About Our Readers:

Mission Statement:
As the most trusted media source for fitness business professionals, our mission is to connect buyers and sellers through a portfolio of products that offers news, education, business solutions and strategies.  We build community by providing forums filled with high-quality content, relevant information, dynamic meetings and networking opportunities critical to industry decision makers.

We are “The Media Source for Fitness Business Professionals.”

Target Audience:
Our target audience is owners, CEOs, COOs, general managers, directors and other management professionals at for-profit and nonprofit fitness facilities, colleges and universities, government and military fitness facilities, corporate and medical wellness facilities.

General Considerations

1. The magazine does not publish unsolicited articles. The staff writes most of our features, but on occasion, we contract with freelance journalists to write features.
2. Our regular columns (Business Builders, Retention Edge, Smart Design, Tech Savvy, Legal Matters) are written by columnists with whom we have contracted. We do not accept unsolicited columns for the print magazine. However, for our online Step by Step columns, we welcome solicitations. (See note about Step by Step Author Guidelines at the end of this page.)
3. Permission for anyone to reprint an article must be obtained from the publisher.

Style Guidelines for Freelance Writers

1. We focus on business and management-related issues as well as news and trends about the industry. Articles should always include a news or trend hook. Monetary issues should be included in all stories where applicable. Tell the reader what this news and/or trend means to them, their business and the industry.
2. We do not send articles to anyone for review (including individuals interviewed for the story). Please do not do so either. If you want to verify facts, please feel free to call the individuals and double check facts with them, but never e-mail, fax or mail your story to them.
3. Articles appearing in our publication are not designed to promote a company or product. Therefore, we do not include company-specific manufacturer information in the articles, and we do not quote manufacturers.
4. Please omit literature citations. If you would like to cite prior research or a researcher as background or for added credibility, please do so in the body of the text. For example, “Dr. Joe Smith at the University of America, previously found…”
5. Use active voice (They opened the club two years ago.) rather than passive voice (The club was opened two years ago.)
6. Use the simplest word that makes the point. For example: choose "use" instead of "utilize;" use "rain" instead of "precipitation" event.
7. Do not include your own personal opinions. Any opinions stated in an article should be attributed to the source that offered that opinion.
8. Present all sides of a story whenever possible.
9. Eliminate any information that is not directly related to the subject matter or present that information in a separate sidebar.

Mechanical Requirements for Freelance Writers

1. Most of our feature articles and Special Reports run from 1,500 to 2,000 words unless indicated otherwise during your discussion with the editor.
2. The simplest way of delivering articles is by e-mail. E-mail the article as a Microsoft Word attachment. (The editor’s e-mail address is: pam.kufahl@penton.com
3. You must send us your signed contract prior to finalizing the article (an editor will mail you a contract). You can fax it to 913-514-6815 or mail it to:
Pamela Kufahl
Club Industry
9800 Metcalf Ave.
Overland Park, KS 66212
4. Suggest a short, intriguing title on the first page, but remember that the title may be changed by the editorial staff.
5. Include subheads within the article.
6. Include your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address at the end of the article.
7. Include a list of your sources with their phone numbers at the end of the article so we may call them should we need clarification.

Style Guidelines for Columnists

1. Although our features focus on business and management-related issues as well as news and trends about the industry, our columns are often more how-to oriented.
2. We do not send articles to anyone for review (including individuals interviewed for the story). Please do not do so either. If you want to verify facts, please feel free to call the individuals and double check facts with them, but never e-mail, fax or mail your story to them.
3. Articles appearing in our publication are not designed to promote a company or product. Therefore, we do not include company-specific manufacturer information in our features or columns, and we do not quote manufacturers. Manufacturers and suppliers are not to be named in columns.
4. Please omit literature citations. If you would like to cite prior research or a researcher as background or for added credibility, please do so in the body of the text. For example, “Dr. Joe Smith at the University of America, previously found…”
5. Use active voice (They opened the club two years ago.) rather than passive voice (The club was opened two years ago.)
6. Use the simplest word that makes the point. For example: choose "use" instead of "utilize;" use "rain" instead of "precipitation."

Mechanical Requirements for Columnists

1. Our print columns run 700 words.
2. Please e-mail your columns as a Microsoft Word attachment to pam.kufahl@penton.com
3. You must send us your signed contract prior to finalizing the column (an editor will mail you a contract). You can fax it to 913-514-6815 or mail it to:
Pamela Kufahl
Club Industry
9800 Metcalf Ave.
Overland Park, KS 66212
4. Please include a title with your column, but please remember that the title may be changed by the editorial staff
5. Include your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address at the end of the article plus a 30-word bio.

Step by Step Author Guidelines

If you’d like to write for the Step by Step section, e-mail Pam Kufahl at pam.kufahl@penton.com with your mug shot, one-paragraph bio and three article ideas. Step by Step authors are required to sign a copyright contract and are not paid for their articles. The columns need to be geared towards the owners or managers of fitness facilities, have a how-to approach and be around 750 words.