5 ways to boost member retention in your gym

Whether you’re just about to open your doors for the first time or you’ve been running your fitness studio for years, any day of the week could be Day One for new members. And, from that first day they roll out their mat or lift a weight, it’s up to you to look after them. Why? Because member retention could make all the difference to the long-term success of your business.

Member retention will help your gym thrive

Churn is a major challenge for gym owners. Based on data presented at the HFA Show 2025, in the first three months, around 15% of members typically leave. By six months, that grows to around 35%. And, after a year, more than half (57%) of those who initially signed up won’t rejoin your gym. Given that acquiring a new member costs five times more than retaining an existing one, all this churn can get pretty costly, pretty fast.

Being the glass-half-full folks that we are, we see this retention problem as an opportunity for you to solve. And it will pay off. When you invest in personalised engagement strategies, 59% of members stay beyond 12 months, resulting in more stable revenue. Plus, fitness businesses that focus on retention enjoy a 25% increase in member lifetime value (LTV) and 30% more revenue from referrals by happy and engaged members.

From the very first day you open your doors, you can jump on the front foot and take proactive steps to make every member feel special. Question is, what do these steps look like?

Five ways to boost member retention in your gym

1. Think member-first

If you’ve been staring at spreadsheets and business plans for too long, you run the risk of seeing members as a commodity: “I need X members this month to hit X goal, and X members by year-end to turn a profit.” Yet your members are so much more than a line item on a spreadsheet. 

They are people, and they need to be treated as such. Particularly at a time when one bad Yelp review can turn new members away. Take the time to get to know your members, and encourage all your staff to do the same. You want every member who walks through your door to feel recognised and special.

2. Create an on-brand culture

One of the best ways to boost member retention is to create a space that people want to return to. In your gym, think about how you can nurture a fun social dynamic or culture that’s aligned to your brand. Strengthening the sense of community in your gym will pay off — members with social connections at the gym are 56% less likely to quit.

There are many ways you can carve out a unique culture in your gym. For example, you could plan social events aligned to your ethos — like screening a rock-climbing doco at a movie night, or running a wellness weekend. Or, thinking outside the box, you could host a “Pilates and Prosecco” night; or a “Members Only” night with free (healthy) food and giveaways. You could even get other local businesses involved, like asking a health food store to cater an event, or get a nearby massage therapist to offer 10-minute chair massages.

3. Encourage referrals

What do referrals have to do with retention? There’s psychology at play here. By encouraging your members to refer their friends or colleagues to your gym, they become more invested, more loyal, and more likely to stick around. 

To encourage your current members to spread the word, set up an ongoing incentive program and let your members know about it. The incentive could be a free month of membership for every referral; or a tangible reward like a gift card.

4. Look after your staff

Happy staff means happier members. When your fitness instructors bounce into class or the general gym area with smiles on their dials, the positivity is infectious. 

As manager, it’s your job to make sure every employee is supported. Be clear about their roles and responsibilities, show them where they can go for help, and reward their stand-out performances. Even the little things, like throwing a monthly staff lunch or offering free professional development, go a long way to creating a great place to work.

5. Deliver stand-out service

Most importantly, you need to make sure your gym or fitness studio delivers an awesome experience and helps members hit their fitness goals. When people are getting results, they’re much more likely to stick around. 

With this in mind, make sure you’re hiring the best people, maintaining great equipment, keeping your classes fresh, and really listening to what your members want. Find out from the outset why each member is joining your gym, and make sure they feel supported as they work towards these goals.

How Hapana helps with member retention

What does your gym membership software have to do with member retention? Plenty, as it turns out. With its rich array of features and tools, Hapana can help you deliver a premium member experience.

For example, you can use Hapana’s branded app to take community engagement to the next level, offering services like:

• Personalised workouts, nutrition, and communications
• Events, fitness challenges, and group classes to foster involvement
• Wearables and gamified experiences to make fitness rewarding
• Easy ability to check class schedules, book spots in classes, and follow their favourite instructor

With the critical churn window sitting at between three and six months, this digital engagement goes a long way to boosting retention beyond it. 

Then there’s the fact that retention rates improve 15-20% with personalised AI recommendations. Hapana’s AI-powered marketing automation tools make it easy for you to make every member feel special.

It all helps to explain why our platform boasts an industry-leading 85% retention rate, with many of our customers regularly reporting 90%+ member retention. Want to become one of them? Get started with a tour of our gym management software today.