Out of all the top numbers you must manage on your Fitness Business retention is by far the one trainers pay least attention.

It is also the easiest to control and master since it takes a great deal of common sense.

Retention starts from any communication you have with a prospect and is an endless quest.

Make sure all communication with your prospects, clients and past clients are done in a professional but relaxed manner. Greet all your clients by first name and make sure to say good bye to each of them at the end of each session.

From the time a prospects walk through your facility’s door they must have an immediate positive impression. A place must at a minimum be clean and smell good.

Fitness facilities tend to smell “sweaty” and you don’t smell it if you are the one sweating but for a client walking in, that has not worked out for a while (if ever) it can be very negative.

They say a house buyer decides if the house is a possibility or not within the first fifteen seconds in it. Even though there are no scientific studies like this for fitness I believe it is also true.

Let’s agree that you are all good trainers that can deliver results. So I won’t bother telling you that you actually have to deliver results to your clients as this is a given. How you deliver those results though can be a big differentiator.

You trainer should always be helpful and mindful of all your clients. Giving them attention and recognition goes a long way.

Always being on time is another big one. Nothing will turn a client off more than having to wait for a trainer or even worst, waiting and the trainer not showing up.

Accountability

Having a check in sheet is a simple way to get a couple of retention processes going. Ask your clients to put an “X” on the days that they come to classes and an “O” on the days that they are “planning” to come work out.

If a client misses a couple of workouts that they intended to come, a call, text and email are in order to let them know that you missed them and that you are eager to see them back soon.

On the other side of the coin, with the sign up sheet you are able to recognize the clients that are coming in consistently and in the same fashion give them praises, gifts, etc.

Once per month you can announce the “member of the month” award to the clients that attended the most session during the month. A gift certificate for a nearby restaurant or a hair cut at a nearby stylist is a way you can not only boost retention but also land some strategic partnerships with local businesses.

Social Media

Facebook, Twitter and alike are other tools you can use to engage with your clients outside your place of business.

Unexpected Gifts

Once a month every one of your full paying clients should receive a present in the mail with a hand written note letting them know how much you appreciate their business.

Be creative with your gifts! Personalized mugs, t-shirts, workout towels, gift cards, and healthy energy bars are all great options. The gift cards can be from local businesses that you can partner up for cross-promotion.

Don’t forget to ask for referrals on your hand written note.

Circle Time

At the end of each session spare 5 minutes to talk about nutrition and have your clients bond with you and with each other. Creating friendships with other clients in the classes will make your clients enjoy the workouts even more making parting ways with your business more difficult because they don’t want to miss their "fitness buddies".

Parties

Have parties for all your clients were they are welcome to bring a friend - potential new clients (wink, wink). It could be a barbeque after the Saturday session or a bowling night.

Boot Camp Games

One of the newest and most exciting retention boosting options on the market is Turbulence Training Boot Camp Games by Brian Kalaway.
The games he teaches will keep your current clients motivated and will really set you apart from your competition for new clients.

Using these games at the end of class will boost the sense of community within your boot camp. Remember, they can get a workout anywhere, but people want to work out with their friends. These games are designed to encourage social interaction and teamwork. Because of this, everyone will be growing closer as a “fitness family” on a daily basis. When this sense of belonging occurs, they become loyal to your boot camp. This means they have a higher chance of staying and referring people to your facility.

Consistency

Be consistency with the above strategies. They won’t do you any good if you apply them every once in a while or during a “oh sh#t everybody is quitting” moments. It will be too late. Add them to your business schedule and apply them without fail to see your attrition rate fall each month and you will master the art of boot camp retention.

This entry was posted on August 26, 2012 at 10:50 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Posted in Boot Camp Business, Boot Camp Marketing, Boot Camp Strategies, Fitness Marketing, Personal Training Business by Steve Hochman | No Comments Yet