Welcome to your Social Media Roundup! We are cruising through January, and February will be here before we know it! We are going to mimic the hustle and bustle vibe of the new year in our organic content marketing and posts. Enjoy! For further questions please reach out to marketing@mygym.com. DOWNLOAD: Social Media Roundup – January...
Read MoreIn our update of December 21st, we announced the impending release of MGM Checklists. The estimated release date of the weekend of December 22nd has now been pushed to the week of December 31st. This is because of a new e-sign functionality that has been completed and must be released at the same time. Read below for more details. New E-Sign and Paperless Functions in MGM You will now have the option to collect a signature whenever a payment is taken at the gym (e.g., camp/event registrations, birthday party balances, product sales, etc.). The signature is optional and can be skipped when submitting payment. The legal copy above the signature can be modified in Admin > Gym > Settings > Legal. We have also added paperless freeze requests and amendments: The MGM Checklists and new e-sign/paperless features will be released together the week of December 31st. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Mae Perez at...
Read MoreHappy Holidays! We’ve been working to reconcile the 2018 Marketing Fund, and we have some great news. We ended up with a nice sized surplus of $120,000! Instead of allocating the funds to additional marketing, we have decided to distribute the surplus as a refund of approximately $650 per location. So, how did this happen? We initially expected to be paying 3 times what we are for our texting platform, Zipwhip. Yay!We saved a big chunk by not renewing our Sprout Social platform contract.We didn’t spend what we hoped to on paid media (Google AdWords, Facebook Ads, YouTube, display advertising, etc.). Because of unrelated issues (uncertainty with email platform and a couple of other big changes), we chose to be more conservative in that area in 2018. Your check will be arriving in January. Email marketing@mygym.com with any questions. Happy New...
Read MoreThe New Year is coming, and it’s time to celebrate – we’ve made some great improvements to the Little Bundles program! As we announced at our 2018 International Conference, beginning in January, we will be removing the cumbersome discussion time and handouts from the Little Bundles class, and we’re putting something new in its place: Sensory Experience and Discovery Time. First, the Sensory Experience – This is a group activity that will use weekly parachute games, age-appropriate adventures, and other activities to help with sensory stimulation and integration. After the Sensory Experience is Discovery Time. Discovery Time is a time for the babies to engage in tummy time while the adults answer a weekly question pertaining to their babies, themselves, or their lives as new parents. It’s fun, light, and brief; no more long, drawn-out discussions to fill time. Rather, the weekly question will allow all families a chance to uncover new resources (e.g., “What’s your favorite place to shop for baby gear?”) and learn more about peers in...
Read MoreAs we announced at conference, to help keep things more streamlined and yourself more organized, you will soon be able to access the daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, semiannual, and annual checklists on the MGM. These checklists will help keep you and your staff more accountable in all of the tasks and to-dos that need to be done in order to operate your gym. Release Date: Weekend of 12/22 +++ Using MGM Checklists MGM Checklists are accessible in the header area of MGM: MGE has provided a set of recommended daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual checklists: Sample AM Pre-Shift checklist: You may save your progress or complete the checklist when done. The dashboard displays the status, last update, current due date, and next due date of each checklist: You may also view the history of each checklist: Lists may be reset by the Admin if needed. Customizing MGM Checklists Customize and create your own checklists in Admin > Gym > Checklists. To customize a system list, click CLONE...
Read MoreHappy holidays! This is your friendly reminder that Space Flights will be reopening in mid-to-late January. You must complete this Mat Order Form If you do not complete the form by 12/31, you will automatically be billed $1,000 for 4 mats, and they will be sent to your location. Mats will be arriving mid-to-late January. NOTE: The color of the mats is according to the updated color palette released in 2014. The colors of the mats can be seen in the handbook as well as the demonstration videos (see links below). Over the last 4 years, gyms have been slowly transitioning to the new design without issue. This was a company-wide decision (instead of a mandate) to slowly move to the new colors. Going forward, the primary colors are no longer available. The Space Flight mats may not be purchased in primary colors from Artistic Coverings or any other mat vendor. Your Space Flight hardware should have arrived by now. If it has not, please email equipment@mygym.com. Watch this...
