In the depths of winter when rain or worse keeps your club members indoors, your gym is busy and classes may have wait lists. Same after the holidays and the beginning of the year, when everyone’s looking for a fresh start. But right now, in the middle of summer, when the lure of the beach and outdoors is at its peak, it can be much harder to keep members engaged, or frankly, in the club.
The answer can’t lie with over scheduled instructors and managers with a million things to do. But the efficiency, automation and diversity of on-demand, digital fitness content can really be a summer saver, and help re-engage members for the rest of the year.
Here’s how to get the most out of it.
Offer it Everywhere for Total Member Immersion
Members new to digital fitness should be able to engage with it everywhere. Surround them with possibilities — stream a workout or wind down on their own device, tap a touch screen kiosk at the club to get personal instruction, or try a new class or workout in an off-peak moment when the studio’s not in session.
Maximize Studio Downtime
Studio downtime should be streaming up-time. Off peak, early, late and between live classes, a quiet studio can be an excellent tool to help members test out a new class, practice yoga moves with digital instruction or select any type or level of workout from beginner to advanced, or core toning to high intensity. Keeping studios busy with live and virtual classes offers members more and positions your club as a tech-forward environment where possibilities are endless.
Engage New or Nervous Members to Get Involved
Not every member wants to be up front with an instructor. Some don’t even want to be seen. The idea of joining a new or more advanced live class keeps them out of the class altogether, on the sidelines and at risk of leaving the club. But giving members the tools and digital content to try an activity for themselves on their own schedules and in relative privacy is an effortless way to enhance the experience and engagement of every member, no matter where they are on their fitness journey.
Live Class + Digital Class = the Perfect Combo
Lastly, the best instructors understand what digital classes and workouts can do for their live class participants. Members can build on what they learn in class with digital “practice” — a re-run of the workouts, exercises and moves they used in a live session. Or instructors can recommend digital workouts specific to helping with things like balance, flexibility, muscle group strengthening, conditioning or stretching. This is an easy win for an instructor to provide additional value without additional time, and an opportunity to really build a member’s understanding and enthusiasm of the class content.
Andrew Evenson is senior director of operations and brand strategy at FitnessOnDemand. He can be contacted at aevenson@fitnessondemand247.com. Learn more at fitnessondemand247.com.
