During this recession consumers are still spending money, however they are more critical with their buying decisions. According to a recent study conducted by the department of consumer affairs, health clubs memberships made the top 10 list of what consumers are still buying.

When speaking with new prospects, it is more crucial now than ever that your health club’s membership is presented as the greatest and best value in the area. One way to do this is to make sure your membership team uses USP (unique selling proposition) phrases prior to every statement. This includes preceding most statements with the words First, Best, Different, and Only. For example, “We are the first facility in the area to offer Pilates. That is why our members will tell you that comparatively, due to our credentials and experience, they receive effective results from our classes.” Or, “We are the only facility in the area that offers a reward and loyalty program for our members; it’s our way of giving back to the members for their hard work and dedication.” These are simply a few statements out of many that can help position you as a preferred choice in the mind of the consumer.

When it comes to member retention, research demonstrates that usage, results, and relationships, combined with proper integration have the greatest effects on member retention. Developing programs that fulfill these values are proven to have a measurable effect on retention. As an example, we know that usage increases retention so your club should be taking all measures possible to encourage usage. You can do this by rewarding your members with points every time they use the club and also quickly identifying members that haven’t used the club in 30 days to taking measures to re-engage them through friends, phone, email and mail.