I regularly hear club owners lamenting the disloyalty of their members. But rarely do I see club owners really addressing the reasons why members leave. Members cancel their memberships when they’re not getting any value from the health club. Your most loyal members will always be the ones that get what they need from their membership.
The first thing you need to do is figure out what your members really want. You need three key pieces of information:
- What do club members want out of life? This is important because for most people getting in shape is a means to an end. Maybe the want to look better, live longer, or win a body building competition. This information helps you market to them more effectively.
- What do members want from your club? Why are they showing up in the first place? Some may come to the gym to lose weight, train for a 5K race, or feel healthier. Others may join because their doctor told them they needed to exercise. Find out why your members are at your gym, and you may come up with a host of fresh gym marketing ideas.
- Why do members leave? Most people quit coming to the gym because they lose motivation. When that happens, they stop using the gym. And if they’re not using the gym, why would they continue to pay for it?
After you really know your members, you have all the information you need to create the health club experience that keeps them motivated. By focusing on motivating your members to use the club more often, you provide more value to them. But you can’t motivate them unless you know what they want. And remember, when members get what they need, they’ll become evangelists for your club.