Posted by on Apr 28, 2015 in Marketing | 0 comments

Google AdWords-Web Marketing and Search Commander

Since Search Commander, Inc. began working with MGE last year, they have conducted more than 300 appointments with over 100 franchisees.  The reports, feedback, and results have been overwhelmingly positive. Specifically regarding Google AdWords (GAW), 100% of the franchisees who were already set up with GAW have cut their “cost per conversion” by at least 50% and, in many cases, by much more.  Additionally, every My Gym franchisee account is running more profitable after working with Search Commander, Inc. Based on the results and the feedback we have received, the program has now been expanded, allowing for Scott at Search Commander to consult with gyms on a monthly basis instead of just quarterly. This will enable gyms to obtain help in areas other than Google AdWords as well.  Franchisees can gain assistance and guidance with additional topics, including but not limited to:  (1) getting your business claimed on Google, (2) improving local listings and organic search results, (3) marketing and advertising with Facebook. Book your follow-up or first appointment...

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Posted by on Apr 28, 2015 in Support & Programming | 0 comments

Northeast Training Seminar update

We are still planning to hold the Northeast Training Seminar as planned.  We are monitoring the situation in Baltimore closely, along with Megan Gorsuch, owner from Timonium, MD. Megan states:  “Everything is fine in the Timonium area.  The news is really making it seem as though it is much more widespread than it really is at this time.  This is a very sad time for the city, but the trouble is in East and West Baltimore and does not affect the county or the airport.  Everyone is safe in the Timonium area.” We look forward to seeing you all soon!  ...

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Posted by on Apr 21, 2015 in Support & Programming | 0 comments

Calling All Karate Kids!

  The time has come, grasshopper, to “wax on, wax off!” As of today, we are releasing the entire My Gym Martial Arts program – including curriculum, training, marketing directives, and everything else you’ll need to run this “turnkey” core program.  Have you hired your Black Belt?  Decided where to put your class(es) on the schedule?  If so, then you’re ready to go.  Simply read the Martial Arts Program Directives, begin marketing, and continue from there. Our program is based on Taekwondo; but, as in many Martial Arts classes, other styles and self-defense techniques are also interjected into the curriculum.  Be assured that the My Gym Martial Arts program is a legitimate program with skill, progression, belt testing, and a sound philosophy.  Children have the ability to test for patches, stripes, and higher belts, eventually even earning their black belts.  This is an authentic martial arts program taught within My Gym’s core beliefs. If you have yet to hire your Black Belt instructor, your first step is to read...

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Posted by on Apr 20, 2015 in Marketing | 0 comments

Exact Target Webinar on the Extranet

  The Exact Target: Functions, Features & Best Practices webinar is now available on the extranet (Webinars & Tutorials under Exact Target).  If you were unable to attend one of the live presentations, we encourage you to watch this recorded version. The webinar is appropriate for Exact Target users of all levels and...

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Posted by on Apr 15, 2015 in Marketing | 0 comments

Azul-My Gym, 2015 Contest, Marketing, and more!

We are pleased to announce that, over the last several months, MGE has been working closely with our partners at Azul Hotels by Karisma to revamp our business relationship on every level. At its core, this means a renewed My Gym program, experience, and marketing presence at all Azul hotels, where we directly brand and engage with more than 200,000 families (and potential My Gym customers) per year from around the world. Additionally, we are going to increase our joint marketing presence through email, website, and social media.  Finally, we are renewing the marketing materials and the ever-popular customer/franchisee contest program at the gyms. PLEASE NOTE that there are some changes to the in-gym marketing materials and customer contest.  Please read on to see that, in addition to gyms’ having a chance to win a FREE trip, our My Gym customers and you, our owners and staffs, can vacation at Azul at the lowest prices ever offered to the My Gym family by Azul! My Gym Customer Contest The...

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Posted by on Apr 15, 2015 in My Gym Foundation | 0 comments

MGCA April Update – Meet Aleah!

Meet Aleah Whaley! MGCA’s New Director of Development My Gym Challenged America welcomes Aleah Whaley to the team! While Aleah has been involved with MGCA for several years in a volunteer capacity, she took on the role of Director of Development at the beginning of 2015 to assist with MGCA’s fundraising efforts. Please help us to welcome her as she reaches out to you in the coming months. WHO YOU HELP: Meet Naomi Naomi was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, and it is difficult for her to exercise and play with other children her age. With the help of her trike, Naomi can ride around and play! Naomi’s mother wrote us expressing her gratitude: “Today we received Naomi’s tricycle! Thank you all so much for your kindness and efforts. Tomorrow her dad and I are getting her the coolest helmet we can find and taking her out with all of the kids at our playground. You have made a wonderful difference in my daughter’s life. Thank you!” Thank you to all...

