On this LIFTS podcast, Escape Fitness CEO, Matthew Januszek and Mo Iqbal, Founder & CEO of SweatWorks are joined by guest, Dr. Paul Bedford, the "Retention Guru", researcher, international speaker and fitness industry expert on retention, attrition and customer experience. 

This episode revolved around strategies to boost retention, from emphasising the importance of personalisation, empathy and tailoring experiences to your audience through to analysing the potential of technology to individualise the member journey, highlighting how vital it is to understand the needs and preferences of members in order to create a successful, sustainable fitness business. 

Key topics discussed include:

• Retention strategies for fitness businesses.
• The importance of empathy and report.
• Utilising data and analytical tools correctly.
• The impact of ‘gymtimidation.’
• Generationally designed gyms.
• Whether wearables or AI can boost retention.

To learn more about Dr. Paul Bedford, click here: https://www.retentionguru.com/

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0:00      Intro

03:34    Retention strategies for fitness businesses

07:56    Data-driven strategies

12:32    Empathy and retention, focusing on analysis tools

16:47    Using data to motivate weight loss programmes

21:00    Gym intimidation and the impact of aesthetics on exercise

24:53    How fitness preferences and gym memberships change with age

33:51    Wearables and AI technology to improve retention

38:43    How fitness brands can compete with YouTube trainers

42:47    Personalised experiences and AI tools to boost retention

48:08    Customer experience in the fitness industry