Must Know Customer Retention Strategies from Funk Roberts

Feb 6, 2025

Four Amazing Strategies Funk Roberts Use to Boost engagement, retention and revenue (PROOF INSIDE!) Reader Disclosure Reader Disclosure

For anyone running an online membership website maintaining existing members has always been more difficult than getting new ones. While getting new members on board is crucial however, ensuring they are engaged and committed is the real difference-maker.

Contents Toggle

1. The ‘Shared Rituals' Strategy
2. The ‘Identity Crafting' Technique
The ‘Insider Language' Method
4. The ‘Transformation Journey' Framework
In Summary

A higher retention rate means more predictability of revenue, deeper social connections and a more vibrant and loyal member base. There are a myriad of ways to engage members online however, you'll never be able to tell whether they work until you've tried them yourself.

We approached Funk Roberts, a well-known online fitness instructor and active member for many years, to discuss the tried-and-tested methods that helped him boost retention, engagement, and even revenue.

Here are some strategies Funk Robert shared with us.

1. The Shared Rituals Strategy

The shared rituals are regular and repeatable events that your participants take part in frequently, creating a strong sense of community and belonging. These rituals are like glue--they ensure that your members return and deepen their connection to your organization.

The main benefits from this approach are:

Builds strong communities
Promotes regular participation and engagement
Increases member loyalty and retention

What is this as in actual practice?

I manage a membership plan that is called " Over 40 Alpha." It is an exercise and health membership program for males over the age of 40 to 50, 60 and over. There are several rituals shared for this membership program, which keep the members focused on the mission and the community.

Sweaty Selfies Photos are shared by members at the end of every workout, expressing their commitment and encouraging others to join in.
Alpha Meal posts Photos posted by members of their meals, breaking them into macro parts in order to increase accountability and inform members of the community.
Birthday burpees On birthdays, members film themselves performing burpees that correspond to their age. It's challenging and fun and creates a shared celebration within the local community.

What can you do to implement these common rituals with your group members?

Determine the most important activities or behavior that align with your Tribe's members' goals.
Use easy-to-follow prompts and hashtags that encourage involvement.
Make sure to include these steps in your onboarding materials for establishing expectations at the beginning.

By incorporating these shared rituals and rituals, you'll create an exciting and engaging atmosphere that your members don't want to leave.

2. "Identity Crafting" Technique

Understanding your target audience isn't just about understanding their demographics, it's the ability to understand their wants to be a part of their lives, aspirations, and struggles. People don't just desire to purchase a particular item or service, they desire to be part of an organization that is bigger than them.

By crafting a distinct and distinct identity for your community, it will give your members the sense of belonging and confidence in the person they're becoming by participating in your program.

People want to join an organization, they want to be understood and felt valued. And they wanna become part of something larger that is bigger than them.

Some of the Benefits of this technique are:

Creates a strong sense belonging
Your membership is distinguished from those of your competitors.
Increases engagement and increases loyalty

Within the program Over 40 Alpha it isn't about joining a fitness program but becoming Over 40 Alphas. This identity represents determination, strength to change and commitment. Everything, from the rituals to the culture, reinforces this identity, which makes it a badge of respect.

What can you do to ensure that an identical feeling to your employees:

Create a distinctive brand identity that is in tune with your viewers' aspirations.
Incorporate this identity to your routines, contents, and communications.
Always reinforce the brand's identity with tales, stories, testimonials as well as community interaction.

When members take on a new identity that aligns with their objectives They become more engaged to the group, thus increasing retention.

The Insider Language Method

Every tribe that is successful is a unique tribe with its own dialect - a secret handshake that separates people who are inside from outside. The creation of unique words, slogans or hand signals that only your community uses can create a deep sentiment of belonging and exclusiveness. The insider dialect helps create a unique and hard-to-replicate culture.

One of the main advantages from this technique include:

It fosters a sense of exclusivity as well as a sense of position.
Community bonds are strengthened.
Encourages long-term retention by making people feel a part of something special.

In Over 40 Alpha there are members with phrases like:

GID (Get It Done! ): Our rallying cry that reaffirms our dedication to action and persistence.
"Smell The Rose": A call to slow, deep breath and take in the experience.

These aren't just catchy phrases They are element of the DNA of the tribe. They create a culture where the members feel that they're apart of something that is unique and unique--something they want to stay in.

What can you do to achieve this for your members:

Develop unique phrases or terms which reflect the values of your community and goals.
Make sure to use these terms in all of your website, email messages as well as events.
Encourage members to incorporate these words in their messages and posts.

Creating a shared language builds an identity of community people feel proud to be a part of. This is directly affecting retention.

4. The "Transformation Journey" Framework

One of the most efficient strategies to improve retention is to lead your members on a journey of transformation through clear objectives, incentive programs, and community support. The motivation for them is to continue their journey within your membership.

A few of the main advantages of this framework:

Members are kept motivated and interested.
Gives clear directions that can be followed, which reduces overwhelm and confusion.
Encourages continuous membership renewal.

How to implement the technology: Craft a path that will lead to transformation in which each member begins from a predetermined point and follows a path towards their goals, with your support every step of the way.

This is what I'm doing for my program:

Milestones Make signs on the route to commemorate progress (for instance, the Milestone T-shirts, which participants from Over 40 Alpha Over 40 Alpha program earn at the end of each phase of the "One Year To Alpha" journey).
Rewards Reward accomplishments to encourage the following steps.
Community Assistance: Ensure no one walks this path alone by fostering a culture of encouragement and support.

How can you implement this structure for your employees:

Map out a clear and step-by-step plan for a member's transition.
Establish milestones of significance that can be celebrated by rewards.
Ensure continuous community support through group challenges, check-ins, and a sense of encouragement.

The implementation of a transformation path framework gives a compelling reason for the members to stick around. The members are constantly moving towards the goal they have set and receive tangible benefits.

In summary

It is the core of any membership company that is successful. We hope this blog has given you a greater understanding of Fun Roberts' essential strategies for improving member retention and engagement. Through implementing these four tactics--shared Rituals, Identity Crafting and Insider Language and a Transformation Journey, you can cultivate a thriving community that increases retention and, ultimately, revenue.

Are you prepared to move your participation to the next level?

Explore these techniques and much more in our Tribe Secrets -The 27 Psychological Strategies You Need to transform your business into a Customer Tribe . Uncover All 27 Strategies to Start Building Your Legacy Now!

We're looking forward to building a community where every member feels like a crucial piece of the puzzle, helping to make your business successful and that of theirs.

Get It Done!

Your Coach, Friend, and Friend,

Funk Roberts

Tribe Membership Coach

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