The post-holiday season dust has begun to settle. As you prepare for the next twelve months, take the time to reflect on what your members are doing right now. Most people want to have the best possible start to the New Year, and with 2019 still in its infancy, many are taking action to improve their lives for the better. Fitness studios can take advantage of those making New Year’s resolutions and draw them in as new members who are ready to make a commitment to their personal goals.
Lose weight
With more than one-third of the world being overweight, it’s not surprising that weight loss is the most popular goal for the New Year. Unfortunately, many people don’t follow through with this goal because they don’t see results fast enough. Dropping a few pounds quickly is not always easy, but you can give members a more effective and sustainable way to trim fat. With high intensity interval training (HIIT), they can burn hundreds of calories per session and begin to see results in two weeks.
Get fit
HIIT consists of different cardio and strength training exercises, with each workout regimen targeting all muscle groups for full-body toning. The exercises are easy to follow, take place within a team environment, and last only 45 minutes, making it possible for members with a busy schedule to train seven days a week.
Follow a healthy diet
Another top goal for the New Year is a healthy diet. Make it easy for new and existing members by providing them with a free healthy eating plan and fitness tips. Everyone is motivated to eat healthy after indulging over the holidays; however, it’s easy to fall back into old eating habits. If you make it easy for them to succeed in their resolution (like offering weekly nutritional challenges and incentives), you will retain existing business and attract new members.
Spend more time with friends and family
Many people are determined to put more effort into nurturing their connections with friends and family, so why not make your gym a social affair? Group fitness classes have become so popular because of the encouraging interaction between members. You can take this a step further by creating a social space for members to chat and have a post-workout drink. You may also want to consider launching a ‘Bring a Friend’ campaign that rewards existing members for inviting a friend along.
Be more budget conscious
Between travel, gifts, and eating out, the holidays can be expensive, leaving many people cash-strapped come January. For individuals who are budgeting, joining a gym might be the last thing on their minds at the beginning of year. Those who won’t compromise on their fitness goals tend to look for ways to save on gym memberships, so why not offer them a month trial run, a ‘buy one class, get two free classes’ promotion, or a percentage discount off their joining fee?
Monitor their health
Once they’ve started a fitness routine, members want to be able to know whether or not they are achieving their goals. Keeping tabs on their progress–and tracking it against their goals–is an important part of staying healthy. Fitness trackers can assist with this by monitoring their heart rate, as well as eating and sleeping patterns. Using this data, you can either reward members for making fantastic progress (thereby motivating them to stick around) or adjust their workout routines if the results aren’t satisfactory.
Key takeaway
While many ‘resolutionists’ usually quit by the time February comes around, honing in on your members’ desires allows you to offer a more personalized fitness experience. This in turn can boost loyalty, especially if your marketing messages motivate people to work toward the finish line. Post fun and inspiring content on social media that gets members excited about turning their New Year’s resolutions into long-term goals. Ask members what their goals for 2019 are, using a hashtag like #NYResolutions2019, and make it clear how your fitness studio caters to their needs.
This could be a life changing opportunity.
