Each month we ask club customers and managers of others fitness facilities what are the burning issues, the questions on their minds:
QUESTION OF THE MONTH:
Q: “My club just closed due to Covid – what’s the best ways to keep members engaged virtually while they’re not in the club?”
A: As much as possible recreate the in-club experience in members own homes.
That may sound like a stretch, but many of the reasons members come to the club can be replicated virtually in members’ family rooms and basement workout spaces. Access to premium workouts, interactions and instruction from expert instructors and trainers and a social experience with others. Here are the three key things to think about and build into your virtual at home offering, while we all wait for the temporary club closures mandate to lift.
- Replicate schedule with diverse content – it can be tough for some people to maintain the same commitment in their home workout as they experience in the motivational surroundings of the club. But ensuring they can access – and that hat they know about – your diverse portfolio of content can really help. At the club they might mix up a couple of HIIT classes, a cycling session and work with a trainer on personal goals, so at home, they need that same set of opportunities. Make sure in all of your member communications you stress how to access content and get the most out of putting together a week’s set of classes, sessions and stand-alone exercises for muscle groups.
- Speaking of member communications – engagement comes down to interactions, with content but also the club team, your brand, instructors and other members. You’ve likely already increased the frequency of email communications, but if not, it’s essential to get in front of your at home members virtually. Club updates on Covid procedures, promotions and deals on club merchandise as holiday gifts, nutritional tips to stay out of the fridge and on track with goals, and promoted content classes and workouts.
- Socialize the experience – for our FOD customers, FLEX should be the centerpiece of streaming club content to members, but look for other ways to digitally network with your membership. Encourage your instructors to promote content through their Facebook and Instagram channels, make sure your social media team is committed to sharing more frequent content, engaging in member chats and answering member questions. And lastly, keep your website content fresh – especially news pages. Chances are your members are stopping by there more than they ever have before, to get the latest – and learn when we’re all going to be open for business.
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