Does your club host its own boot camp, or are you losing business to the studio down the street? If you have a boot camp, do you charge extra, or is it free to your members? Do you have space inside, or are you restricted to hosting your boot camp outdoors when the weather permits?
The reason I ask is because Monday, after months of discussion with sources within the industry, I decided to lace up the kicks and take my first boot camp. I’ve never experienced one of these classes before and I truly had no clue what to expect. I imagined someone barking orders at me like military camp, or someone telling me to flip a massive tire for 30 minutes straight.
What I immediately discovered was that the people attending this boot camp had strength, endurance and great cardiovascular health. Before this class I had been slacking on my workout routine, and my diet had suffered for about a month, which isn’t very good coming out of the winter. I took notice that my weight was increasing, and started running long distance like I’ve done many times over the year. Without the strength training included in my workout, I wasn’t getting the results I desired.
This is when my eyes opened and I realized I had successfully put myself into the shoes of the potential member. I knew that if I didn’t get control over my exercise very quickly, I might soon be fighting a losing battle. So, I decided to join a small box facility/training studio with a successful boot camp.
I like the lure of CrossFit, but to be honest, the companies I looked into didn’t provide enough information, and weren’t successful in returning e-mails and phone calls. I’m a little new school in my approach. I might see an advertisement somewhere for a club or class, but I’m more likely to go online before I go in, or make a phone call. Additionally, I’m more apt to fire off an e-mail than pick up the phone. For me, I can quickly send an e-mail and continue with my day, rather than take five minutes to talk to someone on the phone.
A lot of your members are going to address your advertisements and direct mail pieces in this way. In fact, it might take a couple of passes before the individual makes a move. For the particular boot camp, I knew a person that was using the facility and they provided me with an outstanding testimonial. I didn’t need all the, “I lost X percentage body weight,” or “I lost X weight.” All he said was it was hard work, enjoyable and it worked. The last bit is what caught my attention. IT WORKED!
Who knows if it will work for me? Like I said, it was day one of a five-month-long journey. In five months, I plan to evaluate and see where I am. Regardless of the outcome, you should take note of how I started. I spent weeks researching local boot camp and CrossFit studios, clubs of all sizes and distances from my home and work (Membership Limbo). Once I heard of a place, I asked questions that ranged from location, to instructors to price. I then went to the website, easily found a contact e-mail on the homepage, looked at the schedule and location, and fired off an e-mail.
Before I left work that day, I had received a response and responded with my availability for an interview/analysis. This was last Friday, and by Monday I was killing myself in my first class.
I’m happy with my membership at the moment. It’s month-to-month and I can get out whenever I want, without providing an excuse.
What I wish would have happened was my original club offering me more value. I needed something more in my membership. I needed a type of personal training, but the packages weren’t exactly what I wanted. However, I believe if my gym had asked me about boot camps that were starting five days a week, at multiple times, I would have immediately resigned. I would have easily paid $20 or $30 more for a boot camp at my facility, or a type of CrossFit training. But, instead, all I received was someone telling me that if I didn’t lock in, the rates would become substantially higher.
Great, so my only incentive to join a club is that the rates might be higher when I look to rejoin down the road. Here is the only issue: I’m not looking to rejoin. I’m looking down the road and finding a new location where I can get fit.
How do you believe this stacks up to your member’s experience? Camaraderie is a major factor in sustaining a membership. Also, opportunities that don’t seem out of reach in terms of training retain members. Telling a member that they need to resign because a rate might change, or asking them if they will miss the amenities (that happened too) won’t retain your member that wants to get in shape. Take a moment sometime this week and do a web search for all the studios, CrossFit and boot camp locations popping up around you. Stop worrying about the club competitor opening in town, and start worrying about the small facilities offering results.
As a club, you are better fit to hit people with a lower price point with more opportunities for fitness. Make a move to launch great programs designed after some of the studio programs. Maybe even go out and hire studio trainers that can bring their studio flare to your own facility.
Tyler Montgomery is the editor of Club Solutions Magazine. Contact him at tyler@clubsolutionsmagazine.com.