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Posted by on Apr 14, 2015 in Marketing | 0 comments

New Sponsor Program- Hyland’s Homeopathic.

New Sponsor Program- Hyland’s Homeopathic – Free Teething Tablet Sampling Program We are pleased to inform you that we have a new program beginning with Hyland’s. This will be our final program for a while, as we have no other deals pending with them until at least the end of summer, if they occur at all. Beginning late this week, all U.S. gyms will receive the 1st of two shipments associated with this program, which runs from April – May, 2015. The shipments will contain all the materials you will need to execute the program. The samples and coupons contained in the shipments should be made available to all customers from 4/20/15 to 5/20/15 or until supplies are gone, whichever occurs first. You will receive two shipments with approximately 1,000 samples each. The 1st shipment should arrive by 4/20/15, and the 2nd shipment will arrive by 4/27/15. Please place the counter card near samples and encourage parents who are interested in doing so to take the survey AND to...

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Posted by on Apr 13, 2015 in Products, Support & Programming | 0 comments

Exciting New Products Being Added to Curriculum!

First new product:  My Gym Superhero Capes MGE is constantly searching out the top equipment and products to put into our curriculum to keep programming exciting and fresh.  From time to time, we will be adding products to our My Gym programming.  Note that, in order to keep full consistency from gym to gym around the world, our curriculum does not contain optional ingredients unless specifically stated when we roll out a new item for curriculum or seasonal programming. We’re excited to let you know that four new products will be added to curriculum during 2015!  These products are for use in your classes/parties and for sale to your members.  Specific retail selling directives will be provided for these items. The first new item, the My Gym Superhero Cape, will be added to curriculum the week of 5/18 for the Parent Share and the Whiz Kids game.  This is not optional, and you need to purchase it. You will also see the cape in future programming for Manipulative Skills,...

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Posted by on Apr 10, 2015 in Support & Programming | 0 comments

Upcoming Northeast Training Seminar, May 1-2

Upcoming Northeast Training Seminar, May 1-2 We are just a few weeks away from the Northeast Training Seminar, and we’re anxious to see everyone at this very fun and motivational event! General Information Please Click here for the Northeast Training Seminar Agenda.  Please print out 1 copy for each person attending. Training Seminar will begin at 1:00pm sharp on Friday afternoon. Meetings will end around 6pm, and we will all meet at a restaurant at 7pm. If you are bringing your entire staff, we suggest you cancel classes and parties on Friday and Saturday. Last meeting will end at approximately 5:00pm on Saturday.  Please plan to attend the entire seminar. All attendees will be on their own for lunch and dinner each day.  Suggestions will be given by the hosting gym. MGE will not be handling any accommodations, flights, rental cars, etc.  All arrangements must be made in advance by individuals attending the event. Recommended hotels are listed below Dress:  Comfortable/athletic attire – My Gym shirts are preferred. Food will...

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Posted by on Apr 8, 2015 in Marketing | 0 comments

The Purge II: Exact Target

It’s that time again…  Exact Target global templates and emails will be purged and refreshed on Friday, May 8th.  We were able to declutter your global emails section quite a bit with our first purge last year; but, with recent Exact Target functionality and interface upgrades, we feel it is best to clean house again. MGE now has the ability to publish global emails down to your accounts into organized folders—hooray!  In the past, we have avoided over-publishing emails; the amount of content grew, but also grew harder to find.  Because we can now separate global emails into folders, we are able to expand the number of pre-made emails for your use. More information about this purge and the added benefits of the reorganization will be discussed during the Exact Target webinar next week (April 14th at 10am PDT & April 15th 1pm PDT).  Have you registered yet?  If not, click here to do so now! SAVE YOUR CONTENT:  You have a little over two weeks to save all...

