by
STEVE WINSTON
Rick Berks knows a thing or two about fitness. And he should. He was the founder of Planet Fitness in the early-90’s. And he’s now started a new company called Youfit Health Clubs, with a new concept that’s sending enrollment soaring at his clubs around the country.
What, exactly, is this new concept? No long-term contracts (you pay by the month). No huge bodybuilders or gym rats. No pressure to join (because there are no contracts). And no pushy instructors. Youfit Health Clubs is for what Rick Berks calls “the rest of us.” People who just want to be healthy, and to maintain their fitness…a concept ideal for middle-agers. When Rick Berks talks about fitness, people listen. And he has some valuable tips for people who don’t think middle-aged means slowing down.
1. Start Simple - A good starting exercise program should be easy on your joints and muscles. Start out with light weights or a circuit training program, walking on the treadmill, or bicycling at your local gym. Over a period of a week or two (or as long as you need), work your way up to a half-hour daily.
2. Don't Be Afraid of Strength Training – In fact, it can become your best friend as you age, because it helps prevent (or slow down) bone-density loss. You should do it at least twice a week to achieve some results…and three times is better. Strength training helps maintain muscle mass, helps prevent loss of bone mass, builds muscle, and improves balance – all of which are very important factors as we age.
3. Drink More Water - A workout can “head south” pretty quickly if you aren't hydrated. This is even more important for middle-aged people, because your body doesn't conserve water as efficiently as it used to.
4. Mix It Up! - Boredom is Public Enemy No. 1 for fitness buffs…of any age. And it’s often the chief reason we fail to maintain the momentum (and enthusiasm) we had when we started out. And when you do the same workout continuously, without any variation in your routine, you risk overworking your joints. Eventually, you’ll find yourself losing your verve, losing your form…and probably losing your desire to work out.
5. Know Your Options, So You Can Make Your Choices - Before beginning an exercise program, you might want to seek out the input of a certified personal trainer or fitness professional. They can instruct you in how to get the best results without injuring yourself or over-doing it. They can show you how to get most out of your time at the gym, and how to make your minutes count. And they’ll keep you motivated as hell!
6. Read the Warning Signs (And Heed the Warning Signs!) - While enthusiasm and motivation are vital to a successful exercise program, obsession can be lethal to it. We’re not kids anymore (physically, anyway!). So rest and recovery time is just as important as exercise time. It not only allows your muscles time to relax, but also to grow. Time and time again, I’ve seen people start out bursting with enthusiasm, but then running themselves into exhaustion…and, if they’re not careful, into injury. And the best intentions often fizzle in the harsh light of an overworked middle-aged body.
7. Exercise Is Something We Should Do – In Some Form – Every Day – Use it, or lose it, as the saying goes. If you want to be flexible and healthy, you should do some form of exercise every day. It doesn’t have to be strenuous. It can be simply walking around the block (or mall) a few times, or gardening, or even washing the car. It can be the simple act of choosing to use the stairs instead of the elevator. Or, rather than driving around the parking lot for ten minutes searching for the closest spot at the mall, just parking your car a bit farther away, and walking. You’d be amazed how simple it is to incorporate different forms of exercise into our everyday routines.
8. Target Heart Rate: Learn It, Use It – People often use this term with an element of dread in their voices, as if there’s something mystifying or frightening about it. In reality, though, it’s a very simple formula…220-Your age x 60%= your target heart rate. Learning this figure will help you get the most out of your workout…and the healthiest years out of your life. You’ll build a stronger heart, a heart that’s under less stress, and that will beat slower while resting (and the slower it beats, generally, the longer you’ll live). A heart monitor can tell you how close you are to your target heart rate – and can keep you from exceeding it, thereby preventing injury and accidents. Most cardio equipment at your local gym provides built-in heart-rate sensors.
9. Be Nice To Your Joints (And They’ll Be Nice To You) - If you have joint issues, non-weight-bearing activities such as elliptical machines or bikes won’t put stress on your joints. (By the way, you should never start any exercise program without consulting a physician first. This is just good common sense.)
