For Newtown Athletic Club, member retention is always top-of-mind. We have over 13,000 members and a large demographic to which we cater. Our goal is to have 50 percent or more of our check-ins attend a group fitness class. Our penetration rate can climb into the 70 percent rate at times, and we owe this success to keeping our finger on the “PULSE:”
Prescription: Personal trainers prescribe a plan for members to meet their goals, which includes group fitness classes. Classes are chosen based on desired results, like strength classes that use real dumbbells for weight loss, or gentle yoga to decrease stress. With over 220 classes a week, we have something for everyone.
Update: We update our programming and services on a continuous basis to ensure we are at the forefront of group fitness trends, from multi-modality classes to incorporating wearables.
Listen: We hear from our members regarding what they want — but it’s our responsibility to “listen.” We interact with our members on a daily basis and ask for feedback face-to-face, but we also utilize Medallia to survey our members on a systematic and measurable basis.
Special Events: Every quarter we host fundraisers or events to spread awareness for health initiatives. In addition, we use these events to promote our instructors and programming. For example, we held a Zumba Party for Breast Cancer Awareness and launched new boot camp classes to raise money for Augie’s Quest. Having 50-plus people together really increases the excitement and energy of a program.
Experience: We believe you should be entering an “experience” as soon as you walk into a group fitness studio. We try to keep our rooms updated with fresh coats of paint and new fitness accessories and ensure our group fitness rooms have the same attention as our fitness center.
At the end of the day, helping members reach their fitness goals and feel a sense of belonging socially, so that coming to our club is a bright spot in their day, is what keeps them coming back.
Erin Lotta is the group fitness director for NAC. Email her at erinlotta@newtownathletic.com.