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Posted by on Apr 6, 2015 in Marketing | 0 comments

Partnership: Paddington DVD Release

My Gym has once again partnered with The Weinstein Company to promote the Paddington DVD, which will be released on 4/28/15. The program will allow My Gym to continue building a positive relationship with The Weinstein Company, aligning our brand with one that is well respected by our members. This shipment contains materials you will need to execute this program. Please display and distribute the promotional materials from 4/9/15- 6/9/15 1 x Paddington Movie Poster  (24×36) 1 x Paddington DVD (Can be used as you like…You can raffle it off, keep for gym use during PNO, etc.) Coupons (200 per location) Poster Hangers ADDTIONALLY, if you like, you can utilize the Paddington Bear plush toy from December/January and incorporate into your curriculum (Camps, PNOs, Class Elements) AND you can access and print Paddington coloring sheets here to hand out to children and/or use during camp, pre-school prep, etc. Upon commencement of the program, please snap a quick picture of the poster displayed and send it to marketing@mygym.com. If you have any...

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Posted by on Apr 2, 2015 in Marketing | 0 comments

CMO Quarterly Report- Online & New Entertainment Advertising

As part of our 2015 Marketing Department plan, MGE is now directing Marketing Fund dollars toward online advertising, driving geographically and demographically targeted customers directly to “your” respective websites. Put more simply, MGE is advertising for you in your markets, adding yet another layer to your existing efforts without your having to even think about it! We have integrated the newest cutting edge ad tech from Google into our website. Instead of merely placing ads on a specific site or publication, we can target individual users matching a customer profile we control – YOUR customer profile! With this new technology, our impressions, budget, and ads are not wasted. Instead, they are served only to customers with children living within a couple of miles of each of your gyms. Example: High quality image ads on websites, mobile sites, and even apps and games SUMMARY OF RESULTS To date (as of March 30th), we have achieved over 4 million impressions and over 7,700 clicks at a cost of approximately $7,000. HOW...

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Posted by on Mar 30, 2015 in Marketing, Support & Programming | 0 comments

Kidpower Safety Minute Update

We’re excited to see our gyms contributing to child safety and protection by educating our members with the Kidpower Safety Minute each week.  We believe that the mission and message of Kidpower is very important and that we, as the leading experts in child development, have a crucial role to play in teaching our members, both children and parents, how to be safe.  With bullying and child abuse on the rise, My Gym can and should address these issues with our members, as we make our contribution to Kidpower’s efforts to fulfill the “One Million Safer Kids” mission.  With that said, we want to ensure that the message is presented by our staff in an authentic and meaningful way.  We would not want our teachers or parents to feel uncomfortable with the lessons being delivered. We understand that it can be difficult at times to speak to children and parents about child safety, so we have decided to remove the minutes from Little Bundles through Terrific Tots until further...

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Posted by on Mar 27, 2015 in Products | 0 comments

Fitness is fun in the new My Gym Athletic T-Shirt!

  Peak your performance inside the gym when you wear this lightweight My Gym Athletic T-shirt.  This Gildan “performance” T-shirt contains moisture wicking and antimicrobial properties.  Although this shirt is 100% polyester, it has a little more weight and density than typical moisture wicking shirts, and it feels soft and comfortable like a cotton shirt.  This athletic tee has a vintage My Gym “swoosh” design on the front of the chest and the My Gym logo on the back with the word, PLAY, reminding My Gymers to get out there and have fun. Seamed single needle 3/4” collar Tagless, heat transfer label AquaFX™ – Wicking properties Freshcare™ – Antimicrobial properties Double-needle hemmed 5/8” sleeves and bottom hem Quarter-turned to eliminate center crease Available in youth and adult sizes, this shirt fits the same as the Gildan registration/logo shirt and the staff T-shirt. Important Note:  As per the “New Marketing Materials” update on March 5th, May’s Sports and Fitness Month Campaign is rapidly approaching, and this is the shirt to...

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Posted by on Mar 26, 2015 in Marketing | 0 comments

My Gym Photo Gallery Updated

The gallery of still photos has been expanded!  Visit the extranet and click “Logos, Pictures & Marketing Materials.”  Then, open the “MGE Approved Photos” folder to check out the updated galleries.  The new shots are included as well as the most successful of the previously existing gallery. In an effort to provide for a variety of needs, we have increased the number of shots available.  As a result, you may see some photos that do not match your particular needs or taste but, hopefully, many more that will enhance your marketing and increase your business. Please note that the image files in the MGE Approved Photos folder are optimized for the most common uses and are not suitable for high quality printing.  Please contact designer@mygym.com if you require a high resolution version of any photo in the gallery.  ...