10. Girl Power! - One every five women over 50 is developing Osteoporosis, the most common form of bone disease. This makes it vital to put in some quality time on weight-bearing activities (like the treadmill) or weight machines. These types of exercise are, simply put, your greatest defense against bone deterioration.
And now…let’s get to it! Your life will be a lot richer…and a lot healthier!
Fitness Resources: Yahoo Health; www.youfithealthclubs.com;
Steve Winston (www.winstoncommunications.com) is President of WINSTON COMMUNICATIONS, an integrated PR/Marketing/Communications company in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
RESPONDING TO FITNESS CONSUMERS HELPS SHAPE HEALTHY BUSINESS PLAN
This article is about one of my clients. It's reprinted from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, May 30, 2011 - Steve Winston, President, WINSTON COMMUNICATIONS (www.winstoncommunications.com)
RESPONDING TO FITNESS CONSUMERS HELPS SHAPE HEALTHY BUSINESS PLAN
'If we're doing everything right, the clubs sell themselves.'-Rick Berks, President, Youfit Health Clubs
May 27, 2011|By Cindy Kent, Sun Sentinel
Who: Rick Berks
What: Berks is founder of the Youfit Health Clubs chain. There are about 25 locations in Florida, including Margate, Pompano Beach and Boca Raton. Customers pay a flat $10 monthly fee.
Understanding the market, demographics and responding to consumers has kept his business plan healthy, fit and on track, says Berks.
Berks based the Youfit profile on his decades-long experience in the health club industry. He owned and operated multiple Gold's Gyms before opening the first Planet Fitness location in 1993.
This time, he's tuned into the growing sector of average consumers looking to be healthy, rather than those focused on body sculpting and bodybuilding, says Berks.
The back story: Berks compiled lessons learned to launch the streamlined Youfit model in 2008.
He rebranded his facilities, upgraded equipment and created smaller footprints with fewer amenities like classrooms and babysitter spaces. There are no sales people pushing membership fees or long-term multiyear commitments; spinning classes or group aerobics.
“The market is shaping itself," said Berks.
People want to spend less money but still have access to an exercise venue, he says. Consumers want flexible hours. They want an offering of equipment that matches their own level of proficiency and interest.
At the same time, businesses have to find ways to cut expenses, too, says Berks.
The clubs are retrofitted with newer energy-efficient air conditioning, LED lighting and tankless water heaters. The floors are made from recycled sneakers.
"Doing the things we are doing isn't just idealistic," said Berks. "It's economics as well. The upfront costs are savings in the end."
Though Berks maintains corporate control of the clubs, "the idea is to make a simple reproducible model," he said. The marketing platform is pretty simple, too, says Berks. The company utilizes direct mail, multimedia and social media.
The take away: "As an entrepreneur, you have to be optimistic or you can't be an entrepreneur," said Berks. "I've had good times and I've had bad times," says Berks, who once asked a mentor what separates successful people from "non successful" people.
"He answered, 'Persistence. If you stick with it, you'll figure it out.'" said Berks.
Knowledge: Achieve mass appeal. Rather than focus on a niche group of fitness consumers, Berks caters to customers that know what they want, a comfortable, low-pressure gym environment while achieving their goals. "Our typical consumer is more committed to being healthy by doing a 45 minute workout," said Berks. "They want to know they will fit in."
Calculate trial and error. Beta test a product or location, says Berks. That way you can be aggressive trying out an idea and at the same time limit potential loss. Expand on what works. "Good judgment comes from a lot of bad judgment," said Berks.
Details: Go to youfithealthclubs.com, 954-968-3481
ckent@tribune.com or 954-356-4662
RESPONDING TO FITNESS CONSUMERS HELPS SHAPE HEALTHY BUSINESS PLAN
'If we're doing everything right, the clubs sell themselves.'-Rick Berks, President, Youfit Health Clubs
May 27, 2011|By Cindy Kent, Sun Sentinel
Who: Rick Berks
What: Berks is founder of the Youfit Health Clubs chain. There are about 25 locations in Florida, including Margate, Pompano Beach and Boca Raton. Customers pay a flat $10 monthly fee.