Read MoreThere are updated features to the new training plan introduced at conference this year! In addition to the training plan and the evaluation form, you will now find a Trainer’s Guide, General Tips for Trainers, and a study tool that includes the program outlines. All of this information can be found in one document titled “Training Plan and Evaluation” (Operations Manual > Training and Quality Control). The Trainer’s Guide will give both new and experienced trainers a behind-the-scenes look at training a new team member. Use this along with the General Tips for Trainers to fine tune your training skills and model best...
Read MoreSave the date for Training Seminar 2019! This event happens biennially (every 2 years) and gives My Gym owners, directors, and teachers an invaluable experience in training, idea shares, and system implementation from both MGE and our family of My Gym Franchisees. Training Seminar is more than a great training experience; it always proves to be extremely motivational for both franchisees and staff. This is a DO NOT MISS event! The dates and locations are listed below so you can begin to plan accordingly. Mark Your Calendars! South Training Seminar, June 7 – 8, 2019 Westchase, FL Northeast Training Seminar, June 28 – 29, 2019 My Gym Dobbs Ferry, NY West Training Seminar, July 26 – July 27, 2019 Pasadena, CA Midwest Training Seminar, September 20 – 21, 2017 My Gym River Forest or Skokie, IL (TBD) Who should attend? Training Seminars will be geared toward owners, directors, and key employees. In order to make sure everyone receives the appropriate attention, the employees you bring to seminar must be truly...
Read MoreCan you believe it? We’re quickly approaching your favorite time of the year….the chance to sign up for the 2019 Music Licensing Program! As many of you know, we reach out to the major music licensing companies each year to negotiate the best rates to pass down to our franchisees and give you the opportunity to opt in to our master agreement come January. We are still working out the final details with them. So far, we are looking at a cost of approximately $460 per gym. We should have a final number for you by early January and provide you instructions on how to opt in. For some of our newer gyms out there, you might be wondering what exactly is music licensing. Music played in a public setting is subject to music licensing. You are not legally allowed to play music in your business unless you have the proper license to do so. Simply purchasing the music does not give you the right to play it in...
Read MoreEmployer and Employee well-being is at the top of our priorities here at My Gym. We have always prided ourselves on being the best place to work and play. With that said, we need to maintain some rules in the workplace. With all the state and local changes, knowing what laws specifically apply to you could be beneficial and important. We have provided for you a handbook that is up to the current employment standards for California, one of the states with the strictest HR regulations. However, we suggest that you research and become up to date on your own state and local policies. Employment laws can be far-reaching and complex these days; visit your State Labor Offices for complete information. As an alternative to researching information on the free website above, and to receive personal consultation on your HR laws, you can contact HUB International where they have resources to help answer questions regarding your employee handbook. Their longstanding relationship with Guardian HR has enabled them to offer their...
Read MoreWelcome to your first Social Media Roundup of the new year! Thank you for taking the time to invest in your organic social media presence online. It’s a new year, and most families are focused on a fresh start. Let’s all celebrate this season by ramping up our storytelling content to include lots of fun, smiles, and #MomentsThatMatter. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to marketing@mygym.com. See you online! DOWNLOAD: Social Media Roundup – January...
Read MorePlease be reminded that you must complete the Mat Order Form ASAP. If you do not complete the form by 12/31, you will automatically be billed for 4 mats, and they will be sent to your location. Mats will be arriving mid-to-late January. Please take the next month to train your staff using the Space Flight Handbook (download here). Your new Space Flight hardware will arrive between 12/10 and 12/21. Please see this video for instructions on installing the hardware. New Space Flight spotting demonstrations and Space Flight tips videos will be released next week. See complete update below for full details. Please contact equipment@mygym.com with any questions. +++ 12/5 UPDATE: We thank you again for your patience with the reopening of Space Flight. We are happy to say that we’ve concluded the work with our experts and are ready to provide options so you can reopen Space Flight. U.S. and Canada locations will be following a specific guideline to comply with safety standards set in the U.S. for...
