Questions for Mr. Frank O’Rourke

1. Frank, could you tell me about your background?

I began working in my first gym when I was 16 years old. It was called the Iron Pit. I realized early on that I liked Health & Fitness, so I majored in Physical Education with an emphasis in Health Studies at the University of Oklahoma.  Graduating in 1992, I moved to Dallas and began working as a Certified Personal Trainer at North Dallas Athletic Club.  Soon after I began working for Johnson & Johnson’s health management division for a large corporate fitness center in Las Colinas, Texas, the Associates.  I began working with Cybex as a Territory Manager covering several states in the Midwest and Florida in 1992. In 1999, I joined Roy Simonson’s Start Up Company, Ground Zero with several other individuals from Cybex.  It was a real challenge in the early days of introducing free motion to the industry.  We were definitely going against the grain of all other strength manufactures were saying about fixed motion isolated training.  We were talking about the Core and stability balls on the gym floor and people thought we were absurd. I began working with Nautilus/Stairmaster in January of 2002, covering a four state area, where I was awarded Nautilus Sales Person of the year in 2003.  I have been a member of the Oklahoma Governors Council of Physical Fitness and Sports since June of 2002, where we have worked on many projects to promote the health of all fellow Oklahomans.  I made the switch to Club Life after talking with our publisher, Matt Redd about the concept of Club Life and how he wanted to help clubs retain and attract more members with a new marketing program designed exclusively for Health Clubs.  I knew from my first conversation with him, I wanted to be on board with the introduction of ClubLife to the Fitness Industry.

2. Tell me about the parent company of Club Life Magazine?

ClubLife is a subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the leading global technology media, research, and Event Company. IDG is privately owned and has revenues approaching $3 billion annually. IDG was selected by Fortune magazine as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in its annual survey. The company was the only media firm in the 2004 ranking. It is the fourth consecutive year that IDG has been recognized by Fortune. More than 100 million people read one or more of IDG’s 300 magazines and newspapers in 85 countries each month. 

3. When did the developmental work on Club Life Magazine begin?

About 2 years ago, long before I joined this excellent team of people.

4. Tell me about the Club Life Newsletter that will go to club owners in advance of each edition of Club Life Magazine?

The Business of ClubLife newsletter provides you with a 3 week advance notice of all the exciting things happening in the upcoming issue of Clublife magazine. The newsletter features editorial content, the ClubLife buying guide, and advertising preview, club solutions and tips, manufacturer profiles, industry news, and more! The Business of ClubLife newsletter is also offered via email for a more immediate update on whats to come.

5. What will the editorial focus of Club Life Magazine be?

ClubLife editorial is continually reinforcing the relationship between the club member and their club. All of the content is driving the consumer back to the club. The magazine is packed, from cover to cover, with exciting, inspirational and motivational fitness, health and nutrition information.

Each month the magazine opens with a warm-up, includes all the latest fitness and health news, takes a close-up look at what’s new in group exercise, features a targeted strength training move, highlights what’s new in fitness gear, provides tips from a featured personal trainer, supplies a variety of new exciting workouts to be done at the gym, and closes with a cool-down. ClubLife is built from the ground up to help club members take full advantage of the products and services that their club provides, ultimately raising the health and fitness club business to new heights. ClubLife’s Editorial Advisory Board includes nationally acclaimed leaders from the best fitness organizations in America, including the Cooper Clinic, the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Council on Exercise, and the National Academy of Sports Medicine, IDEA to name a few. ClubLife’s Editor-in-Chief is Meg Feury Ragland. Meg is a widely noted author and magazine editor specializing in fitness, nutrition, and women’s health. 

6. Will Club Life be a monthly publication?

Yes, beginning with our July 2004 issue.

7. How do club owners provide Club Life Magazine to their members?

ClubLife provides club operators with an entire turnkey program that includes highly attractive magazine display options, a monthly industry newsletter (The Business of ClubLife, for club staff and management), a monthly custom consumer newsletter for members, in-club signage, national contests and promotions, and access to the best resources at the most affordable prices.

8. Who will be the advertisers in Club Life Magazine?

We are offering a program reaching one of the most highly targeted audiences for companies that want to reach buyers of products that support their active healthy lifestyle. Those companies offer products such as nutritious foods and beverages, exercise and sports apparel and branded consumer products for health conscious women. As a program that is built to support the club as well as its members we will not offer advertising to companies that are competitive with a clubs business.
  

9. What will your initial circulation of Club Life Magazine be? 

How about your Club Life Newsletter? We had an extraordinary response from our club visits and telemarketing efforts out of our corporate offices directed by Rebecca Randolph, we are above 150,000 copies sold without seeing an issue and we plan on growing the number substantially with a few issues under our belt. The Business of ClubLife Newsletter is included when you sign up for ClubLife

10. Tell me about the Club Industry Show in Baltimore and how it went for Club Life.

Response was tremendous we met over 100 club owners and managers and they were impressed that they could offer their own high end magazine to their members, expand their communication and drive their business at such a value. And they don’t have to spend countless hours and staff resources to do it.

11. What will the niche of Club Life Magazine be?

ClubLife magazine promotes the club by customizing the magazine for the club’s needs. The cover features the club’s name and logo. The back cover and internal pages in the magazine can be customized as well, giving members the information and motivation they need to make the most out of their club experience. Designed to be read both in the club and at home, ClubLife reinforces the fun and rewards of club membership.  This is accomplished with energetic, attractive, and actionable editorial and graphics, written and supported by leaders from top-quality organizations and companies in the fitness industry.

12. Will Club Life Magazine target health club members principally?

The program is designed for club members. We know however, from our experience with a similar program we produce for the health food industry (just under one million monthly circulation in several thousand natural foods stores and supermarkets), that the club staff will be the first and most thorough readers--they must know everything published in the magazine to be able to answer queries from members about the topics appearing in its pages. In fact, we will be advising readers regularly to ask questions and seek counsel from their club's personal training and instruction staff to tap into their expertise and get the most from their club membership

13. What value will Club Life Magazine be to club owners?

For starters, it makes them money. It is designed to motivate members, ultimately encouraging them to get back in the club, take part in more of the premium services that their club offers, and renew their membership every month. It also helps non-members feel comfortable about walking through your door for the first time! We are offering a high end newsstand quality fitness magazine exclusively crafted for the club business and customized for each individual club.  Best of all, the program is scaleable so that every club can afford it from the smallest fitness studio to regional and national chains.  

14. What value will Club Life Magazine be to club members?

Practical, actionable information, guidance and tips that maximize their club membership experience

Thanks,

Frank O’Rourke

National Sales Director, ClubLife Magazine

Frank O'Rourke