Understanding the market, demographics and responding to consumers has kept his business plan healthy, fit and on track, says Berks.
Berks based the Youfit profile on his decades-long experience in the health club industry. He owned and operated multiple Gold's Gyms before opening the first Planet Fitness location in 1993.
This time, he's tuned into the growing sector of average consumers looking to be healthy, rather than those focused on body sculpting and bodybuilding, says Berks.
The back story: Berks compiled lessons learned to launch the streamlined Youfit model in 2008.
He rebranded his facilities, upgraded equipment and created smaller footprints with fewer amenities like classrooms and babysitter spaces. There are no sales people pushing membership fees or long-term multiyear commitments; spinning classes or group aerobics.
“The market is shaping itself," said Berks.
People want to spend less money but still have access to an exercise venue, he says. Consumers want flexible hours. They want an offering of equipment that matches their own level of proficiency and interest.
At the same time, businesses have to find ways to cut expenses, too, says Berks.
The clubs are retrofitted with newer energy-efficient air conditioning, LED lighting and tankless water heaters. The floors are made from recycled sneakers.
"Doing the things we are doing isn't just idealistic," said Berks. "It's economics as well. The upfront costs are savings in the end."
Though Berks maintains corporate control of the clubs, "the idea is to make a simple reproducible model," he said. The marketing platform is pretty simple, too, says Berks. The company utilizes direct mail, multimedia and social media.
The take away: "As an entrepreneur, you have to be optimistic or you can't be an entrepreneur," said Berks. "I've had good times and I've had bad times," says Berks, who once asked a mentor what separates successful people from "non successful" people.
"He answered, 'Persistence. If you stick with it, you'll figure it out.'" said Berks.
Knowledge: Achieve mass appeal. Rather than focus on a niche group of fitness consumers, Berks caters to customers that know what they want, a comfortable, low-pressure gym environment while achieving their goals. "Our typical consumer is more committed to being healthy by doing a 45 minute workout," said Berks. "They want to know they will fit in."
Calculate trial and error. Beta test a product or location, says Berks. That way you can be aggressive trying out an idea and at the same time limit potential loss. Expand on what works. "Good judgment comes from a lot of bad judgment," said Berks.
Details: Go to youfithealthclubs.com, 954-968-3481
ckent@tribune.com or 954-356-4662
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
SOUTH FLORIDA FITNESS PIONEER BRINGING NEW CONCEPT TO BROWARD COUNTY
NEWS FROM WINSTON COMMUNICATIONS
SOUTH FLORIDA FITNESS PIONEER BRINGING A NEW CONCEPT TO BROWARD
The founder of nationally-known Planet Fitness is a native of Broward County. He’s now created a new company - and a new concept in fitness. And he’s bringing it to Broward.
Rick Berks’ new company, Youfit Health Clubs (www.youfithealthclubs.com), already has eight clubs in South Florida (and 25 throughout the state). And now he’s opening new clubs in Margate and North Pompano Beach, as showpieces for his new concept. What, exactly, is this new concept? No long-term contracts, for one thing (you pay by the month). No huge bodybuilders or gym rats. No singles scenes. No used or worn-out equipment (all the machines are brand-new and top-of-the-line). No pressure to join (because there are no contracts). No pushy instructors. And no carbon footprint – these may be the “greenest” gyms in America (the floors are made of recycled sneakers!).
The “Youfit” name is meant to convey a very strong message. These are gyms for people who aren’t planning to enter bodybuilding championships, and who aren’t there to meet a member of the opposite sex. And Rick Berks’ fee structure may be the lowest you’ll ever see for a first-rate fitness facility.
Berks is a graduate of Pompano Beach High School. And he’s a successful entrepreneur, with a very colorful story. We’ll be telling you more soon, as we get closer to opening. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me with any questions, or if you’d like to speak with Rick Berks, at steve@winstoncommunications.com.
