Just a few days ago we received 65. It turned out that we were the first instructors to receive our music at our club, so Tami put the word out that we're getting to work on our review. Her post had hardly hit our blog when we got several messages back that 65 was old news - not only had other instructors long ago received their music, they'd already launched the release!
To be sure, rollout of a new release must be a huge job - According to LMI these programs now run in more than 10,000 clubs worldwide. Even if you had only one instructor per club that'd be a big undertaking, but of course there's quite a few more than that.
Which begs the question - does this distribution model really make sense anymore? Really, in this age of iTunes and movies over the internet, can we not make use of technology to help get the job done? Obviously having downloadable releases won't work for everyone, but consider this - for those instructors who do have access to a fast connection and know how to download music to an iPod, this might actually work just fine.
Let's suppose that's one instructor per club - 10,000. And just for the sake of round numbers, let's suppose the cost of putting together the physical materials for each release (CD, DVD, plastic case, book, etc.) is US $15, and the cost for packaging all that up and getting it to an instructor's mailbox is another $5 - so (round numbers again) we're at $20. If my numbers are even remotely close, that puts $200,000 per release back on the table if even one instructor at every club would download their release rather than take physical shipment.
Again, the population of instructors that could benefit from electronic release distribution is probably limited. But maybe - just maybe - it's large enough to make it a viable option. Especially if it means we here in little ol' Blacksburg, Virginia aren't the last ones on the planet to get music anymore!
To be sure, rollout of a new release must be a huge job - According to LMI these programs now run in more than 10,000 clubs worldwide. Even if you had only one instructor per club that'd be a big undertaking, but of course there's quite a few more than that.
Which begs the question - does this distribution model really make sense anymore? Really, in this age of iTunes and movies over the internet, can we not make use of technology to help get the job done? Obviously having downloadable releases won't work for everyone, but consider this - for those instructors who do have access to a fast connection and know how to download music to an iPod, this might actually work just fine.
Let's suppose that's one instructor per club - 10,000. And just for the sake of round numbers, let's suppose the cost of putting together the physical materials for each release (CD, DVD, plastic case, book, etc.) is US $15, and the cost for packaging all that up and getting it to an instructor's mailbox is another $5 - so (round numbers again) we're at $20. If my numbers are even remotely close, that puts $200,000 per release back on the table if even one instructor at every club would download their release rather than take physical shipment.
Again, the population of instructors that could benefit from electronic release distribution is probably limited. But maybe - just maybe - it's large enough to make it a viable option. Especially if it means we here in little ol' Blacksburg, Virginia aren't the last ones on the planet to get music anymore!
I'm all for that. I'm in Mobile, Alabama and still have not received 65 :(
Hi Guys.
I totally agree. I was just talking to an instructor friend in Malaysia and he only just got his Pump 65 kit a couple of days ago.
We're pretty lucky in Australia, we get them pretty much immediately. It must be a huge logistics challenge for them though. Maybe outsourcing could help. Plenty of record companies manage to get their CDs out for global releases.
Great idea about the iTunes distribution though. I would love that idea. Even a subscriber only website to download content from would be great.
That does bring up an interesting point though. I'm not sure what the copyright laws in the states are like, but over here it is technically illegal to even copy an original CD ot an iPod. Yes, I know it sounds a bit silly and unrealistic, but it's true. The master trainers during the module training even go so far as to point out that we are only allowed to play the original CDs during classes. Technically, we're not even allowed to use iPods, let alone copied CDs. (Really annoying since i ended up destroying my release 63 CD due to overuse scratching...)
I really do hope an electronic distribution system takes hold one day soon. I suspect it will take a bit of time for the 'physical product' people to get used to an electronic world.
Keep up the good work.
Pat
Hi guys-
Tami-have you had more time to go over/listen to 65? what do you think now?
We launched at the Y this past Sat......all went well....lots of moaning and groaning from the crowd after chest, lunges and shoulders.....abs got em a bit too! It's a great work out...
Niki
well iknow what you are saying but i do like to have something tangible in my hands. my collection is huge and it would be weird not to have a cd/dvd or notes the way they package them
agree with last comment, how will I be able to have video, how wil I be able to find the script ?????
itunes and whatever broadband maybe good for the music and for the student, but not rally efficient enough now for a teacher who need script, video and music!