The fitness industry is facing a revolution, rather than an evolution. There are going to be some clear winners, several casualties, and lots of change.
In recent years, forward thinking clubs have been moving towards ‘wellness’ models, incorporating health (physical and mental) and nutrition into their service. The current pandemic has highlighted the need for more inclusive offerings, truly supporting people’s health, rather than just fitness or strength.
Clubs that focus on the already active may survive, but those who expand their thinking have an opportunity to thrive.
The Future of Memberships
While there is still a place for in-club memberships, you need to consider how to support your current members outside the physical building. Some members cannot, or do not want to visit now, but they still have a membership or affinity with your club.
Finding out what these members want will help you to expand your offering. Virtual classes are fine for your keen members during lockdown and will keep them engaged. But a club is much more than this. It is about community, connections, purpose, and the opportunity to connect with staff and other members.
Many members look to your instructors or coaches for advice, exercise guidance, motivation, and accountability. A high-five, shout-out or simple recognition goes a long way to inspiring and retaining members.
Remote Coaching Membership
Offering members or prospects a personalised programme of exercise and/or nutrition is proving popular. Lots of people have equipment they can use at home or can keep fit without any kit. However, they still need guidance on what to do, along with encouragement to do it. Remote coaching will help members with their fitness until they come back to the club. For others, it will remove the need for the club. Would you rather have them on a remote membership, or nothing at all?
Coaches need to book regular meetings (in person or online) with remote members to update their programme or discuss goals and progress. They will keep in touch with members via messenger or your app. A high-five or nudge message will help with the much-needed motivation and accountability. (This is the same model that should happen with your regular club members).
Some remote coaching members also have a club membership. There is always an option to up-sell products such as bootcamp or one-to-one PT, but this should not be the main objective.
App/tracker membership
Many clubs have offered free apps during lockdown, which is admirable. Some apps have helped to save thousands of memberships. Now it is time to realise the value of the fitness app and put it to good use. Imagine every person in your database using your app. Your members, prospects, and ex-members log their daily activity, food, or feelings. They download programmes, recipes, or podcasts. Join fun challenges, earn points, and receive messages. The app becomes the core of their health and fitness support, whether they are visiting the club or not.
Part of establishing value is charging for your app. Depending on the benefits (not functionality), a starting price could be just one pound, euro, or dollar. Whether this is a one-off or monthly is up to you. The point is to value your offering, for the benefit of your members.
Now your prospects, ex-members, and staff all become members, and you have the reasons and channels to communicate with them and support them better.
Health Membership
Clubs with Body Composition Analysis (BCA) scales are offering regular check-ups for members as a standalone membership. A true “health-club” can use BCA to measure people’s body fat percentage, visceral fat, muscle mass, total body water, metabolic rate, and a whole lot more.
Educating members about their body composition and giving them advice is not just about getting members into the club or even retaining them (but it helps). It is an additional revenue stream for new members who do not want a gym membership, but want to see the results of their exercise, or need guidance (see remote coaching, above).
These are just three examples of ‘future’ memberships that clubs are offering today.
Communicate to get your strategy right
Key to understanding your future business direction is communication. Start with your current members, as they are most engaged. Use surveys, feedback forums, social feeds, and conversations. Ask open questions and ask lots of members. Do not base your future strategy on a couple of tweets, or on what the loudest member wants. It pays to ask absent members too; what will re-engage them?
Staff feedback is also critical, they should have a good sense of what your members want or need. Listening to ex-members and prospects is the third piece of the puzzle
Sometimes open questions are difficult to answer, so offering options can help. What would you like to see from an app? How would remote coaching benefit you? It shows you have the ideas but are looking to serve your members needs. Try to learn more about their needs rather than confirm your own beliefs.
The Future of Retention
With an expanding and diversifying membership base, the future of member retention will be an interesting challenge. With more data, and improved data, you should be able to understand and serve your members better. You can deliver more of what they want and when they want it. With pathways to upgrade members, you also have pathways to downgrade, which can help save members, or maintain a level of value, subscription, and engagement.
Guy Griffiths is a coach to independent gym owners, and a member retention specialist. He works with clubs on processes, systems, and strategies to improve member engagement, and therefore revenue.
His mission is to help your club to understand and engage with as many of your members as possible and get them to stick around longer.
Find out how GGFit’s independent gym owner coaching could help you at ggfit.com/gom
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