Retaining members is one of the fundamental challenges faced by health club operators. The 2013 IHRSA Health Club Consumer Report highlighted that the combination of a maturing industry and flat growth rates means that the need to prioritise health club operators is critical. Health club operators should look to group exercise for a compelling strategy to retain members. The Nielsen: Les Mills Global Consumer Fitness Survey (2013) revealed that gym attendees list fi tness classes to music as one of the top reasons they attend their current gym, beaten only by location. A total of 49% of group fi tness participants stay at their local gym for more than one year compared to all gym attendees (38%). If group fi tness disappears so too will members, says the report, with 46% of those questioned saying they’d be more likely to cancel their membership or stop attending their gym altogether if their preferred class is cancelled.

Sounds simple, but group fitness users can be your secret sales force and help attract new members. The Nielsen study found they are the group more likely to recommend their current facility and their favourite class to friends and family. Sounds compelling right? If group fi tness programmes are offered in the right way and at the right time and most importantly, in the right frequency, then this could be the difference between hitting and missing your sales forecast. And to support you to achieve your numbers, Les Mills is offering any operator which signs up to a new class before the 31st October the opportunity to get a FREE Les Mills group fitness programme*. With more than 18 group fitness programmes available there is a class for everyone. And what’s more, Les Mills will take 50% off the instructor training costs for the free programme.

Keith Burnet, CEO of Les Mills said: “It’s commonly recognised that membership retention is one of the biggest challenges facing most clubs in the UK. This isn’t a new issue. But group programming can have a positive impact on retention and as the research suggests, can actually be a secret sales tool in your armoury. We work with club partners to ensure their timetable is operating as effi ciently as possible and that’s why we’re pleased to be able to offer these classes for free, to give operators the opportunity to try something new.”

For more information about this offer and how you can claim your free class please contact Les Mills on 0207 264 0200 / [email protected].