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Posted by on Mar 25, 2015 in Support & Programming | 0 comments

Director of the Year Nominations

Last call!  It is officially the 11th  hour, but if you hurry, you can still honor your fabulous My Gym Director by nominating them as the 2015 Director of the Year! Is your Director an amazing leader?  A take-charge go-getter? A knowledgeable, well-rounded master of the gym?  If so, you may want to consider nominating him or her for My Gym’s prestigious Director of the Year award!  This award is for the director who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in operating, caring, and living as though he or she were the owner of your My Gym.  If you would like to nominate your director for Director of the Year, the following criteria must be met: He/she has held the position of Director for at least 9 months of gym operation. Your director is a My Gym expert in all areas (teaching, running day-to-day operations, connecting with staff and families). He/she has been able to train and retain staff by teaching them to be My Gym experts....

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Posted by on Mar 19, 2015 in Support & Programming | 0 comments

My Gym Dance: Live!

“A 5-6-7-8 and….” Cue the lights! Cue the music! The My Gym Dance Program is officially HERE! If you haven’t already done so, we invite any and all considering adding dance to their schedule to review the Directives and supplemental hiring ad samples, which are available on the Operations Manual. If you’ve already read them, hired your instructor, and are ready to roll, great! You’ll find all the necessary information and resources to run the whole program in the Programs – Core > Dance folder, including several months’ of pre-written curriculum. More will be added in time. Dance training videos may also be viewed in the “Training and Info Videos” section on the extranet. As a refresher, here are the classes we’re releasing as part of the program. We recommend you choose just one or two to start, based on your demographics, clientele’s wants/needs, and schedule availability. Pre-Ballet: Ages 3 years – 4.5 years Pre-Ballet introduces the fundamentals of a structured dance class in a fun, noncompetitive way! Children...

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Posted by on Mar 16, 2015 in Marketing | 0 comments

Ella’s Kitchen- Program now over- Please send survey!

The Ella’s Kitchen program is now complete. Posters may be removed and discarded, and any remaining samples and coupons may be handed out or thrown away. The final component of the program is a survey. If your gym participated in the Ella’s Kitchen program, we request that you send the survey out to all enrolled Little Bundles-Gymsters families ONLY as soon as you can, and please make sure that marketing@mygym.com is cc’d. The “Ella’s Kitchen Survey” can be found in your global emails. Thank...

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Posted by on Mar 16, 2015 in Marketing | 0 comments

Upcoming Webinar: Exact Target

We will be holding a 45- to 60-minute webinar on Exact Target in mid-April. Here, we will go over the new look and feel of the website, common functions, and issues faced in Exact Target, followed by an open floor Q&A. Attendance is highly recommended for owners and staff who handle gym marketing. IMPORTANT NOTES: We make every effort to place these webinars during times we feel will work for most of the My Gym Family.  Of course, this is not always possible, so a recorded version of the webinar will be posted in the Tutorials section of the extranet.  This recording is not intended as a replacement for attending the live event.  The recorded webinar should be used only as a reference. We have disabled the mic and speakers function for this webinar; the only way to participate is to call in. Your attendance is appreciated at one of these webinars: Tuesday, April 14th, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM PDT -OR- Wednesday, April 15th, from 1:00 PM...

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Posted by on Mar 11, 2015 in Support & Programming | 0 comments

My Gym Martial Arts Program: It’s (almost) Here!

Ki-YA! Welcome to the dojo of My Gym Children’s Fitness Center. Are you ready to start your Martial Arts program and train the next Karate Kid? Then read on! We’re excited to announce that, in just a few short weeks, materials for My Gym Martial Arts including curriculum, training, marketing directives, and everything else you’ll need to run this “turnkey” core program will be made available on the extranet. Don’t wait until then to get the ball rolling, however; start lining up your karate instructor now! Attached to this update you’ll find the suggested My Gym Martial Arts Instructor Hiring Ad. If you don’t currently have a Black Belt working in the gym, you’ll need to hire one. Additionally, here are some suggestions on Interview Questions to ask potential candidates so that you can be sure the Black Belt you’re thinking of hiring has the right qualifications along with the My Gym Personality to match. Though all My Gym classes are taught in a fun, noncompetitive atmosphere, students who enroll...

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Posted by on Mar 10, 2015 in Support & Programming | 0 comments

Building Blocks – New Mind/Body Cycle

Next week marks the beginning of a new 4-week Mind and Body Building Blocks cycle leading up to our Presentation week on April 6th. There is no need to hand out new Skill and Development sheets at this time, unless a child has lost their original, in which case you should furnish their parents with a fresh copy of the age-appropriate sheet that was handed out the week of February 16th. Do not hand out any ribbons until Presentation Week (April 6th). New materials for the subsequent round of Mind and Body Building Blocks will be available at the end of...

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