Running a gym or fitness club can be complicated, as the niche is already crowded. There are plenty of gyms around and despite different marketing tactics they employ, they essentially serve the same purpose i.e. offering space so that members can get fit.
Since the market is already heavily saturated, gym owners utilize top marketing practices to drive new business, while retaining existing clients. Whilst you can consider hiring some professional help, you can also revamp your existing marketing strategies so that they can help you achieve your goals.
Following are top tips from industry experts that you can employ to drive foot traffic to your gym, while increasing membership rates.
Although almost all gyms are offering pretty much the same features, you can still make the distinction by actively looking for your customer’s pain points. While deciding about a campaign, you definitely need to consider what worries your customer the most and offer a solution so that you derive encouraging results.
The secret to understanding the psyche of your customer is to walk in his shoes. Showing that you genuinely understand your clients’ needs and what path suits them the best, you can gather a huge clientele, which is exactly what you are looking for. Your customers will only buy from you, if they feel they can place their trust in your hands. Exhibiting an understanding behaviour, is the first step towards building trust that can last a long way.
Your gym’s branding speaks volumes and if you do not have a good looking logo, chances are that your potential clients may not perceive the brand as competent enough to provide them with the services they are looking for. If you have in-house talent, you can utilize that. However, if not, then you can consider hiring professional graphic designers, who can design a logo for your business that’s reflective of the practices and culture of your gym. You should often use your logo; on your website, newsletters, advertisements and on your signage.
Make sure that your contact info and logo is marked on all your giveaways and fitness products that you occasionally hand over to your existing members and potential clients. An assertive logo synonymous to your brand image and name recognition gives your brand authority, developing the feeling of trust amongst clients.
Marketing your brand doesn’t come easy. There are a lot of costs involved along with immense hard toil that needs to be done to reach out to your audience. However, if local marketing costs can be cut down using specific alternatives. You can consider distributing giveaways on gatherings such sport matches, school functions or sponsored events to improve your brand’s reach, ultimately resulting in higher sales.
Your customers are always looking for free stuff and associate great importance to the companies that offer giveaways. To get your customer rolling in, you can consider sponsoring weight-loss challenges. Make the competition interesting by offering a free gift hamper with a yoga mat, drawstring bag and travel tumbler to the winner.
People who consider joining gyms have a topmost priority to stay healthy and fit. Exercise is their best past time and they find it extremely engaging and fun. Then there are some of your clients who do not have the best of health and consider gym time an opportunity to escape the tensions hectic work schedules and physical pain. It is very important that while devising strategies that best provide health and fitness solutions, you do not step on the ego of your unfit clients. The reason they are with you is not because of their willingness, but because they have no better alternative.
Before you tire them out with the endless benefits of the fitness class, you should acknowledge the fact that even considering treading on that path is half battle won. You should begin by asking them questions such as “How can we know the effectiveness of this class to you?” They might answer “If I lose 30 pounds” while the real intent may be fitting into skinny jeans.
In this case, the real goal is to fit into skinny jeans, and this is what exactly you should be addressing.
If you want your gym business up and running, you have to consider using some of different social media tools. Though you do not need to apply the same strategy that you would normally do while promoting a national business. Regardless of what algorithm you use or which platform you opt for, your key to success would be convincing content and external engagement.
You can connect to fitness influencers within your vicinity by clicking at location tags locally and connecting to accounts with encouraging engagements. You can consider getting your members involved too by asking them which accounts they are keen to follow. Once you are familiar with the most active accounts, you shouldn’t expect them to give free recommendations or shout-outs. You have to slowly build a strong relationship with them by following, liking and commenting on their posts. This in turn can have a reciprocal effect, with them following and perhaps even recommending your business to followers.
It is also important to keep in the desirable effect partnering with micro-influencers can bring to your business. You shouldn’t neglect them based on the fact that they have a smaller following. Try connecting with as many people who show an interest in fitness. Everyday spend an hour to actively pursue these accounts and you will see a big difference. You can conveniently do this during your lunch break or when you wait for the dinner to get ready.
Creating great content isn’t an impossible feat. A few intelligent words shared with on the social realm can help you occupy the mind of your customers, attracting new audiences, and amplifying your brand’s image. Try to connect to your audience in neutral tone, touching everyday topics such as stories of your gym members who have successfully lost weight. Put up their pictures with their permission working out, and emotively target readers by jotting in some motivational quotes, inspiring readers to consider joining your gym.
Make sure your social media tone is consistent with your brand image. It’s better to spare a few minutes daily on social media than to spend hours after every few weeks.