In the world of fitness, the focus often lies on the numbers that are easy to track - gross income, profit margins, and new memberships.
These are undoubtedly important, but some of the missing and crucial pieces of the puzzle that have helped me and other businesses that I have worked with are costing lost members or member attrition. For myself and my clients, this has been a consistently significant factor that impacts our bottom line. Yet it often went unnoticed. According to a report by the International Health, Racquet & Sports-club Association (IHRSA), the average gym loses about 50% of its members every year. That's a staggering number, and it made me think ? Let's say a gym spends £75 on marketing to acquire a new member and that member cancels after one year. The gym then has to spend another £75 to replace them. If the gym could have spent £15 on retention efforts to keep that member for another year, the cost of churn, in this case, would be £60 (£75 for a new member minus £15 to retain the existing member). So, in this example, the gym could have saved £60 per member by focusing on retention efforts rather than acquiring new members. Over hundreds or thousands of members, these savings can add up to a significant amount. Bob Esquerre, working with Faster Health and Fitness, a renowned fitness industry consultant, has often emphasised the importance of member retention. In a recent conversation with Bob he states, "The cost of acquiring a new member is three times more than retaining an existing one." This underscores the financial implications of member attrition and the potential for increased profitability through improved retention. However, let's consider the other side of the coin. Some argue that member attrition is simply a part of the business model for many gyms. They point out that the high turnover allows for a constant influx of new members, often at higher rates than those grandfathered into older, cheaper plans. This perspective suggests that the focus should remain on marketing and sales to continually attract new customers. While this approach may work for some, it's worth considering the potential long-term benefits of investing more in member retention. This could involve investing in staff training to improve customer service, enhancing the gym experience, or offering more personalised fitness programs. According to HRSA’s 2012 edition of Profiles of Success shows that clubs spent a median of $103.50 in sales and marketing costs per new member account in 2011. Although the cost to acquire a new member has never been cheaper, a newly acquired member may not necessarily replace the revenue lost from a member that quits. From a study by the Harvard Business Review found that increasing customer retention rates by 5% increases profits by 25% to 95%. Applying this to the fitness industry, it would seem that even a small improvement in member retention can significantly boost a gym's profitability. More importantly, satisfied members are more likely to refer friends and family, providing a source of new customers that don't require a hefty marketing budget. According to Nielsen, people are four times more likely to buy when referred by a friend. While the traditional metrics of gross income and profit are important, gym businesses may not want to overlook the cost of member attrition. By investing more in staff, experience, and member retention, gyms can potentially increase their repeat business and ultimately, their revenue. Growing any business requires good decisions, however, you measure them. Each gym must consider its unique circumstances and decide where to allocate resources for the greatest return on investment. However, the evidence suggests that focusing on member retention, and the team that delivers customer experience could be a game-changer for many in the fitness industry. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
0 Comments
Warm-up exercises are a staple in most fitness routines, they are often used as a way to prepare the body for strenuous physical activity. However, the effectiveness of warm-ups for injury prevention and performance enhancement is a topic of ongoing debate in the sports science community. Injury Prevention Firstly the term 'injury prevention' is broad and encompasses a wide range of potential injuries. Without first specifying which injury we are talking about the questions is very difficult to answer. Many methods and techniques are marketed in this manner. Performance Similarly, 'performance enhancement' can refer to various aspects of physical performance, from strength and endurance to flexibility and coordination. This is also vague, which makes it challenging to definitively state whether warm-ups are universally beneficial. However i did find some evidence to suggest the effectiveness, or some techniques to improve the performance in high threashold motor units which is useful if you want to get bigger . [1]
You may have come across the technique of Post-Activation Potentiation (PAP). PAP is a phenomenon by which the force exerted by a muscle is increased due to its previous contraction. Think plyometrics followed lifting heavy ( or the other way round).
You may have heard that the effects of PAP are so long-lasting that athletes can engage in power work the day or morning before a game for carry over. This could challenge our conventional understanding of when a 'warm-up' should take place. Some of the research I’ve read seems to suggest that PAP lasts for approximately 15 minutes but is muscle-specific (Tillin & Bishop, 2009). This insight could potentially revolutionise how we approach writing our programs, ( and who knows even some of our education providers may revisit their manuals) especially for clients who need more power or want to increase muscle mass.
A study by Stacey A. Zeno et al. explored the effects of various warm-up exercises on military physical fitness test results, yielding mixed and somewhat inconclusive findings. While certain exercises like cardiovascular warm-ups seemed to improve sprint/running times and dynamic stretching appeared to have broad benefits, these conclusions are tentative due to a variety of factors such as diverse methodologies, testing measures, performance standards, and sample populations. The individual studies were often characterized by small sample sizes and varying warm-up techniques, which, coupled with insufficient standardization, resulted in low to moderate confidence in the results. The review, therefore, suggests the need for more research to establish definitive conclusions. Despite the ambiguities, preliminary indications point towards potential benefits of cardiovascular warm-ups, dynamic stretching, and dynamic warm-ups in improving performance in certain military physical fitness tests.
⚠️I highly recommend doing your own research, these studies posted here are just a start point. To learn more about the process that has helped me and my students to read the balance of quality research follow the link below.
In this study on whole-body cryotherapy (extreme cold air exposure) a method, often used as a form of warm-up, had no significant effect on preventing or treating muscle soreness after exercise. This indicates that not all warm-up methods are equally effective, and some may not provide the expected benefits.
Warm-ups have been credited with promoting mental preparedness, reducing performance anxiety, and creating a ritualistic significance (McCrary et al., 2015). While these factors don't directly prevent injuries, their beneficial influence on our overall performance, are worth considering. Psychological Before you think this could be the end of a warm up that we may know and love, let’s not forget the psychological benefits it may hold! The ritual of preparing for a workout can have a positive impact on mental readiness and focus (McCrary et al., 2015). Many of your clients may benefit from doing what their friends do, doing what they expect to do ( this does not mean it is supported by the balance of scientific literature but does mean it has its place ). Much of the scientific evidence seems to highlight that our understanding of warm-ups isn't as definitive as I might have thought. The literature offers mixed findings on injury prevention, and the physiological benefits, though present, are not as clear-cut as I would like them to be. The warm-ups' role in psychological readiness is an area worthy of further exploration. The mental preparation that a warm-up routine provides may be just as valuable as its physical benefits, but how can we quantify this, and should we even try to? Questioning our practices maybe key to stepping forward in our evolution, if we are striving for better health. It's would seem that warm-ups may require further research if we want refine our understanding and application of these routines. If you would like to join me and continue to delve into this area, would like to keep up-to-date with the latest research, and consider tailoring your approach to our or our clients' specific needs you are welcome to join me on Motor Skill Application Specialist. Thank you for giving up your time and staying with me! I’d love to hear your thoughts, anything you may want to add in the comments below,
Thank you for giving up your time and staying with me! I’d love to hear your thoughts, anything you may want to add in the comments below,
*Here are some of the references that helped with my questions. They maybe useful as a starting point. If you have any you would like to add, drop them in the comments References
|