AI might not be a requirement for a fitness business yet, but savvy entrepreneurs should already be considering how it will impact businesses in the coming years. Here are a few impacts we will see over the next couple of years.

Personal Fitness Trainers Go Artificial

Over the next few years, entrepreneurs should keep their eyes peeled for more automated workers in the fitness industry. Already, most people are familiar with AI voice bots like Siri and Alexa. An AI-based personal assistant or trainer will be like an ultra-enhanced version of these bots.

Many tech analysts already think that AI personal assistants will be available in 2019. By 2020, these Next-Gen assistants will start to become more complex and will be used in more technical fields. Artificial intelligence for conversational apps will be used for customer service, business operations and workflows.

Consumers Are Getting Used to Voice AI

Many consumers are already transitioning to voice commands. In a recent study, the PWC Consumer Intelligence series found that 57 percent of smartphone users already used voice commands. Among users of laptops, desktops and tablets, this figure is at 29 percent.

There are still plenty of consumers who are unaware of artificial intelligence programs or how to use them. As awareness about AI starts to grow, the percentage of people using AI will only increase.

How Voice AI Will Impact Businesses

Whether you run a fitness business or a smoothie shop, voice AI can potentially be a game changer. According to researchers, 85 percent of customer interactions will be managed without an actual human by 2020. Meanwhile, 80 percent of executives believe that AI has the power to improve business productivity.

Conversational will handle task-based processes like buying replacement soap, preparing insurance claims, troubleshooting computer problems and sending out billing reminders.

Another major change is in how automation actually presents itself to consumers. Instead of the robotic voices people hear on a voicemail platform, AI will have human-like feeling and programmed empathy. Because of this human touch, brands will be able to use AI with customer service, business transactions, making appointments or enrolling in new programs.

WIll artificial fitness trainers arrive in the next year? Probably not. While AI may wait to take on more complex jobs for a few years, simple tasks like customer service and client billing are definite possibilities in the near future.

If you want to find out additional information about fitness equipment, gym marketing and more, contact soOlis today.

Over the last five years, retargeting marketing has grown in popularity and in marketing departments everywhere. For the newbies, retargeting is an online strategy that keeps your brand in front of users who have bounced off your site for any number of reasons.

Marketing experts say “retargeting” is perfect for on-the-fence users who currently are casually interested in your product. A new vlog or a white paper on their favorite topic can motivate an undecided customer into a conversion or even a recurring sale.

Track Users Who Bounce 

Here’s where you call the web dev department: By placing a tracking pixel on your website, you can follow your users leave (and where) and you can then place an ad on another website.

This pixel – or piece of code – piece of code on your website is unnoticeable and won’t affect the site’s performance. It ensures your ads are served to interested people who have previously visited your site.

It’s like you are virtually persuading that user to come back. This is most commonly done through search retargeting, in which ads are served up based on recent searches;  and email retargeting, where scripted emails are triggered based on specific user behaviors.

From Marketo, some stats to consider:

Retargeted customers are three times more likely to click on your ad

70% more likely to convert to a sale

As a result, 50% of marketers plan to increase their retargeting efforts using ads both on social media and on websites too.

Remember: Marketing experts say “retargeting” is the ultimate strategy for for on-the-fence users who currently are somewhat interested in your product. A new motivating vlog or a white paper on their favorite topic can push that user into a conversion or a sale.

Contact soOlis.com so we can apply several new marketing strategies to your fitness and wellness business.

soOlis takes great care to explain the importance of page optimization for any business, and not just for large health club chains or fitness distributors. According to thought leaders at Search Engine Land, SEO alone cannot help you reach the highest marketing potential.

Social media, branding and other marketing strategies support and complement SEO and reinforce your marketing plan to grow stronger and align with your business goals.

Digital Assistants Search For You

Digital assistants like Siri have stepped in to become relevant search engines in their own right. Google at present hasn’t released any official news about when or if it plans to roll out more Artificial Intelligence learning over typical search channels.

That could change in a moment though. Reported in Forbes.com last year, smart speaker sales, like those for Amazon Echo and Google Home, also surged in 2017, and sales will probably grow even more as newer models roll out.

Because smart speakers are voice activated and provide spoken search results, users are getting even more used to interacting with search engine results with their voice.

