Your staff and you aren’t the only ones who dread the New Year’s rush. Current members, especially those who have dedicated workout routines, can quickly resent the crowd of newcomers. It’s important to remember that there is a premium on your regulars. They build your club’s culture, have higher rates of renewal, and often, they’re your best salespeople, promoting your gym or studio to friends and family.
You can’t afford to lose valuable dedicated members due to a wave of new signups who are unlikely to stay long term. Use a variety of retention strategies to re-engage and strengthen your relationships with current members before January to boost retention rates.
Thank You Email
Don’t underestimate the simple power of a heartfelt thank you. Compose a brief but genuine thank you email to active members. Preface that you anticipate an increase in club traffic and appreciate their patience as new members join the club. Include your member manager’s contact information. This gives members an outlet to report any issues or concerns. Your CRM software can be used to identify members who have checked into the club in the last 90 days so you know you’re connecting with your most active members.
Introduce Club Improvements Before January
Club enhancement fees aren’t always popular with members, but they do serve a valuable purpose: raising capital to keep the club modern and fully functional. If your members are unhappy with the fee, it’s likely because they’ve never seen their benefit. No one wants to pay taxes until they’re used to build a highway that reduces the crosstown commute. Prove your enhancement fees value by using a portion of that capital to purchase new equipment. Extra machines on the gym floor can generate buzz among your members and motivate more club visits during the slower holiday season.
Guarantee Class Space
Temporarily increase either class sizes or the number of classes offered per week to ensure regulars aren’t pushed out of classes by new members. If staffing or space restrictions prevent an increase in class spots, consider offering reserved spots for your regular members. Further, implement a club policy that staff members will only join a group class if it is not full. Group training is a highly effective retention tool because members are able to keep each other accountable.
End-of-Year Assessments
For members who haven’t visited the club recently, encourage re-engagement by offering free end-of-year assessments. Members often disengage from a club if they aren’t seeing improvement or weight loss. Through assessments, your trainers can evaluate their health, discuss their fitness goals, and create a custom New Year workout plan. Use your CRM software’s check-in data to identify inactive members, i.e. members who haven’t logged a check-in to your club in 60 days or more.
By Club OS. Learn more about prepping your fitness center for January with our free New Year’s Game Plan e-book! Written by Kevin Talley, digital content coordinator at Club OS. Visit club-os.com for more information.
