One of the biggest challenges for gym owners is how to get leads to convert into full, paying members. As gym owners, your main goal is to figure out the best way to get new visitors back into your location again.
Having worked with multiple fitness studios in the past few years, I’ve put together 4 proven strategies you can use, to guarantee that your fitness leads come back to work out in your gym a second time.
- Pick Up The Phone And Make That Callback
Perhaps the most common reason new people don’t purchase a membership to your gym the very first time they visit is because they need to get to know you more and build trust. Just like with any other relationship, it takes a while to build rapport between you and this potential new member, so make the effort other gyms won’t.
If you want someone to come back, show them that you want them there.
Call them the day after their first visit to ask how they liked it. Then you can email them to let them know what classes are coming up that they might be interested in. It might not happen on the first call, and you may need to have a few of these conversations. Keep in mind that 80%of sales happen somewhere between the 5th and 8th contact. So it’s really important that you stay in front of them after their first workout. This can also include text messaging.
- HOLD THEIR SPOT
Popular time slots for group classes fill up quickly, so someone who reserves a spot in class but doesn’t show up can sometimes prevent another person who might be more interested in your studio from participating.
The best way to prevent this is to keep a credit card on file for each person who schedules, so that you can hold their spot in that class. But in case they don’t show up, or if they cancel before the class start time, you can charge them a small fee. This encourages them to show up and avoid being charged.
- Plan For The Future
Another way to get a visitor back for a second workout is to help them schedule it on their first visit. By planning their schedule with them ahead of time, you are setting expectations, which also inspiring. All they have to do is show up.
- ADD VALUE + VARIETY
A huge part of working out and getting someone motivation to return to your gym is keeping them interested. So mix up workouts, classes, and trainers. Work on the arms the first day, focus on legs the next day, or book a service on their 2nd visit you know they really want to try — like a free body fat assessment or food analysis session. Whatever it is, find something that works for your studio, because 74% of buyers purchase from the company that was first to add value.
