Convert More of Your Leads Into Loyal Members

From Fitness Lead to Loyal Member

Even the best fitness studio is weakened without a steady stream of new members through its door. And while it’s simple enough to get a lot of people to claim a great free offer to work out for the first time in your facility, getting them to follow through and use that offer isn’t always so easy. For fitness studio owners, that’s when the real work begins. But there are ways to be way more effective with your lead conversion process. 

1. Follow Up

At Loud Rumor, we consider a lead someone who provides their name, email and phone number in order to claim an offer to workout at your studio. So once that person’s info lands in your inbox saying they’re ready to redeem their first free week or unlimited month, the first step to converting them into a paying member is to follow up promptly… and we mean promptly. When studios are able to respond to leads that land in their inbox within 15 minutes, their response rate is much better than if left for a few hours. One studio we work with was able to book 86% of their leads for a first session simply by calling and texting within minutes of someone filling out the offer form.

For best results, email, call and text your fitness lead. That same gym who booked 86% of leads swears by it. Use every means available to reach out to these people — the more attempts at contact you make, the better your chances of getting them through your doors.

2. Drip Campaign

Requiring someone to give their email to claim their free pass is a huge part of converting those leads into members. This allows you to build a list of emails that you can use in what’s called a drip campaign. It’s an automated cycle of emails that your lead enters when they give their info, and it lets you send welcome, reminder and last chance emails to anyone on your list… without lifting a finger. 

A drip campaign is simple to set up and customize using an automation software. At Loud Rumor, we love InfusionSoft for our drip campaigns because its added CRM capabilities allow us to segment email lists into specific audiences. So if you want to sort your contacts into people who are interested in your pilates service versus people who want your cycle service, you can do that in the CRM with lists.

3. Their First Session

A new student’s first visit to your fitness studio is your time to shine. You only get one chance to make a first impression and convert them into members. So that impression needs to be killer.

Call the day before their appointment to remind them of the time. Tell them how much you’re looking forward to meeting them and provide helpful details like what to bring, how to find your studio and where to park. Let them know you’ve blocked out that time specifically for them and that you’ll be the one waiting to greet them with a towel, water bottle, etc. This makes them realize how important the session is and they’ll be more likely to show.

Start their first appointment off by meeting them at the front desk and walking them through any waivers or other introductory paperwork your studio requires. Give them a tour of the facility, introduce your awesome staff and point out a veteran member who can give them pointers during their workout if they get confused or need help. Introducing them to this veteran (someone who already loves your studio) is huge - once they meet, your loyal member is likely to tell this new student all about your service and guide them through the workout.

4. Bonus Offer

A great way to get people into your studio faster is to promote an additional offer once they sign up for your initial one, whether it’s the free week or unlimited month. So once someone clicks your ad for the offer - we suggest using Facebook - and is taken to your landing page to claim their coupon, they would see a thank you page that urges them to call right away to claim an additional great deal. 

The extra incentive acts as a cool filter for your leads. People who call you for that bonus offer are much easier to close and convert into paying members than those who don’t. These sales are practically handed to you on a silver platter and all you have to do is show off your awesome studio.

Not sure what to offer as a bonus? We’ve seen great results from an additional free week or free fitness assessment, when paired with an original offer of a free week or discounted month. Some of our best studios even have another bonus offer ready to go on the potential customer’s first visit. For example, if customers waive the remainder of their trial period and sign right away, they’ll receive a hefty discount off their membership package.

Kill It In the Conversion Process
These are just a few ways that the best fitness studios turn their leads into paying, loyal customers. Follow these steps and you’re guaranteed to see an improvement.

Need more advice about online marketing for your facility? Learn how to use Facebook advertising to generate 200 new leads each month, and discover 3 ways to reach your target audience and bring in killer leads.

Keep Your Members Continually Engaged
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