It’s easy to become consumed with getting as many new members as possible, but in today’s competitive health club market, you need to make sure you hang on to the members you already have. Otherwise they will happily take their money and their loyalty to another fitness center.

It is most likely you have heard that it is 7 times more costly to attract a new member than it is to keep an existing member happy. And you really don’t have to make them „happy“, you just have to keep them pleased. The main thing is to please them enough that they renew or continue on their roll-over membership. Let’s put that into clear terms. Would you rather spend $10,000 on marketing or $70,000 on marketing, if both would generate similar amount of member revenue? Of course you would rather spend seven times less to receive the same results!

That’s not to say that bringing in new memberships is not important, because it most certainly is. But attracting new members should never come to neglecting the members you currently have. It’s funny how salespeople are sticky sweet to prospects, but once that guest becomes a member, that salesperson rarely notices them again. Okay, maybe not funny it is actually quite depressing, considering your members are intelligent enough to recognize this change in behavior. Overpromising and under delivering are quite common in the health club industry these days. It is your job to make sure this does not happen at your gym!

Notice what makes your members happy.

Ask every member when they check in at the front desk to fill out a quick survey. Ask both closed-ended questions and open-ended questions, allowing them to elaborate on what they like and dislike. Inquire if they have any recommendations and follow through to implement them, within reason.

If you are with a prospect and a member needs your help, make sure to oblige the member. The prospect won’t be angry. Actually, they will recognize that your paying members are valued and are taken care of. If you take that extra second to take care of your existing member in front of your prospect, you can then use it as a selling feature. „My apologies. I hope you feel good to know that we would drop anything to assist one of our members!“

Make sure to pay attention to your members, always say hello and goodbye to everyone, and make it a point each day to get to know several of your members a little better. Inquire them how their day went. Ask how their family is doing. Explain to them a new exercise. Introduce them to another member with shared interests. Make sure you take care of your existing members and they will do so as well.