Marketing to Members Throughout the Pandemic

Your business has gone through a lot in the last few months, but so have your clients!

You’ve done your best to navigate throughout the pandemic and have supported your members every step of the way—through closures, pivoting online, reopening with a hybrid model, updating insurance forms and liability waivers, and developing health and safety protocols. While you should always be marketing to new clients, especially through this pandemic, don’t forget to engage and promote to your existing community!

Right now, people are more aware of where their money is going, and you need to show your appreciation for the customers who stayed with you throughout these uncertain times. How have they supported your business?

• Almost right away they signed up and started taking your online classes.
• They’ve even stayed after your livestream classes to socialize and see how you’re doing.
• They’ve purchased content from your on-demand library.
• When you reopened, they were one of the first clients through your door!

Even if they couldn’t be there in person, they haven’t left your side. It’s because of members like them that your business is going strong! The time is now to re-engage and invest in your loyal clients. Here is your step-by-step guide to help you market your business to current members:

Engage your loyal clients

To show appreciation for your existing customers’ loyalty, find ways to re-engage with them in a personal way. Don’t sell to them, just let them know you’re there, as you give them peace of mind throughout the pandemic. Here are ways to keep the lines of communication open:

• Make a phone call: A phone call is one of the most personal ways to communicate with your clients. This isn’t a sales call, but an opportunity to tell them about any changes in your business such as the new online classes you’ve added to the schedule. You’re simply happy to hear their voice and you’re looking forward to seeing them in your virtual or in-person class soon!
• Direct mail postcard: You can send a postcard notifying them of your policies and some safety measures you’re taking. Also, send them a discount on next month’s virtual classes. With WellnessLiving, you can easily create campaigns that automatically send postcards to your clients on dates of your choosing.
• Text/SMS message: You can make your texts personal even when sending your clients a short announcement. Keep your message light, friendly, and informative without being too scripted.

Invest and show your clients they matter

Thank your clients for their loyalty so they know you appreciate them. They stuck around by attending your virtual classes and helped keep your community alive! Here are some ways you can show them you’re grateful:

• Loyalty rewards program: Customers love getting points as part of your loyalty rewards program! You can double their points when they renew their memberships so they can redeem them for discounts on classes, merchandise, rental equipment, on-demand services, and more.
• Offer exclusive perks: You can offer exclusive “members only” or “VIP” classes, or set up events like special workshops where they get the first opportunity to register.
• Make special offers: Reward your loyal clients who commit to another year with an exclusive special offer! Give them two months free, allow them to add free extra services or products when they renew their membership, or offer a certain number of on-demand classes at a discounted rate.

Promote your versatile membership options

Your flexibility as a business owner goes a long way with your customers, especially during these challenging times. Retaining your clients is only possible if you can make their time with you as beneficial as possible. If your clients want to change their current membership, allow them to. Here are some other ways to give your clients more options:

• In-studio option: Likely you pivoted to virtual business, then opened once restrictions were lifted during the pandemic. You can now offer in-studio memberships again, and if clients want to switch to a different membership plan, or add on new services, let them adjust their package.
• Online memberships: Virtual memberships let clients participate in classes from the comfort of their homes. With WellnessLiving’s Zoom integration, you can livestream, set up classes, invite clients to join, and more.
• On-demand options: With on-demand memberships, clients can take classes at their convenience. WellnessLiving’s FitVID on Demand feature lets you create a video library and grant clients access to your on-demand video classes.
• Combo memberships: This hybrid-style, all-in-one package combines some of the other options so clients can try virtual classes or attend in-studio sessions.

How else should you market to clients?

What are other ways you can market to your current members? You can use automated marketing through WellnessLiving to create custom messages that target your loyal members with email, SMS/text, or push notifications. You can also blog or interact on social media to effectively increase engagement.

• Email: To increase engagement, you can create custom email campaigns to get the word out when you’re reopening, promoting your blog, or looking to get clients to book a class or event. Include links to promotions or booking links to make it easy to sign up.
• Text or push notifications: If you want a more personal approach than email or need to send an instant message to your clients, send them custom text messages or push notifications. This option is ideal for sending important updates and reminders.
• Blogging: Blogs are a great way to keep your client subscribers engaged and informed. You can educate them on the benefits of your services, industry trends, or helpful tips to get the most out of their classes.
• Social media: Your social media pages are a great way to highlight your blogs, promote teachers and classes, and share client testimonials/success stories for your entire community to see!

Promote to suspended members

Along with connecting with your loyal existing customers, you should also re-engage your suspended members. A client may have put their account on hold; however, if you’ve reopened your studio or converted to a hybrid business model, this means the suspension is over.

Now, it is your job to find out if they would like to return or are leaving your business altogether. While the second option is not ideal, you have the opportunity to show that you care about them. With a personalized touch and a great offer, you can prevent that from happening!

• Email and call: Take a moment to email or call your suspended clients to thank them for their patience during the pandemic. Let them know that you are reopening and that you will be reactivating their suspended membership, or you can also provide them with other options like your virtual or on-demand services.
• Ease their mind: One of the major concerns with going back to in-studio sessions is safety. Take this opportunity to ease their minds by letting them know of your next-level sanitation and hygiene protocols. Let them know about your handwashing guidelines, disinfecting instructions, social distancing guidelines, and any other ways you are dedicated to keeping them safe.
• Offer value: To get value from your clients you need to give value. Find ways to give your clients leverage on their membership in form of a discount, perks like free or on-demand online classes, or new offers to encourage them to reactivate their suspended membership.

Let your existing clients know you care!

Customer loyalty is one of the most vital parts of any business. WellnessLiving can help you easily reactivate memberships, remove holes from your members’ accounts, and promote your flexible membership options to your clients. Through email, text, push notification, or postcards, our dynamic automated marketing tools can conveniently help you reconnect with your existing clients. There have been a lot of ups and downs throughout the pandemic, and you being there for your loyal community has been exactly what they’ve needed!

How else can WellnessLiving help manage and grow your business? Our experts will help you discover the best tools your business needs to thrive. Contact us today to book a free, no-commitment demo today and learn more!