Redo Your Martial Arts Facility Before the New Year Gym Rush

They’re almost here! Yes, them — the New Year’s resolutioners! That portion of your community whose attention you’ve been trying to get all year, they’re about to show up. Are you ready?

Here’s some detail to help you craft an action plan for success in 2018!

January: Meet and Greet!

Gym memberships spike from December to January, often increasing by up to 40%. This is as true for everyday gyms as much as it is for an MMA and martial arts facilities. People want to try new things when the new year arrives. They make promises to themselves and their family and friends. Some people just want to find a great indoor activity during the winter months. Regardless of the reason, facility owners can expect an increase in their membership numbers by the time Christmas and New Year’s Eve are over.

February: Retain, Retain, Retain!

While this may seem like a goldmine for facility owners, there’s a catch. Studies have shown that up to 80%-90% of people who joined a gym in January quit within five months. Some only stay that long because they are locked into multi-month contracts, and many of those who continue to keep their membership simply won’t use them. Many facility owners will find by mid-year is that they are left with just about the same number of students they had last year.

How to Avoid Losing New Members

While a fair number of people will drop-off because the activity they choose isn’t a good fit, or the challenge proves too great for them, most will wander away for another reason — you let them. Seriously. Surveys show that most New Year’s students leave because they don’t make a connection with you or one of your team members, they’re just not given enough reasons to stick around. As a facility owner, you need to give your new (and even your long-term) members plenty of reasons to continue their training!

There’s no better way to show your commitment to your students than to invest in giving them the best equipment to train on. Redoing your gym before the January gym rush not only allows you to take on more students, they will also be more inclined to stick around while other facilities are bleeding members as the year goes on.

Here are a few ways you can build out your facility to make it a the perfect place for member to train:

Build the Ideal Facility

 

  • New Mats: your mats are the foundation for martial arts training. Choose the best type of mats that suit your style. Combo mats are best suited for stand-up martial arts and striking, while grappling mats are more geared for BJJ and other martial arts that focus on grappling and submissions.
  • New Wall and Pole Pads: martial arts padding not only adds another layer of protection to your facility, it also allows you to showcase your logo and other designs.
  • Bags and Racks: invest in new muay thai, heavy or uppercut bags and bag racks to keep your students training hard at striking arts.
  • Rings and Cages: for MMA training and sparring, new rings and cages will give your students a place to gather and #TrainWithConfidence!

 

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