You have two choices.
- Accept that the holidays are a downtime in revenue, class attendance, overall engagement, and member count
- Form a strategy to combat the holiday slump at your gym
The following are suggestions from some of the brilliant gym owners in the Level Method Legion, during a recent online mastermind, about strategies they personally use to not just survive the holidays... but thrive.
1. Boost attendance with incentives
Ben Jakeman talks about leveraging the psychological benefits of reward and competition to incentivize members to maintain good attendance through the holiday season.
2. Strategic partying
A good social engagement goes a long way to maintain the connection of the community. Carl Neidholdt talks about some creative ways to structure holiday parties to switch up the experience and keep it fun and exciting.
3. Challenge your members
Jen Shelby talks about a play on the 75 hard challenge she is using to help maintain attention on wellness through a time when it’s easy to lose focus. She even layers in some fun parts and Level Method assessments as well.
If that seems too involved (or it’s too late on your calendar) Alexandra Bardales
from the Level Method Gym describes a very simple, but very fun challenge the gym can take on together.
4. Members traveling? Bring the workout to them
Vince Piraino and Carl with some simple ideas on how to structure or deliver workouts for remote members and keep delivering on what they pay for even while they are away.
5. Attach emotional meaning and connection to something bigger than the gym
Few things can create emotional value and “feel goods” like giving back. This is especially true during the holidays and can lead to tremendous benefit to the community and mental satisfaction of everyone involved... Including you.
Matt Scott talks about his annual giving back event during the holidays and the power that it generates.
Many of the gym owners on this Thursday Mastermind referenced an actual influx of members during a time of year when most gyms suffer. All it takes is some good planning and strategic social posts showing how much fun and benefit is being had.
Happy holidays to all!