Over 50% of web searches in 2020 will be voice activated

SEO is the master when it comes to hooking active prospects, and helps boost conversion rates. Best practices in SEO content may improve and nourish your website, your credibility and even the connection with your social media community.

It also plays an important role in your product’s buying cycle, says soOlis VP Tim Sebold. “You attract potential buyers to your website through relevant keywords and organic phrases ranked high where searchers are already looking for that exact answer,” he said.

SEO is Part of Design, Production, Content

Taking SEO into consideration even while pre-planning your website structure, content management system (CMS), URL syntax, and Web design gives the best results for your business. Start early on and keep up with those trends, says Sebold.

With proper SEO analysis up front on any digital project, you can stay on the front page of search results for years without spending too much money in the future. Even after you stop the foundation SEO work, your website can still rank high on your chosen keywords for a long time to come.

SEO is a group effort and literally demands you know how to talk to your target audiences. Call soOlis to find out how we’d analyze and implement SEO into your fitness or wellness business.

The beautiful Bay Area’s new leader in health and wellness innovation, Well-Fit is inspired by the vibrant, forward-thinking regional community in Northern California – and the exceptional outdoor environment. The company specializes in creating unique and motivating exercise experiences where people live, work and play in a more natural, active community.

Specializing in Corporate Fitness

Our company boot camps, team building workshops and yoga classes energize employees. Our High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) programs kick it up a notch with a full-range of movement at a fast clip to accelerate goal achievement. Whether you’re improving strength, stamina, balance, flexibility, mobility, power or speed, you’ll see immediate, measurable results from these sessions.

Both Well-Fit and Opti-Fit offer an extensive portfolio of stimulating small-group group fitness and athletic training workouts that can be delivered onsite or offsite — anywhere the client wants to get people moving a includes a lecture and workshop series to help employees learn about and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Based on your custom fitness facility goals and programming needs, the fleet of Well-Fit experts and designers will present detailed conceptual renderings. These renderings will then be developed into full-scale, 2D or 3D layouts to provide you with a complete picture of your future commercial fitness center.

Entrepreneur and founder of Well-Fit, Warren Gendel brings experience and expertise to help clients build and operate successful exercise businesses and fitness facilities for corporate wellness, commercial health clubs and residential health clubs and fitness programming. He says, “We offer operations reviews, day-to-day personnel management and proprietary technology systems to deliver solid results and return on investment.”

Just as Opti-Fit has been doing for over 25 years, Well-Fit also collaborates with clients, architects and project managers to maximize facility infrastructure and ensure appropriate space for equipment, mix of exercise modalities and your desired fitness experience.

Read the whole article here and plan a visit to the Bay Area soon.

Another year, another set of resolutions that we all say we’re going to complete, but how many actually do? “New year, new me”, but really we’re creatures of habit and breaking those habits are not as easy as we all would like it to be. One of the most prominent resolutions among most people is to not just get healthy, but to get fit. It’s the prime time to get in shape and look good for bathing suit season. Yet, about seventy-five percent of people maintain their resolution for the first week and as the as the year progresses, that percentage continues to drop. So the question is: How can you maintain your resolution to stay fit and healthy?

First off, one needs the proper attire and necessities. Personally, when you look the part it provides a sense of confidence that you know what you’re doing. Also, now there are many wearables

such as FitBit to keep track of your activity and progress. These wearables can track your heart rate, calories burned, your steps, and your sleep patterns. Unfortunately, some may purchase their so called “motivators” to just let them be a fad that go to waste. They’re hyped up originally, but just like those resolutions, they get old. Look good to feel good. Which brings us to why this is such a prominent resolution. Yes, we get it, you want to lose said number of pounds to look better, but many forget about the overall reason. Working out is not just about pounds, but to create a healthier lifestyle for the individual. Exercise is not the only aspect about being healthy and it does take dedication. The amount of sleep, what you consume, and the amount of activity are all contributing factors and don’t work alone. Anyways…

Most jump start into their fitness regime without a realistic goal. Nothing happens overnight and you have to be willing to put in the work and build up to your to goal. If you have not worked on cardio for a while, do not kick yourself when you struggle to run a quick mile. Some quit before they really get started because they don’t see fast results. Again, it’s all about the effort you’re willing to put in. When you start off, make a plan and schedule to stick to. It’s easier to follow a set schedule than just get on any machine that looks interesting. Lastly, resolutions lose their appeal over time and that easily could be because they are no longer exciting, new, and you miss the taste of chicken nuggets. With that, don’t be afraid to change it up. Find some different activities to keep you going and look into new recipes and diets that don’t taste like straight grass. Mostly, just find what works for you, gyms and everything that comes with it!

