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Corey Lewis: Your biggest lead source is already in your CRM

Here’s how 39 of his 92 new members came from cancellations

Author

John Franklin
June 26, 2026

Happy Friday Gym World,

This week is about something most gyms overlook: former members.

At Xtra Mile Fitness, they’ve become one of the biggest sources of new leads. Last year, 39 of the 92 people who joined the gym were former members.

So, Mateo chatted with Corey Lewis about how they’re able to do that.

Here’s what they discussed 👇

Most gym owners end the relationship too early

When a member cancels, it's easy to take it personally. But cancellation isn’t always the end of the relationship, and that’s where Corey says most gym owners get it wrong.

Because former members are one of the most valuable groups a gym has:

  • They already know the coaches

  • They’ve been inside the facility

  • They’ve already trusted the business once

So instead of letting that relationship end there, Corey keeps showing up for members even long after they leave.

It starts with a simple exit process.

The exit process

When someone decides to leave Xtra Mile, they must submit a cancellation form on the website.

The form captures feedback like reason for leaving, facility experience, and likelihood to recommend.

Then, Corey’s team invites them to sit down for a final exit goal review.

It’s a simple conversation, but it’s intentional. They use it to do a few things:

  • Celebrate what the member accomplished while they were at the gym

  • Understand what’s changing in their life right now

  • Help them think through what comes next, even outside the gym

  • Learn about the challenges and goals they’ll still be working toward

The conversation never pressures someone to stay. Corey is focused on making sure members leave in a better place than when they first walked in.

💬 That sends a different message than most gyms give at cancellation. It shows members they weren’t just a monthly payment, and it gives Corey’s team context they can use later if the person comes back.

Staying in touch without selling

Even after a member leaves, Corey stays in touch with them. Here’s what that looks like:

  • One month later: a handwritten postcard thanking them for supporting the business

  • Three months later: a check-in message

  • Every 4-6 months after that: another touchpoint depending on the person

What's interesting is what he doesn't do:

  • He doesn't push them to rejoin

  • He doesn't send discounts

  • He doesn't try to close a sale

Instead, he focuses on maintaining a caring relationship. Corey checks in, asks how they’re doing, and learns what’s changed in their life since they left.

💬 That consistency reinforces trust in the relationship over time. Members don’t feel forgotten, and they don’t feel pressure to come back either.

When life changes, members come back

When you look at how Corey handles cancellations, it’s not surprising that 39 of the 92 new members last year were former members.

He’s built a system that makes it easy for people to come back.

Because instead of cutting things off when someone cancels, he keeps the relationship going.

  • Members still hear from the gym.

  • They still feel like they’re part of something.

  • And when life changes—which it always does—there’s no friction to returning.

💬 Get this: One member spent 10 years doing group classes at $190/month, left for a year, then came back into private training at $480/month. Pretty wild what happens when you don’t end the relationship at cancellation.

TL;DR

Corey Lewis from Xtra Mile Fitness built a simple system around former members. That’s a big reason 39 of their 92 new members came from people who had already left.

A few things worth taking from his approach:

  • Former members are often your easiest reactivations because the trust already exists

  • How you handle cancellation affects whether someone ever comes back

  • Staying in touch works well when it doesn’t feel like a sales process

  • Small, simple touchpoints can bring people back months or even years later

💬 If you want an easy starting point, Corey suggests texting 5 former members each week who left 3+ months ago. Check-in on how they’re doing, what they’ve been focused on, and how life has been since leaving the gym.

Most gyms don’t need more leads.

They need to do a better job staying connected to the ones they already had.

And chances are, you already have that list sitting in your CRM. 😉

hope this helps,
j