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Unique Ideas to Attract Members to Your Gym

Gym Ideas

By Emily WilsonPublished 4 years ago 4 min read
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If you’re in the fitness industry, you know that one of the biggest goals of gym owners is attracting new members. However, that is sometimes harder to do than it may appear. While word-of-mouth recommendations are a great way to accomplish this, you should also look into some other strategies that will allow the number of memberships in your gym to increase. To help you out, we gathered some of them below. Keep on reading.

Start a referral program

Yes, word-of-mouth is an amazing way to get more members but you can further incentivize your current members to invite their friends and family to join. First of all, you need to make them feel pleasant and satisfied with your facilities and services; then, you can introduce a gym referral program. Having such a program at your gym means that you will be offering benefits to both your current members and those they bring in. There are many rewards you can offer, such as a discount or even a month’s membership for free. However, to ensure people know about the program, you have to post about it on your social media.

Regularly post on social media

Apart from advertising your referral program, there are other ways to use social media and you have to keep in mind how important posting regularly is. This is a great way to have a direct line of communication with your current and prospective members. You don’t have to join every existing network—just focus on those your target demographic uses the most. For instance, you can post videos of certain trainers giving quick instructions or even before-and-after pics of some members. Plus, this is a great way to keep your followers up to date regarding all the events you are planning as well as answer all the questions they might have about the gym.

Renovate the space

Sometimes your space needs a new look, especially if you’ve been open for a few years. You can do a quick survey among your current members to see whether there is something they would like to be changed or improved. For example, the gym might not have all the latest equipment, so you should consider getting new pieces that will satisfy your clients’ needs as well as attract new ones. Then, maybe there is not enough natural light or the space is not utilized to the max. To fix these issues, you can consider some remodeling work. However, you can also hire experts such as those from Impecca Build to do a custom fit-out and make your gym welcoming and stimulating. Professionals like these take into account your brand values and image, which helps them design and organize the space in the best possible way. Having a gym that can cater to all potential needs is the best way to get new members.

Offer something new

In addition to providing clients with an empowering space where they can exercise, you should also think about adding some new features to your offer. To attract new people, consider classes that are a bit out of your comfort zone and some that are not that widely available on the local level. For example, if most of your classes are about yoga, consider cycling or dancing to expand your versatility. You can also look for another local gym and see whether they are interested in hosting a combined class. Their experts can visit your gym and host a couple of classes a week, and vice versa. However, make sure you tell people how often these classes will be held and what they can expect from them to prevent dissatisfaction and confusion among new members.

Include promotions

Promotions are always a good way to get more people to join your gym. Luckily for you, there are many approaches you can consider here. For starters, seeing as how the New Year’s resolutions of most people includes weight loss, you can consider offering a discount for all people who sign up at the beginning of January. When they get hooked on exercising, they will not have a problem paying the full price later on. Another option is offering a discount for a select few who join the gym on its anniversary. You can also consider having one day every month when anyone can come in, do some exercises and consult with the trainers about what the best approach for their goals would be—for free. A lot of people use this method to test the waters, so if they see a pleasant atmosphere, friendly staff and state-of-the-art equipment, they might sign up right away.

Host an event

You can also throw an event in your gym and tell your clients to invite their friends. This way, everyone will get a chance to know each other better and these bonds can lead to loyalty and new memberships. An event can be organized for your gym’s anniversary or hitting a certain membership milestone—whatever the reason, don’t forget to market it properly on your social media profiles to ensure people see it and show up.

These six ideas will surely attract new members to your gym. Make your space inviting, offer a unique program and benefits, throw an occasional party and make sure to use social media to your advantage. You got this!

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About the Creator

Emily Wilson

I am a business psychologist with a passion for travelling and marketing. Researching, exploring and writing are my favourite things to do. Besides that, I love animals and music.

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