How Better Member Onboarding Prevents Attrition

Fitness On Demand CEO Andy Peat explains how addressing key pain points can enhance member retention

In the fitness industry, keeping new members engaged is as crucial as getting them in the door. With a 28.6% annual attrition rate, gyms face significant challenges in retaining members. But the onboarding process offers a golden opportunity to create lasting connections and build a thriving community.

Fitness On Demand , a leading provider of omnifitness and member engagement solutions, understands these challenges and offers a range of tools to enhance onboarding and boost member satisfaction across various settings. In this discussion, we’ll delve into common onboarding pain points and explore effective solutions.

Leading this discussion is Andy Peat , CEO of Fitness On Demand and an industry veteran with over 18 years of experience. Andy’s expertise lies in leveraging data and cutting-edge technology to drive innovation and positive change within the fitness landscape. With a track record of success, Peat has a proven ability to foster growth and elevate member experiences.

Read on to find out more about how effective onboarding strategies can transform your gym’s retention and member satisfaction.

How can owners start to ease or eliminate friction in the onboarding process for new members?

To ease or eliminate friction during the onboarding process, gym owners can follow what I call “The CAP Principle”:

Connection: For new members to be successful, they need to make connections at your gym with other members as well as your fitness professionals. Scheduling group fitness and personal training sessions are the best ways to achieve this, and you can even offer members initial consultations for learning larger movements. In fact, having just two meaningful connections in the first month can reduce cancellations by 33%. Most gyms offer a free personal training (PT) session, which is a great way to get to know someone, understand their goals, and introduce them to your gym. However, this one session on its own won’t make a lasting impact. You need to create a sense of accountability and help members form new habits while they’re still motivated.

Attendance: One of the best ways to build accountability is by encouraging attendance with other people. On day one, you should help new members schedule times to be in the gym for a group class or a training session. When these commitments are added to their calendar and involve other people, it’s much harder for them to delay or skip.

People need to attend the gym four times in a month, with one visit at minimum. The attendance requirement involves four bookings from day one. These can be personal training sessions, group fitness classes or member functions. The goal is to book members for four sessions at sign-up to form a habit and build relationships. Ideally, every member is given four training sessions in their first month.

Progress: In addition to showing up, people need to see the progress they’re making to maintain their motivation. When they’re just starting out, it’s easy to have unrealistic expectations or overlook their steady progress. It’s our responsibility to help them understand what they can and should expect to accomplish in their first 30 days and celebrate their milestones.

If people feel or see a sense of progress early, it will result in a happier feeling and attachment to the gym. Fostering this feeling will increase motivation and drive routine. Progress can be seen through fitness testing (tied to personal training), body scans, or rating their feelings in week one versus week four.

Problem addressed: This principle tackles the issues of new members feeling isolated, lack of commitment, and unrealistic expectations, all of which can lead to early cancellations.

What’s the best way for owners to capitalize on new member motivation and prevent them from quitting in the first six months?

Most gyms offer one free personal training session for new members, but this isn’t enough. To capitalize on their motivation while it’s at its peak, you should schedule at least four sessions in the first four weeks:

• Week 1: Conduct an initial consultation session to understand their goals, perform an initial fitness test, and build a program for them to follow.
• Week 2: Hold the first official personal training session to strengthen their sense of accountability and connection with your gym, without focusing on selling ongoing PT sessions.
• Week 3: Conduct a technique session to teach them something basic, like proper form for deadlifts or squats. This gives them a sense of progression and demonstrates the value of having a trainer.
• Week 4: Perform a retest session. Have them redo the fitness test from week one to prove the progress they’ve made, reinforce their motivation, and create a prime opportunity to sell ongoing PT sessions.

Problem addressed: This approach deals with insufficient initial engagement and support, helping new members feel confident and motivated from the start.

How else do you build new member motivation?

Giving your members a simple way to try out classes or workouts on their own is one of the easiest ways to build their confidence. Offering a diverse library of on-demand classes that members can access in your open studio spaces or from the comfort of their home helps. This allows members to gain a new perspective on classes they may be intimidated by and provides more autonomy to try something new on their own terms. We’ve seen members who are initially shy or intimidated eventually work up to joining live classes.

Problem addressed: This strategy helps overcome intimidation and lack of confidence in trying new classes, gradually building members’ comfort and involvement.

Can owners start to ease the onboarding friction before someone officially joins the gym?

Absolutely. These strategies and platforms make a huge impact right after someone starts their membership, but they’re also vital before someone decides to join. Some of our most successful customers use these strategies in their marketing efforts to stand out from the competition. For example, offering a month of free, personalized instruction can attract more leads than competitors offering just one PT session. Additionally, having a fully booked class schedule, bolstered by on-demand classes, can be a significant converting factor for prospective members during tours.

Problem addressed: This approach addresses limited appeal and insufficient differentiation from competitors, making your gym more attractive to potential members.

How do you build a fitness community that embraces people of any fitness level and keeps members coming back year after year?

Encourage interactions between staff and members, and also among the members themselves. More and more, people are going to the gym as a way to socialize. They want to see people, be greeted when they walk in, and know they’re going to have fun and enjoy themselves while getting fit. Creating a welcoming, social environment is key to building a fitness community that embraces people of any fitness level and keeps them coming back.

Problem addressed: This strategy combats the lack of social engagement and community building, fostering a supportive and interact

By implementing these strategies, gym owners can significantly improve their onboarding process, reduce friction, and enhance member retention, ultimately leading to a thriving fitness community.

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