Overall, do not over do it and think about the positives instead of thinking you’d rather be in your bed watching Netflix. It’s a new year, and it may not be a “new” you, but it can be a better you. Happy New Years!

soOlis.com's Sample Custom QR Codes

Here is a great example of how custom QR Codes can impacted a business. This is an excerpt from Sales Growth from Thomas Baumgartner.

In 2009, Tesco’s South Korean subsidiary Home plus put up a billboard in a Korean subway station that replicated the aisle of one of its supermarkets. Commuters could scan the QR codes of items on the poster using their phones and have their groceries shipped to their homes (Figure 5.3). “Let the store come to the people,” the ad read, proposing to turn “waiting time into shopping time.” The results were that in 2011, Home plus had pictures and QR codes of 35,000 merchandise items in three subway station virtual stores in Seoul and Busan, and 760,000 buyers downloaded Home plus’ mobile app. The company’s online user base jumped by 76 percent, and online sales increased by 130 percent from 2009 to 2011, making the company a leader in the country’s online grocery market.

Let soOlis.com help you increase your business with branding custom QR codes.

soOlis.com is and informational website and internet technology business for the Health and Wellness Industry. With over 50 years of combined experience in the Health and Wellness Industry, soOlis.com does not need to be taught the industry to help its clients. We only service the Health and Wellness Industry!

For more information, on custom QR codes call 877-789-8773 ext 705 or email tsebold@soOlis.com.

Metabolic Training

“I have long thought that there has to be a way for club owners and managers to review, compare and price equipment without having to go through the song-and-dance that many manufacturers insist on when asking for quotes.  Well, finally…the way is here!” according to Michael Scott Studder. soOlis.com has developed a strategic partnership with fitness industry group – providing fig…and all of YOU…with a quick-and-easy way to get the much needed details of specifications, comparisons and pricing of varying types and makes of equipment in one web location.

Brad Bishop, President of soOlis, said recently in an interview: “We’re excited about this partnership.  FIG is a tremendous resource for club operators as the complete how-to and what-you-need-to-know web presence in the fitness industry.  This partnership fits our core business plan perfectly. We continue to grow as a company; I look forward to many more partnerships with national gym chains and retail fitness distributors.

soOlis is an informational web site and does not sell fitness equipment.  Its purpose is to educate end users, provide them with comparisons of equipment, location of clubs, and browse WebMD TM articles and videos.  For more information regarding partnership opportunities visit www.soolis.com/contact.php or contact Tim Sebold @ tsebold@soolis.com or 877-789-8773 ext 705

 
At the heart of the new StairMaster StepMill® 5 are three new console options. The top of the line TSE-1 console option has an intuitive and attractive 10” touch screen display, integrated TV tuner, iPod videoplayback, charging and audio controls, as well as the Landmark Challenge that allows users to climbfamous landmarks from around the world. The new unit also boasts numerous ergonomic upgradesincluding improved handrails, step-up assist, and the Ergo-bar hand grip to provide alternative, morecomfortable hand positions. Unchanged are StairMaster’s 30 years of proven performance with toughand reliable core mechanics, telemetry HR, and CPAT/WFI StepMill Fitness Tests.
For more information on the new StepMill® 5, visit www.StairMaster.com.

Core Fitness LLC, dba StairMaster is a leader in developing and marketing advanced cardio equipmentfor the fitness Industry. Core Fitness LLC is owned by Michael Bruno who acquired the StairMasterbrand and the commercial license rights to Schwinn Fitness from Nautilus Inc. in December 2009.Headquartered in Vancouver, Washington, the company markets and distributes the legendaryStairMaster StepMill®and StairMaster StairClimber® along with Schwinn® indoor cycling bikes worldwide.The legendary Stairmaster® continues to be known as the “toughest workout in the gym.”  For moreinformation about StairMaster call 1-888-678-2476 or visit our website at www.stairmaster.com.

