• Subscribe
  • Newsletter
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Login
Community Rec
  • Topics
    • Community
    • Facility Development
    • Programming
    • Operations
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletter
    • Media Kit
    • Contact Us
  • Continuing Education
    • Community Rec Leadership Summit
    • Webinars
  • Supplier Insights
    • Brand Voice
    • Supplier News
    • Supplier Voice
  • Podcast
  • Buyer’s Guide
No Result
View All Result
  • Topics
    • Community
    • Facility Development
    • Programming
    • Operations
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletter
    • Media Kit
    • Contact Us
  • Continuing Education
    • Community Rec Leadership Summit
    • Webinars
  • Supplier Insights
    • Brand Voice
    • Supplier News
    • Supplier Voice
  • Podcast
  • Buyer’s Guide
No Result
View All Result
Community Rec
No Result
View All Result
Home Operations & Facilities

Retention Strategies to Help Your Facility Succeed

Bobby Dyer by Bobby Dyer
November 19, 2019
in Operations & Facilities
0
retention strategies
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A key ingredient to success for any fitness facility is member retention — in fact, this may be the most important factor. No matter what other operational decisions you may make, your success will always be limited by poorly executed retention strategies. Conversely, great retention strategies will set your facility up for sustained success.

Adam Shilling, the executive director, membership and program at YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids, has found there are three keys to maintaining high retention rates:

  • Helping members achieve their goals.
  • Connecting members to other members.
  • Ensuring members feel welcomed at the Y.

These keys are backed by studies on why members stay at or leave their fitness facilities. “According to research by Y-USA, 81% of members who meet their goals for Y membership stay at the Y,” explained Shilling. “We retain 83% of the members who have a friend at the Y, and we retain 78% of members who feel like they belong at the Y.”

Knowing that 83% of members who have a Y friend stick around, the Greater Grand Rapids Y has implemented a program called “Free Friend Friday” that allows members to bring guests to the facility for free on certain Fridays — a tactic that has increased new memberships and current member retention.

In short, connections are critical for the member journey — the more welcomed you can make an individual feel, the more likely they are to keep coming back. Having a friend certainly helps, as do consistently positive interactions with staff members.

At the Greater Grand Rapids Y, staff are encouraged to ask members detailed questions. “I like to call it ‘going three questions deep,’” shared Shilling. “I can talk to any stranger and ask two questions about their life: How are you doing? How was your weekend? But asking a third question typically requires knowing something about their life. Asking detailed questions is more important than remembering someone’s name.”

In addition to knowing members on a personal level, staff members can improve member retention by investing in their members’ fitness journeys. Remember, 81% of members who reach their fitness goals will stay at your facility.

“Staff play a role in this area by constantly checking on progress that members are making towards their goals,” said Shilling. “From informal conversations about how someone is doing in their race training to formalized personal training sessions, intentional focus on the part of staff plays a major support in propelling members toward achieving their goals.”

Prioritizing connections, achieving goals and making a welcoming environment have been successful for Shilling and his team. “These efforts, as well as a continual focus on exceeding member service expectations, have allowed our Y to maintain 13-month retention rates between 70% and 72% over the past year, and a churn rate that averages 4% each month,” he said.

If you’re hoping to improve your member retention over the next few months, remember that connections — between members and staff, as well as between the members themselves — are the key. The more at home and motivated members feel when they walk through your doors, the more likely they are to keep coming back.

Tags: Community Reccommunity recreationFeaturedfeaturedmember engagementmember retentionoperationsretentionstaffYMCA of Greater Grand Rapids
Previous Post

Welcoming

Next Post

12 Days of Fitness: Engaging Your Members Through the Holiday Season

Bobby Dyer

Bobby Dyer

Bobby is the former editor of Community Rec Magazine.

Related Posts

Employee Onboarding
Column

Mastering Employee Onboarding

September 14, 2023
YMCA of South Hampton Roads
Cover Story

YMCA of South Hampton Roads: Experience the Magic

September 8, 2023
Fitness Spaces
Ask The Expert

Maximizing Fitness Spaces Q&A with Hannah Patrick

September 8, 2023
Membership Retention
Features

Mastering Membership Retention

September 8, 2023
Sales Process
Pro Talk

7 Steps in the Sales Process

September 8, 2023
Safeguarding Youth
Pro Talk

Safeguarding Youth

September 8, 2023
Next Post
holiday season

12 Days of Fitness: Engaging Your Members Through the Holiday Season

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Exposure Guide + Media Kit

July/August 2023 Issue

July/August Issue
Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn

Contact us at info@communityrecmag.com

  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletter
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us

The Current Issue

September/October 2023

The Latest from CO

  • YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg Opening Campus With Middle School
  • Mastering Employee Onboarding
  • YMCA of Greater Brandywine Offers Suicide Prevention Training
  • YMCA of South Hampton Roads: Experience the Magic

© 2023 Community Rec Magazine. Published by Peake Media.

No Result
View All Result
  • Topics
    • Community
    • Facility Development
    • Programming
    • Operations
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletter
    • Media Kit
    • Contact Us
  • Continuing Education
    • Community Rec Leadership Summit
    • Webinars
  • Supplier Insights
    • Brand Voice
    • Supplier News
    • Supplier Voice
  • Podcast
  • Buyer’s Guide

© 2023 Community Rec Magazine. Published by Peake Media.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist