We all know how much effort is put into acquiring new members. From our digital advertising spend to our grassroots campaigns, our focus has always been on getting more people experiencing our product and services.
That, however, is only half the equation for success when it comes to running a successful gym business. The same amount of attention that goes into acquiring new members must go into keeping them long term as more of us have realized in the past two years.
Some retention strategies that you have likely already implemented include personalized onboarding, asking for referrals (because people like to work out with friends) and 30-day check-ins.
Here are three other retention strategies that you may not already be doing—and if you are already doing them, then kudos to you:
1. Fitness Challenges. A great way to motivate and engage an existing member is to challenge them at some level. A fitness challenge can help members form new habits and create better support systems by having them be part of something inclusive within your club. Competing not necessarily against everyone else but against themselves can be a powerful tool. Running these challenges not only engages members but increases the energy of your club as a whole. You can be as creative in designing a challenge as you want to be.
Here are a few things to incorporate when designing an effective challenge:
- Number of check-ins in a given time period (30 or 60 days)
- Amount of group fitness classes taken in a given time period
- Most lean muscle gained or body fat lost in a given time period
2. Invest in technology. Two of the top reasons members leave a gym is because a lack of motivation and results. You can break that cycle by investing in technology to help motivate people and show them their progress. More and more clubs are investing in this strategy with the sole purpose of retaining members longer. Here are my top two pieces of technology to invest in:
- A body scanner. The most important reason someone joins a gym is to reach a fitness goal. Whether it is to lose weight, build muscle or train for an event, your club can be a means by which they accomplish it. A product that can scan their body during their onboarding experience can engage new members to set realistic goals moving forward. It can measure body fat, how much skeletal muscle they have, as well as how much water they have in and out of their cells. You can use these measurable results both at the beginning of new members’ lifecycles, as well as six or 12 months later. This will get new members to consider how they will reach their goals. As a result of these specific goals set using a measurable device, you will see more engagement in your ancillary services such as personal training.
- Heart rate training. The best way for members to see results during and after a workout is to use a heart rate training tool that shows them what zone they were in when training. These heart rate tools are being adopted not just by boutique fitness studios but by many big box gyms as well. Educating members on what zones to train in is a vital tool to keep them motivated and engaged in each and every workout. This is why boutique fitness rose to popularity. They embraced the experience by investing in heart rate training and technology.
3. Newsletters. Most clubs spend a significant amount on acquiring new members through digital advertising. However, what are we spending on existing members to retain them? Even though it may seem old-school, a monthly newsletter educates your membership base about what is happening in your club, which keeps them invested in your club. Include the following sections in your newsletter:
- Member of the month. Highlight a member’s story and success, preferably success achieved by being a member of your club.
- Changes at the club. Share any additions to the club in terms of adding new equipment or classes to keep members excited about coming into your facility.
- Upcoming events. Make sure your members know about social events you are holding. These events build community—but only if your members know about them so they can attend.
Consistency is the key, so send your newsletter on a monthly basis.
BIO
Kory Angelin is the chief operating officer for Volofit and is responsible for Volofit and Tough Mudder Bootcamp franchise performance. Angelin is an award-winning fitness expert and two-time published author. He has helped many large fitness enterprises all over the globe build reliable brands and craft unique customer experiences. To learn more, go to www.volo-fit.com and follow on @volofit and @koryfit.