Are you missing the group fitness step?
As we ramp up for our season I always think to myself, “How are we going to take care of all these new members? How are we going to service them and ensure success?”
Group Fitness can serve as a fantastic and valuable asset to your members. Your members want a destination when they walk into the club. Knowing exactly where they are going and what they are going to do will help keep them on track.
In our industry, many clubs are still trying to find the connection between the sales process and group fitness. Let’s face it, we are spending a lot of money on group fitness real estate in our clubs so why not ensure its use and provide a consistent destination for our members?
Let’s connect the dots: When a member joins they, of course, get their 1,2 or 3 gratis orientation sessions with a personal trainer to show and familiarize them with the club and to also explain the benefits of personal training. This is an important step and it is part of the sales process. So, what about the group fitness orientation? Why not make sure that the members become familiar immediately with all the things that are available to them. It doesn’t matter if just a few people attend a group fitness sessions, because those few people will immerse themselves into the club culture and become familiar from day one.
Here are the steps to ensure successful group fitness orientation and follow up. This will enhance your Member On Boarding Process. Get ready for the January crowd and implement for success.
1. Group Fitness Directors will set up two times a week that they will hold Group Fitness Orientations, which will be documented on the events calendar. (Example: Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m.). When appointments are set up, it is not a “question” if one wants to sign up, it is explained that it is part of the member process and an advantage. Their name and number is still documented even if they do not want to set an appointment so that the Group Fitness Director may make contact.
2. An appointment book will be at the front desk of the facility. At the point of sale, appointments must be set up for Group Fitness orientation. Names, phone numbers and e-mails will be collected and documented in the book on the day of the new member’s appointment. Appointments should be set up within the first week of joining. Prior to launching this, there will be training for front desk and the membership team. We will track by gym to drive implementation. When appointments are set up it is not a “question” if one wants to sign up, it is explained that it is part of the member process and an advantage. Their name and number is still documented even if they do not want to set an appointment so that the Group Fitness Director may make contact.
3. Group Fitness Director’s will be responsible for confirming the appointments with all members are who are scheduled.
4. Group Fitness Director and/or assigned instructor will greet all members at the front desk and bring them back to the Group Fitness room for their orientation. Orientation will consist of a meet and greet, five minute excerpt of each core class offered and give them “hands on” experience of the classes. The goal is to get the members comfortable prior to their first class experience. Following the class section of the orientation, members will sit down and, with the help of the instructor, create a schedule of a minimum of two classes that they will commit to attend each week. This information will be documented and passed on by the director/instructor who hosted the orientation via e-mail to the instructors who will be teaching the classes that the new member has scheduled to take. The director/instructor who hosted the orientation will give a reminder phone call to the member prior to the member’s first class. The instructor will be expecting them, greet them and make sure they are set up and comfortable prior to commencing the class.
5. After the member has shown up and taken their first class they will receive a e-mail from the instructor who taught the class, thanking them for coming to class, congratulating them and ensuring that they will expect them next time.
Lori Lowell is the President of Group Fitness Solutions, LLC, and owns 8 Fitness Facilities in Virginia and Wisconsin. Contact her at lori@groupfitnesssolutions.com.
