A vital element of gym management is gym member retention. It’s not a one-time task but a continuing process of keeping members engaged and doing whatever possible to prevent them from leaving. Member retention is challenging for gyms in particular since 63% of gym members drop out after six months. As time passes, it can get worse after 36 months, as 86.7% of new members are predicted to drop out as well. But what was common among these members who ended their memberships is that no effort was made to retain them.
That’s why it’s vital to employ the following membership retention strategies.
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Welcome New Members Properly
Welcoming new members isn’t only about the usual getting-to-know-you process of learning their experience in fitness and fitness history but also involves providing them with all the information about their membership. Benefits, rules, parameters, rewards, and other features of their affiliation should be made clear to them from the start. A proper way of making this easier for both the member and the gym is to automate the process with a new customer onboarding system.
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Provide Them with Realistic Goals and Track Progress
One of the top reasons that members quit their gyms is that instructors or trainers mistakenly set unrealistic fitness goals for them. Every member has a different reason for joining the gym, and their goals will differ. Whether it’s to lose a certain amount of weight, build more muscle mass, or simply improve their overall physical fitness, you should assist members in tracking these metrics and help them achieve their goals. Make sure to help your members set and achieve realistic goals; if they feel they aren’t hitting their fitness goals, they are more likely to leave your gym in frustration.
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Keep in Touch
Strong communication between you and your members can have a positive impact on member retention. Make sure to look after the members you have, and ask them for their feedback regarding services, programs, features, or products the gym may offer—welcome positive and negative feedback and use it as a basis for improvement or continuing to practice what works.
Be sure to give rewards to longstanding members, such as discounts and freebies. When you keep existing members happy, they work as a customer base from which you can grow your business. Not only does regularly communicating with loyal members retain them, but they can also become unofficial ambassadors of your brand via word-of-mouth advertising. As for members at risk of leaving, touching base with them can strengthen your relationship with them and convert them to loyal members.
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Make Membership Management Easy
When your gym membership makes it difficult for members to track their progress, participate in special events, book classes, and reap certain rewards for their loyalty, that could prompt them to leave. You can use a membership management software for this and make it easier for members to schedule their training sessions or classes, and see how close or how far they are from reaching their fitness goals. Use a membership management system that’s easy to use and navigate, provides real-time analysis and reporting, and has a mobile app.
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Personalize Membership Experience
When you deliver a friendly, more personalized gym experience to your members, they will surely stay on and remain loyal. Make your members feel like they’re personally cared for and serviced. Give members the option to train in classes, or have one-on-one sessions with instructors. Treat their fitness goals as your own, and suggest the most effective training programs and diet and lifestyle pointers for them to achieve.
With these ideas in mind, you can ensure that your gym will retain its members in the long run and that your business will continue to grow.
