As a gym owner or manager, you know that membership numbers often fluctuate with the seasons. January brings a rush of New Year’s resolutions, while the summer months might see fewer members coming through your doors.
To keep your gym buzzing all year, you need creative and themed promotions that attract new members and engage existing ones.
Here are some seasonal promotion ideas that you can use as recurring staples in your gym’s marketing calendar.
January to February: New Year’s Resolutions
The beginning of the year is usually the busiest period for gyms, so it’s the perfect time to capitalise on people’s motivation to improve their health. A New Year, New You campaign can attract new members with offers like waived sign-up fees, a free personal training session or a free fitness assessment.
Another effective tactic during the first few weeks of the year is a referral programme where current members who bring a friend get a discount or reward. This increases sign-ups and fosters accountability among gym-goers, helping to boost retention.
New Year, New You Promotion Ideas:
- Discounted memberships, such as 10% off for the first three months or a no sign-up fee for January.
- Free goal-setting sessions, personal training sessions or fitness assessments.
- Referral campaigns; encourage existing members to bring a friend by offering both of them a discount.
March to April: Spring Into Fitness
Spring is all about renewal: the nights are getting longer, days are (usually!) warmer, and in general, people are in a more positive mindset. Use this to your advantage by sharing upbeat, optimistic content and motivating those who might be beginning to flag after their first eight weeks going to the gym.
Try organising a month-long challenge with specific goals, such as attending a certain number of classes or achieving personal fitness milestones. Incentivise members to take part by offering rewards such as free personal training sessions or merchandise for participants who complete the challenge. If it’s realistic, you could go a step further and offer outdoor fitness classes to take advantage of more pleasant spring weather, attracting both current and potential members seeking variety in their workouts.
May to July: Summer Shape-Up
It’s quite common for some members to go to the gym less frequently over the summer due to holidays, their children being off school and so on, but it’s not impossible to generate some new sign-ups!
Allow members to bring a friend to the gym for free during one specific week during the summer. This not only adds value for current members but also introduces potential new members to your facility. Limiting the offer to just one week adds an element of scarcity that’ll increase uptake.
Another way to increase member engagement is to offer summer-themed classes such as Beach Body Bootcamp or Summer Yoga Series, to keep the schedule exciting and relevant to the season.
November to December: Embrace the Festivities
While the festive season can be a slower time for gyms, it’s also an excellent opportunity for themed promotions. A festive-themed campaign can encourage members to stay active with fitness challenges, such as a 12 Days of Fitness programme.
“Back when we ran our gym, we used to run a promotion in the lead-up to Christmas where if a member signed up before Christmas Day, they’d get 10% off the price of an annual membership. The idea behind it was that people would already be thinking about joining the gym in January anyway, so they might as well join a couple of weeks early and benefit from a discount! It always gave the business a bit of a financial boost during what was usually a fairly quiet time of year for us.” – Wayne Heath, ex-gym Owner and Founder & CEO of ClubRight.
Gift cards are another effective promotion during the holidays, so try offering discounts on gift cards for members to give to friends or family. Not only does this bring in new potential members, but it also strengthens your gym’s community feel. End-of-year membership discounts can also incentivise new sign-ups, ensuring you start the New Year with a strong membership base.
Extra Tips for Running Seasonal Promotions
- Plan. Create a calendar to ensure timely execution and enough time to market each campaign.
- Stay Consistent. Run these promotions annually to make them a part of your gym’s identity.
- Use Social Media. Use platforms like Instagram and Facebook to promote events, share success stories, and engage with your community.
- Monitor Results. Track participation and new sign-ups in your gym management software to see how effective your seasonal campaigns are and where you can improve in the future.
Ultimately, seasonal campaigns offer unique opportunities to showcase your gym’s value and stand out from competitors. By planning, tracking results, and refining your approach based on data, you can ensure each promotion has maximum impact. With the right strategies in place, you can keep your community motivated and your membership base thriving all year long.
ClubRight is the go-to management software for independent gyms, taking care of everything from membership management and billing to class bookings and online joining—plus a whole lot more. Give us a call today on +44 (0)203 884 977 or book a free online demo with one of our product experts to find out why we’re trusted by more than 1000+ fitness businesses across the UK.
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