Steve Winston
President – WINSTON COMMUNICATIONS
steve@winstoncommunications.com
SOUTH FLORIDA FITNESS PIONEER BRINGING A NEW CONCEPT TO BROWARD
The founder of nationally-known Planet Fitness is a native of Broward County. He’s now created a new company - and a new concept in fitness. And he’s bringing it to Broward.
Rick Berks’ new company, Youfit Health Clubs (www.youfithealthclubs.com), already has eight clubs in South Florida (and 25 throughout the state). And now he’s opening new clubs in Margate and North Pompano Beach, as showpieces for his new concept. What, exactly, is this new concept? No long-term contracts, for one thing (you pay by the month). No huge bodybuilders or gym rats. No singles scenes. No used or worn-out equipment (all the machines are brand-new and top-of-the-line). No pressure to join (because there are no contracts). No pushy instructors. And no carbon footprint – these may be the “greenest” gyms in America (the floors are made of recycled sneakers!).
The “Youfit” name is meant to convey a very strong message. These are gyms for people who aren’t planning to enter bodybuilding championships, and who aren’t there to meet a member of the opposite sex. And Rick Berks’ fee structure may be the lowest you’ll ever see for a first-rate fitness facility.
Berks is a graduate of Pompano Beach High School. And he’s a successful entrepreneur, with a very colorful story. We’ll be telling you more soon, as we get closer to opening. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me with any questions, or if you’d like to speak with Rick Berks, at steve@winstoncommunications.com.
Steve Winston
President – WINSTON COMMUNICATIONS
steve@winstoncommunications.com
Thursday, December 9, 2010
EXTRA! EXTRA!: "I WORKED AT THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER!!"
by
STEVE WINSTON
The recent announcement that AMI, parent company of “The National Enquirer,” had declared bankruptcy, struck me in a different way than it might have struck you. Because I once worked there. Yes, it’s true. I admit it. For two weeks, many years ago, I worked at “The National Enquirer.”
My story started in a raging blizzard that tied up the whole Northeast. We had three feet of snow n Hartford, CT. I was looking out the window at the blizzard that night, while talking on the phone with my younger brother in Philadelphia…who was looking out his window at the blizzard. And we both decided, then and there, that we were going to get jobs in Florida.
Bobby did, within a month. Just about that time, I was sitting in my downtown apartment on a miserable late-winter day, looking out at the city’s skyline, while glancing distractedly through an issue of “Editor & Publisher.” I came to the classified section. And then I saw it.
It was a half-page ad for an Editor. For “The National Enquirer.” In a place called Lantana. Lantana, Florida! And they were offering a salary of $52,000 – very big money for a young guy all those years ago.
I dashed off a resume and letter to them. And promptly forgot all about it. So, when they called a week or so later to invite me down to Florida for an interview, it took me a minute to remember.
I’ll never forget sitting on the runway at Hartford-Bradley International Airport a few days later at 6 in the morning, looking out at the pitch-black, watching the sleet and snow smash against my window. Three hours later, I landed in West Palm Beach, and walked out of the terminal into a day with 76 degrees, swaying palm trees, and the bluest sky I’d ever seen.
In those days, the executives at The Enquirer were mostly British (if you’ve ever seen the big newspapers in Britain, you know why). And so I found myself being interviewed by an Editor from Britain named “Ian” (which seemed to be the name of just about every other Editor there, as well).
The interview was not particularly scintillating, I thought. Until mid-afternoon.
Then, all hell broke loose. Police suddenly barged in from two sides of the building. Women started screaming. Men started running.
And the first hint I had that I wasn’t in Kansas anymore, Dorothy, was when I asked “Ian” what was going on, and he looked at me and said, “Oh, nothing.”
It wasn’t long before I was told – by one of the people there - that some of the Brits did not have green cards. And that one of the green-cardless Brits had apparently offered Elvis’ cousin a goodly amount of money if he would open the casket and let the Brit take a few pictures.
By this time I was having trouble keeping a straight face. Much to my amazement, Ian, at the end of the interview, invited me back for a two-week mutual look-see. They’d put me up in a beachfront hotel. They’d pay all my transportation, lodging, and food costs. And, oh, yes, they’d also pay me, at the pay-rate for the Editor job…a thousand a week.
