5 Ways to Get Your CrossFit Members to Stay for Life

In most cities, new gyms and CrossFit boxes are popping up every other day. This tends to keep box owners up at night, worrying about how they’re going to compete.

You start wondering if your members might jump ship for a new box, or if you’re going to have to change your rates to be able to compete. 

It’s at this point that most owners start seriously thinking what they need to do in order to improve customer retention and lifetime membership.

Did you know that it can cost you 5-10 times more to land a new member than it does to keep an existing one?

That means that, apart from marketing to potential members, member retention should be your biggest priority.

To do this, you need to differentiate your box from all the other options out there. Offering a stellar experience for your members is the easiest way to avoid losing them.

And fortunately, creating that kind of experience isn’t complicated. These 5 steps will get you on your way to creating an unbeatable environment for your members.

5 Ways to Get Your CrossFit Members to Stay for Life

1. Surprise and Delight from Day One

Competitive pricing used to be a key consideration in winning over members, but those days are long gone. Nowadays people are willing to spend more money if the perceived value of the experience is higher, so you need to wow them right from day one.

A few ways we have seen this work really well in boxes around the country include:

• A handwritten welcome note when they join
• Free jump rope or branded t-shirts to new members
• Flexible classes with easy communication with the coaches

None of these options will break the bank, and they set you apart from the crowd. The psychology behind this is simple; people want to feel valued. When you offer them a small token like a handwritten note or a small gift, they begin to feel like more than just a paying customer. They feel like a welcome, appreciated member – and that’s as it should be.

2. Follow Up for Feedback…and Actually Listen to It

Following up with new members is a crucial step in winning their loyalty.

First and foremost, a follow-up reiterates the original ‘surprise and delight factor’: you are invested in their success, not just their money. It also gives you an opportunity to gauge how they are getting along and whether you need to take steps to improve their experience.

As you know, new CrossFit members often struggle with the intensity of the WODs and the fear that they aren’t cut out for this level of training. A follow-up gives you the chance to remind them that they can scale the workout to suit their level of fitness and that they are surrounded by those who support their progress and success. 

It also gives them an opportunity to ask any questions they may have been uncomfortable bringing up during classes, reducing the likelihood that they’ll quit over something that could have been fixed.

Most importantly, you get invaluable feedback about how your members perceive your business. 

For example, if a large majority of members are requesting Open Gym hours when you have none, this could be a good indicator that they would be willing to move on if they found another box that offered this. In this case, you might consider adding in a few days of Open Gym and seeing how members respond. 

If it doesn’t work, you can always shut it down. But if it does work, you’ve likely saved a significant number of memberships and shown your members that you value their input.

Obviously not all feedback is going to be easy or reasonable to implement, but the important thing is that you truly listen to what your members are saying. Your job as a business owner is to provide a solution and if you aren’t providing a solution, they will move on to someone who is. 

Make sure you record all the feedback you get, and go over it regularly to make sure you are doing whatever you can to keep your members happy.

3. Hire Great Coaches

Great coaches will change the experience in your box for good. Hiring people that have a lot of experience and who have gone above and beyond to develop their coaching skills will pay huge dividends.

Great coaches are the backbone of your box and can make or break it. The difference between a mediocre coach and a great one is how they connect with your members.

A mediocre coach can tell you what the WOD is, but a great one can show and explain to you how to properly complete the movements. They can help you adjust your position when necessary and motivate you to push yourself without causing injury. 

Great coaches are approachable and applaud success, no matter how small it may be. They have a coaching style that makes members feel safe and confident, but the big personality that excites them to try harder. It’s a fine line to walk, but one that can make a massive difference if you want to get your CrossFit members to stay for life.

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