Five tips for summer member retention.
Summer is on the horizon and along with the change of weather comes a change in the usage of community recreation facilities. The summer months can often lead to less facility visits, an increase in terminations and a decrease in membership joins. This is often due to individuals spending more time traveling or exercising outdoors and deciding that canceling or putting their membership on hold is a cost-savings measure that makes sense. So, what can organizations do to keep their current and prospective members engaged during the summer months?
Here are five tips to consider implementing for summer member retention:
Usage Incentives or Challenges
Keep your members coming through challenges or incentives that require them to utilize the facility or workout for a certain number of days within the course of the summer months. This can be done by creating a punch card staff can initial during the member’s visit, or utilizing features built in to your organization’s mobile app. Incentives and challenges are a great way to keep your members engaged and also reward them for simply coming to your facility.
Summer Program Discounts
Many organizations already provide special pricing for programs and activities for members, but reminding current and potential members of these cost-saving benefits for summer programs can help to decrease the number of terminations and also lead to some new member joins.
Membership Swaps
Partnering with local zoos, museums and other recreational attractions and offering access and discounts for members will help to create more value in your membership and potentially deter some from terminating due to lack of facility use. Membership swaps also help to promote collaboration among other community organizations to cross-promote services among their respective membership bases.
Personal Training Promotions
The summer provides a great opportunity to remind members of the value of having a personal trainer. By creating promotions and facilitating the entry-point for training, members may utilize the facility more frequently by exercising with a trainer than they otherwise would if they were exercising on their own.
Member Appreciation Events
Make your community center the place to be this summer by creating member appreciation events such as family nights, pool parties or parent’s night out. Member appreciation events can help with retention by ensuring your members see your organization as more than a place to work out.
