Editorial Team
6 min read
It’s become somewhat cliche how many people sign up for a gym membership in January—only to cancel it by February. Research shows that only 22% of members continue visiting a health and fitness venue after one year of membership.
Of course, there are many reasons why people cancel their fitness membership—including lack of motivation, injury, or budget. However, many report that lack of community and poor customer service dissuade them from continuing to show up for workouts. In short: the gym culture doesn’t invite them to continue pursuing their fitness goals.
Creating a strong gym culture can help boost customer retention and grow customer loyalty. In this guide, we’ll explain the importance of fitness culture and how to create a motivating and inviting atmosphere for all gym members.
What is gym culture?
Gym culture, or fitness culture, is the collective norms and values that shape the behavior of individuals at gym clubs. It encompasses the expectations around training methods, social interactions, and definitions of success.
Individuals who sign up for a fitness membership often adopt the prevailing culture, which influences their training habits and self-image. “When we feel aligned with our gym culture, we form deeper bonds with our coaches and other members, and create a robust, inspiring, emotionally-supportive and long-lasting community with like-minded people,” wrote Dalecki Strength, a Sydney-based gym.
Fostering the right gym culture can help your business reduce customer churn, offer opportunities for personal growth, and create a social environment that rewards customers and trainers alike. So, how do you create a supportive, inclusive fitness culture for your members?
Create a community
If you’re already open for business, you’ve likely already chosen a niche–weightlifting, group classes, wellness and yoga, etc. Even if you’re operating an all-inclusive fitness studio, you likely have an existing fitness culture based on your location, trainers, and core members. Identify your gym members’ reasons for joining, and lean into those values to create a stronger sense of community.
For example, consider publicly recognizing member achievements, celebrating anniversaries and milestones of training program members, or hosting social events where members can connect post-workout. If your gym club is popular with college students, consider hosting a March Madness bracket challenge. Or, if you usually get professionals coming in before work, offer a free smoothie for those celebrating a year of membership together.
Your trainers will also play a major role in building your gym community. Encourage your team to find ways to engage meaningfully with gym members to keep them coming back.
READ: Essential equipment gyms & fitness studios need for opening day
Focus on great service
Customer service is one of the big reasons many people quit their gym memberships, but it can also be a great reason to stay. After the pandemic forced gyms to close temporarily, many gym members were excited to return to the studio—not just for fitness reasons. When one customer returned after months away, “the guy behind the desk said, ‘It wouldn’t be opening day without you, Natalia.’”
“After all the city had been through, [Natalia] found it surprisingly poignant to see—and be remembered by—someone familiar,” reported The Atlantic.
When gym members feel valued and appreciated, they’re more likely to stay with your gym through thick and thin. Everyone from your front desk staff to your cleaning team has a role to play in fostering a strong fitness culture. Provide regular training to empower your team to create an incredible customer experience and reduce customer churn.
Reward customer loyalty
Loyalty programs are a great fit for gym clubs. Clients motivated to complete fitness programs are already primed to climb loyalty tiers and earn rewards. Clover makes managing a loyalty program easy with Rewards, part of Clover’s Customer Engagement suite.
Rewards makes it easy to show your appreciation to repeat customers. In minutes, you can create a simple, customized loyalty program at no cost. Your customers can keep track of the perks they’ve earned on their phones through the Clover app. Overall, Clover merchants typically see a customer return rate of 1.5x more than merchants not using Rewards. And, Rewards keeps track of your program, so you don’t have to.
Customers who engage with loyalty programs spend 60% more per transaction, and 90% buy more frequently. It’s a no-brainer for boosting your gym culture. If you haven’t already launched a loyalty program for your fitness studio, we’ve published a free guide to help you get started.
READ: How to increase gym membership retention: 5 apps to help you connect with members
Offer referral bonuses
Referrals are an easy way to bring in new gym members who align with your existing fitness culture. Customers loyal to your gym are likely to refer like-minded friends and contacts, further enforcing your existing gym culture. And, customer referrals are one of the most effective, low-cost ways to grow your business.
Consider this: customers are 90% more likely to trust and buy from a brand recommended by a friend. Even better, according to Wharton School of Business, they have 37% higher retention rate than non-referred customers, making them stickier and more valuable in the long run (Deloitte) 18% more likely to stay with you over time, making their lifetime value 16% higher than that of customers who weren’t referred to you.
Clover can help encourage referrals, too. A customer referral reward app such as BuyFi makes it easy. Collect your members’ email addresses when they sign up or renew their membership, and the program will email a referral offer for you. Members refer their friends, and if the friends join, they all get rewards.
READ: Harnessing & measuring word-of-mouth marketing
Celebrate wins
Finally, celebrate your gym members’ achievements on social media, in the gym, and with rewards. No matter where someone is in their fitness journey or what routine they stick to, give them the recognition they deserve each time they reach a milestone. With permission, post about your members’ achievements on social media to showcase your strong community and bring others into your gym culture.
Your team deserves a shout-out, too. Celebrate the wins of your trainers and coaches in their own fitness practice and as they grow their client bases. Remember: happy employees lead to happy clients.
READ: How to interact with customers on social media
Clover gives you all the tools you need to engage customers and foster a positive fitness culture. Learn more about Clover’s tools for gyms and fitness studios and contact sales to get started.
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