Top 7 Gym Marketing Ideas you Shouldn’t Miss to Attract New Members in 2022

As a gym owner, you know that a developing market has put your business in an extremely competitive position. It may be more difficult than you think to attract new members on a regular basis, even if your gym is excellent. 

How do you ensure that your gym stands out from the crowd and reaches the appropriate audience? The solution is straightforward: effective marketing for your gym business.

Running your own gym leaves you little time to do research and develop a successful marketing plan. Don't be concerned, we've already taken care of it!

Here are seven basic yet successful gym marketing ideas to help you grow your business:

1. Expand online presence using Google My Business and Reserve with Google

a. Google My Business

Being ranked in Google search results is one of the methods for attracting potential customers to your gym. According to 4 out of 5 respondents, people who do a local search on Google use it.

Users are also more likely to purchase if their search includes a local component (56 percent), suggesting that when people look for a local business on Google, they are more likely to physically visit it within 24 hours. This shows that today's consumers want to be able to find you online if your gym is listed on Google.

Google My Business is a free software that allows you to appear in Google search results and maps, as well as assist potential customers get in touch with you. GMB assists interested consumers in finding information about your gym and getting directions to your location with ease.

You may target individuals who are nearby to you. You can also market the fact that your consumers are pleased with the services you offer by posting good evaluations.

b. Reserve with Google

It's time to start marketing your gym once you've set up and optimized your Google business page. You may allow potential clients to book a workout session right through your company listing. This is feasible using Google's Reserve with Google tool (RWG).

Reserve with Google allows your fitness center to accept appointments from potential customers via Google search, Google maps, or Google assistant.

How does RwG help gyms?

Customers may typically discover places where they can participate in fitness sessions/courses by looking for such things as "fitness sessions/classes offered in [city name]." If you operate a gym in your area,

If you're on RwG, they won't have to phone your gym to schedule an appointment since RwG allows searchers to make an online booking from your company's website!

Google Reservations is simple to set up and use. The only requirement is that you have a Google Account.

You may earn an RwG listing and begin scheduling online appointments for your gym right away!

2. Create a user-friendly website

Your potential customers may discover you through a user-friendly website. Having a site allows you to build a strong online presence, boost your credibility, and show off what your gym has to offer.

It's your one-stop shop for all of the information about your gym, the courses you offer, and so on. The goal is to send visitors to your websites who will learn more about your gym and eventually buy your fitness services.

In case you don’t have a website, you can:

• consider hiring a professional, or
• learn to do it yourself, or
• have a booking portal as a replacement for your website

Once you've finished developing your website, go through the checklist below to make sure you don't overlook anything:

7 must-have features that should be a part of your website: 

• A gym highlights section
• Remark on the distinct characteristics of your gym that differentiate you from your rivals. To put it another way, emphasize your gym's USP.
• Reviews section
• This section should include testimonials from current/previous customers discussing their satisfaction with your business.
• Blogs section (if any)
• Educational blogs that feature a few of your gym's softer selling points to share with your followers.
• Gym member spotlights
• Include people who have achieved positive body changes as a result of training at your facility, providing evidence that your gym can help individuals lose weight.
• Downloadable free fitness ebooks
• Provide information to your site's visitors. This eBook could cover any topic involving fitness, from exercise lists to dietary plants, and so on.
• A Book Now button
• The most important Call-To-Action (CTA) on your gym website is the one at the top of your page. Customers may conveniently make a workout session or even sign up for a free trial using this feature. Appointy, a Gym Scheduling Software

If you want your business to succeed, then you need a mobile-friendly approach. You should concentrate on:

1. Upgrading or a complete makeover, where you may need to alter the UI and various elements, resulting in a user-friendly website.
2. Optimizing your gym for local SEO (search engine optimization).
3. Highlighting its distinct aspects.

