(Listen to this post, here.)

Like many people, I cancelled my gym membership as soon as Covid arrived. Since then, I’ve been working out in my basement. 

It’s certainly convenient – but it’s also pretty solitary.  

And, having given up on basketball last month (once the other players start calling you “sir,” it’s time to retire), it occurred to me that I had lost my one remaining group exercise activity. 

So I went out the next week and joined a new gym.  

This place, however, is decidedly different from the anonymous, swipe-your-card-at-the-front-desk-and-do-whatever-you-like gym I had belonged to previously. 

Here, there are no machines or weights for individual use – all the activities are in the form of group classes. Plus, it’s extremely friendly and welcoming. 

It didn’t take me long to realize this is no accident – the communal aspect is deliberately baked into how things work. 

Some examples… 

• There was a mandatory, three-session, one-on-one orientation with a trainer.  
  
• In the first few classes I attended, the instructors – none of whom I had ever spoken a word to – knew who I was, and welcomed me to the class in front of everyone.  
  
• Two weeks after joining, I received an email from another trainer, again welcoming me, and letting me know he had been assigned as my “personal coach” and would be available for any questions I might have. 

There’s more…

There are banners all over the walls celebrating the longevity of individual members (10 years, 5 years, etc.). There is a constant parade of hats and mugs being given out to people who achieve various workout milestones. This weekend is a potluck holiday party.

Unlike my pre-Covid gym, where nobody said a peep when I cancelled, I get the distinct feeling that leaving this place would be only slightly less challenging than leaving the Mafia.

These people have made me an offer I can’t refuse.

What Do You Do to Encourage Client Longevity? 

When it comes to professional services marketing, there is no shortage of advice on how to “get clients.” 

For example, a quick Google search on books of this type pops up titles like Mastering Customer Acquisition, The Client Acquisition Blueprint, Get Clients Today, High Profit Prospecting, and The Hair Loss Handbook. (That last one may have been left over from a previous search.) 

All good stuff; all important. If you don’t have clients, you don’t have much of a business. 

But, as my low-BMI friends at my new gym have realized, getting the clients is just part of the puzzle. If they leave soon after, you invested time and money for no good reason, and you’ll need to invest more to make up the difference.

With that in mind, here are some suggestions for holding onto your precious clients… 

#1. Develop an “onboarding” plan. 

You don’t need to get fancy or complicated. But don’t leave this important element to whatever pops into your head in the moment – create a standardized process.

For example: a handwritten welcome note sent immediately after the agreement is signed; a customized intake form for review during your first working meeting; a 14-day check-in conversation to make sure things are off on the right foot; a useful book sent snail mail on day 30. 

During those first few weeks of working together, people are especially attuned to deciding whether hiring you was a good idea. These and other things like them will welcome and reassure clients of their smart decision. 

Keep in mind as well that the busier you get, the easier it will be to just cash that deposit check and forget about the rest. When you put a firm, preconceived process in place, you’ll find it second nature to stay on track as other things become today’s priority.

#2. Leverage important events. 

Holiday cards or gifts are nice – but everyone celebrates them at the same time, so your gesture will mostly get lost in the flood.

The best acknowledgments are specific to the client’s experience with you and the work you are doing together: End of a project. Reaching a milestone. One year as your client.  

Again, this doesn’t have to be a big expense; it’s mostly about helping people feel a sense of accomplishment and connection to you. (I’m already coveting the $5 coffee mug my new gym gives to people after attending their 50th class.) 

#3. Don’t be “just a vendor.”

An important aspect of client retention is making alternative options seem as unattractive as possible. Competitors can match your price, your service, and your process (sorry, they are smart and capable too).

What your clients can’t get elsewhere is your unique and winning personality (and, in my case, heart-stopping good looks). Don’t leave that relationship piece to chance – the stronger the connection, the harder it is for them to move on.

Get to know one another on a personal, more-than-just-business level. Ask about family and vacations. Chat about weather and local sports. Invite them to go away with you for a romantic weekend. (I’m kidding; don’t write to me.)

Just as my gym has taken deliberate steps to make the experience about more than just exercise, you can likewise find ways to make working with you about more than just the work itself.

Here’s the bottom line.

Humans aren’t rational. If they were, Stranger Things would have ended after season three.

The decisions people make about who they work with are about much more than just cold, hard evidence. If you want clients to stick around (Hint: You do), you need to make sure they feel welcome and valued.

I’ll let you know when I get that coffee mug.

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Discussion Questions:

1. Are you still watching Stranger Things?
2. Have you ever participated in a parade of hats and mugs? Send photos.
3. What’s the best retention tactic from a business you’ve ever heard of or experienced?

Share your answers below…

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