The client is a fitness-club network with gyms, group classes and swimming pools in three cities. Sales depended on reception: the site showed prices “from”, trial sessions could be booked through an unconfirmed form, and about 40% of people simply did not show up—the administrators could not call everyone. Full membership prices were not published anywhere: managers feared “revealing the price list”, while visitors left to compare competitors that showed everything. The network was losing entire audience segments: people who refuse to buy a “pig in a poke” at reception and prefer to make every decision online in advance.
Build a complete online membership sales channel:
a transparent catalogue with final prices, purchase, payment and contract in a few clicks, trial-session bookings that guests actually attend, and an automated nurturing funnel. The network required one central control panel to support nine clubs with different price lists.
We designed the funnel from “I’m thinking about it” to “I work out on Tuesdays and Thursdays”, removing at every step the exact obstacle that used to make a guest put off the decision.
- Mapped the member journey through interviews with administrators and trainers and analysis of calls and bookings. We found three main points of loss: opaque prices, unconfirmed bookings and guests who “disappeared after the tour”.
- Built a transparent membership catalogue with final prices for all nine clubs, explained their differences, and a calculator that sets the price by city, duration and visiting time—without asterisks or “ask a manager”.
- Made purchase a few-step process: choose a membership, pay by card, sign an electronic contract and receive a personal entry QR code, with no visit to reception and no paperwork at the desk.
- Rebuilt trial-session booking: choose a club, date and class from the available schedule, receive instant confirmation and messenger reminders one day and two hours beforehand. No-shows fell threefold.
- Set up automated nurturing for people who viewed prices but did not buy: a sequence of messages addressing common objections, member stories and a first-month offer available for a limited time.
- Built a member account for freezing and renewing memberships, booking group classes and inviting a friend for a discount—tasks that previously required a call to an administrator.
- Enabled funnel analytics by club and source: for the first time, the network could see which club and channel brought in members rather than just visits.
The main shift was that reception stopped being a sales bottleneck. Administrators no longer spend thirty minutes preparing contracts or calling no-shows: the system sends reminders, and the desk serves people who have already decided to work out. Trainers receive bookings filled in with the guest’s goals. A trial session became a personal workout instead of a “tour”, helping conversion rise from 31% to 52%. Transparent prices, which managers had feared showing for years, also increased sales: guests who see the final price make their own decision without a last-minute push at reception.
The network’s financial effect was straightforward: 38% of memberships are now sold without administrator time or reception space devoted to selling. Fewer no-shows freed trainers’ schedules and made it possible to add slots previously taken up by “ghost” guests. The member account quickly became a retention channel: freezing and renewing in two clicks reduces the risk that members drop out when their motivation usually fades. The network also gained control: it can compare clubs by funnel conversion and replicate best practices across cities.
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| New memberships bought online | 0% → 38% |
| Trial-session-to-purchase conversion | 31% → 52% |
| Trial-session no-shows | ≈40% → 12% |
| Renewals in the member account | No functionality → Every third renewal online |
Metrics are transcribed from the original case materials. A period is stated where it is recorded in the source.
- of new memberships bought online
- 38%
- trial → purchase (was 31%)
- 52%
- trial no-shows (was ≈40%)
- 12%
- online sign-up (was 30–40 minutes)
- 5 min
- 01Site visit
- 02Catalogue
- 03Calculator
- 04Payment
- 05Contract and QRfor club entry
- 01Booking
- 02Confirmation
- 03Reminder1 day before
- 04Reminder2 hours before
- 05Visit
Where the network’s online setup can go next:
- A mobile app with QR entry, membership freezes and personal programmes, extending the member account.
- B2B corporate sales: employee packages for companies with a separate HR account.
- AEO visibility: structured answers to “how to choose a fitness club” so AI assistants mention the network accurately.
For ten years, we were afraid to show our prices. As soon as we did, sales rose and the “how much does it cost?” calls disappeared. Guests now arrive with their membership on their phone.
— Commercial Director of the Fitness Club Network