3. Use Facebook and Instagram to increase reach

While there are several benefits to using social media for marketing, it is also free and may be used to promote a gym. You may publish the most up-to-date news on fitness trends, upcoming classes at your facility, promotions and discounts, and so on. It's not only an important element of your gym marketing plan, but it also helps increase interactions with current customers.

After that, your members will begin to enjoy, comment on, and share your messages. Your gym's social media presence will soon be excellent. Now that you know how to start using social media for your fitness business, let's talk about how to go about it.

First and foremost, you must first determine your target audience. To whom do you offer goods or services? And how can you satisfy all of their requirements in order to facilitate conversion into a buyer? These are some things to consider.

Address any concerns that may prevent them from signing up for a gym membership. Also, strive to enhance your gym in areas where customers expect you to do so.

The majority of gyms use Facebook and Instagram as their main social media platforms.

LinkedIn is one of the most well-known and oldest social media networks, with a huge number of users. You may target workers and people in the age group of 26 years old and above. Instagram is the most popular platform among millennials, as well as a younger generation. Instagram places more emphasis on visual content than LinkedIn does. This is where you can create visually appealing content to pique consumers' interest and attract them to your business.

What are some of the greatest marketing tactics for these social media sites?

1. Facebook:

• Create a gym's business page. A business page gives you access to all of Facebook's analytical tools, such as page insights, ads manager, and events manager, so you can monitor how much traffic your page receives. Here's how to get started with your Facebook company page.
• Have a high-resolution image as your profile and cover picture. The photo should be able to easily identify you as a potential client. Choose an interesting photo that accurately reflects who you are.
• Keep your information up to date at all times. The contact number, address, business hours, and website are all important. The description of our company is also crucial; keep it simple and clear. Make sure you include keywords so that people can easily identify you.

2. Instagram:

• Make your profile appear more professional by only posting high-quality pictures. To create a really effective picture, use editing applications like Aviary, VSCO, and Snapseed.
• Ask your members to include your gym in their posts/stories. The shoutouts given for your gym may help you grow your fan base. If you provide these individuals with useful information, they may choose to subscribe to your page and eventually join your gym.
• Make the most of hashtags. Examine what kinds of hashtags your rivals utilize. While general hashtags like #fitness #gym are fine, specific hashtags that are relevant to your business are preferable. Some ideas:
• Use frequent hashtags on your tweets, such as #MondayMotivation, #TransformationTuesday, #WorkoutWednesdays, #Thorsday, #FlexFridays, and so on.
• Use a variety of hashtags, such as #7days7workoutChallenge, #SummerbodyShowdown, etc., if you're hosting a challenge/event.

What type of content should you post? 

• Demonstrate the benefits your clients have obtained after making body changes. This shows that your gym motivates others to achieve their objectives, which attracts new clients. On Tuesdays, post these under the hashtag "TransformationTuesday."
• Share client testimonials: Repost the kind words and favorable reviews from your clients.
• Create a portfolio of helpful blog articles and videos that provide value to your potential customers. These pieces might offer pointers on how to work out or eat healthfully. Inspirational and motivational writing will be appreciated as well.  
• Respond to comments and maintain accuracy. Thank people for forwarding your post to their friends.
• Instagram specific content ideas for your gym: 
• Make the most of Instagram stories. This allows you to share material in a variety of ways, including polls, questionnaires, countdown timers, and so on. You may also use your gym's stories and a behind-the-scenes look at your members working out.
• IGTV enables you to post ten-minute long films. This is a common way to connect with your audience. On IGTV, you may conduct interviews with prominent fitness influencers and hold a few Q&A sessions for your followers who have general fitness-related questions, make sure to make it interactive.
• For shorter films, use IG reels. You may add various effects and change the speed of the film. Create teasers for future activities and competitions, as well as provide advice on how to properly perform exercises. Reel are an excellent technique to catch a person's attention and draw their interest since audiences have a short attention span. 

Aside from that, to be active and prominent on social media, you should post content on a regular basis. Posting material for your target audience is also a good practice. If you run a gym that serves clients for weight-loss goals, for example, you may share diet plans, exercise routines, and other information relevant to the goal.

