If there’s one thing about recent times, it’s that people have become more attracted to a healthy and active lifestyle. Think nutritious diets, giving up unhealthy vices such as smoking and drinking, and of course, jumping on the exercise bandwagon.
While some people prefer to work out at home – thanks to the plethora of online tutorials and fitness routines available – most still venture to the gym when they think of becoming more active. Not only do gyms provide a change of environment, but the instructors and other gym members serve as a source of motivation – a much-needed factor for many who are not used to the world of exercise. Of course, gyms need to do a lot to make sure that they secure customers, and that entails more than just fancy equipment and good trainers. Yes, marketing! If you want your gym to be the busiest in the area, then you’re going to have to market it.
Here’s how to get people to your gym:
- Partner Up with Local Businesses
Within marketing, partnerships play a big role. Not only do they expose your business to the customers of an already established business, but they also link your company with a reputable name. As a gym, you can look to partner with fitness apparel brands, sporting goods firms, and even health and nutrition-based eateries such as clean juice chains or clean eating establishments.
An integral aspect of partnerships is to ensure that both parties gain mutual benefit. You can look to offer a discounted price to customers who shop at any of your partner brands, give them the chance to enter a giveaway with every purchase, or even grow your presence by securing a feature on their social media or email campaign. In return, you can offer the partnership brand similar services or monetary compensation.
- Variety is Important
It’s simple, if you’re looking to increase the number of members at your gym, then you need to offer a variety of classes. There are several ways that you can add variety to your gym’s service offerings. The first is through offering classes aimed at helping people reach certain goals. This could include things such as a weight loss program, a muscle-building class, or even a flexibility module. Other types of classes can include yoga, pilates, traditional cardio, HIIT, boxercise, cycling, or even Zumba.
While offering different classes is key, it’s equally important to advertise them so people know that they’re available. Ask the instructors leading the classes to talk about them on their social media and also include the classes in your gym’s marketing material including its email campaigns, website, and social media pages.
- Don’t Neglect your Social Media Presence
If you want to get people to your gym and boost your membership numbers, then you need to meet them where they are – on social media! People spend hours upon hours scrolling through social media on the daily – whether it’s Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok – and how they spend their time outside of the online world is often influenced by the content they see while online!
The first step is to create your gym’s profile on the platforms of your choice. For starters, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok are good picks as they’re among the most popular and allow for a wide variety of marketing actions. Next up is deciding on your content – draw up a content calendar, fill it with a variety of static posts and reels along with regular stories, and then get creating!
This is where you can turn to platforms such as PosterMyWall which offers a range of fitness poster templates that you can choose from. Simply pick a design you like, edit it according to your gym’s branding colors and content, and put it up on your social media. Pair it with trending hashtags and an SEO-optimized caption and the engagement will show for itself.
- Run Email Marketing Campaigns
Email campaigns are one of the most effective forms of marketing available, and for a gym, an email’s visual aspect gives it a leg up. When drafting an email, there are several things to take care of. First off is the subject line. Often overlooked, you should try to make your subject line as personal and as attractive as possible. Play around with adding the recipient’s name, a special limited-time offer, or a new class addition.
As for the email’s body, go with a mix of visuals and text where you essentially give a preview of what it’s like to be at your gym. Remember, the goal of an email is not to be too salesy, but rather, to narrate an experience that will draw the recipient in. Here is where your CTAs and website-linked buttons will come in handy as they enable email conversion.
- Give Customers a Price they can’t Resist!
Who doesn’t love a discount? In today’s world where prices just keep getting more and more expensive, everyone’s on the hunt for a bargain. And offering seasonal discounts and group packages is a great way to attract people to your gym.
The first step is to price compare between your own offerings and those of your competitors that are of a similar level. Your goal is to reach a price point below theirs while maintaining ample profitability. Popular discounts that you can offer include those around the holiday season – such as the summer or Christmas – and couple and family discounts.
So, if you’re looking to get people out of their homes and into your gym, then these marketing hacks are for you. Just remember to customize according to your gym and audience and the membership forms will soon fill up!