10: hybrid fitness community sticky onboarding
Golden Performance, a new boutique gym, needed to establish a loyal member base in a competitive fitness market. They struggled with low brand awareness and lacked a community framework that could sustain member retention beyond initial sign-ups.
I was brought in to design the entire community ecosystem, including:
brand positioning
engagement touchpoints
retention frameworks that would drive sign-ups and create long-term member loyalty.
the strategy
Conduct behavioural and market analysis to identify member motivations and barriers
Design a member journey framework integrating online and offline touchpoints (social media, in-studio events, referral programmes)
Introduce community rituals such as group challenges and recognition systems to foster belonging
Create brand positioning and messaging guidelines to establish the gym as a supportive, results-driven community.
the impact
250% increase in sales of memberships and branded merchandise within the first quarter
Membership base grew 10x within six months, with high retention due to the community-driven approach
Online presence expanded to 553 organic followers in 6 months, increasing engagement and visibility
Secured a strong foundation of loyal members who became brand advocates, driving word-of-mouth growth.
kw. community design, member journey mapping, engagement systems