4. Run referral programs

Referrals are one of the most effective types of marketing. According to a Nielsen survey, friends or family are 4 times more likely to sign up for your gym membership if they're referred to it.

What is referral marketing?

The terms "gym referral marketing" and "referral marketing for gyms" are sometimes used interchangeably, but they refer to two different ways of increasing the number of members in your gym's network by encouraging current customers to promote you to other people.

Why do you need referrals?

The problem with this is that people don't want to join gyms. They can be a great way to attract new clients for your fitness center. The only cost would be the reward you give the referral source. In order for this method to work, both the person receiving referred and the one providing the referral should be incentivized. Here, the consumer would function as a marketing channel for your gym himself/herself.

Incentivizing your referrals:

Make sure you reward referrals. The benefits that the referrer receives should be equivalent to or greater than those given to the individual who would join the club if he or she purchased it himself or herself.

Let's assume that the person who was referred to receives a free workout session with a personal trainer, which is something. The reward doesn't have to be precisely the same as the one given by the referrer. However, they should be compensated in some way.

Choose your referral channels wisely: 

What is the best technique for interacting with your customers? Is it email, push notifications, in-person interactions, or a combination of all three?

a) Email referrals: 

Referral emails are a great way to keep in touch with busy clients. You may use a link in your newsletter to submit the information of both the referrer and the person being referred.

After you've received and verified these details, you can deliver the promised discount codes or incentives by mail. This technique of communication also demonstrates how professional you appear when dealing with customers.

b) Mobile App/ Messaging Notifications: 

It's a smart idea to include a section called "Referrals" in the app for your customers to fill out their names and the name of the person being referred if you have an app that your clients have downloaded.

For example, you might have a tab titled "Invite a friend program" under referrals. Clients would be asked to choose a channel through which they want to broadcast the message (message, email, etc.). An invitation link will be delivered once they've chosen a channel. People that receive an invitation link may fill out a short form and then redeem their reward after clicking it.

c) Posters: 

If you want to conduct offline referral marketing, posters in and around your gym will let people know about the deal.

Because the offer is promoted on free websites, clients may have questions about how to redeem it. It's a good idea to double-check that all of the necessary information is included in the posters.

d) Referral Cards: 

Make sure to include the name of each person who makes a complaint on your referral cards so you can reward them appropriately. Make sure to note their names on the referral cards so that once the individual who was referred comes to redeem them, you will know exactly whom to thank for the recommendation.

This is more expensive than other means of distribution since printing cards necessitate a cost. However, because access is easier, clients may put these in their wallets and pass them out to friends and relatives. 

Merit programs, such as Fiverr's Gold and Silver, are a step in the right direction. However, it is important that these systems are simple to use so that people will be more likely to utilize them. This would encourage individuals to refer their friends and family members to more services.

It's not difficult to set up a referral program. Here is a summary of everything we've covered so far about referrals. One, decide on an incentive and thank them appropriately. Two, choose a suitable channel to communicate with your members. Three, make it as simple as possible for your customers to redeem their rewards. Last but not least, you must promote this program on your social media accounts and website in order to get the most out of referrals.

5. Provide them with attractive offers and discounts

Offering incentives and discounts may be one of the most effective gym marketing strategies for attracting new consumers. This is because it allows customers to use your fitness center without breaking the bank! Small discounts also won't put a dent in your budget, resulting in more leads for you. As a result, it's a win-win situation for both sides.

You must assess the market and calculate operational, financial, and other costs before calculating discounts. The typical membership fee is sure to differ depending on location, gym type, and so on. So it's crucial to see how your competitors' offers compare.

