to have them try your facility.

Shape.Net software provides each member with the ability to login to their personal account. This is where your member will view the videos. Additionally, you can control the videos that each member can view. You might offer your entire video library if they purchase a membership or training services for a year. There are other ways to sell this new service, but I will not go into the detail in this short blog.

The steps needed to create a video library are easier than your think:

Get a flip cam for about $200 (http://www.theflip.com/)
Open a free You Tube account. (http://www.youtube.com/)
Create videos and upload to your computer.
With the Flip Video, this can be done in 3 minutes, it's easy
Upload video to your YouTube account.
Connect video to your shape.net system (takes abour 2 minutes).

There are ways to make your videos private so only your members can access the videos with their Shape.net login.

Start your video library today, taking it one video at a time.

Remember, if a picture is a thousand words, a video is a.........

Hope this helps,

Larry

Communication with your clients and prospects is important !!!

2010-04-13T05:19:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

One of the best ways to grow your business is to consistantly communicate with your clients and prospects.

Many studies have shown that in order to remain in your customers mind, you need to "touch" your customer at least 14 times a year - more if at all possible.

Are you doing this now?

Twenty years ago, this would be a very time consuming task.

Utilizing the power of Shape.Net software and the internet, you have amazing tools at your disposal to reach out to your clients and/or prospects easily.

One of the best ways is to create a BLOG and to email your clients and/or prospects information on helpful topics. The BLOG is effective because it stores all of your ideas in one place for easy access. Just email the group of people you are targeting, reference the BLOG topic, and provide a link to the BLOG. Very simple.

Obviously, in order to do this, you need an email address. To get them is easy. When a client checks in to use your facility, make sure the Shape.Net system has the email. You can do this by using the check in feature or the Sched Matrix. When adding a new member to the system, Shape.Net will require that you enter a valid email address. You can also add a link to your website to capture prospects and their emails right into the Shape.Net system. This is great because you don't have to lift a finger and you can collect valuable email addresses. Now that's a great example of taking advantage of a powerful software system and the internet.

Are you doing this?

With all the time you saved by reading my prior post about the 4 Hour Workweek, taking the time to get a plan in place to communicate with your clients and/or prospects consistantly is time well spent !!!

Larry

The 4 Hour Workweek

2010-03-30T06:40:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

How many people would like to work less than 40 hours per week?

How many people would like to work less than 10 hours per week?

If you don't believe this is possible, stop reading this blog entry.

For those of you that are still reading, this could be one of the best days of your life.

There are processes that we do every day, such as reading email, writing email, organizing email, calling clients, calling prospects, speaking to your boss, speaking to your employees, etc that can take up most of your eight hour day.

Lets examine the daily email process. I use tracking software (http://www.rescuetime.com/) that tells me where I spend my time each day during my workday. I end up spending about 3 hours a day dealing with emails. Tim Ferriss, (I'll tell you more about him later) spent much more time than me with his daily emails.
Now he checks email once a week AND he is more effective with it than before.
He used to make 40k a year working 70 hours a week. Now he makes 40k a month working 4 hours a week.

How is that possible? Well, you don't get there in one day. You move to that point.
For example, you can start checking emails each day at 11am and 3pm. Create an auto-responder that tells people that. If there is an emergency, provide them a number for them to call you. You'll find out that people can wait. Then you start checking it Mon, Wed, Fri... well, you get the point.

Where can you learn how to move towards a 4 hour work week? Go to the website of
Tim Ferriss: (http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/) , AND BUY HIS BOOK !!!!

Shape.Net Software has alot of time saving features built into the product.
For example, members can go to the website of the health club that uses Shape.Net, follow the link for member class registration, and the member can easily register for classes for the gym online. Now when they come in to the gym, they just swipe their key tag, the system records attendance and pays the class instructor the appropriate pay. The alternative, is to have the front desk manually handle this process.
This is time consuming and error prone as classes get larger.

Now just like the email process (moving from 3 hours a day to checking once a week), a gym using Shape.Net software should take the same approach. Start the online registration for just one of your classess 3 times per week. Once you get the process running smoothly with your staff, you can now offer more classes via online registration.

