Koko Fitness, Inc. launches Koko FitClub Franchise
Norwell, Mass. - August 5, 2008 - Koko Fitness, Inc., the specialized fitness technology and equipment company that developed the Koko Smartrainer® computerized commercial multi-gym, has announced their entry into the health club franchise business this month with the launch of Koko FitClub, LLC. The new company will be the exclusive franchisor of The Koko Smartraining System.
Koko FitClub is a specialty gym revolving around Koko's proprietary 30-minute SmartrainingTM cardio and strength training workout system. Koko Fitness, Inc. originally opened a club in September 2007 as their working laboratory and, with a rapid growth in membership, quickly discovered an enormous opportunity. Just months after the club's opening, it was voted one of the area's favorite health clubs. Further, the club has received a steady stream of unsolicited inquiries about franchising opportunities nationwide, according to Koko FitClub's president and co-founder, Mary Obana.
"Because there was so much interest in the Koko FitClub concept, the decision to offer franchises was an easy and logical one," said Obana. "Koko FitClub uniquely serves the vast majority of people who belonged to gyms in the past, but whose needs are no longer met by traditional clubs. There are over 250 million Americans who do not currently belong to health clubs. We believe there is a sizable market for this opportunity."
Along with her husband and business partner, Mike Lannon, Obana set out to create "a new type of gym and a whole new way to workout" that suited the couple's own busy lifestyle. Koko is for busy men and women who want and need to exercise, but can't afford to waste the time or mental energy thinking about how to get the best results. Koko FitClub's exclusive Smartraining System does it all for them in a clean, civilized, hassle-free environment where members are able to focus on themselves for 30 uninterrupted minutes. "It's a true fitness oasis," said Obana.
The Koko Smartraining System, the industry's most advanced and effective 30-minute workout method, gives Koko FitClub franchisees an obvious distinction and competitive advantage over other health clubs and fitness franchises, helping to attract new members faster and retain them longer. With the Smartraining System, each strength and cardio workout is precisely planned and customized for each member based on unique goals and fitness levels. Workouts take just 30 minutes or less, with instruction, guidance, pace, and feedback provided dynamically throughout each session. The member's results and progress are automatically tracked and displayed on a private web page .
"Our equipment and our franchise model are based on the premise that anyone can achieve their goals if given the right system and tools to make it easy.and rewarding," Obana said.
Franchise owners will bring this brand of easy, affordable and engaging exercise to the masses, according to the company's director of customer communications, Lauren Dell'Olio. "It's a great business opportunity for people with philosophies rooted in making life simpler and healthier. Koko FitClub makes it easy for members to exercise and franchisees to own and operate."
To that end, Koko has leveraged its expertise in advanced technology to create its own SmartClub SystemT, a complete, fully customized and integrated club management system. The SmartClub System incorporates everything franchisees need to run their business into one, easy-to-use operating platform with features including prospect management, member registration and check-in, account management, business metrics and usage reporting, acquisition and retention tracking, e-communications and more. SmartClub allows Koko FitClub operators to avoid the inefficiencies of piecing together multiple, unrelated systems, and removes the operational hassles often associated with running a typical gym.
"We've precisely engineered every aspect of the Koko FitClub model to be incredibly simple to operate," said Obana. "Koko FitClub is affordable to open and easy to run. One manager or owner can easily operate multiple locations.and have a family life too."
Each FitClub location will be a sleekly designed, studio-sized space, outfitted with at least six Smartrainers and multiple Smartraining-enabled cardio units. To activate any machine, members receive a personal Koko Key, loaded with a customized, multi-week workout plan with programs developed by celebrity trainers like Kathy Kaehler and Rob Parr, who train stars such as Jennifer Aniston, Bruce Willis and Naomi Watts, and elite private trainers such as Certified Sports Conditioning Specialist, Michael Wood, who is also Koko's Chief Fitness Officer.
"Koko provides every member with consistent, world class fitness coaching," said Wood. "We manage every component of their personal workout regimen, delivering the benefits of a 60-90 minute workout in just 30 minutes. Members get great results in less time. There is nothing else like it."
"Our goal is to make people excited to work out by helping them overcome the barriers to exercise, such as time, money, motivation and quantified results," said Obana. "When it comes to franchising - Koko FitClub is following the same approach."
