Fitness Incentives: Your Secret Weapon To Grow Membership


It’s no secret that recreation businesses come in all shapes and sizes. Large facilities. Local parks departments. Ice rinks. Even small fitness studios. And each faces its own hurdles.  

Maybe you’re struggling to fill up your programs with limited space, or you’re doing more with less due to tightened budgets. Perhaps you’re even facing increased competition in your area.  

But there’s one challenge every facility has in common.  

Membership is the most important word in the world for every recreation facility 

Truth is, membership can make or break you. Increased membership spells success—but presents new challenges in managing more staff and complex scheduling. Fewer members? Everyone knows what that can mean to a facility.  

Running a recreation facility proves that it really is all about your members, such as:  


With all the different options and opportunities to attract and retain members, it’s tough to know where to focus. And how to plan for growth.  

However, there’s an effective strategy to help you increase membership volume—and satisfaction. It’s a simple solution that will not only help your facility stand out from the rest and succeed, but also encourage your members to commit to their goals and see better results in their health and wellness. 

How to Use Fitness Incentives to Boost Membership Enrollment  

Your recreation facility has the opportunity to motivate people, get them moving, start a fitness routine, or increase their dedication to the one they have. And by offering fitness incentives, you can give your facility a competitive edge (and help your members live their healthiest lives).  

Fitness incentives encourage more than just short-term visits. They deepen long-term commitments. The results? Better results for your members—and increased membership retention for you. 



What Types of Fitness Incentives are Right for Your Facility?  

Offering a variety of fitness incentives can cater to different needs and preferences of both your potential and existing members. Some effective incentives you might consider can include: 

Fitness Incentives Will Help Attract Prospective Members 

In many ways, the results seen by your current members are your best advertisement to attract new membership.  

That’s why it’s essential to clearly and effectively communicate the benefits of joining your facility with fitness incentives. 



Your 4-Point Plan to Launch an Effective Fitness Incentive Program 

You may be thinking: “OK, fitness incentives are great. I’ll get more members, and keep more members. It’s no-brainer, but where do I even start?”  

Relax, we have you covered. Here’s a 4-point plan to design and launch a successful fitness incentive program for your membership: 

  1. Identify Your Target Audience: Understand who your members are and what motivates them. This will help you tailor your incentives accordingly—with tools to help you directly target customers who fit your ideal profile.  
     
  1. Set Clear and Achievable Goals: Make sure the goals of your incentive programs are attainable to keep your members motivated.  
  1. Promote Incentives Through Various Channels: Use your website, social media, and even printed flyers, posters and postcards to spread the word about your incentives.  
  1. Provide Transparent Terms and Conditions: Make sure members clearly understand how they can qualify for and benefit from your incentive programs. 

Stay on Target! Tracking and Measuring the Success of Fitness Incentives 

After you launch, all the hard work is over, right? Not exactly, but the good news is that you’ll quickly know whether your program gains traction. Then, to ensure your fitness incentives are continually working and improving, you need to track your program and make adjustments as needed: 
 


Easier said than done, right? Well, one way to make tracking membership activity less time-consuming for you and your staff is by employing software designed to do just that.  

DaySmart Recreation offers a simple, one-stop solution to not only streamline your registration and operations, but also manage 1-to-1, personalized communications with members. With it, you can create targeted marketing lists, and track all your customer data in one easy-to-use suite of cloud-based software.   


A Powerful Tool for Your Facility to Gain and Keep Members 


We’ve discussed how fitness incentives can help boost membership enrollment at your facility while keeping current members motivated.  And let’s be clear: whether we’re talking about your members’ fitness or your facility’s growth—having clear goals, milestones and rewards can only help. Fitness Incentives will not only enhance the attractiveness of your facility and offerings, but also help build a committed, engaged, and satisfied community. 

When you’re looking to implement or enhance your incentive programs, always keep an eye on how they can align with your members’ needs and contribute to your facility’s success. Focusing on these strategies can help you see significant growth in your membership numbers, while also making sure your members get the most they can from your facility—and live healthier lives. 

Want to learn more about how DaySmart can help your facility achieve your goals and continue to grow? Explore our suite of solutions at DaySmart Recreation—or simply reach out to us and learn how we can help you. All of our solutions were designed specifically for recreation facilities—and can help tackle the unique challenges you face.  




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