Read MoreAs we mentioned last week, we have discontinued the use of elastics from our gyms, and from any/all programs and curriculum. If you have yet to do so, please discontinue using elastic immediately, as it poses a potential safety hazard. This means that The Hanging Ball adventure, games, and relays are retired. Happily, however, we will not be discontinuing the beloved Rainforest and Car Wash adventures! These adventures may be modified using 1/8” rope (easily bought from Home Depot: LINK) or your own jump ropes. Please see the pictures below for a visual (click to enlarge). Rainforest: Car Wash: If you require any further guidance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to support@mygym.com. +++ 11/30 UPDATE: Regretfully, we will be retiring any and all Adventures using elastic-hanging Hanging Balls (or Hanging Pom-Poms, Hanging Blow-Up Animals, etc.) effective immediately. We have previously stated that Hanging Beach Balls are NEVER to be used for students over the age of 2.5 (the oldest of Gymsters) or for any party because of the risk...
Read MoreHappy holidays, everyone! During the Directors Meeting at the 2018 My Gym Conference as well as training events in the past, directors have requested a My Gym Facebook group for directors only. The FAB is fully supportive of this idea and has given MGE the go-ahead to open the group. For this page to be most effective, we (the FAB) believe the following protocols need to be observed: Directors Facebook Group Philosophy: The philosophy is to establish an easy platform for ideas to flow among My Gym directors. This is a place for My Gym directors to communicate, support one another, share stories/ideas, and remain connected. My Gym owners are permitted to join this group, although we encourage owners not to post or respond to any comments on this page, as the main purpose is to provide directors with a forum to interact with one another in a safe and supportive environment without fear of backlash from owners. Since this is a director’s group, MGE’s involvement in this board...
Read MoreWe are excited to announce that we have formally entered into a strategic partnership with RXBAR. The program was not supposed to launch until January, however, we have come to learn today that their shipping department got excited and shipped the samples to all U.S. My Gym locations earlier than planned. Here are the very simple details. Beginning this month and continuing through March of 2019, each U.S. My Gym location will be receiving 3 boxes of RXBAR Kids samples per month – 288 samples each month for 3 total months. The bars do contain peanuts and are labelled accordingly. Please do not leave them on the counter where a child with a peanut allergy could eat one. Please do hand out in the lobby after classes directly to parents of children ages approx. 4-11 who would like to try them. IMPORTANT: Please announce that the bars do contain peanuts. It is ok to ask people not to eat them in the gym because of the peanut content. If...
Read MoreWe are aware of an issue where gyms may be receiving a warning message after taking a class payment. The confirmation message displays a red WARNING that the action was not completed properly, and the transaction log shows both a green APPROVED message along with that same red WARNING message. If the payment was for tuition only, the APPROVED message is correct; the payment was successful and the warning can be ignored. If the transaction included a tuition AND membership payment, the payment was still successful and the child was enrolled in the class, however the membership status was not set. Please go into the child’s info to double check and/or set their membership status. Our developers are working on a fix now. Please note that customers enrolling on the website are not experiencing any...
Read MorePromote your gym and spread My Gym holiday cheer to members, friends, and family with My Gym-branded products. ShopMyGym.com makes it so easy for you with these holiday gifts: Holiday Gifts for Staff – Thank staff for an amazing year Pants, Leggings, and Shorts – This performance apparel will keep them comfortable, flexible, and looking sharp! Jackets, Pullovers, Long Sleeve Shirts, and Fleece Vests – Keep them warm and cozy during the holidays My Gym Ornament, Mymo Plush Doll, and I Heart MG Coffee Mug – These fun logo products are a big hit with My Gymers. Holiday Gifts for Members – Thank them for being a part of your program with logo products that keep My Gym top of mind Reusable Bags – Use these to wrap your gifts, or give them out by themselves Mymo Holiday Stickers – Give to members around the holidays and put them on wrapped gifts Magnetic Photo Frame – Give away with a photo from Cookies or Cocoa with Santa 5” Vinyl...
Read MoreWe are blown away by how many of you have asked MGCA about “adopting” a child for the holiday season. Thank you! We truly appreciate each of you who want to help, and we’ve set up a way for you to do just that. Whether you want to adopt-a-child among the staff or do some fundraising, there are plenty of options (even some under $200!). We have created a website and posted a list of applicants you may choose to sponsor – https://www.wishlist.com/MGCA. Please go ahead and reserve one for your gym! Then, when you have raised the amount needed for your “adoptee’s” requested gift, head to the MGCA website to donate the funds and give us the name of that fortunate child. You have just made one child’s life a little easier. Thank you so much for joining us in making a difference this holiday...
