There are countless gyms out there, from large franchises to small independent businesses. With all of this competition, trying to stand out and continuously bring in new members can feel a bit daunting. However with the right strategies, you can create a consistent stream of customers and grow your business for the long-term.

Here are some practical tips to help you get in front of more potential customers, sign them up and grow your gym in 2022 and beyond.

Make Sure Your Website is Up to Date

Keeping your website update to date is incredibly important because it’s the central piece of your marketing. Whether leads come from print marketing, social media, word of mouth or somewhere else, they will all end up on your website at some point.

It doesn’t just need to look sharp, the messaging needs to be on point so it captures everything that’s great about your gym. There needs to be relevant information about your gym’s features, pricing and information, and it needs to be easy to use otherwise visitors will leave.

Whilst it’s not critical, having a regular blog where you answer common questions is great for helping your community as well as boosting your organic search engine rankings.

Draw New Clients in With a Great Offer

Price and value are important concerns for most people looking for a new gym, and running a promotion is a powerful way to offer them value while getting them in the door. Once you get to meet t hem, you have the chance to show them what makes your gym the best option in the area.

You can get as creative as you like, but a classic offer that works in almost every market is having a $0 join fee or their first month free, if they sign up on a 6 or 12-month agreement. This reduces the friction and makes it easy to check out your gym and then they can see the value first-hand (vs an ad that look similar to all the other gyms).

Keep an Eye on Your Competition

You can learn a lot by watching the other gyms that compete with yours. Whilst you don’t want to blatantly copy them, keep and eye on your competitors can provide helpful insights to see what is or isn’t working to guide your strategy.

You might also notice gaps in their marketing approach or in the services they offer. This could be an opportunity for you to make your own marketing more innovative and your facility more comprehensive.

For example you might realise that everyone is offering cycle classes, but no one offers boxing or yoga sessions. This allows you the opportunity to fill the gap and cash in on the untapped market.

Produce Educational Material

Content creation is an excellent way to connect to your audience while positioning yourself as knowledgeable about the fitness industry. When customers check out your website (which you’ve updated, right?) and see blog posts, videos, or podcasts about fitness, they know that you know what you are talking about.

Doing all of this boosts your SEO which increases your chances of drawing in people who are searching Google for local gyms. The more opportunities the better!

Harness the Power of Social Media Marketing

Besides your website, another way to share your educational content is through social media. Most of your target audience uses at least one social media platform, so it’s a great way of putting yourself in front of your customers. You can also use these platforms to spread the word about promotions you are running or news about your gym through your social media accounts.

Small businesses can do especially well on social media, since customers are more likely to feel that they are actually speaking with genuine people when they interact with your posts, instead of a huge, faceless corporation.

Leverage Facebook Ads

If you want to take your social media to a new level, paying for advertising can help push your brand out there even more. We like paid social media because it supercharges your reach and engagement, without having to spend a whole lot of money.

You can also target specific people who might be interested in what your gym offers, e.g a 30-45 year old women in a 5km radius of your gym who are interested in yoga.

Also Leverage Google Ads

Google Ads are another way to reach a niche group of possible customers. Google is currently the most popular search engine and can place your ads strategically in front of people who are searching for a new gym or reading about fitness-related topics.

Your ads will show up when people type in certain phrases e.g ‘Newstead gym’. Because they are actively looking for a solution, it’s a great way to generate leads (whereas social media is more about brand awareness).

For businesses with a limited marketing budget, Google Ads are a wise choice to get the most bang for your buck. Just remember to update your website (from step 1!) because if you’re paying for clicks to a poor website, it’s wasting precious resources.

Don’t Forget About Print Marketing

Print marketing is not outdated. Yes, it is less common now, but that can make your print marketing stand out more. Many consumers find print marketing to be more trustworthy than online marketing. Printing posters, brochures, flyers, and direct mailers is likely still worth your time even in the digital age.

Appreciate Your Current Clients

While you will, of course, be devoting a lot of time and energy to drawing in new clients and selling memberships, it is important not to forget about your existing clients as well. Your marketing strategy should not end as soon as someone buys a membership; you should be investigating how to interest them in additional services and keep them satisfied.

Referral programs are common and effective strategies to simultaneously strengthen your relationship with your current clients and draw in new ones. When existing members convince a friend to get a membership, reward them with a discount or a free perk.

Spread the Stories of Successful Clients

One of the best ways to convince possible clients to give your gym a try is to show them the ways that people just like them have benefited from joining your gym. Talk to your existing customers and find out who would be willing to share the story of how they got healthier, became stronger, or improved themselves in other ways because of your gym.

These stories resonate with an audience who likely wants to accomplish the same goals themselves. Share them on social media and in your print ads to inspire potential clients to check out your website and maybe even purchase a membership.

There you have it, put these tips into play and before too long you’ll find your gym will be bursting at the seams with new members.

Want To Own A Winning Gym?

Whether you’ve owned a gym before or simply love fitness, if you are ready to turn your passion into profit, reach out to us at Stepz Fitness. We are a dedicated and close-knit family who will equip you with the tools you need to make your dream of owning your own gym into a reality.  Click here to learn more about our franchise model — it might just be the opportunity you’ve been looking for!