Useful marketing strategies for gyms

The fitness and gym industry has experienced impressive growth in recent years. More and more people are interested in leading a healthy lifestyle and staying fit. For gym owners, this represents a huge business opportunity.

However, to stand out in a competitive market , it is crucial to implement effective marketing strategies that attract and retain customers.

Let's look at some marketing strategies for gyms that can be carried out to make a difference.

To do this, we will differentiate between two types of operating environments for implementing marketing actions for our gym. On the one hand, the online marketing actions (or digital) and, on the other hand, offline (or traditional) marketing actions . These two sections will focus solely on the field of promotion within marketing.

Later on, we will also address some ideas regarding pricing and promotion policies.

Photo: Geert Pieters in Unsplash

Online marketing strategies for gyms

We call online (or digital) marketing all marketing actions carried out in the digital environment . Nowadays, it's inconceivable to conduct a personal search for a service or product without considering the digital realm. Therefore, if our client is going to look for a service that our gym can offer, and they will search for it digitally at some point, our brand must be present. It can be present in many ways; these are the main ones:

• Brand positioning .
• Web page .
• Advertising in search engines, on other pages, in apps or on social networks.
• SEO : Positioning our website in the main search engines, based on specific user searches.
• Inbound: Generating useful content for our potential customers on blogs or social media: videos, images, infographics, articles…
• Email marketing : Sending emails to a list of users.
• Social networks and influencers : Use of our own profiles and use of those with a high volume of followers from our target audience who promote our service.

Let's look at some essential points in each of these sections and some Ideas that may be useful for attracting clients to your gym through marketing actions.

Brand positioning

Brand positioning is crucial for stand out from the competition and convey your gym's unique value proposition. The goal is to establish itself in consumers' minds as one of their preferred options when the need arises. And to achieve this, it is essential to create a solid brand, something that requires time and effort.

It's important to develop a brand narrative to connect emotionally with your audience , conveying the values ​​that surround the brand and giving it its own identity and personality, as if it were a human being. What is the brand that surrounds your gym?

Define a visual identity consistent with your brand archetype , design a logo and color palette that represent your gym's personality and values, and use them consistently in all your actions.

Web page

It's essential for virtually any business, including gyms, to establish an online presence . To do this, a well-designed website is fundamental , with clear information about services, hours, location, testimonials from satisfied customers, easy navigation, and a responsive design. From there, it will be necessary Establish a solid digital marketing strategy to achieve reach and acquire potential customers.

Let's look at 6 key aspects you should consider when creating your gym's website or hiring professionals:

• It should have an attractive and professional design, where the user associates the professionalism emanating from your page with the professionalism of your company.
• The navigation should be intuitive , so that the user does not get lost and knows what to do at each moment, depending on the information they want to obtain.
• Ensure the information is clear, relevant, and persuasive, giving the user the necessary information to get to know our brand and, once they know it, want to hire the services of your gym.
• Make sure the contact or registration information is visible and easy to understand. This way, your potential customers won't get lost along the way.
• That it is optimized for mobile devices , from where most visits to web pages are currently registered in almost all professional sectors.
• Make sure the page loads quickly , so that our user doesn't get frustrated and end up leaving, tired of waiting.

Tips to improve your gym's website marketing

• Include real testimonials from your customers. Prescriptions build trust with new users.
• If you have social media or other information channels, linking them on the web will encourage some users to join your community.

Advertising on search engines, on other websites, in apps, or on social media

An attractive way to attract customers is through Online advertising is done through services offered by search engines like Google or Bing, or on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter (now "X"), Instagram, or TikTok . Paid ads, properly targeted to reach the intended audience, are usually the fastest way to achieve results.

These are campaigns where You can choose the amount you want to spend or even set a minimum return on investment (ROAS) using the ROAS metric. It's a quick way to establish a digital presence by paying only what you can afford. Depending on your budget, you can obtain a specific number of impressions or clicks to your website or Google business profile.

Tips to improve your gym's search engine advertising

• If you're unfamiliar with a tool like Google Ads or Meta Business Suite, take a few weeks to learn it through courses offered by platforms like Google or Meta. If you don't have the time or don't feel confident in your abilities, consult digital marketing professionals.
• In the first few weeks, spend only half of what you planned to spend each week. The beginning is always a time of testing, adjustments, trials, and mistakes… which don't have to cost you more than necessary.
• Be very clear about your average revenue per customer. This way, you can determine how much you're willing to pay to acquire each new customer (Cost Per Acquisition). This will help you determine if your advertising is profitable.

