It’s easy to assume that everyone who goes to the gym is super excited to be there, but motivation is always fluctuating, especially on certain days, at certain times, and with new members who are adapting to new fitness routines and still adjusting to your facility. How your members feel day in and day out affects their long-term motivation. So how do you motivate unmotivated members?

All types of people walk into your club every day with different moods, goals, body types and lifestyles, and although you’re not a mind reader and can’t always tell whether or not people are motivated, it’s important that you’re constantly attentive to each member.

Here are some things your club can do to keep your members motivated.

HAVE FRIENDLY STAFF WELCOME PEOPLE INTO THE FACILITY

No matter the day or time, make sure your staff is greeting all members and guests by name and wishing them a good workout. Our gym check-in system can also help you with this because it automatically displays a person’s name as they walk into your club, which is an efficient way of making them feel important.

Overall, however, the more sociable your staff is, the more inclined people are to come back. An approachable staff is especially important for prospects not only because people feel more open to asking questions about memberships, but first impressions are vital to your club’s brand. Think of your staff as your members’ cheerleaders. Your members made it to the gym, now make sure your staff is there to give them a pat on the back, because it’s common for people to work out even when they aren’t in the mood for it.

PLAY UPBEAT MUSIC IN YOUR FACILITY 

This seems like a no brainer, but music plays a huge role in motivating people to exercise, and it’s especially imperative for people that forgot headphones. Create a playlist with a variety of tunes so that there’s something for everyone.

SHARE TRANSFORMATIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA 

Not only will this make your members proud of their accomplishments, but it will also motivate them to go to your gym when they are feeling unmotivated. Whether you’re posting to Facebook or Instagram, create a custom hashtag so that your members can easily be featured. This will make your members feel like they are a part of a community and will reassure them of why they chose your club in the first place. Plus, you’ll get more social media traffic and possibly prospects, so it’s win-win overall.

HAVE WALL INSPIRATION AROUND YOUR FACILITY 

Think of it like a physical Instagram feed for your club. All of those well-known sayings like, “believe in yourself” and “you got this,” actually help members mentally create positive body images, which ultimately pushes them to keep going, even when they’re feeling lazy. Make sure to have wall inspiration near mirrors, as mirrors tend to naturally reflect negative body images. By having wall inspiration, your facility will overall feel like a safe and encouraging space to grow.

ENCOURAGE GROUP CLASSES AND PERSONAL TRAINING 

Not only is it fun to work out with a group of people, but people care what others think about them, which will most likely cause members to push themselves harder during group workouts or personal training. Efficiency also motivates people. Once you’ve walked them through how to sign up for sessions and classes through My Scheduler, they will be more likely to commit to what’s already set and stone.

MONITOR MEMBER ACTIVITY 

First off, keep record of your members’ attendance using My Reports, specifically our 30/60/90 Day and Non-Attendance reports. These are especially crucial for tracking new members to ensure they’re using their memberships. If the reports show excessive absence or overall low attendance for someone, you’ll want to follow up with that person because the reason could be something as preventable as gym intimidation.

A lot of the time, people lose motivation and steer away from their gyms because certain areas are too crowded. Even if your gym seems really busy, you still could be dropping other members because you don’t have enough machines or space in certain areas. Avoid this by monitoring what’s being used the most and least during certain times. For example, if your elliptical machines are often empty but your weight room is always packed, maybe expand the weight room so all members feel free to use the space. The last thing you want is to turn members off because you aren’t tending to their needs like you should be.

OFFER GUEST PASSES TO NEW AND EXISTING MEMBERS 

It’s pretty much fact that people feel more motivated to exercise when they are doing it with someone else. It could stem from a competitive drive or just simply because they aren’t exercising alone. Use our Pass A Friend program and provide your members with up to four guess passes. Do this with not only new members to keep them motivated, but also for existing members, because you never know when someone might need a little push, and it’s a great way to get prospects through your door.

GIVE YOUR GROUP CLASSES FUN THEMES

Whether it’s a Halloween-themed spin class where everyone comes dressed in costume or it’s a 70s -themed Throwback Thursday aerobics class, shake up your club’s routine by adding some spunk to your group classes. Your members appreciate variety in their workouts because it prevents exercise from becoming stale and stagnant. Use our Rapid Class Check In for these types of classes so that members and prospects can spontaneously sign up and join in on the fun.