The coronavirus epidemic has shaken up the fitness industry. With social distance, hygiene, and digital services on the forefront of customers’ minds, gyms have had to change rapidly. Big-box gyms survive in a sea of boutique exercise studios by providing a wide range that is both cutting edge and adaptable. It might be difficult to decide how to best allocate your budget and resources when you have so many marketing alternatives accessible to you.

It’s that time of year when businesses begin thinking about their marketing plan and looking ahead to the new year. With fitness interest at an all-time high, promoting your community and emphasizing safety and hygiene practices is more vital than ever. Because big box gyms have larger areas that can adhere to social distance while simultaneously serving numerous members, they are at a natural advantage. This post examines the lessons we’ve learned from fitness marketing during a worldwide pandemic and 13 innovative fitness marketing ideas for attracting new clients and increasing engagement.

Key Takeaways: Fitness Marketing in a Pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant effect on the fitness industry. Following forced closures and lockdowns, many in-person-only firms are struggling. Companies that provide digital and virtual fitness training, on the other hand, have seen strong development.

Fitness is always changing, but by 2022, it has gone to a new level. The companies that keep up with the consumer will have a significant role in the next phase of fitness. Health and fitness are more than simply going to the gym or performing one specific activity; they’re an experience.

The COVID-19 guidelines have generated many businesses to reconsider their existing marketing budget. However, you must continue to invest in digital marketing and communicate with your audience. More people are sitting in front of their laptops and phones, increasingly hungry for content. You may utilize your marketing plan to target individuals and genuinely add value by leveraging content marketing, video and animation, among other things.

It’s a crucial component of your continuous communications and marketing plan to keep members interested, informed, and eager to return. Whether it’s email, social media, or newsletters, if members are well-informed, they are more likely to remain loyal. Here are three gym marketing lessons from 2020.

1. Communication is Key 

You need to keep yourself current and valuable to both existing and potential clients. Consider what your members require right now so that you can stay in touch while also providing value. Instead of filling their inboxes with useless information, consider how your messaging approach supports your members. Consumers want to hear from businesses during a crisis. It’s natural to feel concerned and anxious about the present scenario. Your communication and marketing strategy should ease people’s minds and provide methods to stay healthy that are genuinely pertinent.

2. Transparency is Essential 

You are more relatable when you are honest and open. People will trust you if you are honest and transparent. If they trust you, they will be more inclined to recommend or purchase from you. It is difficult to earn and easy to destroy trust. Transparency is crucial on social media, in your gym membership prices, and in writing a blog about new COVID-19 gym policies, among other things.

3. Gyms Need to Adapt and Move Quickly 

The coronavirus has caused fitness to deteriorate; gym owners must adapt quickly or risk losing out. The consumer’s routine is altered. With more people working from home, consumer behavior and requirements are evolving. Technology provides a means for a better connection. Gyms must consider what their members need in order to remain fit and healthy. As a gym owner, it’s your responsibility to make pathways for your members to stay healthy regardless of the circumstances.

13 Marketing Strategies for Gyms to Get New Members and Boost Engagement 

Whether you’re a small gym or an international gym chain, marketing your brand and services is an essential element of operating your business. Fitness is a competitive market in a crowded market. Let’s look at 13 marketing techniques for gyms to boost membership sales and engagement. 

1. Take Advantage of Targeted Advertising 

By 2022, it is expected that there will be more than three billion users on social media. Every day, the average US adult spends almost 40 minutes on Facebook. People are spending record amounts of time online, so make good use of targeted advertising. Consumers are browsing through social media in order to discover how to stay healthy. You may utilize sophisticated targeting capabilities on Facebook and Instagram to target your message to the appropriate audience. Target by geography, hobbies, demographics, participation rate, and other factors.

2. Connect and Inspire on Social Media 

Your social media marketing plan should engage, connect, and motivate your audience. Social media is an excellent platform for motivating consumers and providing value. To inspire others in a way that is relatable, use a variety of various posts and content. Share user-generated material such as success stories, virtual fitness challenges, and fast home workouts tips on social media platforms like Facebook Live and Instagram Stories. Tools like Facebook Live and Instagram Stories allow you to interact with your audience while also increasing organic interaction.

3. Create a Seamless User Experience 

Today’s buyers are sophisticated, time-constrained, and want their needs met promptly. When it comes to developing a successful digital marketing plan, the user experience is key. Consider your customer’s journey through your website. Perhaps after reading your most recent blog post on Instagram, a potential gym member goes to your website before signing up for a live fitness session or making a tour at your facility. The online path should be simple. Anything that interrupts the user may have an effect on your campaign. Aside from that, a user-friendly website optimized for mobile and excellent customer service is only part of the user experience. Your digital environment should be seamless as fitness companies rely increasingly on digital fitness services and virtual training.

