Why Retention Matters: Keeping Members Engaged and Reducing Churn
Acquiring a new customer can cost five to twenty-five times more than retaining an existing one, according to research from Harvard Business Review (HBR). Retention does not just save money, it drives stable revenue and community growth. In the fitness and martial arts industries, member churn often happens silently when members lose interest, forget to check in, or feel disconnected.
Recurly reports that using automated dunning and smart retry strategies can recover about 62% of failed payments, which are a major driver of involuntary churn (Recurly Research). While payment recovery is important, voluntary churn caused by lack of engagement can be even more damaging and harder to recover.
How ManageMemberships Helps You Retain Members
ManageMemberships offers tools to help keep your members engaged and reduce churn:
- Birthday Notifications
Recognizing your members on their birthday with a text or email can build loyalty and keep your gym or studio top of mind. A simple “Happy Birthday” along with a free class or merchandise discount can encourage a return visit and foster goodwill. - Text and Email Campaigns
According to data from Campaign Monitor, email marketing has an average ROI of $42 for every $1 spent (Campaign Monitor). Sending targeted campaigns to members about upcoming classes, promotions, or personalized encouragement can keep them engaged and remind them of the value they receive from your business. - Check-In Reporting to Spot At-Risk Members
ManageMemberships makes it easy to see who has not checked in recently. This allows you to reach out before members drift away, reinforcing their commitment and reminding them why they joined in the first place. - Interest and Wishlist Tracking
Members can add classes or training they are interested in, which helps you know what to offer next. This creates a clear pathway to upsell private lessons, specialized workshops, or additional memberships, aligning your offerings with member interest while keeping them excited to stay involved.
Retention is Not an Accident
Retention is the result of deliberate efforts to communicate, engage, and provide consistent value. With ManageMemberships, you have practical tools to identify when members might be slipping away and to re-engage them with personal, timely outreach.
For businesses that want to grow sustainably, reducing churn and keeping current members happy is one of the most important strategies you can adopt. With built-in birthday outreach, text/email campaigns, check-in tracking, and wishlists, ManageMemberships is a straightforward way to strengthen your community and protect your bottom line.
Ready to keep your members engaged and reduce churn?
Book a quick call to see how ManageMemberships can help your gym or studio grow with better retention.
