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By the way, don’t forget guest passes, “member of the month” and birthday greetings. Give out guest passes freely, and try having one big birthday cake available at the end of each month to celebrate all of your members’ birthdays that fall within that month.

As you can see, a little effort and creativity can go a long way in providing your members with a wide variety of fun, useful and inexpensive services. Try any or all of these suggestions, and watch and listen for your members’ responses. I think you’ll be pleased.

Special events are another form of member services that you can use to entertain, educate and retain members. Organizing social gatherings, trips and educational opportunities are outstanding ways to increase member and staff loyalty and motivation. Here are some fun examples of special events for all ages:

* Daddy/daughter date night. This fun and heartwarming event is designed for dads and their daughters (ages 5 to 15). Dress for the evening is formal and events include a “happy hour” consisting of “Shirley Temples” and crackers, dinner and after-dinner dancing. Daughters are given a chocolate rose and stuffed animal while a photographer is available for pictures. This is a wonderful event that has been successful at a number of family fitness facilities.

* Traffic safety day. This event is designed to entertain and educate children on matters of traffic safety and smart bicycle riding. Refreshments are available, and appearances by local police and fire department personnel, as well as local university mascots, help make this a great children’s event.

* Writer’s nights. Try holding a local “writers night” for up-and-coming musicians and songwriters. Work with a local eatery to sponsor the event, or use any members who may have musical aspirations and goals. Have the event outside by the pool, provide refreshments and let your members spend a beautiful weekend evening enjoying great music. It’s a lot of fun for members and staff.

These and other special events, like cooking demonstrations, theater nights, holiday parties and golf outings, go a long way in making your facility more than just a place for members to work out. Your facility becomes a substantive part of their social, family and entertainment spectrum. By doing so, your members develop a sense of family, belonging and worth, and their likelihood of leaving is greatly diminished.