It’s more important than ever to convert clients if you want to have clients.

With more competition in the marketplace; more market headwinds; the decline of CF and the rise of bot-search, getting clients is harder than ever. That means it’s critical to keep the clients you have if you want to have 1:1 clients.

Here’s the best path after reviewing a few hundred conversion calls.

1. Get them a good ROI and show it to them every single month.
2. Know where they are in their journey.
3. 2 months out, say “here are the next 3 steps we need to take” and “Here’s how they will benefit you.”
4. 1 month out say, “here are the next 3 steps we need to take and here’s how they benefit you.”
5. Then say, “Now, I know your first year commitment with us ends this month. When I started to look ahead, I just assumed you’d be around to work on these things next. Are you planning something else?”
6. Then make their next 3 appointments.
7. Do NOT count on the CSMs to handle communication about renewals, talk people into staying or tell them the price. The CSM team is a safety net, not a trampoline. Conversion and retention are our job as mentors. Just like in your gym, it’s not enough just to get good results. You have to show them results and show them the next best step if you want to keep them.

Up to 2025 every Two-Brain client built an annual plan with a mentor — often over multiple calls. Too many of those plans were never used. In this episode Chris explains why we moved annual planning into the Tinker stage: Growth clients are firefighting and don’t have the bandwidth to build or use long-term plans. He explains who should still do an annual plan, what we’re doing instead (daily access, weekly specialist calls, group coaching, and habit-building challenges), and gives mentors concrete scripts and rules for when to plan — and when not to. The bottom line: planning only matters when the owner can execute and delegate.

Toolkit Tour - Improving LEG

Summary

Importance of Client Retention in Gyms 0:01

Keeping clients in a gym for an additional three months can earn the owner an extra $40,000 annually.

Retention is crucial because it multiplies the value of other gym activities, such as marketing and client engagement.

But we need to understand what actually improves retention, as many current ideas lack data to support them.

The toolkit's LEG section focuses on the five pillars of retention, which are essential for improving client retention.

Understanding Retention and Its Measurement 0:34

We measure retention as the length of engagement, aiming for clients to stay for at least two years to see significant life changes.

While many people are now talking about retention, the concept was less discussed 15 years ago, and current ideas often lack data.

The toolkit differentiates between essential retention strategies (the five pillars) and nice-to-have perks like t-shirts and clubs.

Gym owners should focus on the five pillars first before adding extra perks to improve retention.

The Five Pillars of Retention 1:31

Start with the five pillars of retention, which are crucial for improving client retention in gyms.

Gym owners should ensure these pillars are in place and consistently implemented to see significant improvements in retention.

Retention is just sales over time, requiring ongoing marketing and engagement with current clients to keep them.

The five pillars will take gym owners 99% of the way to achieving great retention, while additional perks can be added later.

Addressing Client Drop-Offs 2:47

I can't overstate the importance of identifying when clients are dropping off to address the underlying issues.

Software companies often focus on churn rate, which doesn't provide specific insights into when clients are leaving.

Gym owners should track when clients are leaving to solve the actual problems rather than adding unnecessary measures.

Strategies for Different Retention Stages 3:16

The toolkit breaks down strategies for addressing clients who leave within the first 90 days, between 90 days and the end of the first year, and after the first year.

For clients leaving within the first 90 days, we recommend building an on-ramp and mapping out their first 90 days to create daily touchpoints.

For clients leaving between 90 days and the end of the first year, we recommend setting up goal reviews, events like golden habits challenges, and building a belt system.

For clients staying longer than a year, we advise doubling down on goal reviews and using the Pumpkin Plan exercise to focus on keeping these clients.

Recapturing Former Clients 4:24

Recapturing former clients is essential to repeat, because they are the next most likely group to return to the gym.

Former clients often leave due to falling off their exercise habit or...