Top executives of Star Trac, including the new (Owner, Chairman and CEO), fitness manufacturing legend “Michael Bruno” along with his team, Rose Bravin (Managing Director Asia & Middle East) and Andy Richter (Vice President Key Accounts), were all in attendance to meet and greet Mr. Khammas and to celebrate the largest internal commercial territory agreement in the industry. AAHG has established a partnership with one of the worlds leading fitness manufacturers. Star Trac has always been known for their cutting edge innovation and use of technology in the commercial product line. In negotiations for nearly a year, the concluded agreement is in clear support of Star Trac’s endorsement of the Al Ahli Holding Groups growth in the industry and the aggressive nature of filling the need in the Global market space. Star Trac’s groundbreaking agreement expands with Al Ahli’s growing market presence in the fitness space via Gold’s Gym as it relates to their growth. The agreement is bound to direct sales within AAHG fitness properties in an expansive potential 106 countries. A ringing endorsement of the strength of Al Ahli as it pushes into new markets.

Al Ahli Holding Group, a multi-national company and a leader in the lifestyle and fitness arena in Pan Arabia, is on the move with the opening of three Gold’s Gym facilities in the next three to eleven months with many more to follow. With last years signing of Gold’s Gym’s largest master franchise deal slated for 26 gyms in major Arabian Peninsula markets and with further expansion to include the potential for an additional 62 gyms totaling 92 facilities over the next ten years, AAHG has risen to become the most serious player on the Pan Arabian and regional scene in fitness. This aggressive strategy makes them the largest single buyer of the world’s best fitness equipment brands. The strategy for the affiliations and relationships with the world’s best manufacturers was spawned by the quest for providing the best fitness experience with the best technology at the best price to both the AAHG/Gold’s Gym user client and the sub franchisee development partner.

AAHG continuously listens to the market and to their customer base; Mr. Khammas stated, “Our strive in providing excellence in the fitness space is driven by complete satisfaction and results for our clients. We allow our client base to continuously rate the products of the big five manufacturers and they decide the ranking and the direction of our purchases. What better place to announce this exciting set of partnerships then the world’s greatest fitness forum; IHRSA’s 30th anniversary show.”

About Al Ahli holding Group:From its ground breaking to the present day, the Al Ahli Group (http://alahliholdinggroup.com), expanded rapidly throughout its 43 years of operation to be one of the region’s most dynamic, innovative and multi-disciplined business entities. The Al Ahli Group has been instrumental in steering the cement industry throughout the region to unprecedented levels of production and sales. Other industries and services that the Al Ahli Group is involved in range from the largest plastic film manufacturing factory in the region, to printing and publishing, to an extensive transportation division, turn key construction, engineering products, factories, real estate and mix-used development in their US $1 Billion Dubai Outlet City Project (http://www.dubaioutletmall.com). Al Ahli was the first Pan Arabian company to attract and sign major intellectual property brands such as Marvel Entertainment and Nickelodeon. Al Ahli played important roles behind the scenes in securing other global brands as well for important strategic allies in the region.

Although Al Ahli Group is based in the U.A.E., representative offices are also operating throughout the Pan Arabian world, with a strong presence in Africa, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, Pakistan, Europe, Latin & South America, South Korea and the USA. The Al Ahli Group remains a family owned business that values, quality, integrity and business ethics. With eight thousand employee partners strong, all the divisions of these diverse business entities are managed by the group directly and are controlled by its Chairman Mr. Nasser Ali Khammas and the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mohamed Khammas.
About IHRSAThe International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association is the fitness industry’s only global trade association. IHRSA represents over 9,000 for profit health and fitness facilities and over 650 supplier companies in 75 countries.About Star TracSince 1979, Star Trac has been a leader in developing advanced equipment for the fitness industry, focused on providing products to mold lifelong habits for health and fitness. Its user-focused product innovations are reflected in the complete line of cardiovascular and strength equipment, including the revolutionary Star Trac Coach™, a personalized treadmill workout led by a professional coach, the groundbreaking eSpinner®, the newest Spinning® innovation resulting from the long running relationship between Star Trac and Mad Dogg Athletics, and the Inspiration Strength™ line that takes aesthetics, biomechanics, and features to the next level. More than four million people in over 75 countries use Star Trac exercise equipment daily, enjoying its unparalleled functionality and style.

Star Trac: For more information about Star Trac, which is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., call 1-800-228-6635 or visit www.startrac.com.

AAHG: Stephen R. DeMilta, President AAHG International, Stephen@alahligroup.com, 1+386-383-3104