As the fitness industry evolves rapidly, there’s ample opportunity for growth.
At the 2024 Beyond Activ Conference in New York, presenters repeatedly stressed this statistic: Today, only about 20% of the US population goes to the gym. In other words, 80% of Americans are potential gym clients.
The future of gyms? Healthy data!
With such obvious growth opportunities, it’s no wonder that this event was full of excitement and enthusiasm.
Beyond the energy, though, another key message became clear: Gyms, wellness centers, and fitness clubs must embrace data-driven decision-making to unlock their full revenue potential. Over and over, as presenters highlighted the importance of feedback, the value of the work we do with our fitness industry partners was illustrated: Feedback powers healthy growth.
Survey and feedback management solutions offer fitness businesses an invaluable tool to remain competitive, increase member retention, and tap into new growth opportunities. From the sessions we attended to the conversations we had, we’ve distilled our takeaways into four reasons why surveying is key to the future of fitness.
1. Turn positive feedback into power: Fuel membership growth with ORM
Online Reputation Management (ORM) is crucial for fitness centers, where public perception on platforms like Google and Yelp can significantly influence member acquisition. By utilizing surveys, gyms can identify promoters—those highly satisfied with their experience—and redirect them to leave positive reviews on public sites. This not only enhances your gym’s star rating but also helps attract potential new members who rely on online feedback when choosing a fitness facility.
Working with a survey vendor that offers seamless integration into your ORM strategy makes this process more efficient. Redirecting satisfied members immediately after their survey ensures that positive experiences are shared publicly, improving your gym’s reputation and driving membership growth.
2. Go beyond NPS: Create custom metrics for better member insights
While standard customer experience metrics like NPS and CSAT offer value, fitness centers need to go further. Many of the experts who attended Beyond Activ agree that a major reason members leave gyms is a lack of results.
To address this, fitness centers should integrate data from connected fitness technologies (e.g., Bhout, Evolt, Garmin) with surveys to create custom metrics like a Member Fitness Score. This personalized approach helps track individual progress and satisfaction, giving gyms the ability to intervene before members churn.
3. Strengthen retention by mapping the member journey
Retention remains a critical concern in the fitness industry. Many clubs have great orientation programs, but they may not have the bandwidth to connect closely with new members beyond their initial onboarding. Taking a strategic approach to mapping the member journey can help to identify meaningful touchpoints for check-ins.
Combining insights from gym equipment data with regular feedback through surveys can also help clubs to better understand the full member journey. This data can help fitness centers identify when members are struggling and offer personalized solutions, thus reducing cancellations and keeping members engaged long-term.
4. Segment smarter: Boost retention with detailed member profiles
Gym operators and managers often rely on basic demographic questions like location, age, and sex to assess member experience. While these factors are important, they only scratch the surface of understanding your member base. To truly enhance retention and engagement, fitness centers need to dive deeper into segmenting their members by more specific factors such as body types (ectomorphs vs. endomorphs), workout preferences (strength training vs. aerobic training), and even class participation (Zumba enthusiasts vs. SoulCycle devotees).
Segmenting members based on detailed criteria enables operators to tailor services and better meet the needs of different groups. These insights also help gym owners coach trainers to provide personalized support, creating a more engaging experience. Understanding members at this granular level equips gyms to boost loyalty and drive long-term success.
Looking ahead
The future of fitness is undeniably data-driven. Surveys offer a powerful tool for gaining direct insight into members’ needs, preferences, and progress, helping gyms stay ahead of industry trends, enhance retention, and unlock new revenue opportunities. Fitness centers that take a proactive approach to surveying and data integration will be better equipped to thrive in this rapidly evolving landscape.
To truly succeed, find a partner who can help you strengthen both employee experience and club experience. A partner who can help you collect feedback from across channels, analyze for deep insights across key segments, and build meaningful journeys that results in empowered brand ambassadors. With the right partner, you can create personalized experiences that drive growth, satisfaction, and long-term member loyalty.
Ready to grow? Look no further! Connect with our team today to learn how Sogolytics can help.
