With the emergence of and ongoing challenges presented by COVID-19, just about all of us can agree: it has been a strange year. Thankfully, the rollout of the vaccine means that things are slowly returning to normal — and that means patrons will be returning to your gym.
What can you do to help hesitant, would-be gym-goers feel more comfortable? What are the best ways to reliably attract new and returning customers to your gym?
Make It All About Health, Well-Being, and Safety
People of all ages seek out gym memberships. In fact, the largest group of gym-goers range in age from 20 to 64. For decades, the common goal of getting healthy has inspired young and old people alike to go to the gym. It is time to reaffirm that goal and to remind prospective members that being healthy now is just as important — in fact, even more important — than ever before.
“If you are physically exercising, you build up immunity and physical well-being,” Caro & the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association and Ad Age reaffirm. Remind your customers that one of the most important things they can do for their safety and health is to work out at the gym, and help them find resources about the protective health benefits of getting regular exercise.
Stoke Greater Interest in Personal Training
Working out at the gym offers several things that working out at home cannot. One of those things is personalized fitness training.
To draw new members to your gym, help prospective gym-goers understand all the benefits of one-on-one training. To do that, consider promotional events, like offering a free session with a qualified personal trainer.
Make Your Gym Invaluable
Along the same lines of sessions with a personal trainer, think about what else your gym has to offer that patrons cannot get while they are working out at home. What exactly your gym offers isn’t as important as making sure that your services add unique value that your members cannot get elsewhere.
Some ideas include in-person, group classes, fitness challenges, and meal plans. Group classes and fitness challenges provide extra motivation to work out and help people stay accountable. Similarly, putting together and distributing detailed meal plans to your customers gives them resources they may not otherwise have at home. If they plan to work out on their own, they will have to compile that information and put together a meal plan themselves. Doing that takes considerable time and effort.
Now is a critical time to market your gym — and market it well. Follow the tips above to get the word out there and get new people walking through the doors of your establishment.