Bottom line, you will be moving from a process that would take you and/or your staff 10 or more hours a week to under 1 hour a week, with fewer mistakes.

What will you do with all this extra time?
Might be a good topic for this BLOG next week.

Larry King
Owner
Shape.Net software

Health Care Reform and How it Can Help Your Business

2010-03-23T07:58:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

On 3/21/2010, historic health care reform legislation was approved by the US House of Representitives that was previously passed by the US Senate this past December.

There are many elements of this legislation that can be debated regarding the pros and cons. I will discuss one feature that will directly involve your business and how it can help you.

One new law that is part of this legislation provides for an increase in premium discounts (30%-50%) for employees who participate in workplace wellness programs that require participants to satisfy certain conditions such as body mass index, cholesterol or blood pressure.

This will increase employer and employee interest in wellness programs that have assessments and health tracking, all features that are available in the Shape.Net software system.

This will also increase the frequency of visits to health clubs since people will have to satisfy certain health requirements.

Additionally, the legislation codifies a Bush administration regulation that allows insurance companies to offer unlimited reimbursement amounts for fitness center memberships.

If I owned a health club or personal training facility, I would immediately contact employers in my area to make them aware of these new laws. I would do some preliminary research that you can provide to the employer to make it as easy as possible to get their employees to workout at your facility.

You can get hundreds of new clients from employers in your area if you present this powerful information to them effectively.

Hope this post was helpful.

Larry King
Owner
Shape.Net software

Software + Education + Seminars = More Money for You!!

2009-05-05T08:26:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

We just finished exhibiting at the Fitness Business Summit 2009 in Anaheim California this past weekend. Several of our clients attended and some were speakers and event leaders including Cabel McElderry (http://www.oneto1fitness.com/)
and Josh Carter (http://www.carterfitness.com/).

What a great event !!! Here is an insider video about this: http://tinyurl.com/cao4gd

The above mentioned clients are very successfull because they do three things:

They use Shape.Net and focus on what elements can help their business
They attend and/or participate in seminars within their industry
They educate themselves in several ways including using our HELP DESK SUPPORT center with Teri Portello

The most important aspect about our software system is to continually take advantage of software training sessions with Teri on a consistent basis.

Sometimes the best things that you are looking for are already in the system.

At you service,

Larry King

Owner

http://www.getshape.net/

What a Seminar !!!!

2009-03-23T15:35:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

What an event we just had. Let me just tell you what some attendees had to say:

Pumphouse Fitness: http://www.pumphousefitness.ca/

This seminar was invaluable to our business. I can't wait to get back to work to implement the tools I learned. BEDROS was awesome and invigorating.

BEDROS was our guest speaker: http://www.theartofsellingfitness.com/

Body by Colar: http://www.bodybycolaw.com/

Cannot put a price on it !!! Pays for itself.

Form and Fitness: http://www.formandfitness.com/

I will save over $2000 a month implenting things I learned such as running my billing thru system, running retention reports and running marketing reports.

These seminars are great ways to more effectively use the Shape.Net system. There are many great features of the system that can help your business grow : non-member registration, online scheduling, online videos, online workouts, posting ads, paperless contracts, using gift cards, uploading videos, running retention reports, running prospecting reports, sending text messages from system, much, much more.

BEDROS spoke for over 2 hours and taught everyone how to close 9 out of 10 sales !!!!!

He spoke about great marketing techniques on the internet, how to create effective videos, told you why you should get a facebook account and a twitter account. If you don't know who BEDROS is, you should !!!!!! Bedros Keuilian is recognized as the "hidden genius" behind many of the most recognized names and facilities in the personal training industry.

He will be a part of all future SHAPE.NET seminars. He can help !!!!!

http://www.theartofsellingfitness.com/

Keep on learning, keep on marketing and utilize the powers of the internet !!!!

Next seminar will be on the EAST coast in October. Will provide more details later.

Larry King

Owner

http://www.getshape.net/

Simplify your Billing Process: December 2008 Newsletter

2008-12-16T10:22:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

If you want to save over $300 for your business each month, please continue to read…...

