Build outside the box
“We often make assumptions about what drives member behaviour and lifetime value and to what degree this is immutable or not. Everyone is chasing that elusive true understanding of the cause of engagement and retention.” — Karl Foster, CTO at Gymnation
In this edition:
Medicine and movement should be the standard
Start with customer retention in mind
Speak with your audience, not at them
STORY
Rise of exercise in patient recovery
The human body is a fascinating dynamic “machine” that we’re still learning. Much as we have some of the best medical interventions in history, there are even better health outcomes on the horizon. Two scientists show us how.
Dr. Wendy Suzuki
To secure tenure at New York University, Dr. Wendy Suzuki, a neuroscientist, needed to create something groundbreaking or lose her job. One more year – that’s all she had.
Many hours of work and a camping trip later, she realised she’d become quite frail. “I never want to feel like the weakest person on a trip like that again”. Training at the gym recreated the positive mood she felt on her trip and grant applications became easier to write after five years of doing them.
Later, her father experienced memory loss and she realised all the improvements she experienced due to exercise (better mood, memory & focus) were declining in him.
After he received an Alzhemiers diagnosis she shifted her research from memory to the brain changing benefits of exercise. Now she runs an exercise lab aiming to prescribe exercise as individual treatment and is an Intensati instructor.
Dr. Goobie
After 20 years as a neurosurgeon, Goobie wondered how much his work actually helped his patients. He realised diet, exercise, and stress management had more benefits on patient recovery than surgeries which didn’t address underlying issues.
He tested this by prescribing exercise and nutrition noting long-term stability in patients who implemented it and recurring symptoms in those who didn’t.
Goobie struggled with his realisation that the medical system may not promote true healing so he resigned and relocated to the woods. Now he shares health education through a YouTube series called “Help Your Body Heal”.
Exercise is medicine
These case studies are just two among an increasing number that highlight a big opportunity for collaborative treatment plans between medics and trainers from the start.
One of the biggest concerns may be how to structure appointments, feedback loops and payment splits but that’s where a culture of innovation comes in.
Patients deserve the best treatments in the short and long-term – this demands thinking differently in order to see such initiatives employed as actual treatment.
SPOTLIGHT
More research, better innovations
Cosmetic gynaecology procedures restore dignity to female genital mutilation (FGM) survivors [Read]
Gymnation test on member consistency increases customer retention by 10.5% [Read]
AI-powered health app, BYON8 is the real Doctor Google [Read]
RUNDOWN
Using market research for retention & referral
What we found
Gymnation hits on a valuable retention strategy [Read]
What’s missing
Many businesses, even those that are moderately profitable, often miss available opportunities to get better results for themselves and their customers. This looks like:
Not conducting enough research to inform business decisions
Focusing more on simply attracting and acquiring customers but not retaining them
Not innovating enough in their businesses
Not making the most of existing data available to them
What we like
Gymnation is an example of a business in a competitive industry demonstrating how to keep delighting the customer. This looks like:
Actively seeking innovative solutions
Intentionally pursuing sustainable growth through community
Product development through “Gymnation Round-Ups” (regular motivational messages)
Understanding the value of metrics (e.g. Lifetime value aka LTV)
What you can do
Building value for shareholders can happen while building value for customers.
Built Different aims to help entrepreneurs who are building disruptive solutions designed to actually improve the lives of their customers.
You can learn more on some of the areas Gymnation is extracting value from previous editions here:
Rundown: Understand the basics of market research
Story: See a doctor implement his findings by innovating for a unique customer segment
Explainer: Build your own community to collect and implement valuable data
DIY
Speak to your customers through your content
Content marketing is an opportunity to curate solutions for your audience which includes target customers.
Here are 3 ways to make your messaging connect better with your potential and existing customers:
Speak their language: Minimise jargon and elaborate where necessary. Tap into the language customers use in surveys, comments and reviews.
Mirror their lives: Share stories from satisfied customers and case studies of potential customers. This allows your target customer to see themselves in your product/service and how your business impacts lives.
Welcome feedback: Have a clear call-to-action that shows the reader where to direct their questions, how to leave a comment, book a consultation or purchase your product.
Win-wins in business between companies and customers are the result of intentional effort.
Differentiation and value creation can co-exist healthily. Businesses that consistently innovate for their customers can find multiple opportunities to excel.
Stay active, keep innovating.