Having a robust membership model at your sports club is key to its success. You’ll benefit from better cash flow as members commit to a regular monthly payment, allowing you to forecast profit. You’ll also find that it’s easier to scale a membership-based offering because the value created can increase as your membership base grows.
With that in mind, here’s our guide on how to create a successful sports club membership program.
Define Your Membership Levels
Consider offering a variety of options to suit different types of members. For example, you might offer a basic membership, a premium membership with additional perks, and a family membership. Understanding what’s important to your customers will help you determine what to include in the different tiers. For example, if you know that many of your members have families, then you know that a family membership could be a desired option.
Determine Pricing
To set your prices, consider the value each membership offers, and the cost associated with those benefits. Being the cheapest option isn’t always the most effective strategy but remember to stay competitive with other sports clubs in the area. Also, consider your targets – how many people would need to sign up for each membership for you to make a profit?
Offer Exclusive Perks
Offering exclusive member-only perks makes non-members feel that they’re missing out on a benefit if they don’t sign up. Examples could include discounts on merchandise or access to special events, perhaps even early access to new classes or programs. The more you advertise these exclusive offers to your audience, the more they’ll feel compelled to join.
Communicate Regularly
Communication is critical in generating interest and ensuring those leads keep coming. Send out newsletters or emails that advertise upcoming events, classes and some of those member-only perks we talked about. Create a space for members to connect by regularly updating your social media pages and sharing photos and special achievements on your feed.
Offer Flexible Payment Options
Make your membership program more accessible by offering flexible payment options – something members value more than ever in the current climate. This could include monthly or quarterly billing, no contract options, or discounts for paying in advance.
Track And Analyse Data
To ensure the success of your membership program, you’ll need to track and analyse data on membership numbers, retention rates, and revenue. Use this to continually improve and refine your offering. For example, if you notice one of your membership plans isn’t selling as well as the others, you might want to revisit the price or what it includes.
Generating new sales is essential to any business’s survival, and following these steps will help you build a successful membership program for your sports club. Paying attention to what your members want will help you create memberships that speak to their needs. Communicating with them consistently allows for fast feedback that you can implement to delight your customers. Once your membership program is in place, you can sit back and watch the sign-ups roll in!
Next Steps
ClubRight is the go-to member management software that takes care of everything from managing memberships and billing to class bookings and online joining – plus a whole lot more. Give us a call today on +44 (0)203 884 977 or book a free online demo with one of our product experts to find out why we’re trusted by more than 750+ fitness businesses across the UK.
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