Billing is an important part of any business and all companies should strive for two things:
Processing transactions INEXPENSIVELY and EFFECIENTLY.

All businesses can improve their billing process. Let’s first discuss keeping your expenses down.

The biggest charge to your company, in the billing process, will be from your merchant. To process credit cards you need one. Most Merchants charge between 2-4 percent for each credit card transaction, plus about $.20. If you try and process a $100 credit card, the merchant will take $3.20 (3% plus $.20). You should strive to get merchant fees as low as possible. If you can get your rate down to 2.5% your fees will be $2.70. If you process 100 transactions per month at 2.5%, you can save your business $50 per month. Shape.Net can offer merchant rates as low as 2.19%. Not bad.

Let’s take this process one step further. A better way to process payments would be via eCheck (bank debit). Shape.Net can process eChecks for only $.25. If you process 100 transactions for $100 each,
Credit card fees from your merchant (3%) will be $320. If you process these same 100 transactions as eChecks, your charges will be $25, a savings of $295 !!!

This is not a misprint !!!! To process an eCheck all you need from your client is their checking account number and their bank routing number. The key is to offer this payment method to clients. You can also offer something simple and free if they do this. To process eChecks with Shape.net, you need to setup a gateway that integrates with your merchant. The bottom line is that you will be processing all payments
Thru your Shape.Net system.

Even if you are locked into another merchant account while using Shape.Net, we can still integrate the system where you keep your merchant. Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to process eChecks that can easily save your business hundreds of dollars per month.

What are you waiting for? Contact me now to get this started: larryking@getshape.net.

The next newsletter will discuss how to process billing efficiently, saving you time and money.

At your service,

Larry King
Owner
www.getshape.net
212-826-9502

How to Make Money: November 2008 Newsletter

2008-11-14T10:21:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

If you don't want to make more money, stop reading this email.

As you all know, we are a web-based management software company that provides software that can help facilities more effectively manage their business along with providing tools to generate revenue.

By observing all of our clients, we've been able to see what the successful ones are doing on a daily basis with our system. I will describe one easy process to implement into your business that will put more money in your pocket.

Additionally, you will help your members achieve their goals. Please keep in mind that the Shape.Net system will help you manage this entire process effectively.

Here it is.....
Offer a 12 week training program to your clients or prospects
Call it the Feel Great Package (or any name you want)
2 training sessions per week
Price (24 sessions * $50 = $1200) (or whatever you charge)
Include 3 monthly fitness assessments (body fat %, weight, waist, ...)
Provide 2 weekly sessions from virtual workout area they do on their own
Record Cardio workouts

Make sure you clearly define the goals before you start. For example, member wants to lose 3 pounds and 1 inch from waist.

All of the items mentioned above can be tracked and monitored by the trainer and the member with Shape.Net. The payments are charged monthly using our EFT process making it easier for the member to pay you and for you to collect the money.

Contact Teri Portello. She will show you how to set this up in your Shape.Net system. tportello@getshape.net 732-982-1624

Guarantee results to your clients or your money back !!!!

What are you waiting for !!!!

Make some money !!!

At your service,

Larry King
Owner
212-826-9502
www.getshape.net

Education: October 2008 Newsletter

2008-10-07T10:50:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

We just finished our First Educational Business Seminar this past weekend in the historical city of Philadelphia. At this event, we provided to attending clients more detailed training on our management software coupled with business practices in this industry that are being used by successful facilities.

Overall, we felt the event was a success. We hope all attendees are enjoying the 135 page system and business manual. The bottom line is that you can have the best software at your business (and we feel we provide the best software in this industry), but if you are not utilizing it properly AND you are not applying good business practices, you will have a tougher time being successful.

So, to be successful at your business, 2 things are very important. First of all, get good software.
But you also need to learn how to effectively use the software to benefit from all of the great features that are available. Secondly, independent of the software, apply good business practices on a daily, weekly and monthly schedule. Learn what successful businesses are doing.

