Lifecycle of a Member - Part 3
KEEP MEMBERS ENGAGED!
This is the third and final blog post in our series about the “Life Cycle of a Member.” As we know, our clients and customers do not join the gym or the studio at the same fitness level as everyone else. It is important to appeal to members who are at the beginning of their “life cycle” in fitness - with equipment they can master and succeed with, such as selectorized machines, treadmills, and Ab equipment. After they achieve some level of success from the beginner level, you can take them through the “life cycle” to more advanced training.
Certainly the holy grail in fitness today is non-dues revenue. With the proliferation of low priced high volume clubs, owners need to find ways to generate additional and ongoing revenue to achieve profitability. But how do you induce the member who joined your club for $10-20 to now spend $50, $75, $100 or more per month? Take your offerings up a notch! Gone are the days where a person will shell out $50+ per hour to have a trainer stand next to them while walking on the treadmill or count to 10 as they exercise. Trainers and training programs need to provide a “wow” experience to justify the investment. Most importantly they need to deliver RESULTS. This is where cross training, high intensity and functional training become critical. At some point, even the beginner, who starts at the lowest level in the life cycle of training, will be interested in pursuing these more intense programs.
Along this same line of thought, there are other ways to keep members interested and engaged at your facility. It is important that facilities offer unique equipment and expertise that is special and unique, and not easily accessible to members on their own. Many such products exist today including the TireFlip 180, Battle Rope ST, Woodway Curve and Vicore TerraCore. These items deliver that WOW factor and truly stand out in the facility. Getting a good workout on products like these are things members talk about, things that keep them coming back for more. Just type one of them into your social media platform to see what I mean! How cool is it to see your member posting about the awesome workout they had on the latest piece of equipment YOU offered them? That is the best kind of “advertising” -- it’s real and you don’t need to pay for it!
If we are to reach our goal of operating profitable facilities while helping as many people as possible to achieve their fitness goals, then we need to think about ALL our members and prospects when designing our clubs and ordering equipment. Let’s not rush to eliminate this thing or that just because it’s hot and exciting right now - just because it’s what WE would use or the trainer said so. Think like your customer -- whether the beginner, the moderate exerciser, or the elite -- Let’s keep the entire “lifecycle” of the member in mind -- and make sure we accommodate them all.
Health truly is our greatest asset. As fitness professionals, facility owners, and equipment manufacturers we can work together and make a difference in people’s lives!