My Top IHRSA Takeaways as a Fitness Industry Consultant
I spent the week in San Diego attending and presenting at IHRSA's 2023 event, which was amazing and well worth the flight. Between the enormous tradeshow, the workshops, and the live events, I'm not sure I've ever seen more lululemon in one place before. I'm so honored to have been asked to speak, but more than that, I'm so excited about all the presentations I get to bring back to you. So, here it goes- my top takeaways from IHRSA 2023.
The Unofficial Theme: Community
IHRSA caters primarily to health clubs and gyms, although they're actively working on their boutique market (which is why I was invited). Interestingly, the common theme from most presenters was the concept of community. Now, it's no secret that this is my absolute favorite topic, but it was refreshing to hear other industry experts reiterate the same message.
We learned about the state of the industry during the financial panel. We repeatedly heard that "community and culture are paramount" for the gyms and studios that survived Covid and want to continue growing. The idea of the "third space" - or that sacred communal space outside of work and home was mentioned by most presenters. These concepts share a common thread with what I presented- focus your energy on making your studio essential to your clients. Become their place for friendship, wellness, and results, and keep community in front of mind as you build your programming.
The second most common thread was the concept of value and how potential consumers perceive it. Value- or what your client receives for their monthly subscription- was touted by the financial panel as the most important factor consumers consider when deciding whether to keep or cancel their membership during a difficult economy.
Luckily, the fitness industry is considerably less volatile than other industries. Memberships remain steady, even while industries like apparel are experiencing a downturn. However, your value needs to be conveyed in your branding, marketing, and messaging to stay ahead. My favorite quote from this panel was, "ask yourself, 'what makes my business different and sticky, what makes it valuable and scalable, and what are the potential threats ahead?'"
Takeaways:
1. How can you focus on community building to create an irresistible "third space" in your studio?
2. How can you rework your messaging and marketing to present your value proposition to current and future clients?
How to Engage the Next Generation of Members
The Gen Z panel led by Phillip Mills had interesting stats, and although I didn't leave with a ton of new ideas, I did leave with a bit of an "aha" moment; if you want more Gen Z clients, you need to hire more Gen Z staff. The next generation of mic rockstars is coming up through the ranks, and it's our job to invite them in, help them grow, and let them shine (and therefore attract more of their generation). Here are some stats that I found interesting and relevant:
Sculpt-style classes have grown by 471 percent since 2021. If you're looking for new programming, I'd start here. Circuit-style classes are also exploding, which I can attest to from my own studio.
Millennials and Gen Z comprise 80 percent of club members, and 60 percent of new members are under 35.
91 percent of Gen Z place emphasis on a brand's sustainability, but it can't be greenwashing. Authentically build sustainable practices into your culture to connect with them.
Takeaway:
If you want Gen Z clients, you need to offer what they're looking for (circuit, sculpt, strength, and wellness classes). Find them on social media and by hiring/attracting gen Z talent.
Member Retention
The retention roundtable with Dane Robinson was my favorite session (surprise!), and I came out of the hour with some great new marketing ideas I'll share monthly. My favorite quote was, "if you want to make the sale, they have to know, like, and trust you." Personal connection is the missing sales piece in our industry, which you can read more about if you read any of the sales articles on my page. (Looking for sales scripts? Click here!).
Dane explained that memberships decline because the value becomes questionable, the new experience shine has dimmed, or the studio focuses on acquisition rather than long-term relationship building.
Note that two of the main topics we discussed at the beginning are in this takeaway- value, and attention to community.
I also love this graph that he brought. We've discussed ranking your revenue months before, but Dane had a great point about "fishing where the fish are." In other words, if your studio struggles in July, like most in the industry, there are better times to spend hundreds of dollars on Facebook ads. Instead, focus on the members you already have, whether through surveys, member events, a review drive, etc. When you understand the seasonality of your studio, you can make the most of your marketing budget.
Takeaways:
Clients have to know, like, and trust you (in that order) before trying to sell or renew their membership.
Most churn is due to a lack of perceived value or an over-focus on getting leads rather than keeping them.
Spend your money with a strategy. Don't pay for advertising when you know the leads will be hard to come by in July. (A plug for your content calendar seems timely).
Guerilla Marketing
I could have led this particular session because Guerilla marketing is one of my constant Ted Talks, but I have a few takeaways to share.
Get a banner with your logo, CTA, and phone number. For example, "Text '2DAY' to get two free classes" or use a QR code to send potential clients to a quick and easy lead magnet. If your building doesn't allow banners, put it up on the weekend (honestly, I love this idea). Rotate the CTA with different banners to keep people's attention. The speaker recommended this site.
Guerilla marketing is a numbers game. It's a long-term, evergreen funnel. The more you do it, the better your brand recognition and the more conversions.
Ask everyone who signs a membership to give you three names in exchange for a free month (they all have to buy an intro to get the promotion).
Post on your Google page daily. I'm sharing this because I usually ask for twice-a-week posting, and now I look reasonable.
Put a leadbox with CTA cards on your building. I like to use the suction cup brochure boxes like this one. I've done this in my studio and recommended it to clients with success for years. Make sure your CTA is clear and captures contact info.
Come Back Campaigns
Lastly, I sat in on "Bring Back Your Members" by Scott Gillespie. This session was packed with interesting stats and ideas. I could write an entire blog on this one, so I'll bullet point the takeaways so you can pick and choose.
Free personal consultations for returning clients
"We're still here for you; come back with your old rate."
“We have new _(insert new exciting feature here)__ come see with a free class”
Prove the results that your current clients are enjoying using testimonials.
Call. Nearly all voicemails get listened to, which is significantly better stats than an email campaign. You want them to listen and think, "hey, that was nice of them to reach out."
The industry churn rate is 33 percent. 20 million people per year drop out of gyms.
Survey your clients. You don't know if they're considering leaving unless you survey them.
Memberships with contract terms are a barrier to entry post-covid. Angry clients who want out of their contract aren't good for business. "Have the confidence to stand behind your month-to-month packages."
Month-to-month clients require a strong retention strategy instead of just acquisition and contract terms.
Your salespeople must be well-trained, personable, and charismatic to connect with your clients before they ask for the sale. Selling is the last part of the job- connection is first.
It is so difficult to fit three days of incredible workshops into one article, but I hope you feel like you get to experience a bit of IHRSA through this post. As always, intentionally choose the three needle movers you want to implement in your studio. It's one thing to read an article; it's another to create a plan to move your studio closer to your dream business. Next year we're all going to IHRSA together!
