19 gym marketing ideas to get new clients

A good marketing strategy is critical to the success of any gym. But in an industry with so much choice, attracting new customers is not always easy. So how do you do it? In this article, we bring you 19 marketing ideas for your gym😉.

 

How to market a gym? 19 ideas to get new clients in a gym

1. Referral programmes

Referral programmes are the modern day word of mouth. According to a Nielsen study, 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family over any other form of advertising.

By offering rewards or discounts for referring your gym, you expand your reach organically, leveraging the influence of your satisfied customers.

Example: offer a discount on their next membership fee for each person they bring to the gym and join.

Knowing what people are looking for when they join a gym is difficult. But here are the 8 key factors. Take note: What users look for when they join your gym.

 

2. Partnerships with local businesses

What does it consist of? Working with local businesses related to fitness such as supplementation shops, physiotherapists, sports clothing shops, etc. This way you reach more people, while offering added value to your users.

Example: if you collaborate with a supplementation shop, users who go on your behalf to buy, will receive a 10% discount on their purchase. You can also organise joint events such as healthy product tasting evenings or nutrition information sessions.

3. Community-building events

Organising events at your gym is a great way to foster a sense of community among your members and attract new customers. These events serve as platforms to interact with potential customers in a closer and more informal setting.

For example, organise special themed classes, competitions or outdoor activities where your target audience can try out and see what the atmosphere is like at your gym.

One tool to build loyalty among your gym members is to organise events. Find out how to organise an epic event in 5 steps in this article.

 

 4. Create an online training group

Your revenue is not limited to the physical location as such, you have a variety of online options to exploit. Broaden your reach and increase your gym’s profitability by offering online training programmes.

Many users are embarrassed to go to a crowded gym or don’t have the time and you have a great opportunity here. Design different training plans according to goals or levels, you can also make one for those who prefer to train without equipment.

By offering different training options online, you reach a niche that can become a mainstay of your gym.

 5. Friendly price

Everyone likes to have a good time with a friend. Give your users the option to bring a friend or family member to the gym for a free day. This strategy has a double benefit:

• You increase the satisfaction of your users with something that costs you practically nothing.
• Guests get to know your gym, see the atmosphere first hand and will most likely end up joining too.

Offering attractive and affordable prices is key to attracting these new customers. Consider offering a discount on the first membership fee for guests who sign up on the day, for example.

Also, when talking to them make sure you clearly communicate the value of your gym so that they feel they are getting value for money and should not miss out.

 6. Google My Business

Optimising your gym’s Google My Business profile is the first commandment for a good online presence. And if you don’t have a profile yet, you’re overdue.

Google My Business is a tool that makes it easy for potential users looking for fitness and sports related services in your area to find your gym. In other words, it improves the visibility of your gym in an exponential way.

In addition to providing basic information about your gym, GMB also allows you to interact with your customers, publish updates, promotions and special events, and analyse the performance of your listing.

 7. Summer campaign

It’s time to change the belief that a gym only gets new members in January and September.

We all know that January is one of the best times of the year to get new clients, but not the only time because if you don’t recruit members and reach new members throughout the year, your success in January can end up being a revolving door problem for your gym.

Start by thinking about the reasons people start to get motivated to get fit when summer arrives: spring break, looking good at the beach, warmer weather = less clothing, cookouts, swimming, holidays, cruises, weddings, class and family reunions and other special events….

Now imagine a user who is dissatisfied with their appearance, it would be great if your gym was the resource to help them achieve their goal right? Well, that’s where you need to be to make them see it. That’s the key, that they see your gym as an ally and not an obligation.

As summer approaches, launch personal training programmes, class offerings and nutrition sessions. You’ll be surprised by the response from your users, you’ll thank us for it 😉.

 8. Challenges

Hand in hand with the summer campaign, we have the challenges and challenges. Experts in motivating users to reach their goals.

There are many types of challenges you can create to better capture the attention of your users and, at the same time, serve as a magnet to attract new ones.

Choose a time frame (8-12 weeks works well) and a goal that is general enough to appeal to different user profiles and that touches on a real pain point for people (such as losing weight).

 9. Open days

Organise open days where non-members can explore the facilities, meet the coaches and participate in mini-trainings. These events create a welcoming environment for potential customers, encouraging them to take the first step and sign up.

 10. Email marketing campaigns to former members

Every user who leaves your gym does so for a specific reason. And no, it’s not always for lack of time.

Take advantage of the fact that you have their contact details and remarket to them. That is, from time to time send them an email with special promotions, new classes that you have launched or improvements that you are implementing in the gym.

