One of the most common retention problems for PTs is keeping members beyond the initial block of sessions, whether it is 3, 5, or 10. This month, we’re looking at different models for retention, along with ways of adding value to your PT offering.
The Covid pandemic has highlighted a lot of successful and some more problematic business models. Many businesses have been setting up or switching to subscription services, long before lockdown. Netflix, Amazon, and Spotify are obvious examples, but others include food (Abel&Cole, HelloFresh), drink (VirginWine, Beer52), razors (Harrys, DollarShaveClub), and toilet roll (WhoGivesACrap, BumBoo). Convenience is the number one selling point, but all these have an important back story, secondary mission or value, often about sustainability, environmental, or experience. Note that they all put value before price.
Selling a block of 10 sessions is out-dated, not only because the consumer is more accustomed to subscription, but also because you must keep selling every 5-10 weeks. And selling is rarely a PT’s strongest skill, or favourite part of the job. What’s more, it gives the client an easy ‘out’, particularly if they’ve not got value from the latter sessions.
The Subscription Model
A monthly subscription model can be more flexible both for the PT and the client. You can deliver an agreed number of sessions per week, fortnight, or month. The monthly fee is settled at the start, with any number of value add-ons. There’s no need to discuss renewal, you can focus on training, fitness, and delivering value. Most choose a perpetual client contract, with one calendar month notice for either the client or the PT to cancel.
In terms of adding value, it is worth looking at other subscription businesses. Amazon’s prime service has incredible retention rates over 90%. The monthly fee gives you fast delivery, access to TV, video and music, prime exclusive products, cloud storage and much more. Most people pay for the delivery or TV, but enjoy the additional value add services once they have them. And prime customers spend more than twice that of the average casual buyer.
Ash switched from selling blocks of sessions through 2019. Initially a handful of ‘trusted regulars’ moved to monthly payments. From March, all new clients were only offered monthly recurring products. Finally, as the remaining clients’ blocks of sessions expired, they either moved to monthly subscriptions or stopped.As a value-add service, Ash uses the in-club Tanita scales to analyse clients’ body composition each and every month. Everyone receives a personalised message at least fortnightly, with exercise summaries and diet plans. Recipes, testimonials, and body composition information are included in a monthly newsletter, sent to all clients, as well as ex-clients and prospects.Rather than looking for 5-10 new clients per month, Ash now only has space for 2-3 new clients. Monthly revenue has boosted by nearly 50%. But best of all, Ash has to focus less on sales!
Whether you’re still delivering PT virtually, or seeing your clients face-to-face again, it’s important to add value into your new ‘membership’ subscription model. Here are three ways to increase stickiness with clients and keep them longer.
1. Body Composition Analysis
2. EMS Training
Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) training is an emerging fitness trend. While it doesn’t replace regular training, your clients can boost their gains (or losses) with a 20-minute EMS session. Once a week is recommended, but frequency could be dictated by your client goals or needs. It can also be a great help with injury recovery. Again, there is an opportunity to educate your clients. The convenience and fast results are great for client retention.
3. Wearable/heart rate training integration
Collecting more exercise data through wearables is a great part of the proof needed for great PT. From integrating your sessions with a heart rate monitor to tracking activities in-between sessions, there are lots of ways of keeping an eye on your clients even when you are not with them. Motivation needs to both encourage and congratulate. If you only tell clients to work harder, or push them, you need to balance your messages with a high-five or well-done every so often. Showing them what the data means will help them to understand the results you are helping them to achieve.
Time for Change
Now is the time to pivot your offering as everybody’s world changes, and there is more of a focus on fitness and health. Give your clients less reason to cancel by signing them up to your monthly subscription. Incorporate amazing value into your service, whether it is included or for an additional fee. Make the value-add a reason for a key weekly or monthly interaction. If you can be educating your clients as well, they will enjoy it more, and with better retention, you’ll need to focus less on new sales.
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