10 Ways We Fit Recognition & Appreciation Into Our System

There’s been a large focus in 2018 on how Facebook is changing, and how that may impact how you generate leads.

Lead generation will always be a part of our business, but it may be worth looking at spending more time on your existing clients, making their experience better, recognizing them, and appreciating them.

Not only will they stay and pay longer, but they’ll act as your lead generation, and you won’t have to stress as much about your digital marketing strategy.

I do think that most appreciation and recognition should be organic and not be scripted or systemized, that’s the art of good customer service.

However, on top of those “WOW” moments here are 10 ways we fit recognition into our system and deliver it to over 315 clients CONSISTENTLY (that’s the key).

1. Rotating Wall of Testimonials

When you walk into our facility there’s a wall of 4 professional looking testimonials on foam core. We rotate them quarterly, the client that goes up there loves it, and it’s a great piece in the lobby for new clients walking in to see.

2. Client “Action Shots” Posters

Sometimes that before/after pictures are good, sometimes it’s what everyone expects to see. We have 4-5 oversized posters of just our “Regular joes and janes” in action. Again, they love getting up on wall, and it’s a nice decorative piece for the gym. We use 3’x4′ foam core.

3. Frequent Sweaters Club

Each month we publicly recognize all clients that came at least 10 times the previous month. They get their name on the board for the month, they share it on Facebook, etc. It also has helped a ton with membership upgrades.

4. PR Bell & Board

Every time someone gets a PR they get to ring the bell and write their name on the board. The entire club stops what they’re doing and claps, plus we can usually grab a video of it for social.

5. MYZONE Board

Another chalkboard to get someone’s name on the board. Remember, people love being recognized.

6. Goals Board

Each month clients have the opportunity to get some “social accountability” by writing their goal on the board. Once they accomplish the goal, the card comes down, and a new goal goes up. It’s great for the community because everyone reads each others goals and cheers each other on. Plus, we always get a video of them taking the card down and hitting the goal. We also use this board for different “weekly challenges” to give clients.

7. Shout Out Board

This is a bulletin board we use for clients to give each other or a staff member a shout out.

8. Gift Cards

We hand out gift cards to clients at set times during their lifecycle. They feel appreciated, and we ask that they give it to a friend, so we always get a referral out of it.

9. Branded Cards

You are writing a handwritten thank you to every client that joins your club, right?

It’s the easiest way to separate yourself. We like the generic branded cards because we can use them for not only thank yous, but any handwritten note we want to give to a client like when they get a new job, are going through a tough time, or any other WOW moment we want to recognize.

10. Branded Letterhead

At 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year all clients receive a handwritten letter from the coach that knows them best. The entire team signs it, and we mail it to them. We have dozens of stories of people tacking it up on their refrigerator or sharing a pic of it on social media.

There you have it.

10 ways to recognize and appreciate your clients.

Is this everything we do?

Of course not.

There has to be that “organic” opportunity that we can’t script or put into a process (the flowers or handwritten card we write when someone gets married or has a death in the family) these 10 fit in nicely, they all have a process so the entire team can deliver them consistently, every day.

There are few reasons why people actually leave a club.

The #1 reason is that they don’t feel part of something bigger than themselves.

Recognition and appreciation is just one of the many ways you can curate that feeling and it usually has nice side effects of higher retention and more referrals/leads.

By Doug Spurling