For episode 42, we tap into the roots of what technology is making an impact on the floor of one of the fastest growing studios in our space, Delta Life Fitness with CEO, Josh Cherry.
In our previous episodes around fitness studios and making fitness fun through tech and gamification with Lindsey Rainwater and Shannon Fable we've talked about what various cloud-based solutions and tactical approaches are important to create an enhanced user experience, but on today's podcast we take an even deeper dive into what is driving the growth of this up-and-coming franchise that is utilizing data sets for an outside the box gamification fitness experience for the growing niche of female-focused training.
You'll learn from Josh Cherry on this episode how Delta Life Fitness uses a digital leaderboard in the lobby to harness the social contagion factor for their female members to engage inside the four walls and create the emotional hook to make better choices in the other 23 hours of their day.
You'll also learn some of the biggest lessons that Josh experienced firsthand in growing Delta Life Fitness from a hot asphalt parking lot to just a few years later having multiple successful facilities nationwide, what are the three pillars of gamification success for all studios to deploy, how the utilization of private Facebook groups is shifting customer expectations when it comes to real human connection, and why Josh believes that a digital assessment for posture and client intake is pivotal to convert a new member into a lifelong customer.
With all the technology solutions out there that claim to "gamify" the fitness studio experience, what are the most powerful actions that leading-edge facilities are taking through technology?
The answer to that question and much more takeaways for club owners, operators, and fitness pros in this episode with Josh Cherry.
About Josh Cherry
Josh Cherry is the Director of Franchising and CEO and Co-founder at Delta Life Fitness: a women’s only group training workout segmented into intervals of cardiovascular and strength training. By incorporating the science of the female metabolism, Delta Life’s training is specifically designed to maintain a target zone that stimulates metabolism and increases energy.
Josh spent almost 14 years in the Marine corps before helping co-found this female-focused boutique studio and graduated from Texas A&M university.
Led by skilled trainers, participants use a variety of equipment including TRX suspension training, free weights, and battle ropes, burning up to 900 calories including after-burn. The results are more energy, visible toning, weight loss and extra calorie burn post-workout.
Women throughout the United States are seeing the changes, both physically and mentally. As Delta Life Fitness grows, they continue to look for franchisees to assist with their expansion.
Listen To Episode 041 As Josh Uncovers
Why Josh believes that most colleges prepare Club Owners to be "perfection-minded" that hurts them
Understanding the real definition of "gamification" in the fitness industry
How to use data sets to make female fitness a truly enhanced experience
Why having gamification data through automated technology (zero touch from the clients) can up engagement
Understanding the key pillars of gamification that prove member success at Delta Life Fitness:
Steps (lifestyle)
Water (lifestyle)
Sleep (lifestyle)
Heart Rate (training specific)
How habit tracking will yield not only the optimal results for weight loss, but also when used in a virtual coaching program, will give more revenue opportunities to fitness professionals and clubs
How a private Facebook group can radically transform the engagement in a group fitness environment
Why Josh believes that having a digital assessment for posture and client intake is pivotal to convert a new member to a lifelong customer
What is the mindset of a fitness studio owner when looking at new technology solutions
How the use of a leaderboard in the lobby of a studio can tap into social contagion
Understanding the personality types of our female focused exercisers: what do they want and why
What it really takes to maintain long-term success using technology as a fitness studio owner
What all fitness professional get to pay attention to for fitness technology in 2018
Top 3 Takeaways From The Show
Josh reminds operators and fitness professionals that when it comes to choosing technology to gamify your facility's experience, in order to transcend overwhelm you must keep it simple: know what makes you different, and find one or two really great things that allows you to gamify the process for your niche clientele. Accept that it may not work perfectly the first time and that you may have to revamp a few times to learn what works best. It's not just about people and is not just about technology, you get to accept that it will take time to find the balance between the two.
When it comes to the moving the needle of profit through gamification, knowing exactly the type of member you are serving and exactly how you want to serve them is paramount. Josh believes whether you use technology or not, the gamification model has to be driven from specificity to succeed..
As the technology around fitness and medical services continue to grow, Josh speaks his truth that the days of trainers and doctors only working face-to-face with clients are about to be a thing of the past. Gamification is one of the necessary components of a bigger ecosystem that will provide apps for a mobile experience that is 100% seamless and based on the data of biometrics. This will allow the professionals to monitor us, the end-users, without us frenetically monitoring ourselves. In the same regard of enhanced medical and fitness service delivery models we also know that the intention of saving people time, money, and delivering better health through new technology will always be more powerful than just the technology itself.
Power Quotes From Josh
"College almost prepares us to be perfection minded, whereas in the Marine Corps, we have to get the job done today with what we have. A good plan executed violently today is better than a perfect plan executed two weeks from now." - Josh Cherry on the Fitness + Technology Podcast
"Successful fitness gamification has to be twofold, both inside the four walls of the club and in what's going on the other 23 hours that you're not in the gym." - Josh Cherry on the Fitness + Technology Podcast
"We've decided that at Delta LIfe Fitness we do not serve the 8 to 80 men, women, and children. We know exactly who we serve and we spend all of our time trying to identify the needs of our clients and building a program specifically designed to maximize the metabolism of our Delta Life Fitness ladies. We don't want to train everyone, we're building one training program for one specific person and by doing that we can really serve that one person well." - Josh Cherry on the Fitness + Technology Podcast
Resources Mentioned From Josh
Delta Life Fitness on the web
Delta Life Fitness on Twitter
Delta Life Fitness: the "Go To" Gym for Women Looking to Tone Up and Get in Shape
NPE: A Marine Corps pilot and a draftsman grow from park bootcamps with 5 people to a MILLION DOLLAR business with 850 clientsprocess and fitness
CBI Magazine: Delat Life Fitness
Bobby Cappuccio: Fitness + Technology Podcast Episode 027
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