MyWellness Challenge - May - A Class Act

We're going to get your members competitive in fitness classes this May following the simple, all inclusive running challenge last month. 

Whoever attends the most fitness classes this month wins the prize (or you could randomly select the prize winner from the top 10 at the end of the challenge)...

Who can attend the most classes in our May Class Act challenge. Don't forget to log your class attendance in club, on the MyWellness app on your smart phone or via your MyWellness cloud account online. 

Type:  Classes Completed
Won by:  Whoever attends the most classes
Start Date:  4 May
Duration:  26 days
Prizes:  Without

Do messages make people cancel?

The straight answer (to a straight question) is “Yes”. 

Some absent members will cancel their membership after receiving an encouraging message by SMS, email or letter. However, many more members will return after the message, which will outweigh the leavers.

Let's Move For A Better World 2015

Congratulations to every member and club that took part in Technogym's Let's Move For A Better World campaign over the last 3 weeks. 

How do messages help to retain members?

So we discussed how messages alone don’t retain members (you ideally need staff too), but the process of sending and monitoring messages sent can have a positive effect on a club, and help to support the ethos of the club.

Staff understanding of the communications journey(s), and how they fit into the club’s philosophy is key to success.

MyWellness Challenge - April - Marathon/Mini Marathon

After the hype of LetsMoveForABetterWorld, keep your members motivated this April with a simple 26 miles in 26 days challenge. If you think that might be a bit much for some members, then add a mini marathon, where they have to complete 13 miles in 26 days...

n.b. here are two (2) concurrent challenges... some members will join both, that's fine.

Can you run 26.2 miles (42km) / 13.1 miles (21km) in 26 days? Log your treadmill running with your Wellness Key, or MyWellness app, or track your outdoor runs with a connected app.

Type:  Distance Run (2 challenges)
Won by:  Everyone who runs 42km / 21km
Start Date:  1 April
Duration:  26 days
Prizes:  Without

Who you gonna call?

We’re really pleased that several of our Stick Around Service clubs are taking it to the next level and calling either new and/or absent members.

Messages are good at retaining members, but as we've explained here before, a phone call can have a much better effect. Lack of resource is often given as a reason not to make the calls, but here’s three ways of making the most of limited staff time and helping your members stay active:

Calling new members

Ideally, you want to call ALL new members to see how they’re getting on, but if you only

You cannot retain members by messages alone…

…but the messages can help!

OK, some low-cost gyms do rely heavily on email and sms messages as part of their member retention strategy. But to have a really positive effect, the retention messages have to be reinforced.

Here are some ways that you can use member communications to improve all-round customer service at your club:

Encouraging members to interact with staff

All messages should have a call to action, and most of those calls should be to talk to a

Don't limit your member communication by channel

Gym member communication campaigns are popular, but tend to be limited by the channel (or communication method).

Clubs think about the cost of sending, or will often use one method depending on the segment they are sending to. When considering cost, email is usually favourite (i.e. cheapest), even though delivery and open rates are so (comparatively) low. And sending constant texts to prospects, or letters to ex-members will bring diminishing returns. It’s important to mix it up to get the best results, for all segments of your database.

Mix it up - what's your preferred message channel?

What are your preferred member communication methods, and which are most effective? 

Email is often the go-to channel, due to cost, tracking, and content. Some think email is free, but if you're sending bulk mail properly (with unsubscribe options, tracked links, adaptive content, etc), you should be paying something. You can do more with email in terms of content and links to your site or specific landing pages, but as well as the send cost, there is a development and editing time cost which can really mount up, particularly when it comes to tracking campaigns.
However, the big issue with email is the open rates,

FIBO Innovation Tour London 29th Jan

An impassioned David Stalker drove home the inactivity issue again last week at the FIBO Innovation Tour in London. We have to do all we can to #turnthetide, and the ukactive's “Steps to solving inactivity” report is a very interesting read.

29% of people in England are classed as physically inactive. 

Inactivity is responsible for one in six deaths in the UK, making it as dangerous as smoking.