Quickly approaching is the third month of the year, when many people forgo the changes they resolved to make just six weeks ago and settle back into old habits. This trend is so strong, Foursquare has compared data from gyms and from fast food restaurants to pin point the exact day when people give up on their resolutions—calling the second Saturday of February ‘Fall Off The Wagon Day’.
There are a few reasons why people ‘fall off the wagon’ when it comes to exercising in the New Year. While many people make those commitments in earnest, life gets in the way, and anyone who has made a colossal life change knows just how much more challenging it is to fit it into your schedule than it is thinking about it. It takes a lot of hard work to build muscle and lose fat, and the results aren’t immediate apparent for quite a while after starting. This discourages many people, leaving them to wonder if any of it is worth it after all.
If you operate a fitness space, you have probably noticed a fluctuation in registrations, too; from a peak the first few weeks of January, to a slow slump by the end of February.
People generally like to hear that their hard work is paying off. If you see your members making visible progress, remind them that their goals are getting closer and closer. They will appreciate the support and knowing that their choice to make changes in their lifestyle have worked in their favor.
Even though you may have new members to manage, don’t forget to accommodate the needs of members who have a history at your fitness center. You have built strong relationships with many year-round gym-goers, and you want to keep nurturing that bond even when things get hectic. Try creating a chart or private sheet just for each member showing where they started at the beginning of the year, and how they progress each week. Even in a number of short weeks, the progress they have made will be visible, and hopefully encourage them to keep going.
Using PerfectMind, you can see which members show a high risk of quitting and address their concerns before they leave. Generate more leads and reduce dropouts with marketing automation that regularly nurtures your prospects.
No matter the size of your facility, PerfectMind has an ideal solution for you. Whether you run a small gym or a large, multi-faceted fitness center, our gym membership software helps you take your business from good to great, to fantastic.