So I took a two-week leave from my job in Hartford and found myself back in Florida.
It was an interesting experience, to say the least. Say what you will about the Enquirer, in its own way, it did push the journalistic envelope. It did have some talented – and very dogged – journalists. And it ended up “scooping” mainstream media on some major stories of the nineties and 2000’s…stories that often had an enormous effect on American society and politics. But I decided, while there, that I preferred traditional journalism…despite the $52,000 salary.
So, toward the end of the two weeks, during lunchtime, I walked in off the street to the Palm Beach Post. And they hired me as a reporter – for $12,000.
Soon after, I was on my way back down to Florida for the third - and last - time, in an ugly green Mazda with everything I owned hanging out the sides. And in a way, everything that’s happened in my life since then has been because of “The National Enquirer.” Without the Enquirer, it probably would have turned out very differently.
AMI and “The National Enquirer” may or may not survive reorganization. But they’ll always be a major reason that my life turned out as it did. And that the only snow I see now is at the top of the mountains I climb.
Steve Winston
www.winstoncommunications.com
steve@winstoncommunications.com
STEVE WINSTON
The recent announcement that AMI, parent company of “The National Enquirer,” had declared bankruptcy, struck me in a different way than it might have struck you. Because I once worked there. Yes, it’s true. I admit it. For two weeks, many years ago, I worked at “The National Enquirer.”
My story started in a raging blizzard that tied up the whole Northeast. We had three feet of snow n Hartford, CT. I was looking out the window at the blizzard that night, while talking on the phone with my younger brother in Philadelphia…who was looking out his window at the blizzard. And we both decided, then and there, that we were going to get jobs in Florida.
Bobby did, within a month. Just about that time, I was sitting in my downtown apartment on a miserable late-winter day, looking out at the city’s skyline, while glancing distractedly through an issue of “Editor & Publisher.” I came to the classified section. And then I saw it.
It was a half-page ad for an Editor. For “The National Enquirer.” In a place called Lantana. Lantana, Florida! And they were offering a salary of $52,000 – very big money for a young guy all those years ago.
I dashed off a resume and letter to them. And promptly forgot all about it. So, when they called a week or so later to invite me down to Florida for an interview, it took me a minute to remember.
I’ll never forget sitting on the runway at Hartford-Bradley International Airport a few days later at 6 in the morning, looking out at the pitch-black, watching the sleet and snow smash against my window. Three hours later, I landed in West Palm Beach, and walked out of the terminal into a day with 76 degrees, swaying palm trees, and the bluest sky I’d ever seen.
In those days, the executives at The Enquirer were mostly British (if you’ve ever seen the big newspapers in Britain, you know why). And so I found myself being interviewed by an Editor from Britain named “Ian” (which seemed to be the name of just about every other Editor there, as well).
The interview was not particularly scintillating, I thought. Until mid-afternoon.
Then, all hell broke loose. Police suddenly barged in from two sides of the building. Women started screaming. Men started running.
And the first hint I had that I wasn’t in Kansas anymore, Dorothy, was when I asked “Ian” what was going on, and he looked at me and said, “Oh, nothing.”
It wasn’t long before I was told – by one of the people there - that some of the Brits did not have green cards. And that one of the green-cardless Brits had apparently offered Elvis’ cousin a goodly amount of money if he would open the casket and let the Brit take a few pictures.
By this time I was having trouble keeping a straight face. Much to my amazement, Ian, at the end of the interview, invited me back for a two-week mutual look-see. They’d put me up in a beachfront hotel. They’d pay all my transportation, lodging, and food costs. And, oh, yes, they’d also pay me, at the pay-rate for the Editor job…a thousand a week.
So I took a two-week leave from my job in Hartford and found myself back in Florida.
It was an interesting experience, to say the least. Say what you will about the Enquirer, in its own way, it did push the journalistic envelope. It did have some talented – and very dogged – journalists. And it ended up “scooping” mainstream media on some major stories of the nineties and 2000’s…stories that often had an enormous effect on American society and politics. But I decided, while there, that I preferred traditional journalism…despite the $52,000 salary.
