Check this out.
According to a study out of Harvard Business School…..
“Increasing customer retention rates by 5% increases profits by 25% to 95%”
I don’t know about you, but 25-95% increase in profits sound pretty awesome.
And here’s the cool part….
Keeping client retention high (over 90%) is something ANYONE can do…as long as you’re putting energy into the RIGHT things.
(If you want an easy way to calculate your own client retention rates, click here)
Now, I’m going to share some killer strategies to boost retention…
but please keep in mind that I’m assuming you’re already delivering a high-quality program and know how to get results.
FIRST- you need to understand that people COME for results, but they STAY for the community and support.
Let me break it down for you.
Alicia’s 5 Keys to Achieving a 90%+ Client Retention Rate.
If you can….
- Get your clients great results,
- Make your clients feel special,
- Make your clients feel a part of your “fitness family” community,
- Give your clients a path for growth (physically and emotionally)
- and make them feel a part of something BIGGER than themselves
and you do these five things well… their 3-month membership soon becomes 3 YEARS.
The list below may seem simple, but never underestimate the POWER of how small things can impact your clients.
It’s all about creating an incredible experience for your clients.
When is the last time you spent money somewhere and then got a personal handwritten card in the mail to say thank you?
Probably not in a LONG time.
Small things make a BIG difference and will separate you from EVERYONE else out there.
21 Strategies to Boost Client Retention
- Mail Goal Cards to your clients (and trial members) with their individual goals on it.
- Send encouraging text messages to your clients letting them know how awesome they’re doing and how glad you are that they’re a part of your group! (at least once every 2-3 months)
- Mail personal welcome packages to new members.
- Create a Private Members-Only Facebook Group and load it up with great content like challenges, workouts, and recipes, and use it to build a sense of community.
- Have regular client socials (at least once every 2-3 months). Tie some of your socials into supporting the local community (example Habitat for Humanity, Basket Brigade, Volunteering at a local Homeless Shelter, etc.)
- Host a “Holiday Client Party” with fun awards and consider a small end-of-year client gift.
- Run special Client-Only Workshops (nutrition, etc.)
- Mail “Milestone Cards” when clients have reached an important goal to congratulate them
- Send quarterly Client Surveys to find out exactly how your clients feel and get feedback on how to improve.
- Social Media: do regular shout-outs to recognize your clients. Also share pics & videos of them working out.
- Consider a loyalty program like Sweat Angels.
- For group classes, make sure you’re doing weekly MIA (Missing-In-Action) phone calls if someone hasn’t been to class within the last week.
- Mail birthday, holiday, membership anniversary, and other special occasion cards (new baby, etc)
- Make sure your clients have room to grow. Offer various progressions for each exercise, offer a “Level 2” or offer an Advanced class so there is always something to strive for.
- Invite your best clients out to coffee, lunch, or dinner (as a group is fun!)
- Make sure you know your members like FAMILY. Know all of their names, their kids names, their pets names, their jobs, etc.
- Offer a monthly group accountability program or coaching group to help them take their results to the next level and build relationships with others.
- Have a bigger MISSION or VISION for your business. Your members want to feel a part of something bigger than themselves. Be that place for them.
- Encourage members to bring their friends, family, and co-workers to class (referrals!)… because the more social support they have, the more likely they are to stay!
- Set clear client expectations from the get-go. Create a “Client Culture Agreement” and have all of your clients sign it so they know what is expected of them. (hint: no negativity, always give your BEST effort, if you need help- ask for it, etc.)
- Offer various challenges throughout the year like The Little Black Dress Project, a 28-Day Transformation Challenge, or a 10-Day Detox to keep your clients focused and motivated to reach their goals.
It goes without saying that you ALWAYS want to over-deliver and exceed your clients expectations.
Be creative and have fun with it. Your clients are AWESOME people who trust you and need your help.
Here are a couple of other random thoughts before I head out for the day….
– Do your best to turn every negative into a positive experience for the client. I look at negative feedback as a GIFT. You have an opportunity to make it right and turn an unhappy client into a client for life…and you also have the opportunity to improve your business based on their feedback.
– Be ahead of the curve and anticipate what your clients need. Are they struggling with nutrition? Do they need a little extra accountability? Figure out what they need, and fill in the gap.
– When clients DO leave, find out why! Make sure to ASK each client why they’re leaving. You can say something like:
“I truly appreciate having had you as a member for the last X months! I’m always looking for ways to improve our services and make YOUR COMPANY NAME the best it can possibly be! Do you mind letting me know the exact reasons that you’re leaving?”
Your Action Step: Start with ONE SINGLE IDEA from the list above.
Create a quick system for it. Automate / delegate it if possible, or set reminders on your calendar so you follow-through. Once you’re regularly using your new relationship-building strategy, move on to the next one!
Hopefully this post will help spark a few ideas on how you can improve your client retention.
Make it a productive day!
Alicia