SEO: Organic Search Engine Optimization

Developing an SEO strategy is one of the most effective ways to boost your long-term digital presence . It involves improving your website's organic ranking in search engines like Google. By optimizing for relevant keywords, creating high-quality content, and implementing many other SEO factors, your gym can appear at the top of the search results for users looking for the services you offer in the area , resulting in increased visibility and traffic.

Tips to improve your gym's website SEO

• Get used to the idea that SEO is a strategy that should be viewed as a long-term investment. If your business isn't established and needs immediate results to get off the ground, it might not be the best approach.
• SEO is a technical skill that will take time to learn. If you don't want to learn it yourself, turn to proven professionals.
• If you don't want to pay for long-term SEO services but would like to see small results, every time you do something on your website, put yourself in your potential client's shoes : What words would they use to search for your service online? What questions do they need answered about the services you offer? Which sections will be helpful for them to join my gym? If you have a clear answer, create your website content based on these questions.
• An interesting way to Doing SEO without knowing about SEO is like creating a blog on your website. That blog should have articles that might be of interest to your potential client. So that they can find your article when they search for a specific topic. Since it's a gym, articles about weight training or fitness exercises, routines, tips for improving specific exercises, and advice on healthy eating will surely be useful... In short, the questions your clients ask you or would ask you daily at your gym.

Inbound strategies or content marketing

He content marketing consists of Distribute articles, infographics, and ebooks , among other formats. By employing this strategy, you will strengthen your brand image. and you will position yourself as an authority in the fitness industry. Furthermore, by providing valuable and relevant content, you will increase customer loyalty and attract new users interested in your gym.

Some ways to implement a content strategy include a fitness blog where you publish interesting articles about workouts, nutrition, fitness trends, tips to motivate your clients…

You can also spread the word Videos that teach exercise techniques, entertainment programs, practical tips…

Tips to improve your gym's inbound strategy

• Be consistent . Beginnings are tough, and you'll barely get any visits to your posts or views on your videos. However, with consistency, the day will come when one or more of your pieces of content take off… and then your channel will gain recognition.
• Don't offer all your content for nothing. Create content that can only be accessed with minimal information from your audience, such as an email address. This way, you can re-engage them later with new content, promotional offers, and more, using an email marketing strategy.
• Get help from specialized companies if you think you won't be able to do it yourself.

Email Marketing Strategies

He Email marketing can be an effective strategy and a valuable communication tool with your gym's customers.

One of the main advantages of email marketing is its proximity to the user, because we reach them directly in their inbox . This is a message they have previously consented to receiving, for example, when they requested to download valuable content that we offered them as part of our inbound marketing strategy.

Because we have some of their data, we have the ability to segment customers. so that we can group them by their interests, needs… and thus offer more personalized content.

Tips to improve your email marketing strategy for your gym

• Tailor the content you send based on whether the user is already a customer or not . You wouldn't want to send a tempting introductory offer to a customer who already renewed for a year at a much higher price!
• Don't just send promotions and sales messages . Offer content that is useful to your users.
• Don't be a nuisance! Send accurate and relevant information at the right time.
• Review the success of your emails: sends, opens, clicks on the content... this way you will know what your users like best.
• If you don't know the tools to carry out all this, or don't feel capable, seek professional advice.

Social Media Strategies with Influencers

Social media is a powerful tool for building an online community and promoting your gym. To define your social media strategy, it's important to carefully select the right platform or platforms.

Each social network has its own target audience and functions uniquely, so it will be important to create differentiated strategies for each one where we want to be present. The content, tone, and frequency of messages must be adjusted accordingly. For example, Instagram is focused on the visual. and requires engaging content; Twitter demands frequent updates and concise messages, while LinkedIn demands a professional approach and geared towards building business networks. The TikTok platform is currently booming, characterized by short entertainment videos and tips that can help your gym go viral.

Some shares that you can carry out On social media , you can share workout photos and videos, customer achievements, testimonials, events , and even organize fitness challenges. so that your followers can do it and increase interaction.

On the other hand, the use of influencers to promote our services is becoming increasingly widespread . We're talking about people who are well-known among a specific segment of users and who enjoy a certain degree of trust and admiration. They can become brand advocates in exchange for payment.

