When it comes to optimizing fitness centers, it’s impossible not to mention Alex Hormozi. Before becoming an influential figure in the world of marketing and entrepreneurship, he owned several gyms. This hands-on experience allowed him to observe what sets apart gyms that successfully retain their members long-term… and those that struggle to keep their clientele active.
In one of his popular videos, Hormozi shares 6 simple practices that successful gyms use to maximize retention and provide a better client experience. These commonsense ideas can transform how you support your members—especially if you leverage the right technology to implement them easily.
Here are these 6 essential strategies, along with some thoughts for today’s gym owners.
The first non-negotiable point: gyms with strong retention track their numbers closely. Number of active memberships, weekly attendance rates, average membership duration, churn rates... all of these data points are essential for understanding the true state of your business.
But it’s not enough to simply collect numbers. You have to analyze them in order to adjust the support and coaching you provide to members. For example, if you notice that a large portion of your new members stop showing up after three weeks, that’s a clear sign of a lack of guidance or motivation at that specific stage.
Thanks to technological innovation, it has become much easier to access these metrics in real time. Mobile apps and specialized software now let you monitor these indicators effortlessly… as long as you use them properly.
At successful gyms, if a member hasn’t shown up in a few days, the team takes action right away. There’s no waiting for the person to cancel their membership!
Sending a short, personalized message to check in, offer support, or remind them of the importance of staying active can make a huge difference. This kind of attention enhances the client experience and shows that your support doesn’t end at sign-up.
Once again, technology makes this task easier: an automated notification or scheduled text message can save you precious time… while boosting member retention.
When a member cancels their membership, it’s a goldmine of information you shouldn’t waste. Gyms that truly care about retention take the time to call or meet with departing members to understand why they’re leaving.
Is it pricing, scheduling, lack of guidance, or even a disappointing client experience? This feedback is essential for adjusting your offer and constantly innovating your services. Plus, it gives you a chance to win that person back!
A gym that retains its members is a gym that fosters a sense of belonging. According to Hormozi, fitness centers that host community-wide events 3 to 4 times per year naturally improve retention.
It could be an open house, a group challenge, a themed evening... whatever the activity, the key is to strengthen the bond between members and the gym staff. These events improve the client experience, build loyalty, and differentiate your facility from the competition.
Congratulating a member on real progress (weight loss, personal best, consistent attendance) reinforces their motivation and loyalty.
These personalized messages show that you genuinely care about guidance and support. They make the client experience more human—even in an increasingly automated world.
Again, several technologies can save you time here. Some apps can automatically detect this progress and generate appropriate messages.
Finally, one of Alex Hormozi’s most powerful (and underestimated) tips is to have direct contact with every member at least once a month.
It doesn’t require a long conversation; a simple text, call, or in-person interaction is enough to maintain the relationship and show that you’re there to provide real support and guidance. This regular touchpoint lowers the risk of dropout and naturally boosts retention.
What Alex Hormozi’s experience teaches us is simple: retention, loyalty, and client experience are no accident. They result from intentional, regular, sustained effort… and are hard to maintain without the right tools.
Today, technology allows you to automate much of this work—reminders, messages, follow-ups, surveys, congratulations—without losing the human touch that makes all the difference. For gym owners looking to innovate and improve member support, having the right tool has become essential. Managing all this manually is nearly impossible without risking burnout or forgetting key steps.
In short, with the right technology in place, applying Alex Hormozi’s winning strategies becomes not only doable but also much more effective and profitable.
To watch Hormozi's full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3T4GqoH0Us
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