As a gym owner, you have so many scenarios for capturing attention and driving action – from gaining prospects to conversions, and then retention and building a sense of community.

You need gym marketing campaigns to address these different stages. You don’t want to get lost in the crowd, so you must craft campaigns that capture attention and spark motivation at each step.

Doing so requires a combination of thinking creatively while also relying on systems to deliver messages and track results.

Let’s look at a few proven gym marketing campaigns. See if these get your juices flowing and how you might apply them to your business.

They generally involve things like:

·      Face-to-face networking

·      Social media

·      Newsletters and email campaigns

·      Digital advertising

·      Nutrition coaching

·      Text messages

·      Tracking results and more

Naamly’s suite of communications tools is ideal for much of this. You don’t have to do all of these, of course; create the right mix that aligns with your business value and marketing strategy. Know who you are, who you want to help, and where they are already interacting with businesses like yours.

You’re not throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something sticks! 

Capture Attention and Leads

A great way to do this is through community engagement programs to increase brand awareness and build relationships. Here are some examples of what we mean by this kind of gym marketing campaigns.

• Partnerships: Partner with businesses, schools, and community organizations to host events, such as fitness classes in parks, health fairs, or charity runs.
• Social Media Challenges: Launch social media challenges that encourage community participation, such as a “30-Day Plank Challenge” or “Steps for Charity” where members log their steps to raise money for a local cause.
• Lead Magnets: Grow your email list by providing something free that will entice people to give their email addresses. It doesn’t have to be complicated – a few recipes, a one-page list of reminders, a few basic exercises, etc.
• Classic Challenges: The “Little Black Dress” challenge has helped drum up business for countless gyms and studios. It grabs women’s attention by promoting quick results and a fun empowering celebration.
• Free Workshops: Offer sessions on topics like nutrition, mental health, or fitness basics to attract potential members and provide value to the community. It’s smart to give away some of what you know! They’ll want more.
• Referral Program: You can build gym marketing campaigns around a referral program where current members can earn rewards for bringing in new members. Promote this through social media, email, and in-gym posters.
• Local Sponsorships: Sponsor sports teams, events, or community projects to increase visibility and goodwill.

Example: One gym offered free after-school fitness programs and ran gym marketing campaigns around this. It drove brand awareness and positioned the gym as being community focused, which attracted parents and other prospects.

Turn Prospects into Clients

After you have leads in your “ecosystem,” be sure to follow up with them using emails, phone calls, and text messages via gym marketing campaigns.

Reply quickly and positively. Don’t wait till you “have time” and the lead grows cold.

And don’t expect instant conversions. Most people need time to get to know you, like you, and trust you enough to trust them with their time, money, and health.

Respond to challenge participants with, say, a three-email series thanking them for participating and urging them to take the next step with you – like your low-barrier offer or a discounted initial fee.

Send more useful content in ongoing emails, at least two a week, that give prospects useful, engaging information about fitness, the community and your business. And don’t be shy: It’s not “spamming” if you send the good information.

You want to keep them in the loop and to stay in front of them so that when they’re ready to join a gym, you are the one they think about first.

30-Day Onboarding Campaign

Gym marketing campaigns shouldn’t end once you sign up a new member. You must keep working to keep them coming back.

And gyms that develop and use systems for new member onboarding see dramatic improvements over those that don’t. Newcomers are happier, get better results, and stay longer.

Plus, they’re out there talking about how happy they are with their new gym, which is organic referrals you love – the best kind of all gym marketing campaigns.

When properly onboarded, members come back to the gym more often, they spend more money, they renew memberships longer, and they achieve greater results – all while telling everyone they know how great your business is.

It’s no wonder that gym owner Doug Spurling says, “Onboarding is by far the most important aspect of the client experience because that’s what kicks things off.”

Read “From Newbie to Pro: Your Perfect Gym Onboarding Guide”

Consider ideas like these to welcome your new members and help them get the most out of their experience at your gym.