Tips to improve your social media strategy for your gym

• Be consistent. If you're not going to commit to the channel you open, it's better to close it. Being consistent doesn't mean posting all the time, but rather doing so whenever you think you have something interesting to say to your followers.
• Think about what's truly interesting to your followers. The fact that you've organized the warehouse, however proud you feel, isn't relevant to your users. New classes, equipment purchases, facility improvements, special events… these might be of interest to your followers, who are also your current customers. Some articles about nutrition or exercise might be relevant to your followers, even if they aren't customers.
• Social media isn't necessarily a customer acquisition tool. Perhaps you simply want to use it to build customer loyalty or create a community among your existing customers. That's a good option. You should ask yourself: What do I want to achieve with my social media? Is it realistic, and do I have a way to achieve it? Then act accordingly.
• If you think social media isn't for you, seek professional advice from a marketing agency.

Offline marketing strategies for gyms

We talk about offline, or traditional, marketing when we refer to all marketing actions that take place outside the digital realm. To give you an idea, we can refer to a few:

• Television commercials.
• Radio jingles.
• Advertisements in newspapers and magazines.
• Outdoor advertising.
• Signage.
• Event organization.
• Street marketing.
• Joint actions with other companies.
• Etc.

As we have done previously with digital actions, we will give a brief overview of each of them.

Create a TV commercial for our gym

We're not talking about national television. Unless you're a large gym chain, it's an option that's not in your best interest and is expensive (recording, editing, paying for advertising space on the network...). Perhaps your budget could accommodate something else. A local television station might offer you a short segment or even just a graphic during the broadcast . It won't be very ambitious, but it can give you some visibility in your area. This is a viable option if your gym is in a small town or village, where you reach a limited number of people, but you know it could give you that boost in brand awareness.

Create a radio jingle

It's slightly more economical, but we maintain the same conditions as with television. If you're a private gym, or if you own a couple of gyms, you can take advantage of a local package that includes creating and broadcasting the ad. Check with local radio stations in your city or town, or with the respective local branches of national radio stations.

Advertisements in newspapers and magazines

In this section, we return to the same terms as in the previous points. If we are not a large gym chain, we can take advantage of local newspapers and small, highly localized publications. These offer more economical packages that will provide visibility where we really need it: in our immediate surroundings. We can choose from different formats, depending on the placement in the publication and the size.

Investigate the publications from magazines, newspapers or local publications or publications close to your area of ​​operation. Once you have them, call or write requesting the print run (number of copies printed) and rates. Also ask them to explain how many readers each publication has. For example, if it's a magazine delivered by hand or to mailboxes, it will have fewer readers than if it's distributed in establishments like bars, hair salons, clinics, etc.

Outdoor advertising

We're talking about outdoor advertising, which refers to all the advertising we see in physical formats on the street: traditional billboards, electronic billboards, bus stops, public transport, etc. There are companies that manage these spaces, and you should contact them to find a solution that fits your geolocation needs and budget.

Signage

A fairly economical option is the classic distribution of posters on the street , or in mailboxes of homes and housing developments. Printing is certainly cost-effective, although we recommend making a small investment in design to give it a feel that aligns with your sales message, reflects your business's visual identity, and is appealing to the user. 

The advantage is that we are facing a very economical physical format, although sometimes it can be somewhat intrusive for passersby. Nor does it allow us to be very selective with the audience we target, unless we properly instruct the delivery person regarding the user profile we intend to attract.

Organize an event

We must discard the idea that organizing an event is expensive. In our case, if we have our own gym facilities, a contact list, and a couple of effective ways to promote it, We can organize an event capable of bringing together a significant number of people, offering them, for example, a day of sports activities, a round table discussion with fitness or sports nutrition specialists…

Some drinks and snacks for breaks is a more than acceptable budget considering the benefits, contacts, and clients we can gain from this initiative.

Street Marketing

Street marketing campaigns are actions that use the urban environment to introduce a brand. They are not usually easy to execute because they involve obtaining certain permits and a good dose of creativity. However, if we live in small towns or neighborhoods or districts with accessible local government offices, we can Offer initiatives that benefit local residents and increase our visibility. For example, we can offer free outdoor classes where our brand is present.

Joint actions with other companies

Finally, we can also consider the possibility of Establish agreements with other local businesses from which we can obtain mutual benefit. For example, a special offer that includes a discount for gym members at a sporting goods store.

Conversely, we can offer a discount on our gym's monthly membership to new clients who have a receipt from a nearby grocery store. The possibilities in this regard are vast.

Apply these marketing strategies to your gym

For To succeed in the fitness industry , it is essential to implement effective marketing strategies. that take advantage of the power of digital platforms , email , the social media and relevant content.

Also, don't forget the importance of fostering customer loyalty and establishing a strong brand presence in the market.

By applying these strategies with focus and creativity, your gym will be on the path to growth and sustainable success.