Q. I want to be more than just a place for people to exercise. How can I inject more energy into my club and generate more loyalty from my members? – Fady Bahri, the owner of Pulse Fitness in Jacksonville, Fla.
A. Too many times in our industry we forget that it’s not only our job to get people to exercise more, but also to enjoy the experience. Creating a fun environment is very important in order to increase member loyalty, member referrals and the amount of money members will spend at your club. Here are a few things that will need to happen in order to create that type of culture in your club.
Be The Leader
It all starts at the top. If you lack energy, are always in a bad mood or don’t practice what you preach, your staff will never embrace your new policies to improve energy levels at your club. You absolutely must be an inspiration and an example for them to follow.
If you lack this personality trait or are an absentee owner, you need to make sure that your top manager(s) are the example of energy and passion you need to be able to begin creating a long-lasting positive flow of energy from the top down.
Train Your Staff
First, if you already know of someone on your team who will not embrace the new policy and through no amount of training, will ever be what you need them to be, cut them loose. Hire slow, fire fast, is always a good philosophy when building the perfect team.
For now, let’s assume you have a solid team in place. Communication is going to be the key to your success. If you do not effectively communicate your new mission with your staff, the mission will not be sustainable. Frequent staff training by you and your top managers is going to be highly important in creating this type of atmosphere.
More important than anyone else on your team, the front desk staff is going to play a huge role in injecting the energy into your club. Many times the only interaction your members have with a staff member during a visit is with a member of the front desk team. It is important that you hire the right personalities for this position, and spend extra time training them.
Your trainers, instructors and everyone else on payroll (even the contractors) need to embrace your philosophy. A staff member working against you, or your mission, is like a poison and you need to take corrective action sooner rather than later. You need to hire and fire until you have the perfect blend of fun, trainability and professionalism on your team. It needs to be all smiles, all the time.
Increase Member Loyalty
There are unlimited ways you can increase the loyalty of your members. Mostly it’s not through elaborate loyalty programs or campaigns, but rather by simply listening to them, recognizing them and rewarding them.
You never know what kind of day a member has had before they show up to workout. If you can offer them just a single moment where they’re recognized as important, or you can get them to smile and talk, the loyalty earned is immeasurable.
If you have members losing weight (I hope you do), be sure to recognize their efforts. You can create a “Wall of Heroes” at your facility with a picture and testimonial from each of these members. You can send them a special gift or award. Many people struggling with weight loss or athleticism have never won a physical fitness achievement award in their life.
Get to know your members. Learn about and talk about the things that they enjoy. Challenge everyone on your staff to learn the names of all of your members. You and your managers should be walking the floor, talking with members and helping those who need help. Your members will notice your efforts!
Treat others better than you would expect to be treated. When you create this culture in your club, your members will stay longer, refer more friends and invest in other profit centers your club has to offer. Your members will love being there and will always look forward to coming to your facility. -CS
Curtis Mock is the host of www.fitnessbusinesstelevision.com, the TV show for fitness entrepreneurs and is the executive director of GymSuccess.com. Curtis can be reached via e-mail at Curtis@ClubSolutionsMagazine.com.
