Why Retention Still Hurts, And What You Can Do About It

Become a Member to watch this and get access to out full BFS Resource Library

In the BFS 2024 State of the Industry Report, we introduced the F.E.R. Method: Find, Enroll, Retain. And while most studio owners have focused on lead generation and conversion, the “Retain” piece is often where the biggest opportunity lies. Roxy Borger has seen retention issues from every angle: as a studio owner, a software expert, and a consultant helping fitness and wellness businesses grow. And in her words, “If you’re not intentionally working on retention, it’s probably working against you.”
In a past session with The BFS Network, Roxy took members through a deep dive into retention strategy, what it looks like in your software reports, what the industry data really says, and what tactics actually move the needle.

Here’s what she wants every studio owner to know:

Retention Is Your Business

There’s no way around it: retention is the biggest challenge facing most class-based wellness and fitness studios. National data backs that up. In a Mindbody analysis of millions of client records, the average year-over-year retention rate was just 33%.

Let that sink in: without intentional follow-up, only one out of every three clients will return next year.

But there’s good news: the top 10% of businesses on the Mindbody platform achieved 60% retention. And when you zoom in on first-visit retention, many high-performing studios are aiming for 70% or higher.

So the question isn’t whether retention is fixable. It’s what you’re doing to improve it:

The First Visit Is Make-or-Break

If you’re losing clients after visit one, it’s almost impossible to build sustainable membership revenue. Roxy outlined a few of her top strategies to improve first-visit retention:

• • Audit the experience. Everything from the info on your website to the check-in process needs to help clients feel confident, welcomed, and informed.
  • Create a welcome committee. Empower your most loyal clients to greet newcomers and help them feel part of the community from the moment they walk in.
  • Leverage your intro offer. Give them a reason to come back—offer multiple sessions, not just a one-time drop-in, and book their second visit before they leave.
  • Follow up with intent. Use email, text, or even a phone call. Personal follow-up from instructors or staff increases return rates.

And yes, your software can help you spot the gaps.

How to Use Your Software to Analyze Retention

Roxy encouraged every studio to get hands-on with their first visit report, something available in most platforms like Mindbody, Walla, Mariana Tek, and others. Key tips:

• • Look back at least one to two months to get meaningful data
  • Run separate reports by service category if needed (e.g., privates vs. group)
  • Tag and segment new clients who haven’t returned, and follow up

In Mindbody, Roxy recommends using tags and filtering for “no visit after first” to quickly pull a list of at-risk clients. In Walla, she highlighted the intro offer retention report, which shows how many intro clients converted to memberships, another key retention metric.

Want Better Retention? Prioritize the First 30 Days

Beyond the first visit, the first month sets the tone for long-term loyalty. Roxy shared these additional insights:

• • Four visits in the first month is a key benchmark. Clients who hit that number are more likely to convert to memberships.
  • 4–8 meaningful touchpoints are needed to drive conversion. That includes digital reminders, in-person conversations, and thoughtful check-ins.
  • Make your best membership offer during the intro period. Roxy’s go-to strategy: offer $20/month off a year-long membership—only valid if purchased during the intro phase.
    
  Retention is a core pillar of that framework, and improving it is one of the fastest ways to increase client lifetime value and stabilize revenue.
• 
  
• 
  

  
  Want more retention tools?

  👉 Become a BFS Member to unlock full access to the
  Resource Library and start applying retention strategies that actually move the needle.

  👉 Want access to the full BFS 2024 State of the Industry Report?
  Start by completing the Business Assessment to get your
  custom report and uncover your biggest opportunities.