With most of the focus on new members, big money is usually spent advertising on attracting members. The problem is once someone joins, often the courting effort stops and the investment to keep them falls off dramatically. As a result, so do these same members come renewal time. Your marketing budget should account for retention expense. If you invest half as much in keeping someone as you do getting them, you actually get a better return.
Be aware of big events in members lives good and bad. On birthdays send a card with a gift, if someone orders a smoothie give a freebie once in a while. While we hate our members to experience negative situations life happens and it provides opportunities to wow your members. If there is a job loss and they let you know about it why not suspend their billing for a couple months, if there is a major illness or injury send flowers or in the case of something serious make a donation to an appropriate charity. These small acts of kindness do a lot more in securing your relationship with your members and it shows you really care.
Frank Emanuel
Health Club Marketing Contributor
