Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Will You Give A Fit Flops Review?

As a health club owner, you're constantly being asked questions about weight loss products and fitness equipment. Your gym members view you as the expert, so you need to be ready with expert advice!

That's why cuecd.com is here to help you learn about Fit Flops. With literally millions of searches for Fit Flops online and with Fit Flops retailers going CRAZY trying to keep them in stock, there's no doubt that Fit Flops are one of the hottest new fitness products on the market!

But do they work? Your fitness center members have probably already asked you that question.

Most Fit Flops reviews agree that, to some extent, Fit Flops do indeed improve balance and muscle tone in the lower body. These claims are backed up by some pretty impressive research.

However, Fit Flops will NOT make an overweight client thin. They are NOT a substitute for regular gym workouts, and they are NOT an easy weight loss shortcut.

As long as your members understand that Fit Flops are not a cure-all for their weight issues, but that Fit Flops are just a nice addition to consistent fitness center visits, we see no harm in recommending them.

Fitflop, It's the Flip-flop, with the GYM built in!


We highly recommend reading the following information so you know more about Fit Flops and can better answer questions from your members.

1. FitFlop midsoles incorporate patent-pending micro-wobbleboard technology, to give you a workout while you walk. Developed by Darren James and Dr David Cook at LSBU, the FitFlop's unique safely-tapered midsole places varying densities of EVA under your feet each time you step, to challenge the support and balance muscles of the foot and leg.

2. They challenge hard to reach muscles more. FitFlops are engineered with a multi-density midsole that stimulates your muscles more while you're wearing them. In independent University testing, FitFlops have been shown to trigger increase gluteal muscle response, increased hamstring response, increase rectus femoris (thigh) response and increased calf muscle response .

3. Every step you take in your FitFlops helps tone and trim your legs: Studies at Salford University by Dr. Philip Graham-Smith and Richard Jones have shown that the FitFlop midsole extends the amount of time that the slow twitch* muscles are engaged during each step (by approximately 10-12%). So just by wearing a pair of FitFlops you'll get more exercise while doing just exactly what you're normally doing. (*slow twitch muscles produce energy by converting fats into energy aerobically)

4. FitFlops work your bum muscles more. FitFlops have been clinically proven to increase the amount of time that the gluteus maximus muscle is 'activated' during every single step.

5. FitFlops have been shown to have a significant effect on the toning muscles of your thighs: The rectus femoris muscle (one of the large muscles in the group of muscles in your thigh) is activated for a longer period of time while walking in FitFlops than while normally shod or barefoot.

6. Walking in FitFlops is like walking barefoot, but a little bit better. According to a study done at the University of Salford in Manchester, UK, the FitFlop wearer's gait is very similar to that of a barefoot walker, but the added cushion provided by the EVA midsole helps reduce joint strain and absorb shock. In fact, several FitFlop wearers have already reported relief from back pain after a few days of wearing them.

7. FitFlops make it easier to stay in shape. Just throw them on while you're running errands, walking to work, or working around your house. Most first-time FitFlop wearers report feeling their muscles working more, while 'fitter' wearers feedback has been more toward great comfort and cushion. One woman reported feeling like she'd had a 'bum-blasting' workout after a half an hour of FitFlop-shod walking.

Fitflop, It's the Flip-flop, with the GYM built in!

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Accepting Credit Cards Is Essential For Health Club Success

Regular readers of the cuecd.com newsletter, website and blog know that we're always seeking ways to help you earn more money and make your health club more successful.

That's why we were more than concerned when we heard that some gyms are still not accepting credit cards!

Honestly, we thought this was a business basic that didn't need any explanation.

The ability to handle credit card processing is absolutely essential to doing business in 2008. You simply must have the ability to take credit card numbers as payment!

As a gym owner, your credit card processing company must be able to handle recurring billing. Most circuit training health clubs sign folks up for an annual membership which is billed monthly, so you will need the ability to handle that type of payment.

You will also want to control credit card processing from your computer. This will help you avoid excessive equipment fees!

Finally, if you've set up a website and you're interested in selling items on that site, then you'll want internet payment processing.

If you're like the typical fitness center owner, then you'll want to shop around until you find a company that handles credit card processing for small business and ALSO meets the three criteria listed above (recurring billing, no equipment fees, internet processing).

The company we recommend is Electronic Transfer, Inc. which offers a Merchant Account with a Free Shopping Cart


We like Electronic Transfer because they offer the following features at NO extra charge:
1) FREE Merchant Account Application
2) FREE Recurring Billing Service!
3) FREE Web Link Shopping Cart!
4) FREE online sales tracking and reporting
5) FREE extremely stiff fraud screening and protection
6) FREE increased cash flow - no long waits!
7) FREE ACH/Online Check Processing set up to instantly increase the size of your customers' purchases!
8) FREE automatic daily batching!
9) FREE automatic email receipts to you and your customer, so that you both stay on top - this drastically cuts down on useless administrative work, saving you tons of cash!
10) FREE real-time instant approval or decline both online and offline (yes, you can accept credit card orders offline, too!)

