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In an age where attention spans are shorter than ever, where social media is constantly vying for human interaction, how do you ensure your club doesn't become just another neglected subscription?

This challenge is also facing leisure clubs in India, as they compete not just with other clubs, but with the entire spectrum of digital entertainment and social platforms that consume people's free time.

This is where game-changing membership retention ideas come into play. They are all about creating an environment and experience that members can't replicate elsewhere – one that combines physical activity, social connection, and personal growth.

Through this blog, we will touch upon membership retention ideas that will motivate your members to keep coming back. Each of these ideas plays an integral role in member retention, but their importance may vary from one individual to another.

We’ll explore the art of membership retention, offering 7 transformative ideas to keep your members engaged and loyal. We will guide you through the crucial process of calculating your retention rate, providing the insights needed to turn your club into an indispensable part of your members' lives. Prepare to elevate your club from a mere venue to a cherished community!

How Membership Retention Drives Club Prosperity

According to HubSpot’s Annual State of Customer Service Report, acquiring new customers is five times more expensive than retaining existing customers. It establishes the fact that retaining current club members is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones.

A high retention rate reflects satisfied members who value your services, leading to a steady revenue stream and a strong community. Also, long-term members often become advocates for your club, bringing in referrals and enhancing your reputation.

Factors Affecting Member Turnover

Despite its importance, member retention can be challenging. Common challenges include:

• Competition: With numerous leisure options available, clubs must continually prove their value to members
• Changing interests: Members' preferences may evolve, which makes it difficult for club managers to keep club activities relevant
• Time constraints: Busy lifestyles can decrease participation and eventual membership loss
• Financial considerations: Economic pressures may cause members to reconsider cutting short expenses like renewal of club memberships
• Lack of engagement: If members don't feel connected to the club or other members, they are more likely to leave
• Amenity maintenance: Outdated or poorly maintained amenities can drive members away
• Service quality: Inconsistent or poor service can lead to dissatisfaction and attrition
• Value perception: If members don't feel they are getting sufficient value for their fees, they may cancel their membership
• Generational differences: Clubs may struggle to appeal to both older and younger demographics simultaneously

7 Effective Membership Retention Ideas

Frustrated with the staggering membership churn rate? Then these tried-and-tested membership retention ideas will surely help you elevate your brand.

Optimize New Member Onboarding

The first impression can often speak louder than the entire member journey. However, your club might face certain challenges during the process including a seamless registration process, providing personalized orientations, maintaining clear communication, and integrating new members into the community effectively.

Consider implementing below-mentioned actions to tackle these challenges:

• Showing new members around the club premises and making them feel at home
• Offering beginner classes or personal training sessions to help new members get started
• Sending welcome emails, and welcome goodies, and following up with new members to address any questions or concerns
• Biometric, FRS, RFID cards, and QR code scans integrated through club management software simplify new member onboarding with secure and quick identity verification
• Sending welcome emails, and welcome goodies, and following up with new members to address any questions or concern

Exceptional Customer Service

Put your members at the center of every activity. Starting from their check-in to their stay at a villa, everything should be managed flawlessly by your club staff.

• Sending welcome emails, and welcome goodies, and following up with new members to address any questions or concerns
• Sending welcome emails, and welcome goodies, and following up with new members to address any questions or concerns
• Make sure all indoor and outdoor club amenities are well-maintained and cleaned regularly
• Ensure members have registered for events through a member mobile app to avoid long queues for registration at your club
• Proactively anticipate and solve potential issues and empower staff to make decisions that quickly resolve problems
• Offer unexpected perks such as discounts and incentives (EG: Offering 20% off on membership renewal)

Apart from this, you can even monitor customer service quality with the below metrics:

• Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)
• Net Promoter Score (NPS)
• Customer Effort Score (CES)

Provide Realtime Information and Resources

Be proactive and keep your club members informed. You can provide real-time information by sending push notifications through a member mobile app or emails to keep members updated about important events, facility availability, and other relevant news.

Apart from this, you can even,

• Use social media platforms to share real-time updates and engage with members
• Install digital displays throughout the club to showcase the availability of different amenities

Collect and Act on Member Feedback

Always make your members feel heard by taking prompt action based on their feedback. Show members that their feedback is valued by implementing changes and communicating these improvements without fail.

For example, if many members mention slow service at the bar in feedback, increase staffing during peak hours.

Consider implementing “Feedback Loop” inside your club for enhanced satisfaction and loyalty. Here is its step-by-step process.

