If there’s one thing about the club industry, it’s that it never stands still. And we’re not even talking about the past two years. Member expectations and demands continue to evolve: “I want a live class and an on-demand studio and I want content on my phone and so on and so on.” The new member experience is an immersive 360-degree experience, pairing exceptional live instructor-led classes in your club with digital options, workouts and other content that augment that experience and go wherever members go. As 2022 gets more underway, it’s clear this approach to member experience isn’t going away. So how do clubs create exceptional experiences for members, how do they work best with their content partner to truly integrate digital offerings into the overall fitness mix? This month we sat down with Todd Wiginton, Customer Success Manager at FitnessOnDemand to hear how clubs and content providers can create the best experiences and membership outcomes in the year ahead.
How is FitnessOnDemand working with club operators?
We’ve always adopted a very hands on approach to our relationships with club operators around the country (and the world). By that I mean, this isn’t a transactional event where we introduce our product, hand it over and let operators run with it. We partner with our clubs to understand what their membership needs from our system, portfolio of content and technology functionality. By staying close, we can help operators understand the best way to integrate on-demand classes and live streaming functionality with their club offerings and needs. This is about augmenting the live experience. Not replacing it.
As a new customer or club interested in virtual fitness, how do I get started?
Club operators are busy, so we’re streamlining our process and tailoring the new customer experience for what clubs need and have the time for. Some operators are happy to take charge and follow our self-guided set up of our platform, but for others we conduct a survey to learn what they need to know, schedule a strategy call, then do a 30 and 60 day post activation call with them to understand how the system is being used and help further tailor the experience to individual club needs. That can be helping with program scheduling or suggesting content that might be a great fit for members. Things like how to introduce features like our new Circuit365 program to their club: a series of 90 daily circuits, consisting of eight individual exercises each, that clubs can auto play on a loop in their fitness studios to help members engage with their FOD system 24/7.
Are there any best practices clubs can follow to get the most from the system?
Absolutely. Several things. Assign someone to be a product champion: to keep a regular eye on the system and operations. It’s important to understand that even an on-demand system as simple as FitnessOnDemand to operate requires some operational attention. Start the daily circuit in your studio or on your assigned FOD screen, check your kiosk functionality and look at your class schedule. Review who’s logging in and using the FLEX app at home or around the club to understand usage patterns and which content is engaging more members.
And most importantly, ensure you promote your system offerings and class schedule on your website, app and social channels. Members need to know what’s available and when but are often too busy or distracted with their regular routine to investigate new equipment and amenities you’re offering.
How do I engage more members with my virtual fitness offering?
There are so many options. New clubs might hold a get to know FitnessOnDemand event for VIP members. Let early adopters take a class and solicit their feedback on the experience to learn how to market and schedule it for members. Host a club-wide event for all members to try an on-demand 30-minute Yoga or HIIT class. Think about building other attractions around your event too – an instructor and nutritionist to advise members, a drawing for workout gear or other club premium, and make sure that every member leaves the event with a class schedule for the coming month or quarter. Following the event, it’s a good idea to send an email or message to all attending members to get their feedback and ask them to share their experiences on their social media.
How do I keep members interested?
You can start by downloading one of FitnessOnDemand’s monthly marketing kits. It’s full of monthly tips, ideas and special days to celebrate as well as ideas for creating special events and member challenges with on-demand content. The calendar features a different theme each month making member communications simple. Familiarity and exposure is key too. Promote and highlight a piece of content or class in a weekly email to members and create ongoing social media content.
How can I integrate my digital and live fitness offerings better?
Really fitness is just fitness now. The live, in-club experience is always going to be special and unique, but look for ways to marry the two. Our new live streaming function allows your instructors to expand their reach and stream live classes to members at home or traveling, increasing class sizes and helping members never miss a class they love if they can’t make it to the club. Task your instructors with suggesting on-demand content that class participants can try at home to help strengthen or improve their class performance. By doing these things you’ll enrich the member experience, expose them to your on-demand system and help them stay on track to be a success with their goals as well as your club’s.
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