While the Electronic Transfer system is proven to be reliable, we also suggest that you do your homework and find the credit card processing company that's right for you. After all, our main concern is that you're able to accept credit card numbers as payment for your health club memberships!

Again, the company we recommend is Electronic Transfer, Inc. which offers a Merchant Account with a Free Shopping Cart


Our best suggestion is to conract Electronic Transfer for a quote, then check out other credit card processing companies so you can compare and make an intelligent decision.

No matter which company you choose, the ultimate goal is that you MUST be able to handle credit card processing our you will fall behind in the business world.

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Thursday, September 11, 2008

Use Printed Door Hangers For Advertising



Not too long ago I came home from work and found that I had a yellow Post-It note stuck to my door. Automatically, I thought it was a notice that I had missed a UPS delivery. But that wasn't the case. Instead, the note was from a local realtor trying to drum up some business (see the picture).

While I'm not really looking to buy or sell a home, I do appreciate the footwork this realtor is putting into their business! It's not really innovative, but it is admirable to see someone out there using a tried-and-true method to generate leads.

This realtor is basically just using a variation on the usual door hanger advertising technique, which is one of the oldest marketing gimmicks around. Using door hangers for advertising has been working for years, driving new sales for many different industries.

When's the last time you distributed door hangers for your own gym? Look, if it's been so long that you can't even answer that question, then it's time you GET BUSY with some serious dour hanger distribution!

Although you're probably not going to find free door hangers out there anywhere, having door hangers printed is not nearly as expensive as you'd expect. That's why it's such a cost-efficient advertising tool.

One of the best door hangers printing deals we've found is this: Door Hanger Printing in Full Color at PsPrint - 8 cents each!


Of course, the realtor that left a Post-It note on my door was saving even more money because he didn't even buy a full door hanger! Instead, he just had his message printed on personalized Post-It notes. Not only is this smaller and less expensive than traditional door hanger paper, it's also far easier to distribute door to door.

For a great price on personalized Post-It Notes, go here: 25% off Personalized Post-it® Notes!


It should now be obvious that it's not the door hanger printing that's expensive, but perhaps it's the door hanger distribution costs that are prohibitive.

There are a few options you can use to get your new door hangers directly to your customer base. First of all, you can distribute them yourself. Simply walking from house to house, you'll find that ON AVERAGE you can deliver about 100 door hangers per hour.

If you have employees, you can also certainly send them out to deliver door hangers for you. Be aware, however, that they may require supervision so they're not tempted to throw the door hangers away and take an extra break instead!

Yet another option would be to have some trusted health club members help you with door hanger marketing by walking the area as a group and putting ads on local doors. You can even play this up big-time by emphasizing the healthy aspect to the extra walking! You should also consider awarding your 'member helpers' a one-month free pass.

Finally, you can recruit friends and family to help you distribute door hangers free of charge.

While you probably cannot print AND distribute door hangers free of charge, it is still true that door hangers provide tremendous bang for the marketing buck!

So, to re-state the title of this blog post: YES, You Absolutely Should Use Printed Door Hangers For Advertising!
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Thursday, September 4, 2008

The Curves Community Cares (and gets paid!)

It's no secret that some Curves locations are experts at publicity and public relations. The Curves franchise does a pretty good job of educating their health clubs on how to get media coverage.

For example, take a look at the media coverage Curves gyms received just today.

First of all, Curves smartly chose to support several non-profit organizations. Check out this article titled: Lakeville Curves to walk in 'Making Strides'

Other smart Curves locations are teaming up with proven national winners like Easter Seals: Curves and Easter Seals team up to raise funds in Orillia

Finally, Curves gym for women has brought in a national celebrity to support yet another cause: Olivia Newton-John Partners With Curves To Distribute The Liv(R) Breast Self-Exam Aid To 1 Million Women

There's no doubt that the Curves community has done well when it comes to getting FREE publicity while helping the neighborhood.

So, the question is, if Curves locations can do it.....why can't you?

If a Curves gym can get a FREE article in the newspaper, get a FREE spot on the local television news, and get a ton of FREE goodwill from the locals, then why can't every other health club do the same?

If you need some good advice on how to generate FREE publicity for your fitness center, just like Curves locations are doing, then you need to get our www.cuecd.com Sales Manual.

It's only $49 bucks, which isn't much when you consider that just one new member will more than pay for the manual!

Hey, the entire Curves community has this same information, and they're getting all the FREE publicity they can handle! Why shouldn't you get the same?

Go here to check out our Sales Manual today. You'll soon be reaping the rewards of FREE PUBLICITY just like Curves locations around the country!