Judi Christy, the director of marketing/communication at the Akron Area YMCA, shares how rec centers can best improve member loyalty without discounts.
Are you someone who begged their mom to buy Froot Loops and Cap’n Crunch just so you could get the buried treasure? Were you also buyer of Bazooka bubble gum — not to break your front teeth — but to get and read the silly comics? What about Cracker Jacks and the plastic prizes that fell apart before the crunch was fully munched?
Did you grow up and have kids who loved the McDonald’s Happy Meals merch? The little Barbies, Madame Alexander miniatures and of course the trick-or-treat pails were my personal favorites. They were the trend at the time.
But trends tend to get tossed. All these trinkets have long been discarded along with the many calories soaked up by the French fries and sugar rushes. However, the memory of getting an added treat for a purchase still leaves a pang, even as a chronologically mature adult.
A free gift from Clinqiue? Victoria’s Secret? Sure, I will gladly take a nibble at an extra purchase to guarantee I go home with the freebie. It’s thrilling and it’s expected.
It’s all about the rush of the reward; the getting a little something extra to do what I was planning to do anyway. So, how do we take that inner indulgence and transfer it to our work as providers of health, wellness and fitness?
What type of freebie do we need to offer to who and for why? And is it really necessary?
The Right Kind of Reward
Well, the survey says that it is. According to the Data & Marketing Association, 61% of shoppers reported being “less loyal to brands than they were last year.” In 2024, that figure was just 41%. Forrester predicts that in 2026 brand loyalty will drop by 25%, but loyalty program usage will increase.
So, do we need to be like Starbucks? Maybe.
Their “stars” program — a reward for every purchase — is simple and successful. In fact, by early 2024 their U.S. membership had grown to 34.3 million active users, marking a 13% increase from the previous year. These members tend to spend more, visit more frequently and remain loyal longer.
But we don’t sell coffee. And at the Y, we don’t discount. Instead, we offer scholarships to those who qualify through a sliding membership scale. But a discount, a BOGO and 50% off or a clearance or blue light sale, is not really part of the Y way. To some minds far better paid than mine, offering a discount cheapens the product and devalues the brand.
Since we can’t offer monetary savings or free swimming lessons for the family, then we need to figure out what kind of stuff would work to increase member loyalty.
Do we want to give out T-shirts just because someone stayed through January? How about a cool keychain for completing the Mount Everest Challenge? A “Stanley” knock-off tumbler for participating in the dry-fit?
And — because we’re a marketing department of two people — which one of us would manage the loyalty program to make sure the immediate impulse is met with an immediate reward?
I think we need more coffee and time to reflect on what — if anything — should be done.
Final Thoughts
Here’s what I know: The Y is a welcoming place. We call our members by name and try to remember when their grandchild had a baseball game, or their partner had a bunion removed. We pick up the phone and inquire if there’s a lapse in a regular member’s attendance and we try our darndest to make sure the floors are swept, the windows are spotless and the machines are in top shape.
So, isn’t that enough? Do we still need to give members a tchotchke because we’re their wellness center of choice?
Yes, we probably do, because, honestly, it’s expected.
My question is what’s the right approach? As a nonprofit, we must balance mission and margin and honestly, my marketing budget doesn’t have a whole log of legroom to buy more keychains and T-shirts. But maybe it should.
Currently, I’m considering bringing in the Cracker Jacks.
If I can find some that are gluten-free and protein-packed, I may take home the winning prize of enhancing member loyalty.
I welcome your thoughts, as well as your coffee.