How do you do this? By reading articles about your industry. By reading books about how to operate a successful business. Read books on how to market your business better. Ask your clients what they are looking for. Attending trade shows in your industry. And, by attending business seminars, such as the one we provided for Shape.Net.
Our next seminar will be in March 2009 in the San Francisco area.

All in all, you need to reach out and learn and continue to educate yourself. We will be providing 3 business seminars every year and the intent is to educate all who attend.

We will also be providing webinars throughout the year. Please check emails in the upcoming months regarding these educational opportunities. Just to be clear, they will be focusing on the Shape.Net system AND business practices that successful gym owners are using.

Best Regards,

Larry King
Owner
www.getshape.net

Shape.Net Newsletter #002

2008-09-03T13:37:00.000-07:00

Member Web Access

Hi Everyone,

The Shape.Net system is a powerful web-based management tool. One of the best tools of the system is the Member Web Access Features. This newsletter will focus on this function.

Any member added to the Shape.Net system will automatically get a login ID and a password to access their personal account. Please view the HELP function to see how to login as a member (Miscellaneous/Web access for members).

All members can view and/or use the following:

1. Track, record and view cardio workouts.
2. View Fitness Assessments and track the progress
3. View their upcoming scheduled appointments for personal training and classes
4. View advertisements that your facility can promote to generate revenue.
5. Schedule personal training appointments based on trainer availability
6. Purchase services such as personal training or massages.
7. Read health and fitness articles dynamically changing everyday.
8. View over 35 workout videos
9. View prescribed weekly workouts created by trainer
10. Member can view receipts of purchases. Go Green !!!
11. Register for classes
12. View personal training history
13. View membership information

All of the features detailed above are great services to offer your members. You can offer some of the features as part of a GOLD membership that the member will pay an additional $5 per month. You can generate monthly revenue using the advertisements. You can save time letting members schedule their own appointments.

All in all, the member web access features you can offer your clients will make your business better.

Thanks for your time,

Larry King
Owner

Shape.Net Newsletter #001

2008-08-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to the start of a monthly Newsletter from Larry King, the owner and founder of Shape.Net. I'm hoping to provide useful information in each newsletter that will contribute to the success of your business.

First, a brief background about how the company started. I was working a block from the World Trade Center in New York, where I was a computer programmer/analyst in the Stock Lending Business. I had spent the past 10 years developing software solutions for banks and brokerage firms. The tragic event of 9/11/2001 caused the lives of many people to change, including myself. The small software company I was consulting for released me based on completing my last assignment and a weaker business environment one month after 9/11. I spent the next 6 months deciding where I should apply my skills and decided to start a software business. The next problem to solve would be what type of software. To make a long newsletter short, I decided on developing a web-based management system for the fitness industry. Shape.Net started with a simple scheduling system for tracking training sessions. Additional functionality emerged as prospects and clients made requests. Now here we are 7 years later with a powerful software system that continues to evolve.

The purpose of this newsletter is to remind everyone that software is only effective if used properly. Educational Seminars are always great to attend for any topic that can help your business. That is the purpose of our First Annual Shape.Net Seminar. Please view our website for more details: http://www.getshape.net/.

There are many features in Shape.Net that are not being used by many of our clients. By attending the seminar you will be taking the steps to make your business better. You will learn how to most effectively sell training packages. You will learn how to sell additional services that can be offered through the system such as perscribed workouts, educational videos, and health and fitness automatically generated articles. You will learn how to more effectively operate your business. You will learn how to promote services to your members that will put more money in your pocket. You will learn how to effectively process retention and prospecting tools. When was the last time you ran a retention or prospect report in Shape.Net or offered a service from the member login function?

The Seminar is in Philadelphia for two days starting October 4th. Be proactive and take the steps to make your business better. Give me a call directly(212-826-9502) if you have any questions. Education is one of the keys to success. If you keep on doing what you're doing, you'll keep on getting what you're getting.

Thanks for your time,
Larry King
Owner

Education Seminar

Please view our website, http://www.getshape.net/, to learn more about our Education Seminar October 4th and 5th.

Aristotle was asked, "What is the difference between an educated and an uneducated man?" He repled, "The same difference as between being alive and being dead."

Shape.Net Software 212-826-9502