• Welcome Pack: Create a welcome pack with branded merchandise like water bottles, gym bags, and T-shirts. Include a personalized welcome letter or smartphone video.
• Orientation Session: Offer a free session with a personal trainer — a gym tour, introduction to equipment, and a basic workout plan.
• Email Series: Develop a 30-day email series that provides tips, motivation, and information about gym classes and services. 
• Talk to Them: You and your team should have “in real life” touchpoints with newcomers in the first 30 days. Call them by their name. Remember what’s important to them. Don’t leave them adrift.
• Member Spotlight: Feature new members in social media posts, newsletters, and posters around the gym. 

Include the tech: Be sure to show your new members how to use any technology that’s involved with your gym, like your app or how to check in at the front desk. Don’t assume they know; they might be too shy to ask “stupid” questions.

90-Day Transformation Challenge

Classic gym marketing campaigns like these are a great way to fire up members.

Promote these elements to them:

• Registration Incentive: Offer a discount or free month membership for signing up for the challenge.
• Before and After Photos.
• Weekly Check-ins: Assess progress, adjust workout plans, and provide encouragement.
• Social Media Sharing: Create a hashtag and share everywhere, encouraging others, and offering support; their followers will notice.
• Prizes and Recognition: Offer prizes for the most impressive transformations and recognize participants’ efforts at a celebration event.

Transformation challenges are highly effective. They motivate members and they create organic content you can use in marketing.

Re-activation Campaign for Former Members

If you want to boost your membership rolls, then your ex-members should be the place to start. Seriously! They liked you once and might be primed to come back now. Maybe they left for a specific reason that no longer applies, like a demanding job they’ve since left.

• Personalized Outreach: Send personalized emails or letters to former members, highlighting new equipment, classes, or renovations. 
• Special Offers: Provide a limited-time offer, such as a discounted membership rate or free month, to entice them to return.
• Survey Feedback: Ask why they left and what improvements they would like to see. Then address their concerns and tell them what you’ve done.
• Reactivation Events: Host events specifically for former members, such as a free workout day, open house, or exclusive class.
• Follow-Up Program: Check in with former members. Send them helpful information, like workout tips and recipes. You want to stay in touch, rather than letting them drift away completely. 

Planet Fitness did this with a campaign offering a “We Miss You” discount. The campaign pointed out improvements to the gym, addressing some of the reasons members left in the first place.

5. Seasonal Promotions

Do you have a couple of times each year that could use some extra attention? Or maybe periods that always have high interest in your gym, and you want to capitalize on that?

Some of these are obvious for gym marketing campaigns, but do not ignore them. 

• New Year, New You: You get swamped every year. What can you do to help them succeed and keep them coming back all year?
• Summer Shape-Up: Try promoting short-term memberships for students or anyone who wants to get in shape for the season. 
• Holiday Gift Packages: Gift cards, discounted memberships, or personal training sessions make fabulous presents. Make it easy on your people to buy them from you.
• Back-to-School Specials: Target parents and students with back-to-school promotions, offering discounts for family memberships or student rates.

Remember your mission and your values in building these seasonal campaigns. Avoid the tendency to be jaded about the “January rush” folks because many won’t make it to February. Remember that this is all new to each member, and they will talk about their experiences at your gym with others.

Big Wheel Turns

Effective gym marketing campaigns are essential for attracting new members, retaining existing ones, and reactivating former clients.

You’re in a crowded business. People in your community can choose to workout somewhere else. So, you must reach out and grab their attention, entice them to try you, and then earn their business repeatedly through your gym marketing campaigns.

Marketing plays a big part in that. But so does delivering results. So does providing an excellent customer experience. So does doing all the little things right, every day.

So, know who you are and who you’re serving — what makes you special and what makes THEM special. Build your marketing around forming and strengthening those connections.

Learn more about how to skyrocket your growth with our free guide, “9 Secrets to Increase Retention.”