How to Use SMS Messaging to Keep Your Club Members Healthy
What do people want most out of a health club? The knee-jerk response is probably “Get fit.” Another one may be “Lose weight.” And people certainly do want those things.
But in a report released last week by Nielsen, it turns out people want more than just to see a lower number on the scale. In their study, 75% of people worldwide plan to lose weight by changing their diet. And another 72% plan to exercise – that’s where your health club comes in.
But overall, the responses indicated a more important trend. Almost 80% of people were interested in getting healthy by using “foods to forestall health issues and medical conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension”.
The Nielsen study was aimed at letting manufacturers know how to leverage the trends, but your health club can use the data too. By understanding your members want more than to just build muscle, lose weight or fit back into that bikini in three months (though they may want that too!), you’ll be able to support them better. And if you can be the one encouraging and informing them on their journey to health, more of them will turn into long term members.
Now that you know your members are interested in achieving health more than anything, here are some ideas on how you can do that using SMS messaging.
- Send links to healthy recipes. Nielsen’s report pointed out food was a major issue for people. In particular, people were looking for ways to reduce sugar, fat, and sodium. They want healthful foods. Offer your members the opportunity to opt in for daily or weekly healthy recipes sent via SMS. Since people are more likely to see an SMS message than say emails or hand-outs at the club, they’ll be sure never to miss any delicious opportunities.
- Offer a chance to check in with a “health coach”. Many people know they want to be healthier but are lost searching through the huge amount of information available. Send members a text asking if they want to sign up for a free one-on-one consultation with someone about their diet and what simple changes they can make. If they reply “YES” to the message your staff can set up an appointment, then send an SMS reminder too.
- Send notices about any health workshops you’re holding. Fitness and diet go hand in hand to produce health. If you run informational workshops, make sure your members know about it by sending a text message. You can send reminders via text too once they sign up.
Notice that some of these ideas are based on offering something to your users from a third party. Providing you choose these well and they do a good job you are establishing yourself as an authority. If the third party wins business through you they may offer you a commission or, alternatively, refer their clients to you in return. Maybe they’ll let you use SMS messaging to contact their user list?
These are three simple activities you may already offer to your members. But everyone is so busy it’s hard to remember things, even if you want to do them. By using SMS messaging to raise awareness, sign ups and for reminders, you’ll probably increase participation. There just isn’t a more direct form of communication that works better for people on the go.
For even more examples of how you could benefit from using SMS messaging download our “Health Club SMS Guide“. It is full of practical tips and advice from health clubs already using SMS in their business to great effect.
Related Articles
How SMS Messaging is Revolutionising the Healthcare Industry
With 64% of people stating they prefer text messaging for customer support, over voice calling – it is no wonder the hectic, often overstretched health care sector is utilising SMS messaging frequently. Below we’ve listed out a range of benefits of using text messaging within the healthcare sector.
How One Small Business Keeps Her Customers Happy – and On Time!
People have their mobiles within arm’s reach about 22 hours of every day. That means even while they are sleeping! It makes sense then, that if you want to remind someone of an important event (an appointment with your small business for example) you should use their mobile.
How SMS Improves Patient Satisfaction in the Healthcare Sector
The challenges facing the healthcare sector today, whether you work for an NHS Trust or a private health company, are increasing. In an ever-evolving environment, maintaining high levels of patient satisfaction is an unenviable challenge many healthcare providers face on a day-to-day basis. How can SMS help?
How Online Text Messaging Can Benefit Youth and Community Groups
Most youth and community groups are volunteer-led, and either charitably funded or run on donations, so communications need not only to be effective, but they also have to be easy, and quick for volunteers to use, and low cost. That's where SMS comes in...
5 SMS or Mobile Facts You Need to Know
So many of us are used to having our mobiles around nearly 24 hours a day that it’s easy to forget it’s still a growing industry. And though SMS has been around for over two decades, the ways we use it and people’s willingness to use it continues to grow. So for this blog I picked out five facts about mobile and SMS that really make the case that SMS for business has come of age. Let’s see if you agree.
How Your Health Club Can Start Using SMS to Support Members Today
You’re all excited about the number of new members you have in your health club thanks to your latest member drive. And you want to do everything you can to help them reach their goals and stay a member for a long time. Here's a quick few steps to get you up and running as quickly as possible.
How To Use SMS Messaging To Fill Your Health Club And Keep It Full
At the end of every year, people all over the country will be making resolutions to get fit, lose weight, eat healthier, or start practising yoga. In January, health club memberships will soar before mid-February when an estimated 88% of resolutions fail. SMS can help you keep more members, here's how...
SMS Marketing for Dental Practices
Daily SMS Reminders Can Help Improve Health
Before the winter cold and flu season hits I decided to do what I can to get healthy and stay healthy. Last week I began a 21 day cleanse that involves eating lots of fruits and vegetables as well as taking supplements. A lot of supplements. So many that I really have trouble keeping track. But luckily the company that makes the cleanse I'm using offers support via SMS reminders.
Proof SMS Messaging Gets Results: Customer Service
All sorts of companies are finding SMS messaging works much better than traditional customer support channels like phone calls and emails. In this post, you’ll see examples of how businesses are keeping their customers happy and seeing great results with SMS.