• Collect Feedback: Use surveys, member mobile app’s digital form, suggestion boxes, direct conversations via staff, and social media to gather members' opinions and suggestions
• Analyze Feedback: Review and identify common themes, trends, and areas for improvement based on the collected feedback
• Act on Feedback: Implement necessary changes, communicate these improvements to members, and follow up to ensure the changes address the issues
• Monitor and Evaluate: Continuously collect and assess feedback to ensure ongoing improvements and adjust strategies as needed

Personalize the Member Experience

Personalization is a key contributor to your club’s success. Members feel their individual preferences matter to the club. Consequently, it makes them feel good and inspires them to associate with the club emotionally as well. You can personalize member experience by implementing the following checklist:

• Send personalized emails or SMS for special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
• Celebrate members’ birthdays and anniversaries with personalized offers or gifts
• Utilize member mobile app notifications to remind members of their favorite amenities, events, or available offers
• Offer personalized wellness plans and assessments based on each member's goals and health status
• Develop a loyalty program that rewards long-term members with special perks
• Train staff to greet members by name and remember their preferences
• Create and manage social media groups or forums where members can interact, share experiences, and stay updated
• Feature members’ stories and achievements on social media to foster a sense of belonging

Achieve a Stellar Retention Rate with eCube – Find Out How! 

Use Technology

Modern technology has become the driving force to provide the ultimate member experience. Here, AI-embedded solutions offer an edge over the competition, strengthening security, and creating a highly engaging environment for members.

Club management software technology has been transforming a large cluster of leisure clubs across India. This solution offers numerous benefits including:

• Simplifying tracking of member information, renewals, and payments
• Reducing administrative tasks and assurance of timely payments, preventing membership lapses
• Monitoring member activity and engagement to address potential issues
• Analyzing insights with real-time reports into member usage patterns and satisfaction
• Streamline planning and registration for events to accelerate member participation and satisfaction

In addition to these, you can elevate the club experience with a futuristic member mobile app, a digital touchstone that transforms member engagement and drives exceptional ROI. This powerful tool is more than just technology – it's a gateway to a seamless, personalized club journey with features such as:

• An intuitive interface for booking amenities, and events, and purchasing movie tickets
• Push notifications and reminders for upcoming events, membership renewals, and personalized offers to keep members informed
• Integration with payment gateway and availability of multiple payment options
• A direct communication channel for contacting club staff through in-app chat options
• Real-time information on amenity availability, including live occupancy updates for smooth amenity access and enhanced convenience
• Integration of a loyalty program that tracks member visits and rewards frequent usage with points, discounts, or special perks, encouraging continued membership

Encourage Participation

Strive to achieve maximum member participation in your club activities with the following to-do's:

• Promote workshops, group activities, and social gatherings at your club to encourage members to connect, participate, and build relationships
• Also, organize friendly competitions like pool tournaments, tennis matches, or trivia nights.
• Award members with points or digital badges for attending events or trying new activities.
• Host a bring-a-friend event where your members can bring one guest with them for free
• Offer exciting rewards for participating in all events during whole year on your club’s anniversary day

Calculate Membership Retention Rates

The membership retention rate is a measure of how well you maintain the number of club members over a specific period. It's expressed as a percentage. A high retention rate means most members stay with the club.

While the churn rate is the opposite of the retention rate. It measures the percentage of members who leave the club during a specific period. A high churn rate usually signifies that members are not renewing their memberships.

Easily calculate your club's membership retention rate with our innovative calculator:

Example:

You have 50 members at the start of the year.

During the year, 5 members purchased membership and 4 members left.

Hence, the membership retention rate will be 90%.

Here is the calculation.

Pro Tip: 

Utilize club management software to get precise and real-time reports on membership metrics. With its detailed insights, you can easily track the exact number of members at the start of any defined period, the influx of new members during that time, and the number of members who have left

Important Note:

• For more accurate results, consider using a longer period like a year instead of a month.
• If you have a large membership base, consider using a sample of members to calculate these rates.
• Regularly analyzing these metrics can help identify trends and areas for improvement.
• Generational differences: Clubs may struggle to appeal to both older and younger demographics simultaneously

Beat Your Competition with a 100% Retention Rate Using eCube – Discover How

Parting Thoughts

As we look to the future, it is imperative to keep up with the hospitality industry’s trends and continually innovate to meet your club members' evolving demands.

Embracing new technologies along with creative retention ideas can set your club apart in a competitive landscape. From personalized member experiences to real-time communication and solid feedback mechanisms, the membership retention ideas can keep your club dynamic and engaging.

Can’t wait to transform your club? Connect with us to understand how partnering with eCube can help you hit the mark. Trusted by numerous Indian club owners, eCubs is a fully automated club management software that can be the forerunner in retaining your club members in the long term.

Click here to learn more about our solution! Together, let’s make your club the go-to destination for unforgettable experiences and lasting connections.