Gyms and health clubs are jammin’ in January — filled with new members and the promise of getting fit, losing weight and improving one’s health. It’s also filled with your established members that hit your facility all year long.
In fact, overall gym attendance usage spikes 18% from November to early February.
This also means, over 18% of your equipment, classes and locker rooms are getting extra use and EXTRA crowded. As a gym owner, you have no doubt been preparing for the New Year’s Resolution Rush, but don’t overlook the importance of not just shepherding in new members — but continuing to cater to your established members as well.
Here is a checklist for gym owners to mitigate the New Year’s Resolution Rush:
—Prepare new and established members by conducting fitness assessments or functional movement screenings and schedule orientations. Assessments ensure members are not injuring themselves through improper repetitive movement. Additionally, it helps help curb abuse to the human body and expensive equipment. It’s also another opportunity to connect with regular gym members face-to-face and make sure your facility is helping them meet their overall health and fitness goals.
—During the orientations, be sure and address any general gym etiquette rules such as not spending more than 30 minutes on a cardio machine when there is a wait or wiping down equipment. However, the less obvious rules that newbie members need to know include arriving at least 10 minutes before a class starts, meeting the instructor and remembering to bring a towel and bottle of water.
–Track new member specific usage over the first 30, 60 and 90 days by investing in gym management software that gives your club the ability to assess how often your members are going to the gym, what classes they are taking and most importantly, getting ahead of any reasons why their attendance has dropped or changed.
–Take advantage of the opportunity to upsell new and returning members on personal training packages, classes or group training offerings. By implementing data from a robust gym management software system, gyms can learn more about their members and what add-ons or upsells that would interest them the most.
With this checklist and the right systems and software tools in place, during the New Year’s Resolution Rush you should be able to maximize your gym revenue from your club’s established and new members, while increasing member retention. Most importantly, you will be building the right gym community that keeps new and established members coming back to your facility beyond the Resolution Rush.
Angela Walker joined the ASF marketing team as the Social Media and Content Manager in July of 2017 following a relocation to the Denver area from Silicon Valley, after working on the News Feed at Facebook, Inc. and eBay. Angie brings over 14 years of writing experience coupled with a knowledge of the tech industry and social media. When she is not knuckle-deep in tweets or timelines, you can find her in the mountains with her family and her precocious pups, Martini and JJ. For more information, contact: 800-227-3859 and email: sales@asfpaymentsolutions.com.