Read MoreWe thank you again for your patience with the reopening of Space Flight. We are happy to say that we have concluded the work with our experts and are ready to provide options so you can reopen Space Flight. All U.S. locations will be following a specific guideline to comply with safety standards set in the U.S. for recreational parks. After several inspections following the Wheaton, IL accident, it was determined that we do NOT need to be certified or inspected by a government agency. Nonetheless, it is prudent that we proactively meet these “recreational park” standards to ensure the safety of everyone involved in the Space Flight activity. A new Space Flight Operations Handbook has been created and is attached here. All owners, staff, and future staff must read the safety handbook and follow all guidelines at all times. The handbook also includes new Space Flight training parameters. Space Flight Hardware: To comply with the recreational park guidelines, all U.S. My Gyms are replacing their Space Flight hardware...
Read MoreWe thank you again for your patience with the reopening of Space Flight. We are happy to say that we’ve concluded the work with our experts and are ready to provide options so you can reopen Space Flight. U.S. and Canada locations will be following a specific guideline to comply with safety standards set in the U.S. for recreational parks. After several inspections following the Wheaton, IL accident, it was determined that we do NOT need to be certified or inspected by a government agency. Nonetheless, it is prudent that we proactively meet these “recreational park” standards to ensure the safety of everyone involved in the Space Flight activity. A new Space Flight Operations Handbook has been created and is attached here. All owners, staff, and future staff must read the safety handbook and follow all guidelines at all times. The handbook also includes new Space Flight training parameters. Space Flight Hardware: We will be recalling all hardware associated with Space Flight with the exception of the cable. The...
Read MoreBlitz Bubbles are now available on ShopMyGym! Blitz Bubbles is a premium bubble solution that produces great quality bubbles that smell fantastic. The bubbles and the bubbles machines were tested earlier this year in several gyms and rated very highly by the test gyms. Additionally, several gyms ordered the bubbles at Conference, and the feedback has been fantastic. We have even gotten comments from gym owners stating that these bubbles don’t leave residue or stains on their carpets. We are extremely excited to be partnered with Imperial Toy, our exclusive bubble partner, maker of Blitz Bubbles. “We love our new Blitz Bubbles and rotating bubble maker. The scented bubbles smell great, and you get a tremendous amount of bubbles using a small amount of solution! The chamber of the bubble maker can be taken apart very easily and cleaned. The bubbles do not come in contact with the motor, therefore, it will not break!” – Alyse Rudin, Owner, My Gyms Westfield, Glen Rock, and New Providence, NJ “So excited...
Read MorePer our update of December 3rd, we have made several improvements to the Email Marketing System. Some changes may have affected your existing email lists. Please take a moment to review this update; then review your lists to make sure they are targeting the correct audience. Changes that may need action on your part: The Include All Emails from Other Sources that are not Accounts filter has been broken up into three individual filters: Include Website Footer Include Lead Entry Include Contact Form If you are using this filter: Unless it is your plan to target only the emails that apply to the three filters above, checkmark Include All Accounts to repopulate the list with your entire MGM database. If the option was already checked, then you are all set and there is nothing more to do. The Birthdate Month and Birthdate Year filters have been expanded to allow multiple months and years. If you are using this filter: You may have to reset the birthdate months and/or years...
Read MoreBuckle up, because this is going to be a long update but well worth your time. Please review everything below so that you are aware of all the new and fun things available to you. Birthday Sign-In Enhancements The all-new birthday party sign-in experience has been released. Please review the November 29th update for complete details. We recommend playing with the new functions early this week prior to the weekend party rush. You may use existing parties to do so; simply delete any test entries when done. Zipwhip Texting on the Website The website now has the ability to accept texts using Zipwhip’s Click-to-Text communication feature. When enabled, a Text icon will appear in three areas of the website: header, footer, and contact page. Click here for complete details and instructions on how to enable texting on your website. Email Marketing System Updates We have made improvements and have added new features to the Email Marketing System. We have also made it easier for multi-gym owners to send email...
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