When member retention falls, it’s usually because you don’t have enough touchpoints in those first few weeks of them joining. You’ll start to notice new joiners never quite settle in, never fully engage with the club and eventually stop turning up to the dojo altogether.
However, the most important opportunity to prevent this dropoff occurs much sooner than most people realise.
The first 90 days of a new member’s journey play a huge role in whether they stay long term or eventually cancel, because it’s during this period that they’re most receptive to being shown what your club has to offer.
This is especially important to keep in mind in January, when martial arts clubs typically see a surge of new starters. With so many first-time members joining at once, the way those first 90 days are handled can have a disproportionate impact on overall club retention for the year ahead.
Why the First 90 Days Are Critical for Martial Arts Club Retention
When someone joins a martial arts club, they usually feel excited, optimistic, and every class during that first couple of weeks is an assessment of whether they want to keep coming back.
Members are most open to trying more classes, training at different times of day or booking one-to-one sessions in those first 90 days. From a retention perspective, this matters because members who explore more tend to build stronger habits and attachment early on.
What Changes After the First 90 Days?
It takes around three months for new members to establish a solid training routine, and it’s at this point that they become significantly less likely to experiment. Even if your club offers a wide range of classes, many members will stick to the same one every week.
For martial arts club owners, this is where cancellation risk increases. If a member hasn’t found something that truly keeps them engaged by this point, attendance often drops… and cancellations are next to follow.
The Common Club Management Mistake That Hurts Retention
Many martial arts clubs focus heavily on the sales process, then rely too heavily on students to figure things out themselves beyond the classes.
The reality is that without guidance, many new members only experience a small part of what the club offers and miss opportunities that could help them hit their martial arts goals. Effective club management is less about pushing sales or overwhelming people with constant marketing emails and more about making it easy for members to discover what suits them during those first 90 days.
Here’s a clip from our interview with Ryan at Black Raccoon Consulting where he explains the importance of the first 90 days.
How Martial Arts Club Software Supports Better Early Engagement
Good club management software strengthens those personal interactions by creating consistency and visibility during the most important phase of the member journey.
With the right martial arts club management system in place, instructors can more easily understand how new members are engaging, spot those who aren’t exploring many of the services available, and ensure no one slips through the cracks during their first few months. This allows you to be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to club retention.
You can also use club management software to send out timely, targeted text messages to stay connected beyond the dojo and keep motivation high. When you sign up for ClubRight, you get 100 free SMS message credits to get you started. Here’s a popular SMS workflow used by many of our clients to capitalise on those first 90 days:
January brings huge opportunity, but it also brings risk if new members aren’t supported beyond the initial sign-up. Martial arts clubs that focus on guiding and engaging new starters during those first 90 days are far more likely to turn January motivation into long-term membership. When thoughtful club management is supported by reliable software, you’ll be better equipped to help new members find their place early on. The result is a more engaged membership base and stronger retention.
ClubRight is the go-to management software for martial arts clubs, taking care of everything from membership management 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 1000+ fitness businesses across the UK.
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