7 Tips to Foster Community in Your Fitness Studio with Member Appreciation Week
Creating a sense of community and appreciation among members is paramount in the competitive boutique fitness industry. Just as fostering a positive staff culture enhances the studio's ambiance, nurturing relationships with your members is equally essential since keeping a member is five times cheaper than finding a new one.
Member Appreciation Week is one of my absolute favorite ways to express gratitude, strengthen retention, and infuse your studio with a renewed sense of camaraderie. The members also look forward to it if you keep it the same month each year (I like the end of October). I've had members schedule vacations around our Member Appreciation Week! Plus, it looks fantastic on your social media feed for non-members. Who wouldn't want to be celebrated just for being a member?
Setting the Stage: Why Member Appreciation Week Matters
Member Appreciation Week is not just a routine event; it's a chance to acknowledge the core of your fitness studio – your members. It's about recognizing their dedication, celebrating their achievements, and expressing genuine gratitude for their loyalty. Doing so creates an emotional bond that goes beyond the usual client-business relationship, fostering a sense of belonging and community within your studio. In short, it makes your clients feel like they matter and helps prevent your members from looking elsewhere.
I like to take a multi-faceted approach to this week and offer discounts, experiences, gifts, and personal touches to ensure I speak everyone's appreciation language. Here are a few ideas you can borrow.
Personal Touch: Customized Experiences for Every Member
One size doesn't fit all, especially when showing appreciation. Personalization is key. Consider sending handwritten notes or personalized emails to each member, acknowledging their specific achievements, milestones, or unique qualities. Whether completing a certain number of classes, achieving fitness goals, or simply being a supportive presence in the studio, recognizing individual efforts goes a long way. One of my most impactful member appreciation moments was when I printed out little cards with each client's total class count and start date and strung them up like a Christmas garland around the studio. The members took photos with their cards and shared them on Instagram with a little personal story about their achievements. You couldn't ask for better marketing; each client felt seen, valued, and proud.
Exclusive Events and Workshops
During Member Appreciation Week, organize exclusive events or workshops tailored to your members' interests. It could range from specialized classes, nutrition workshops, or wellness seminars. Invite a renowned guest instructor or specialist to add a touch of novelty if your studio cares about guest speakers; otherwise, you could ask your instructors if someone specializes in a particular area your clients find interesting. These events provide value and make your members feel special, reinforcing their decision to choose your studio.
You could also bring in a guest instructor or trainer to conduct special sessions you don't typically offer at your studio. This could include unique workout styles like dance fitness, aerial yoga, or meditation sessions. Exposure to different fitness techniques adds variety and excitement to your clients' fitness routines.
Small Gestures, Big Impact
Sometimes, it's the small gestures that they remember the most. Every day of Member Appreciation Week, think of little tokens, gifts, or services to surprise your members. For example, consider setting up a gratitude board where members can write messages of appreciation to each other, fostering a sense of community spirit. These thoughtful acts show that you genuinely care about their experience, making them feel cherished. Here are more ideas:
1. Customized Workout Playlists
Create personalized workout playlists for your clients. Themes like 90's hip hop, Beyonce, love songs vs. heartbreak anthems, 80's workout, etc. can even include a fun, themed attire (we've done all of those, and they were extremely well attended- in costume). You could even invite clients to suggest their favorite tracks and customize playlists based on their requests, making their workout sessions more personalized.
2. Fitness Challenges with Prizes
Some studios organize fitness challenges during Member Appreciation Week, like a plank challenge, a heart-rate challenge, or a yoga pose challenge. Award small prizes or studio credits to the winners, encouraging friendly competition and a sense of achievement.
3. Gratitude Notes
Place little love notes on mats, lockers, or equipment, or mail them out. They should be personalized and sincere but don't have to be novels. I like to write little postcards that I make on Canva and keep them at the front desk for when clients come to class, but there's no wrong answer with a hand-written appreciation note.
4. Snack Stations
Set up a snack station each morning and afternoon with snacks or drinks. You could include
Tea and coffee bar with muffins or yogurt parfaits
Protein bar samples so clients can try a few different ones
Fresh fruits and other healthy grab-and-go snacks
Spa water infused with different fruits
Different protein balls (you can look up recipes online) for clients to sample.
It's a party; feel free to think outside the protein bar with a donut bar, mimosas, or kombucha cocktails, depending on your studio's culture.
5. Community Project
Collaborate on a community art piece for the studio. Set up a canvas where clients can contribute by painting or writing messages of inspiration and gratitude. Once the week is over, display the completed artwork in your studio. This collaborative effort creates a sense of unity and creativity within your community. I still have one of the ones my clients made hanging in my office.
6. DIY Aromatherapy Station
Create an aromatherapy station with essential oils and diffusers. Allow clients to create their own blends to take home. More likely than not, you have a member who would love to share their oil expertise, and clients enjoy making rollers for self-care.
7. Epsom Salt Bar
This is one of my favorites. You can buy different pre-made flavors or have clients mix oil into their plain Epsom salts. Epsom salts are always super popular with clients.
Social Events
Member appreciation week is just as much for the studio celebrating clients as it is to create deeper connections within it. Host social events outside the regular workout schedule, such as:
After class brunch
picnic in the park
group hike
Wine and cheese night
Saturday AM Yoga class and mimosas
Movie screening on a projector on the studio wall (have them vote on the movie)
Depending on your studio's client culture, a catered taco bar with margaritas is always a favorite.
These events offer a relaxed environment for clients to connect with each other and the studio staff on a personal level, fostering a sense of community beyond the studio walls. Be prepared with fun mixers to make sure your clients get to meet each other.
Engage on Social Media
Harness your social media to amplify your appreciation message and show non-clients what they're missing:
Share member success stories, transformation journeys, or testimonials on your studio's social media platforms.
Create engaging posts highlighting individual achievements and expressing gratitude for their trust and dedication.
Share all the setup, surprises, gifts, and events on your stories to cultivate a sense of FOMO amongst those who follow you but aren't yet members.
Offer Discounts
Offering exclusive guest passes empowers your members to share your studio with their friends and family, extending the sense of community. Member appreciation can be good for business, too! I don't usually recommend free, but if it's only once a year, your clients will recognize it's a limited-time offer.
Providing special guest passes to your members and inviting them to invite friends to attend classes all week for free or at a reduced rate allows members to share what they love about your studio. Plus, you're expressing gratitude for their loyalty and expanding your community organically. When their friends experience your studio's positive atmosphere, they're likely to become future members, too.
Offering discounts on specific retail can also help you earn revenue during what has the potential to be a slightly expensive week. You can choose a deal of the day, like selling discounted grip socks on Monday, two-for-one tanks on Tuesday, etc. It's an excellent opportunity to get rid of old retail by marking it 50% off or to bring in brand new retail and get clients excited about new merch.
Feedback and Future Planning
Member Appreciation Week is also the perfect time to seek feedback and testimonials. Send out a survey to understand what your members love about the studio and ask for areas where they believe improvements can be made. Their insights are invaluable for shaping the future of your fitness studio, ensuring that it continues to meet their expectations and needs.
Ask for video testimonials and written reviews during one of your events or between classes that have a surprise or snack. Member appreciation week is a great time for big asks, like a video-recorded testimonial, because you've been showering them with love all week. Everyone wins.
Incorporating Member Appreciation Week into your boutique fitness studio's calendar is more than just a gesture; it's a commitment to fostering a culture of gratitude and connection. By recognizing the unique value each member brings to your community and expressing your heartfelt appreciation, you strengthen their loyalty and show off your studio's commitment to its members.
