To grow your gym, you need to run on two parallel tracks – including one that most gym owners too often ignore.
Everybody wants new members, of course. And that’s Track 1: attracting new members. We know gym owners who will spend hundreds of dollars to get a new lead, nurture the relationship, and close the deal – and then… and then… IGNORE THE CLIENT.
They’re forgetting about Track 2: retaining members. This is AT LEAST as important to the success of your business as gaining new members. In fact, an argument can be made that retention is even more important because, if you’re keeping a steady client base, you have less worry about getting newcomers in the door.
Truthfully, both are important in order to grow your gym. So, let’s look at a few tactics to keep you moving smoothly and powerfully on BOTH those tracks at the same time.
Track 1: Attracting New Members
Who Do You Want
First, you need to be crystal clear on who you’re trying to attract. This is closely tied to knowing the problem you’re going to help them solve.
Then base your business, customer experience, programming, pricing, and marketing around that.
Make it clear WHO you want to help with WHAT problem and HOW.
Market Where They Are
If your ideal clients are on Facebook, then don’t waste time on TikTok.
If they gather every morning at the corner coffee shop, then you need to be there, too.
Don’t make the mistake of believing “If I build it, they will come.” It’s a sweet statement in a corny old movie, but not a business plan.
Use Lead Magnets
This is a classic way to grow your email list and raise your profile. Create something of value and give it away (for FREE) in exchange for an email address or other contact information.
It doesn’t have to be something expensive – just of value to your prospect.
Common, effective examples: a few recipes, sample workouts, or even a free first workout.
Be Out There in the Real World
To grow your gym, don’t just rely on social media and digital marketing.
You should cross-promote with businesses that also serve your avatar. Have a booth at community events. Sponsor a team at fun runs. Go to chamber of commerce luncheons.
Everywhere you go, give out a card for a free workout and collect email addresses and phone numbers.
Don’t rely just on emails. Text people who have given you’re their contact info. Call them. Call them back.
Build the Right Membership Plans
Do your ideal clients want personal training? Free weights? Small groups?
Do they want discounted pricing – or do they want to pay for premium service?
Are short-term plans right for your audience? What about long-term discounts, family packages, etc.?
Give Them a Good Intro Deal
Promote a special program or introductory price to attract attention. Then, when people come in, over-deliver on your promise. Make them think, “Ah… THIS is what I’ve been wanting, and I didn’t even realize it.”
Then, transition them into a membership by getting to know them, their fears, and their goals – and responding to them as individuals you care about.
“You better have an outstanding program that over-delivers and a client experience that’s off the charts,” gym owner Doug Spurling says. “If you’re not getting your clients great results and wowing them with a customer experience that’s second to none, no amount of marketing will be able to fix it.”
More Pro Tips
Here’s great advice from some of the best in the biz. You might’ve heard some of these before, but they’re always worth remembering.
· Training guru Todd Durkin says you should focus on providing exceptional customer service and building authentic relationships.
· Business coach Alwyn Cosgrove likes using a trial period and packing member packages with value, rather than focusing on price alone.
· Molly Galbraith, co-founder of Girls Gone Strong, urges you to create an inclusive and welcoming environment. (Read more great advice in “Selling Fitness: Essential Gym Sales Tips.”)
Track 2: Retaining Your Members
Current members are GOLD, so you want to do everything possible to keep them. Grow your gym by keeping members for years and years – without ever having to invest in acquiring them again or onboarding them again.
This doesn’t mean it’s a cakewalk, though. Having high retention and low “churn” takes effort and proper systems.
The stability is the reward. Plus, if you really care about helping people, then that commitment extends far past the moment they sign the contract, right? Member service is where the rubber meets the road.
Cover the Basics First
Make sure your gym or studio has the appropriate equipment and that it’s well maintained. Keep everything clean. Inform members about your sanitation efforts.
Make sure employees know your company values and key messages. Make sure they’re aware of what’s happening in the business and what’s coming up. If you truly want to grow your gym, by all means, make sure they greet members by name every time.
Keep the gym experience in line with your marketed and stated intent. For instance, if you’re promoting your business as a family-friendly facility, then make sure no one is blasting loud music with profane lyrics in the middle of the day. If you’re trying to draw young men who want to lift heavy and become body builders, you might want to reconsider the pastel paint job and emphasis on spin classes.
Help Them Reach Their Goals
Business coach Elias Scarr highlights the need to help clients build confidence. Remember that coming into a gym can be intimidation for many people; to grow your gym, you must make them feel welcome and valued.
You should know every new client’s goals – and concerns. Offer training tips or services for each one. Provide them with workouts or recommendations for free apps and videos.
Educate them about other lifestyle factors that can affect their fitness levels, like stress, sleep, and nutrition.
Use Tech for a Better Experience
Make all aspects of your customer experience as friction-free as possible for members. It should be easy for them to pay bills, renew memberships, register for classes, cancel services, etc.
Business coach Pat Rigsby says you should keep most clients on contracts lasting three to 12 months. That gives you peace of mind and lets you focus on developing long-term strategies to deliver results.
With tools like Naamly provides, your employees can monitor attendance, make sure all communications with members are shared across your teams, acknowledge milestones, and lots more.
When someone misses a few sessions, call them up and ask how they’re doing. When someone makes it to their 25th, 50th or 100th workout, acknowledge it somehow. Everyone likes to be seen.
Provide Accountability to Grow Your Gym
Accountability is the biggest reason people sign up for personal training. It involves reminding people why they started and helping them see their progress.
You can provide accountability to grow your gym. Promote your trainers and the long-term value of a trainer-client relationship. Point out the accountability that comes in small-group training, as well.
Monitor attendance and nurture clients to make at least eight visits to your business per month. IHRSA says that’s the magic number to keep people coming back month after month.
Keep It Rolling
Never let a member wonder if they’re important to you. Keep them on your email newsletter distribution list. Share club updates with them – and even just content about fitness that’s useful, entertaining or relevant to them.
You don’t want to be like that friend who only calls you when he needs a favor, right?
So, provide tailored fitness challenges, VIP events and workshops, and other special events just for members.
Plan coffee or cocktail outings. Organize a team for a fun run. Host quarterly open houses and encourage members to brings guests.
“This not only provides exposure to a different clientele, but also strengthens community ties,” says gym owner Juli Colotti. “The key is to find businesses whose customers share interests with our ideal clients.”
Creating a Thriving Community
If you can turn your gym into a place people want to be, they’ll keep coming back.
If you give them the results they crave, they’ll keep recommending you to others.
And if you keep your operations as smooth and professional as possible, you’ll eliminate many of the common reasons gym members cite when saying goodbye.
Some loss is inevitable, and that’s OK. But with the right systems and attitudes in place, you can keep more than enough newcomers coming in – and keep the vast majority of current members more than happy to stick around.
Learn more about how to grow your gym by enrolling in our Naamly Online University Newsletter.