Maybe the answer to the question of how to get new customers is easier than you think, but what if you asked yourself a different question: how can I get back the users who have left?

Discover 10 effective email marketing ideas for your gym to implement this year 2024.

 11. Rewards programme

A rewards programme is a great way to motivate your users to train every day. Create a points system where they can earn different levels of points for completing “missions” such as going to the gym daily, attending a class, completing 30 minutes on a cardio machine, etc.

Users will be able to redeem points for prizes such as free supplementation products, nutrition or physio sessions or discounted membership fees.

12. A useful and functional website

Make sure your website correctly reflects the identity and values of your gym. This includes having clear information about your services, opening hours, fees and location. Also, consider adding customer testimonials, photos of your facilities and up-to-date class schedules so visitors can get a full picture of what you offer.

Your gym’s website acts as a central hub for potential customers to get information about your gym and sign up for membership.

Make sure it is easy to use. A clear website, with the necessary information and intuitive will improve the visitor’s experience. So don’t be obsessed with buttons, colours and information that adds nothing. Keep it simple and visual.

 13. Upload regular content to your social networks

You already have an Instagram profile for your gym, right? How often do you post? What kind of interaction do your posts get? Post regularly and pay attention to the types of content your target audience likes the most.

When someone comments on your posts, do you interact with them? It’s not just about posting content, you have to go a step further and interact with your followers. This way you will build a close and trusting relationship while increasing the visibility of your gym.

Design a social media strategy in which you publish quality content that is interesting for your users, such as photos of the facilities, videos of that new class you have launched, promotions, user stories…

Find out how to build and strengthen your gym’s online community in this article: 4 strategies to build your gym’s community on Instagram.

 

 14. New Year personal training promotion

Build on the momentum of New Year’s resolutions by offering special promotions on personal training. Many people are aiming to get fit in the New Year, so offering discounts on personal training packages can be a great way to attract new customers and help them reach their goals.

 15. Promote your gym classes

Do you think that advertising is limited to promoting your gym by talking about the rates and services you offer? If you offer a wide variety of classes, promote them. Don’t forget that many people join a gym just for a particular class, so if you don’t highlight that new class you’ve launched, how will your target audience find out about it?

Here are five key steps to creating a successful promotion for your gym or box to attract more customers: 5 steps to creating a promotion for your box or gym.

 

 16. Flash offers

Flash offers are adept at creating a sense of urgency and exclusivity. They are a way to create buzz and attract new members to your gym.

For example, you can offer special discounts on memberships or products for a limited period of time. This way you motivate them to make a quick decision and sign up before the offer runs out.

Promotions are essential to attract new customers and retain existing ones. In this article, we will introduce you to the 5 best promotions for a box.

 

17. Create a branded hashtag for your gym on Instagram

Use social media, particularly Instagram, to increase the visibility of your gym. Create a unique branded hashtag and encourage your members to tag their photos and videos while working out at your gym. This not only increases member engagement, but also helps promote your gym through user-generated content.

 18. Surround yourself with a good team in your gym

Did you know that 1 in 3 gym users leave a gym because they feel that the trainers don’t help them at all? This means that you have a great opportunity to earn additional revenue if you work on improving the customer service and user experience in your gym.

The first thing to do is to design a good selection process and when hiring a new trainer, look at more than just their experience or qualifications. Trainers are the visible face of your gym, so make sure they have the values your gym wants to promote.

You can also design an improvement system so that users can leave their suggestions or opinions anonymously. This way, you will have different unbiased opinions about the work of the trainers and you will be able to identify problems or mistakes quickly and without making them bigger and losing users.

What factors make a CF box good? To answer these questions, we took a look at Reddit and Quora. Find out what they say: What makes a good CF box? answers from online communities.

 

19. Every two months launch a new class in your gym

One of the best ways to learn how to launch successful classes is to talk to users and ask them what new classes they would be interested in attending.

Yes, we know, a revolutionary idea.

Sometimes people don’t know what they want. But most of the time, they do. If you want to launch a new activity, but don’t know which one, there’s probably a whole group of people around your gym right now who would love to share their opinions.

Everyone likes to be asked for their opinion and there’s bound to be a group of people suggesting a similar type of class, so you have a group of people you can target directly.

 

In short, a gym has to be constantly evolving and you, as the owner, must know how to adapt and anticipate trends and users’ needs in order to design effective marketing strategies. The question is, which of these 19 strategies will you use?