People want to make retention harder than it is — to me there is no mystery to it. There are steps to go through: find out what people want when they join, determine how your club can realistically satisfy those needs, explain how you intend to do it, get agreement from the new member and then deliver as promised.
If someone wants to lose 30 pounds — get them set up with a trainer, constantly ask how close they are to reaching their goals, make sure other support staff are aware of individuals goals, ask if there is anything the club can do to help and provide a culture that isn’t afraid to volunteer advice when appropriate. The act of keeping both parties accountable, showing you care and assuring that the members accomplish the results that brought them to you in the first place is not an automatic guarantee of a renewal; but, I think it’s as close as you can get. Mystery solved.
Frank Emanuel
Health Club Marketing Contributor