4. Share Reviews and Success Stories 

Success stories in the fitness industry are quite compelling. When a potential client sees how you helped someone who looked like them, it gives them hope that they can do it as well. WW (previously known as Weight Watchers) frequently posts before-and-after pictures of customers online. They tell the story of the customer in such a way that it appeals to readers’ sentiments. They wrote about their experiences while participating in WW. They discuss how their lives have transformed since they began working with the brand. Although the firm is marketing a service, it is also selling happiness and self-confidence. Success cases and reviews boost social proof, trust, and authority.

5. Create a Referral Program 

A referral program is a wonderful approach to encourage people to share your brand with their friends and family. Turn your consumers into brand ambassadors and urge them to promote your business with their friends and relatives. You may offer customers a free personal training session or an individual fitness plan for each referral. The ideal deal is determined by the needs of your members and their requirements.

6. Offer Transparent Pricing 

Transparency is critical in all aspects of your business. It’s annoying for customers to deal with unclear pricing. If potential members believe they have been misled about the cost, this might cause long-term damage. Make your pricing easy to understand and discover, free of hidden costs.

7. Remarket to Encourage a Sign-Up 

Retargeting is an excellent method to keep your gym top of mind with your customers. These are for prospects who have visited your website a few times but haven’t yet made a purchase or joined up. The goal is that when they see your targeted ad, it will provide them the push they need to take the final step. You may retarget the proper ad by looking at the data you currently have available. If they’ve spent the most of their time on your digital membership site and have an interest in at-home exercise, then promoting your digital services is more likely to convert.

8. Make Data-Driven Decisions 

You have more data at your fingertips than ever before. You may improve your marketing ROI, discover new possibilities, and make better marketing judgments when you utilize data to make decisions. You can find out who is most likely to stay and who is most likely to leave your gym or fitness center by comprehending the characteristics of your members. From this knowledge, you can determine who your top members are and target these people in the future.

9. Highlight Your Digital Services 

Fitness is a huge industry these days. Another lockdown is taking place in cities all around the world. Some gyms and fitness centers had to close their doors during this time. Members still need to use your fitness services, and you must continue to generate income despite closing your gym. Your marketing plan should highlight and include your digital offerings, especially if you have expanded into digital fitness. Reevaluate your current marketing strategy to ensure it remains relevant, particularly if you have expanded into digital fitness.

10. Invest in Digital Content Creation 

Digital content production is critical to your marketing plan. Content marketing can produce up to three times more leads than paid advertising and is less expensive. Despite the fact that content marketing is still quite useful, it has fallen out of favor with businesses. From blogs to films and podcasts, content marketing allows you to stand out from the crowd while staying within your advertising budget.

11. Use an Omnichannel Approach 

It’s all about being smart with your marketing to get the most out of your money and efforts. You engage with potential customers on a variety of devices and platforms. An omnichannel strategy takes this into account, allowing you to deliver a consistent experience across all marketing channels. You must be where your consumers engage with you both online and offline, whether it’s local search or YouTube advertising or Instagram postings.

12. Personalization is Key to Marketing Success

Personalization has been a part of marketing for quite some time, but it isn’t going anywhere. It’s important to your marketing and communication plan. Personalization is an element of the customer experience. You want to customize each marketing campaign in such a way that segments your target audience. Different consumers have varied requirements. There are many different types of members at a gym. The individual wanting to bulk up and become stronger might require various things than the new parent wanting to get back into shape after childbirth. Marketers are embracing customization in order to get the most out of their marketing investments, which is becoming more popular.

13. Leverage User-Generated Content 

User-generated content is a powerful tool. User-generated media includes reviews, social media photo uploads with your company’s logo or hashtag, testimonials, and videos of consumers using your services. There are several advantages to user-generated content. First and foremost, it allows you to grow your presence and interaction. Secondly, you don’t have to create the material yourself. Last but not least, the information provides value and has the potential to be quite persuasive in the consumer buying process .

In Summary 

With current market uncertainty, more gyms are reassessing their marketing methods to ensure that their gym is still interesting and appealing to potential members. It might be tough for your fitness center to stand out in such a crowded marketplace when it comes to marketing. You can use an effective marketing strategy for 2022 by understanding what the consumer wants and adapting quickly to offer the appropriate services with a simple user experience.