5 Creative Marketing Tactics for Summer
Summer is upon us and while dozens of industries are facing extreme competition this time of year, nowhere is this more apparent than in the health and fitness industry. New gyms and boutique fitness studios are popping up every day, with each one offering a more exclusive or innovative selling point than the next. For gym-goers (aka members), this industry growth means new choices and new options for workouts. But for gym owners and managers, it means stiffer competition with less opportunity to attract and retain new members.
In recent years, gym owners have started taking a page out of the innovative marketer’s handbook to re-energize and refresh their marketing strategies. From increased digital offerings to a stronger focus on personal engagement, gym owners are starting to think outside the box to attract and retain more members in a time of increased competition.
Here are five creative marketing tactics your gym needs to adopt now to remain competitive this summer:
- Start a Member Referral Program
Your current members are some of the most vocal (and loyal) advocates you can find. By thinking outside of the box, your internal team can start to leverage this group and use their support to find and retain new members. Instead of a generic ‘bring a friend’ referral program, get creative! Offer your current members swag, free classes, and even ‘founding membership perks’ if they refer more than five people a year. Build a tiered program that encourages your members to continue bringing new people to the gym year after year, not just one time.
- Break Into Corporate Wellness
Corporate wellness programs, or employer-provided fitness packages and support, has become a huge trend in recent years. Employers love these programs because they keep employee populations healthy (which means lower healthcare premiums) while employees receive access to and discounts on gym memberships, classes, and other healthy living programs. Gym owners can break through the mold by partnering directly with local businesses and employers to become a preferred provider of corporate wellness services. You can offer discounted classes or memberships to employees, or work with employers to create a custom pricing plan for employees.
- Run Social Media Contests
Marketers from all industries are turning to social media to get more creative with marketing strategy, and fitness is no different. By building a strong, active social media presence, your gym can attract more members and strengthen your reputation both as a local business and as an industry leader. Run a social media contest with current members in which they post videos or pictures of themselves working out at your gym, tag your business, and then award a prize to the person with the most likes. These kind of contests are a fun, free, easy way to engage your members and spread the word about your gym without creating manual work for your team members.
- Partner Up with Other Local Businesses
If you have a smaller local or community gym, or if you’re new to the area, what better way to get the word out about your new business than by working with other business owners? See if you can hang up flyers at coffee shops, run promotional events in office building lobbies, or offer partners, free classes if they bring a certain number of people.
- Advertise your Member Appreciation Strategy
Traditionally, the marketing strategy for health clubs and gyms focuses mainly around workout offerings, classes, and the like. While this is great, it’s also important to highlight your member appreciation strategy in your marketing materials. Showcase the community aspect of your gym by sharing first-person testimonials, promoting membership events, and talking about what your members are achieving outside of the gym.
Ready to get started? The Paramount Acceptance solutions suite is your answer to building and executing creative marketing strategies at your gym. You can learn more and get started by calling 801-272-8623 today!