We've compiled a list of gym promotional ideas for you to use in order to make your offers and discounts more appealing:

1. “Bring a buddy” discount where a customer and his/her friend can join in for an exercise session and both of them may get a 15% off.
2. Offer personalized meal plans for new customers.
3. The start of the year is one of those times when your gym may benefit from the many people who make New Year's fitness resolutions to acquire new members. One of the simplest ways to accomplish this is by offering some incredible new year gym deals.
4. Customers who leave a favorable review on websites like Google or Yelp may get a free week-long session with personal trainers.
5. A lower price for memberships and special discounts around the holidays, for example
6. Offer a Trial period (1 week or three days) to potential clients who are still in the decision-making stage to join the gym.

These types of incentives encourage individuals to join your gym and, as a result, increase the number of people who continue to use it.

6. Keep members interested with regular challenges and events

Gym marketing initiatives, such as competitions and activities, are a fun approach to get people from the fitness industry. It helps you grow your social media following, email subscribers, and overall audience.

Affiliates can provide different benefits such as boosting affiliate business and generating new leads.

A fantastic method to encourage referrals is to have fitness obstacles and events that the consumers may participate in with their buddies. People who are hesitant or scared of performing tasks alone frequently would eagerly join if they could do it with people they know.

If you want to develop new leads, challenges and events are the best platforms for you to acquire their contact information (email addresses, social media handles, addresses, etc).

Here are a few examples of some event and challenge ideas: 

• Anyone can take on the challenge of showing off their summer body in this event. A three-month period is ideal, with a target completion date of June. Winners will receive dietary supplements and workouts.
• Conducting annual marathons to raise awareness for a cause may help your gym build trust and legitimacy by demonstrating that it is socially responsible.
• Make an effort to connect with businesses in the neighborhood and promote corporate wellness programs. These are quite successful in generating leads from the working class. Most businesses would be eager to devote some time to an employee's physical fitness. You can schedule group reservations online to launch these wellness initiatives, such as a Zumba class or a general health awareness session, as a start.

7. Gym co-marketing

The gym marketing concept described above is a referral program, but it's only between companies and is a two-way contract. Gym co-marketing thrives when parties are small and medium-sized businesses that reside in your area and want to attract new consumers/clients.

Why do you have to choose co-marketing?

Working with other companies may help promote each other's brands and services. Co-marketing is a time-saving and money-saving technique. It also helps you gain a bigger reach and develop a local following much quicker. Using your partner's reputation to your advantage will assist in the perception of your brand as more reputable and trustworthy to your partner's customers, who will soon become new clients.

Steps to choose a co-marketing partner:

1. Make a list of businesses that cater to a similar audience as yours in order to avoid wasting your efforts on audiences with whom you are unfamiliar.
2. Conduct preliminary research to see whether the leads you obtain from this relationship would be enough for your needs. Partnering with well-known, reputable companies (at least locally)
3. You may check to see whether they have any expertise in a subject that you don't. Let's say you want to do an IGTV session on muscular anatomy but don't have the necessary understanding; instead of attempting it alone, you can collaborate with a physiotherapist and have them assist you.
4. Show how your business solves a problem that they face, and explain the advantages you'll get if they work with you to co-market. Finally, only deal with individuals who you like working with.

What type of businesses can your gym partner with? 

This method is effective if you concentrate on finding business partners who provide goods or services that are relevant to your gym members' interests. Supplements stores, massage therapists, chiropractors, orthopedic clinics, and other similar businesses can be potential co-marketing partners.

For example, if you have a person who sells supplements and is near to your gym, you might suggest that they post some posters of activities and distribute referral cards to their existing customers. In return for them doing so, give them something to do. Keep in mind that this is a two-way connection.

Co-marketing clearly improves the prospects for gyms in a variety of ways. It's a budget-friendly and intelligent approach to market your fitness center. As a team, you may help one another boost client numbers, drive revenue, and improve credibility.

Conclusion

It's more than just attractive advertisements of muscular men with six-pack abs that will help you come up with the ideal set of gym marketing ideas. It's more about connecting with the correct audience and sending them the proper message. Focusing on this will result in more members than you can keep track of.

Changing your aim from selling to providing assistance to your clients and non-clients in achieving their objectives will produce a positive reaction.