3 min
You’ve built a beautiful fitness studio which is up and running. You’ve hired some rockstar personal trainers to motivate your members. You’ve set up your business management software to ease processes. You’ve advertised your studio to attract new members, and you’ve fine-tuned your workout classes. But, how do you increase attendance?
It’s important for you to keep an eye on performance, payments, and attendance, otherwise you could be losing members without even realizing — and that’s ultimately going to affect your bottom line.
We’ve broken down how you can get class attendance up 20% without adding tons of extra work to your plate.
Monitor class attendance patterns
If you want to increase attendance in your classes, you need to know what current attendance patterns look like. Using a powerful business intelligence module, you can easily monitor which classes are most popular and which have been slowly losing members over time.
If a class is consistently popular, that’s a good indication you may be able to offer that class more often during the day or week. Or if a class is consistently low, you may want to rethink that type of class.
Another important thing attendance reports can tell you is which of your staff are bringing in the most people. If a specific trainer consistently sees high attendance at different times of the day, consider leveraging them even more. Getting more people to class could be as easy as giving them more opportunities to work out with their favorite instructor.
Related: Business Intelligence: 5 Data Metrics to Drive Business
Offer deals during off-peak hours
Every studio has off-peak hours where attendance is generally lower. Bump up those numbers with a deal! You can offer a lower price on classes with less attendance or highlight “happy hour” prices on in-studio food and drinks during slower times.
Scheduling classes at off-peak times give older people an opportunity to enjoy your facilities in a quieter atmosphere, a very attractive prospect for those new to the world of fitness. As an added bonus, you’ll be maximizing your ROI by keeping your fitness studio bustling outside of peak hours.
Make it Easier for Members to Sign-Up
Roughly 34% of appointments are booked online outside of office hours for certain industries, so make sure your studio allows for booking through your website and mobile app to attract more sign-ups.
Allowing a member to reserve their spot within your studio’s app or even with a simple Google search will increase the likelihood they’ll show up to class. If they haven’t made a commitment to attend class – i.e. making a reservation ahead of time – they may change their mind at the last minute.
Related: Going Mobile: the Key to Health Club Success?
Leverage Social Media
Leveraging social media shouldn’t just be about posting class times and special events to keep members informed. You can also use a little social media magic to shine classes in a different light and get people excited about checking them out.
Try adding a live video from a new class to showcase what it’s all about, or posting a photo of happy members after a great yoga session can get members interested in coming next time. Short social media updates are the best way, studies have shown, for brands to interact with their consumers.
Related: 3 Easy Ways To Keep Fitness Studio Members Engaged
Conclusion
All in all, have fun at your fitness studio. If you want 100% attendance, participation, and effort, then be prepared to give the same to your members. Remain open to feedback and coaching, and remember that it’s ok to bust a move and express your personality!
