The #1 Key to Managing a Mobile App (or Anything)

If you currently have a mobile app for your facility, you probably know that it can be a massive asset. You also know that if it’s not managed properly, it can just be another bill that comes in every month.

Properly running a mobile app comes down to people actually being on the app and actually being engaged daily. There’s a good chance that if you’re not utilizing the strategies from my last article, your members won’t reap the benefits and nor will you.

Normally when you have issues with a piece of technology, it comes down to one thing. It’s not that people don’t want to use it or that they don’t understand it. It’s that businesses aren’t tracking their metrics. Thus they are losing time, money, and possibly memberships that have a direct impact on their bottom line.

That is the one thing that it takes to be successful. I didn’t say successful with a mobile app or technology, I just said successful.

What I'm about delve into is not some magic formula, or something I've come up with consulting for clubs. This is business 101.

The key to managing a mobile app is tracking your numbers! Yep, it's that simple. If it costs you money or can make you money, you better track it.

After working with hundreds of clients all over the country over the past few years, I understand that it takes detailed and consistent tracking of metrics to stay on top of the business.

Let’s think about it this way: Running a business without tracking your numbers is like driving a car without checking your fuel gauge. You can only go so far before you break down. In business if you go about your days without tracking your key metrics, sure you’ll move forward, but eventually you won’t be able to get to that next level.

In order to be successful with anything in business, you need to track the numbers that are important. When it comes to your facility, these are a list of some key metrics you should be tracking and using to inform your decisions.

-New lead generation

-Outgoing phone calls / texts / emails

-Appointment setting quota for membership tours

-Overall closing ratio

-Appointment set / show / join ratio

-Fitness Assessment setting % at POS

-Buddy Referral leads at POS

-Internal and external lead generation

-New member follow up

Those numbers are the difference between being in business and being out of it. Those numbers drive your facility and you don't want to leave money on the table. Unfortunately, often times, clubs are leaving money on the table with their technology platforms because they aren't tracking what can quite easily make them more money.

Lucky for you, tracking metrics within your mobile app is much easier than keeping track of the data you need to run your facility efficiently. Additionally, working with Netpulse will allow you to access a dedicated account manager. This executive’s role is to help you track and market your gym’s platform and is backed by the entirety of our massive support team, and network, to provide you what you want, when you want.

Now back to the metrics.

I’ll be bold here and say 100% of club owners and operators are focused on 3 key things: Referrals (getting prospects through the door), Retention (Keeping members from walking out the door), and Revenue (earning money from those members). When I talk with my clients, those are the three metrics that they always ask about with the app. So the question now is, what do we track in order to drive those three metrics?

#1. Total Downloads - It seems pretty easy, but you'd be surprised how many facilities don't know how many people are on their app. If you've got 5 people on the app, it's not really going to be a great marketing tool. On the other hand if 70% of your facility is on the app, that can absolutely generate some opportunities for increased revenue. 

#2. Average Number of Daily/Monthly Users - This will let you know if you are losing members or gaining members. If you are gaining members, you have the opportunity to gain more loyal fans. Loyal fans, purchase more, stay longer and have a 15-40% higher Lifetime value than an average member.

#3. Session Length - This will vary based on what you have integrated onto your platform, but if you're seeing an average of 10 seconds on the app, you're members aren't engaged and we need to change some things up. When you start to see the session length go up, that means engagement is higher, and when engagement is higher, you guessed it, so is your opportunity for increased revenue. 

#4. Retention - 24% of app users abandon an app after just one use. Why? They don't see the value. We need to create value in all of our offerings in order to keep members. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, when you’re value outweighs your cost, your members are here to stay.

A mobile platform can have a massive impact on your facility. It can diversify engagement, increase your revenue through multiple sources, and can keep you at the center of your members’ fitness journey. The major key to gaining this impact is simply tracking the metrics I’ve shared above in order to make sure you are actually successful.

If you want to truly create a mobile experience in your facility, it starts with the numbers.

Until Next Time

Ned has worked in and around the fitness industry his whole life. He has his Master’s Degree in Exercise and Nutrition Science, during which time he collaborated on and was published in multiple peer reviewed articles in health and human performance. He has consulted for multiple 6-figure facilities in the healthcare space and currently works with hundreds of club locations all over the United States focusing on digital strategy and mobile branding as an Account Manager with Netpulse. His true passion is providing fitness facilities and professionals with the tools to achieve autonomy and success through market positioning, technology adoption and operations optimization. You can reach ned at [email protected] or follow him on Instagram at @NedArick.