So, toward the end of the two weeks, during lunchtime, I walked in off the street to the Palm Beach Post. And they hired me as a reporter – for $12,000.
Soon after, I was on my way back down to Florida for the third - and last - time, in an ugly green Mazda with everything I owned hanging out the sides. And in a way, everything that’s happened in my life since then has been because of “The National Enquirer.” Without the Enquirer, it probably would have turned out very differently.
AMI and “The National Enquirer” may or may not survive reorganization. But they’ll always be a major reason that my life turned out as it did. And that the only snow I see now is at the top of the mountains I climb.
Steve Winston
www.winstoncommunications.com
steve@winstoncommunications.com
Monday, November 15, 2010
IMPORTANT WORDS FROM A GOOD FRIEND
Dear Friends - Today I'm not publishing my own thoughts. I'm publishing those of a friend, Roberta Guise, who's a marketing guru with a great deal of words to the wise. Read, enjoy, and think! - Steve Winston
Build your reputation around your name
by Roberta Guise on November 2, 2010
A recent article in BusinessWeek on naming companies lamented how hard it’s become to create a novel, catchy name.
This is hard news to swallow if you’re a startup with a new product to sell.
But if you're a small business owner who sells ideas and services to people in business — even if you sell products such as books, videos, CDs, software, and business systems — there’s no need to go through mental contortions to divine the perfectly witty name for your company. The perfect moniker for your company is your own name. Why?
Your reputation is built around your personal name. People remember you, not necessarily your company. When a client refers you they think of the value you personally provided. It’s you, the person, who comes to mind, not your company name.
This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t create a corporate name for your business, especially if you set up your business as a C or S corp. Just don’t spend too much time trying to come up with something catchy.
Pile your efforts into fortifying your brand around your own name. Mine is “Guise,” plus what I do, “Marketing & PR.” A strong tag line will support your name. My tag line is, “Be Visible!”
By using your own name you’ll save money and time on extensive name searching. You still need to do a search, but if you can add what you do to the name like I’ve done, even if it’s your last name plus “Consulting” or “Accounting,” for example, you’ll have your company named in next to no time.
Roberta Guise enables successful women to become thought leaders. She also works with experts, small business owners and professionals who want to be extraordinarily visible and sharpen their marketing edge. A small business marketing consultant and speaker, she is the founder of San Francisco-based Guise Marketing & PR. If you'd like to know how to apply these concepts to your situation, call for a free 1/2 hour consultation. 415-979-0611. www.guisemarketing.com
Build your reputation around your name
by Roberta Guise on November 2, 2010
A recent article in BusinessWeek on naming companies lamented how hard it’s become to create a novel, catchy name.
This is hard news to swallow if you’re a startup with a new product to sell.
But if you're a small business owner who sells ideas and services to people in business — even if you sell products such as books, videos, CDs, software, and business systems — there’s no need to go through mental contortions to divine the perfectly witty name for your company. The perfect moniker for your company is your own name. Why?
Your reputation is built around your personal name. People remember you, not necessarily your company. When a client refers you they think of the value you personally provided. It’s you, the person, who comes to mind, not your company name.
This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t create a corporate name for your business, especially if you set up your business as a C or S corp. Just don’t spend too much time trying to come up with something catchy.
Pile your efforts into fortifying your brand around your own name. Mine is “Guise,” plus what I do, “Marketing & PR.” A strong tag line will support your name. My tag line is, “Be Visible!”
By using your own name you’ll save money and time on extensive name searching. You still need to do a search, but if you can add what you do to the name like I’ve done, even if it’s your last name plus “Consulting” or “Accounting,” for example, you’ll have your company named in next to no time.
