Another New Year season has come and gone and we all have embraced and weathered the New Year’s Resolution storm. By working 24-7, we’ve enrolled busloads of new members, most of which are excited to finally begin their health and fitness plan that has been put on the back burner for who knows how long. So, now is the time we can relax, sit back and catch our breath, right? Absolutely not! Now is the time to roll up our sleeves and to focus on how to deliver the Ultimate Fitness Experience (UFE) to each and every member.
The best way to guarantee delivery of the UFE, is to concentrate on a philosophy that I like to call: “The 3 R’s of Fitness: Results, Retention and Referrals. By engaging in this philosophy we will help make sure that all of these new members are “launched” properly in the club from day one.
Results!
Before the new member leaves the health club, set him or her up with two to three orientations with a certified personal trainer or fitness coach. A new member needs guidance and one PT session isn’t enough. Allowing that member to struggle with learning new equipment and formulating a work out plan will set them up for failure and we will never see them again. Instead, sit down with your new members and perform a thorough fitness evaluation. Take them through some workouts that are easy to remember on their own, yet designed to deliver results. By giving the new members individual attention from the get-go, they are much more likely to get the “Results” that they deserve!
Retention!
Offer the new member 25 percent off a pro shop purchase at the Point of Sale. Walk them through the pro shop to make sure they have all the accessories and products that they will need for their workouts. Remember to explain to them the strength, history and credibility behind your brand so that they are proud to display it inside and outside the club.
Have the new members fill out your version of a Buddy Referral Sheet. Give every person that they refer to you a one-week pass. Remind them that they are three times more likely to get better results by working out with a partner than working out alone. Keep in mind that the time of enrollment is when your new members are the most excited to show off their new health club to their friends. The bottom line is, if they have someone to workout with, their usage and number of visits will increase and they will retain their membership longer.
Always introduce the new members to the General Manager or Fitness Director of your club before they leave. They become another face and name to recognize when the new member comes to workout, thus creating a welcoming environment. This introduction raises the member’s comfort level when walking through the front door of the club.
Remember your new member’s name. The last thing we want is for someone to feel like just another number. If you want to develop a long lasting relationship with the members, addressing them by name makes them feel important, because they are!
Write the new member a “Thank You and Congratulatory post card.” There is nothing better than a personally hand written note thanking and welcoming them into the club. It’s such a great customer service touch – you’ll be surprised how far it will go! Remember that it costs us twice as much to go out and get a new member as it does to keep the ones we have!
Referrals!
It’s a pretty simple formula that we’re working on here: It’s critical to get every single new member in front of a personal trainer ASAP. Through the trainer, the new member is given the knowledge, education and motivation needed to succeed. Because they are now getting results, and we have launched them properly with postcards, follow-up calls, learning their names, etc., these members are now much more inclined to retain their membership for a long period of time. The longer members retain their membership, the more referrals they will bring us.
