Welcome to GROWvember at PushPress! This month, we’re sharing all kinds of resources, tools, PushStart webinars and ideas that are designed to help your gym be successful. Why GROWvember? Because PushPress Grow is a game-changer for your gym. It's one of the most powerful tools available for everything from lead generation to creating the ultimate member experience. If you're not using Grow yet, we hope GROWvember will show you how it can help you level up and... GROW!
The fitness industry is often an anomaly when it comes to gym ownership. Most gym owners have a fitness background, rather than a business one. So when it comes to direction and strategy, successful gym owners are constantly seeking to learn.
That’s exactly why we created PushStart by PushPress, a collection of resources and education for every stage of running a successful gym. Put simply, PushStart helps you take your small business to the next level.
The free resource library includes more than 20 video courses and resources. It’s categorized using the AMPED acronym: Attract, Monetize, Plug-in, Expand and Delight. Each category is broken down into short sections. This allows you to choose the content that best helps you, and consume it in time frames that work with your busy schedule.
Throughout this month, we’ve been focusing on each of the five categories. In case you missed the first four blogs, check out Attract, Monetize, Plug-In and Expand now!
Three PushStart by PushPress DELIGHT Courses.
The Delight courses in PushStart by PushPress are designed to help you create the ultimate member experience and increase gym member retention.
Here are two examples of Delight courses, helping you understand how culture and core values can correlate with retention metrics. Ultimately, it’s all about bringing your brand to life and delivering the best possible experience for your clients.
1. Creating Community Through Culture.
As gym owners, we know the importance of establishing a strong gym community through culture. But Stu Brauer, owner of WTF Gym Talk, says that sometimes a strong culture means you won’t be a good fit for some people. In the first PushStart “Delight
course, he challenges us to realize it, accept it and know that it’s okay.
“Your gym should not be for everyone,” he explained.
Trying to cater to everyone will lead to a fractured community due to misaligned values. Instead, Brauer recommends focusing on attracting and keeping those who share your values, and who embrace your community. This will create the loyal fans you’re after.
The bottom line is, when it comes to culture in community, less is more. Create a culture that stands for something and don’t be afraid to lose members who just don’t fit.
2. Turn Core Values into Brand Experience.
In the second PushStart “Delight” course, Brauer recommends creating a list of three to five core values. These are the things that you stand for and that your community aligns with as well.
Once again, less is more. You might start with a longer list, but try to narrow it down to a maximum of five. Brauer says that ideally, you should pinpoint three values that really represent your brand.
Once you have your list, define each one in terms of what it means for your business. For instance, maybe one of your core values is to be “endearing.” You could define that for your gym as always putting the customer first.
Next, brainstorm various ways to put each value into action. In this example, how can you and your coaches put the customer first? The key is for your values to be a recognizable part of your brand and reputation.
“They need to be lived through tangible actions almost daily,” said Brauer.
He shared an example from when he owned his fitness business. When he and his staff parked down the street and walked to the gym, it kept parking lot space free for members. He says this created an obvious action each day to show clients that they came first.
3. Understanding Retention Metrics and How to Improve Them.
Once you’ve established your culture and core values, it’s time to look at policies to enforce both. In the third PushStart “Delight” course, you’ll learn that these policies will help to attract ideal clients and weed out those you don’t want.
As an example, let’s say you place an emphasis on showing up for class on time and being serious about your performance. Consider creating a zero-tolerance policy to reiterate this value. While it will turn some people away, it will likely attract those who take their training seriously.
As another example, maybe one of your core values is to be daring, defined as willingness to take chances and not being afraid to fail. In an effort to get members to embrace this value, create a policy that they sign up for various events. Whether it’s a 10k run, powerlifting meet or even an amateur comedy night, the goal is getting them out of their comfort zone.
Ultimately, policies that align with your core values and culture help you find ideal members and increase brand loyalty.
One More Thing: Cancelations Are Part of Gym Ownership.
As gym owners, we tend to assume that creating a brand people love means keeping members for life. Unfortunately, it’s just not realistic. No matter how much people love your brand, Brauer explains the hard truth in the final PushStart “Delight” course.
“Everyone cancels,” he said. Even those members that you thought would stick around for 25 years.
He continued, saying the overwhelming majority of people will end up canceling and it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. The truth is, people’s lives change. Fitness is a hobby, and hobbies change too. You’re likely not doing the same things in your life that you were 10 years ago. So your members probably aren’t either.
Once you accept that people will quit, you become less emotional about it. Then you can focus on client retention and acquisition tools and systems.
So what should you aim for? According to Brauer, 97 percent monthly retention is the gold standard. This means if you have 100 members, you’ll lose an average of three each month (or 36 over the course of a year).
“It’s impractical to think you can retain ninety-eight to one hundred percent of your membership,” he added.
In Summary: Delight Your Members, Grow Your Gym.
Without loyal customers your business simply won’t thrive for the long term. So it’s important to take the time to figure out what your business stands for. Your culture and core values can guide the gym you’ve always dreamed of owning. And filled with the people you want to attract in a loyal community.
The three PushStart by PushPress “Delight” courses will guide you in creating your culture and values, and the policies to support them. In the long run, this should help you create the ultimate member experience and unparalleled brand loyalty.