Roberta Guise enables successful women to become thought leaders. She also works with experts, small business owners and professionals who want to be extraordinarily visible and sharpen their marketing edge. A small business marketing consultant and speaker, she is the founder of San Francisco-based Guise Marketing & PR. If you'd like to know how to apply these concepts to your situation, call for a free 1/2 hour consultation. 415-979-0611. www.guisemarketing.com
Thursday, October 21, 2010
CENTRAL PARK BIKE TOURS INTRODUCES "FALL FOLIAGE TOUR"
NEWS FROM CENTRAL PARK BIKE TOURS
Contact:
Steve Winston
President, Winston Communications
(954) 575-4089
steve@winstoncommunications.com
CENTRAL PARK BIKE TOURS INTRODUCES “FALL FOLIAGE TOUR”
New York, NY: October 21, 2010 – Central Park Bike Tours (www.centralparkbiketours.com) today announced a special new tour of Central Park during Fall Foliage season. The Fall Foliage Bike Tour will take visitors to spots bursting with brilliant colors, in America’s most famous urban oasis.
“If you’ve never seen Central Park in Autumn, you’ve never really seen Central Park,” says Tom Ahern, owner of Central Park Bike Tours. “And, for some wonderful reason, the foliage seems to linger here more than it does in most other places in the region…generally into late-November.”
Central Park Bike Tours will be running its Fall Foliage Tours at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 4 p.m. through October, and 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. through November. Guests on these tours will get a bird’s-eye view of hundreds of different types of trees, ranging from American Elms to Black Cherries to Red Cedar and Carolina Silverbells. And among the hundreds of once-a-year colors riders will see will be burnt oranges, flaming reds, bright yellows, deep purples, and rust-orange.
Central Park Bike Tours is one of the city’s leading tour companies, leading guided tours into nooks and crannies and special places in Central Park that even many New Yorkers don’t know about. Customers pedal past beautiful meadows and old bridges and rarefied museums and horse-drawn carriages, and landmarks such as Strawberry Fields, the John Lennon International Peace Garden, the Wollman Skating Rink, and the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. In addition, the company also offers tours of special New York neighborhoods such as Harlem, Brooklyn, Times Square, and Little Italy. And customers can also rent bikes, to explore this bike-friendly city on their own.
“It’s a very special time of year,” says Tom Ahern. “And we wanted to offer a very special tour to take advantage of it.”
###
Contact:
Steve Winston
President, Winston Communications
(954) 575-4089
steve@winstoncommunications.com
CENTRAL PARK BIKE TOURS INTRODUCES “FALL FOLIAGE TOUR”
New York, NY: October 21, 2010 – Central Park Bike Tours (www.centralparkbiketours.com) today announced a special new tour of Central Park during Fall Foliage season. The Fall Foliage Bike Tour will take visitors to spots bursting with brilliant colors, in America’s most famous urban oasis.
“If you’ve never seen Central Park in Autumn, you’ve never really seen Central Park,” says Tom Ahern, owner of Central Park Bike Tours. “And, for some wonderful reason, the foliage seems to linger here more than it does in most other places in the region…generally into late-November.”
Central Park Bike Tours will be running its Fall Foliage Tours at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 4 p.m. through October, and 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. through November. Guests on these tours will get a bird’s-eye view of hundreds of different types of trees, ranging from American Elms to Black Cherries to Red Cedar and Carolina Silverbells. And among the hundreds of once-a-year colors riders will see will be burnt oranges, flaming reds, bright yellows, deep purples, and rust-orange.
Central Park Bike Tours is one of the city’s leading tour companies, leading guided tours into nooks and crannies and special places in Central Park that even many New Yorkers don’t know about. Customers pedal past beautiful meadows and old bridges and rarefied museums and horse-drawn carriages, and landmarks such as Strawberry Fields, the John Lennon International Peace Garden, the Wollman Skating Rink, and the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. In addition, the company also offers tours of special New York neighborhoods such as Harlem, Brooklyn, Times Square, and Little Italy. And customers can also rent bikes, to explore this bike-friendly city on their own.
“It’s a very special time of year,” says Tom Ahern. “And we wanted to offer a very special tour to take advantage of it.”
