Gym events boost member engagement, create socialisation opportunities and contribute to retention. Here are a few tried-and-tested ideas to get you started.
Gym events are a fantastic way to build a community at your club.
They boost member engagement, offer variety in workouts, create socialisation and personalisation opportunities; which all in return contribute to retention levels.
But where do you start when it comes to holding gym events for your members? Here are a few tried-and-tested ideas to get you started.
All Nighter Workouts
Holding an all-nighter workout event every so often can engage your existing community and attract new members, simply because it's something you don't often hear of! You can offer a variety of workout circuits throughout the night as well as offering a selection of refreshments and snacks to keep everyone going. You could even go one step further and turn it into a charity event, whereby members can get sponsored by their friends and family and submit donations to a chosen charity.
Family Sessions
The idea behind family workout sessions is to bring families together through health and fitness. Help the whole family feel included by offering exercises that appeal to different age groups and skill levels. It's a great way to allow busy families to combine their workouts with family time. When executed correctly, you'll build a fun and inclusive community that aligns with your members' values.
Food Fairs
Throwing a health-focused food fair is a great way to raise awareness of your business while also giving back to your community in the form of education about healthy eating. There are many nutrition brands out there that would happily get on board with a food fair collaboration in exchange for exposure to your community, so it even becomes an excellent partnership opportunity.
Time-bound Events
Events that are held at a particular time of year are incredibly useful because they're easier to plan for and essentially act as the backbone of your events calendar because your members know they'll be happening annually at the same time every year. Think New Year events, Summer events etc. Then, make them accessible by offering appropriate activities and discounts for new and existing members.
Challenges and Contests
Get members involved in local challenges to help them along in achieving their fitness goals. A bit of friendly competition amongst your members keeps them engaged and gives them an added level of motivation. Leaderboards are an excellent way to get everyone motivated and boost the member experience, as are wearable devices such as MyZone.
In summary, building a community with your club at the centre is the best way to deliver value at every stage of the member journey. It increases retention and creates valuable touchpoints between you and your members that can be used for growth. Hopefully, this list of ideas has given you a good place to start!
