Most brands in health and fitness spend all their time chasing new sign ups. Ads, promos, flashy launches, it is all about getting people in the door. But the truth is real growth does not come from the first purchase. It comes from what happens after. Retention is what turns someone who tries you once into someone who sticks around for months or years, and that is where a business really becomes sustainable.
Most health and fitness brands are hooked on the chase. They run ads, post influencer campaigns, throw out promos, all to get new sign ups. And sure, that first order feels good. But if you don’t keep the people you already have, you’re basically starting over every month.
Real growth comes from retention. It’s what takes a brand from being a one hit wonder to something people can’t live without.
Whether you’re selling supplements, running a recovery lounge, coaching one on one, or building a fitness app, the question is simple: how long do people stick with you. That’s the difference between hype and staying power.
Think about it. Health and wellness isn’t a one time thing. Nobody changes their life with one scoop of greens or one month of workouts. The magic is in consistency. Retention marketing is what keeps people coming back for that consistency. It’s cheaper than constantly hunting for new buyers. Customers who stay spend more, try new products, and tell their friends. It makes your business predictable. That last one is huge. Predictability equals peace of mind. You know what’s coming in each month instead of wondering if the next sale will hit.
I like to look at retention as a system. Once it’s set up, it just runs in the background and takes care of your people without you stressing about it. Here’s how you build it.
The first 30 days decide it all.
Selling supplements means sending a simple guide with tips for the first month.
Running a service means making that first session feel personal and welcoming.
You’re setting the vibe for the whole relationship.
People stick when they feel progress.
Products can send reminders, recipes, or ideas for getting more out of what they bought.
Memberships can highlight wins, send nudges, or show them how far they’ve come.
Progress equals motivation.
Health is emotional. Nobody wants to feel like they’re doing this alone.
It could be an online group, a client spotlight, or a small event.
When people feel like they belong, they don’t leave.
Everyone likes to be noticed.
Thank people for renewing.
Send a note on their birthday.
Celebrate their one year mark with you.
Small gestures build loyalty.
You don’t need to manually send every reminder.
Set up automations that check in, say thanks, or prompt a re order.
People feel cared for and you stay sane.
Keep an eye on the numbers.
How long do people stay.
When do they usually drop off.
What is the average lifetime value of a customer.
Data shows you where the holes are so you can fix them.
Back when I was working with Meal Prep Sunday, we ran into a huge retention problem. Most customers would drop off after only two or three weeks. At first it looked like people just weren’t consistent with meal prep services, but the real issue was onboarding.
We weren’t clearly explaining how the service worked. Ordering, delivery, and account management all felt confusing to new customers. That meant people gave up before they even had a chance to see results.
To fix it, we doubled down on onboarding. We built digital and print assets that went into every first delivery, walking people through the process step by step. We redesigned our emails to guide new customers through their first weeks. We even retrained our drivers so they could answer basic questions and remove the little friction points that were frustrating people.
Then we went deeper. Instead of just giving people food, we helped them understand how to actually use it. We shared tips on building a routine around the meals, paired it with a free training program, and made sure customers had check ins during those critical first 30 to 60 days.
Most of our audience was general population — everyday people who just wanted to eat better and feel better. Small adjustments made a big impact, and when we paired education with accountability, people stuck around.
The results were undeniable. We took retention from an average of two weeks up to seven weeks. Because people finally understood the process, felt supported, and saw results early, we were not only able to keep them longer but also upsell them into higher value packages. Our average customer lifetime value went from around $150 to over $800.
That shift was a major part of how we grew from a seven-figure company into an eight-figure company. Retention gave us stability, predictable revenue, and the confidence to scale.
“Health is built on consistency. So is business.”
Say someone signs up for a supplement subscription.
Day one they get a thank you note and a simple guide to get started.
Week one you check in and ask how it’s going so far.
Month one you send a progress note and a little encouragement to keep it up.
A few months in they get customer stories, recipes, or tips.
At the twelve month mark you surprise them with a gift or a thank you for sticking with you.
For a fitness service it looks the same but with progress tracking, invites to events, and a community they can lean on. The structure stays the same, the flavor changes.
Retention isn’t about keeping a customer on the hook. It’s about making them feel supported, connected, and valued over time.
When you put systems in place for onboarding, engagement, community, rewards, automation, and measurement, your brand stops living sale to sale. Instead, you build something people want to stay with.
In health and fitness, retention is the real flex.
