We choose our fitness centre because of a few reasons. We sign up as members and we start to build a relationship. Both the club and us would prefer it to be a long- term relationship with many benefits that it can bring over the time. We would love our gym to take care of us – have good membership deals, special offers for regular customers, organize boot camps and workshops. We would pay back with high attendance, bringing new members and spending money on extra services such as a bar, personal training and massages. As in any relationship we need to talk to share our views and opinions. We would like to give some feedback and be heard and the club should appreciate it and implement it. The gym would send us text massages for our birthdays and for many other occasions and would give us tips on effective training and diet. We would open newsletters and check all the latest promotions and use them. Perfect match?
Choose up to 3 channels and focus on them.
As life is not that easy, we constantly need to improve and find new ways to work on our relationships with customers. Gym members go to the gym not only to train, but to find something more. It is a part of their lifestyle, way of self-expression, place to build relationships with others and create community around this specific place. Social media are the perfect tool to tie it up and leverage it to the next level. First of all, you have to know where your members are – which social media they use. Do not spam all over the internet as it will be pointless and counterproductive by the end of the day. Choose up to 3 channels and focus on them. Remember to have a content to feed in those channels – without it your profiles will be simply boring and you will never gain attention.
Once you have the content and have set a grid of posting – frequency, topics etc., think how to engage your members into your virtual platform. Ideas are countless but one main rule stays the same – the simpler, the better. Ask people to take photos in your club and add a specific hashtag and also check in on the spot. Later, at the end of each week or month you will pick the best photo and reward the author with a nice sports gift. What is important in this really simple idea? By posting their photos members do you free advertising within their circle of friends. Secondly, a special prize for winning can be something exclusive and limited. Once the rumours spread it can bring more attention and active users. If you host workshops or organize boot camps make sure to do an event that people can follow, where you post and build momentum, share crucial information and tips. For longer activities such as courses I suggest to create closed groups where you can share materials, ask questions and receive feedback from attendees, read opinions etc. Check what your competition is doing and see if it is successful. Look up most famous places to find an inspiration and ideas. Stay alarmed as new trends appear fast and you have to act instantly.
Another great tool to engage your members and work on your relationship with them is a mobile app which is a part of your PerfectGym management software. What is really worth emphasizing is the fact that this app is super functional and can help members to check group classes timetable quickly, sign up for classes, check instructors etc. What makes it really special is the option for members to show if they are at the gym at the moment. So basically you see who is attending your club at the moment. This is a great motivational tool plus it give extra boost for community building.