The fitness industry is one of the most competitive niches out there. Despite that, you’ve put in a lot of hard work to set up a world-class gym.
You’ve got the latest machines, the best interiors, cross-fit, a sauna, and great trainers.
But you don’t have enough members yet. One of the first reactions you might have is that people go to other gyms that are more well-known.
Or that COVID ruined the fitness business. The pandemic made everything remote, and for a while, fitness courses were all online. Or so we thought.
As found by Statista, there was no major change in fitness video consumption from 2020 to 2022, which means that people still value going to the gym.
But you’ll be surprised to know that many people don’t go to the gym at all.
Only 14% of the American population, which accounts for 45 million people, have a gym membership.
As you can see, there are more than enough people that you aren’t reaching out to.
In this article, we’ll look at how you can generate new leads for your gym.
If you’ve struggled with the topic, try these ideas for better results.
The best way, however, is to leave the lead generation and marketing up to the experts while you focus on running the business.
5 Ways to Generate Leads for Gyms
1. Have a Website and Landing Page
Having a website and landing page is essential for any business. So, if you don’t have one already, it’s high time you set it up.
Creating an online presence for your gym will help people in the area to find it. The website will help document the best features of your establishment.
I have professionally taken pictures of the gym and showcased some clients. You can also create an application page for people to get a membership online.
Consider this – 57% of mobile users wouldn’t recommend a business if their website is unresponsive. And most people don’t even wait more than three seconds for your website to load.
As shown in the graphic above, your load times must be as short as possible. This will reduce the bounce rate and build brand credibility among visitors.
A landing page is a part of the website with a specific purpose.
People can visit this page anywhere, like an affiliate, ad, or social media. The main objective is for them to give you their email ID.
But they’ll rarely do it for free. So, you need to give them something of value in exchange.
It could be a workout plan, a discount code, a free trial – anything you can offer.
Send it to their email, and then you have a lead you can follow up on afterward.
2. Gym-Bro Plans
Refer-a-friend programs have become very popular recently. And as a gym, your clients are the best proof of your results.
Consider setting up a reward system where they get a discount on their monthly payment if they get a new friend to work out at your gym.
People buy from people they trust. And their friends are one of the best sources to pitch your services.
To promote longevity, you can also have a bonus reward for the referential program at the four-month or six-month mark. This can help maintain the cash flow and encourage people to continue working out there.
Or, as mentioned in the image, you can increase rewards with every reference. It encourages them to get their friend group to the gym.
And it also gives them a prize to work towards.
If you can give the members a good experience, you can spread the word about your establishment in various new circles.
3. Fitness Competitions
This is one of the best and most unique ways to generate leads as a gym.
Inviting others for a competition (functional fitness, strength, or a push-up challenge) is always fun.
And it gives them a first-hand trial of the amazing atmosphere that you’ve built.
You can take their contact details upon registration. And this will allow you to send them offers or deals they might find useful.
This also helps attract new people and establishes a conversation about your gym.
And once you get your name out there, it’s much easier to persuade them to try out your best services.
However, it might be too over the top to have a free gym session as the competition reward. Try to put something up for grabs that people need.
This will motivate them to participate much more.
Even if the winner isn’t a member of the in-house team, they’ll be advertising their success at the competition for you.
If you’ve not tried this lead generation tactic already, you’re missing out on a lot of fun and work done together.
4. Create Content Online
What are you posting on your social media accounts?
There’s a huge number of people who look for good fitness content to follow.
And if you get it right, your page might be just what they need.
Here are some great ideas that you can try out for content on social media and YouTube:
- How to do exercises (bench-press, deadlifts, and squats, for example).
- Lifestyle guides to maximize gains.
- Diet to follow for cutting and bulking.
- Debunking myths about working out.
- Humorous content – fails, poor form, or simply funny content.
- Client transformations.
Having great transformations on your page is proof for prospective clients. You can also document comments from them about their experience.
This will help people on the fence know that they will be investing in results and a trusted brand.
Creating valuable content about form and exercise tutorials helps you improve your reach. So, your brand is also recognized by people outside your local area.
And this can be great for building credibility and brand value. In time, they will be more open to offers and deals you put out there.
5. Ad Campaigns
Creating content is a free way to get an audience. But it also comes with its limitations.
An ad campaign is the best option to reach out to new prospective customers.
Social media advertising can help you reach new people, but it is still extremely limited.
So, the best solution is to invest in a pay-per-click ad campaign. You only have to pay for an ad when someone clicks on it.
If you’re unfamiliar with it, a pay-per-click ad will appear during search engine queries or browsing other websites. For example, when someone near your area searches for gyms or fitness, your brand name will appear with its offer.
Look at the image attached above. A couple of results appear when the user searches ‘gyms in Denver’.
Investing in a PPC campaign will position your site or landing page as one of the top results recommended to people.
This will increase its visibility and allow more people to come and find you.
If you’re in the holiday season, you can offer a special offer over a few weeks for new clients. Moreover, you’ll achieve the desired results even if you have a tight budget for marketing.
To do this, you’ll first need to research keywords related to the fitness industry.
For better results, direct your ads towards action-oriented searches like ‘buy gym membership Vancouver’ or ‘cheap gym memberships.’
Once you’ve done that, it’s time to design your ad. Since people know what they want, it’s best to create an eye-catching offer for people to gravitate towards.
As mentioned in step one, your website is key for brand growth. The ad will lead them to a custom landing page where they can sign up and access the offer.
But this is only one kind of PPC campaign that you can try out. Some other forms include display ads when visiting another site, through Google shopping, video ads, and many more.
The image above shows you display ads you might be familiar with through your online experience.
But it’s much easier said than done, and they all require a lot of detailed management for success.
Working Towards Improved Lead Generation
Managing a business is already a very demanding job in itself.
Marketing your brand across multiple channels is also extremely tedious and can cost a lot of valuable time and energy.
So, consider leaving the lead generation, conversion, and ads to the experts. This way, you’ll be able to attend to the business and maintain it regularly without worrying about new customers.
Last Updated on by Sathi