###
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
ZIP AVIATION ANNOUNCES ALLIANCE WITH MANHATTAN HELICOPTERS
NEWS FROM WINSTON COMMUNICATIONS
CONTACT:
Steve Winston
President – Winston Communications
steve@winstoncommunications.com
ZIP AVIATION ANNOUNCES NEW ALLIANCE WITH MANHATTAN HELICOPTERS
NEW YORK, NY: October 13, 2010 – Zip Aviation LLC today announced a new strategic alliance with Manhattan Helicopters LLC, which will bring a bevy of benefits to customers of both helicopter-tour companies.
The new strategic alliance was formed to enhance the range of services and tours available, and to provide a one-of-a-kind sightseeing experience for New York City visitors. For customers of the two fleets, the advantages will be evident immediately – industry-leading liability coverage, a wider availability of innovative tours, greater booking flexibility/added availability of times, and two companies known for the best customer-service in the industry.
Zip Aviation and Manhattan Helicopters will now be able to offer a combined fleet of nine helicopters, with some of the most technologically-advanced and luxurious craft in the air. The total includes two brand-new Bell 407s, considered one of the safest helicopters in the world; a Eurocopter AS350B3, a high-performance aircraft with the distinction of being the only helicopter ever to land on Mount Everest; and an MD600N, the quietest helicopter in the world.
“We think it offers the best of all worlds to our customers,” says Itai Shoshani, owner of Zip Aviation. “Two industry-leaders, combining their strengths to increase their range of offerings, and to enhance the customer-experience. It’s a win-win situation for both of us – and the customer.”
Zip Aviation (www.zipover.com) takes guests on a variety of helicopter tours around New York City, ranging from the “Liberty Island” tour to the memorable “Over the Top” and “Grand Island” tours. New York stretches out from horizon to horizon and side to side before the aircraft, with an incomparable view of the world’s most exciting city, its greatest skyline, and one of its busiest harbors. In addition to the sightseeing tours, Zip Aviation specializes in discreet charters (often for celebrities or international dignitaries) and aerial photography, along with executive and special-event transportation.
“We want to be the type of company that’s always focused on improving the customer-experience,” Shoshani said. “And this alliance will help us achieve that.”
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CONTACT:
Steve Winston
President – Winston Communications
steve@winstoncommunications.com
ZIP AVIATION ANNOUNCES NEW ALLIANCE WITH MANHATTAN HELICOPTERS
NEW YORK, NY: October 13, 2010 – Zip Aviation LLC today announced a new strategic alliance with Manhattan Helicopters LLC, which will bring a bevy of benefits to customers of both helicopter-tour companies.
The new strategic alliance was formed to enhance the range of services and tours available, and to provide a one-of-a-kind sightseeing experience for New York City visitors. For customers of the two fleets, the advantages will be evident immediately – industry-leading liability coverage, a wider availability of innovative tours, greater booking flexibility/added availability of times, and two companies known for the best customer-service in the industry.
Zip Aviation and Manhattan Helicopters will now be able to offer a combined fleet of nine helicopters, with some of the most technologically-advanced and luxurious craft in the air. The total includes two brand-new Bell 407s, considered one of the safest helicopters in the world; a Eurocopter AS350B3, a high-performance aircraft with the distinction of being the only helicopter ever to land on Mount Everest; and an MD600N, the quietest helicopter in the world.
“We think it offers the best of all worlds to our customers,” says Itai Shoshani, owner of Zip Aviation. “Two industry-leaders, combining their strengths to increase their range of offerings, and to enhance the customer-experience. It’s a win-win situation for both of us – and the customer.”
Zip Aviation (www.zipover.com) takes guests on a variety of helicopter tours around New York City, ranging from the “Liberty Island” tour to the memorable “Over the Top” and “Grand Island” tours. New York stretches out from horizon to horizon and side to side before the aircraft, with an incomparable view of the world’s most exciting city, its greatest skyline, and one of its busiest harbors. In addition to the sightseeing tours, Zip Aviation specializes in discreet charters (often for celebrities or international dignitaries) and aerial photography, along with executive and special-event transportation.
“We want to be the type of company that’s always focused on improving the customer-experience,” Shoshani said. “And this alliance will help us achieve that.”
###
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