Savvy clubs across the country have been experimenting with refundable enrollments with some serious success. The concept is that not only do you sell the membership; you sell the emotion of joining a fitness center. Face it, people join because they want to stay in shape, but often times they are concerned if they will “stick to it” or not.
With refundable enrollments you reaffirm their emotional objections and help them develop a healthy habit of working out. We see that members who work out 12 times within their first month have a much higher retention rate and long-term value than members who don’t. Offering a incentive to refund their enrollment fee if they check in 12 or more times in their first 30 days will help cement them as members, and lead to long term revenue for your club.
Chris Batchelor
Health Club Marketing Contributor
You alluded to the real problem of all exercise programs and retention…, “sticking” with it.
I’ve been telling club owners for years that they are setting their members up for failure from the get go. Overwhelming, complex, embarrassing and awkward exercises, unrealistic time expectations are driving members right back out the door. The new obese American needs to be nudged into compliance. Their goal is fat loss, health and fitness not sport specific training.
I have had great success with a reverse psychological approach of only 2 workouts a week for new clients. This is their only requirement the first 3 weeks. As time is usually the biggest hurdle or excuse a client presents it has to fit into their life …not be an obstacle.
In order for the potentail member to buy into this program they must be educated on the process of “protein synthesis” to reduce fat stores over volume of exercise which is the prescription by most trainers. By the way if they can fit a third workout in that is used as positve reinforcement of going above and beyond.