The £3,992 Lesson: Adjusting to a New Market

How introducing a 2-session plan helped us overcome objections, increase retention, and boost MRR

Author

Cardy Brothers
December 08, 2024

Dear Fitpreneurs,

Over the last few weeks, we invited our new studio clients to become monthly members.

Out of 65 front-end challengers, we set ourselves a bold goal: a 50% retention rate.

After hours of meetings, conversations, and tweaks, we ended up with 26 clients continuing.

Is that lower than we hoped? Absolutely.

But are we happy with the outcome? You bet we are.

Especially when you consider the adjustments we had to make to get there.

Let me walk you through what happened…

New Episode

10 Traits Every Successful Gym Owner Shares

We’re diving into the 10 traits that separate successful gym owners from the rest. After years of working with studio owners and running our own, we’ve noticed patterns that define thriving gyms and their leaders.

From putting clients first to staying accountable, we’re sharing practical insights and real stories to help you level up your business.

Expect honest advice, a few rants, and actionable takeaways for any gym or studio owner looking to grow their community, improve their service, and stay ahead in the game.

Recommit Meetings

Last Sunday, we kicked off our first batch of "recommit meetings" with optimism. After all, the initial sign-up rate had been promising.

Jack sat down with 15 clients during those meetings, but by the end of the day, only three had decided to continue.

The feedback was consistent:

  • They loved the product.

  • They adored the coaches.

  • But the price was just too high.

It was a tough pill to swallow, but the writing was on the wall: this market was different to what we’d experienced at our first location.

Introducing a 2-Session Plan

It was time to rethink our strategy. We revisited an idea that had been floating around for a while: What if we offered a 2-session-a-week plan?

Up to this point, we’d only offered a 3-session-a-week plan. While it worked brilliantly at our original studio, we knew this might be a higher barrier to entry for our new audience.

A 2-session plan could:

  • Lower the financial commitment for clients.

  • Free up an additional session on the timetable, increasing capacity.

  • Boost our Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR).

But big decisions need to be backed by data—not just gut feelings.

Crunching the Numbers

I jumped into a spreadsheet, ran the formulas, and modelled out the possibilities.

Here’s what we discovered:

By introducing the mixed model, we could generate an additional £3,992 in MRR while maintaining an 85% average booking rate.

Final Words

This experience has been a great reminder: there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to running a fitness studio.

Like any business, you need to move fast, test ideas, and learn as you go. What worked in one location won’t always translate to another.

We’re rolling out this mixed model at our new studio, and if it delivers as we hope, we’ll use it across future sites.

That’s it from us. Reply any time…

Reply

or to participate.