Unique Marketing Challenges For Local Gyms

Every industry faces unique challenges in the marketing space - and gym marketing is no exception. While gym membership in the U.S. has been trending upward steadily since the post-pandemic resurgence, some fitness centers still struggle to stand out in the crowd. Commercial gyms that provide a variety of options for strength training and cardio now find themselves competing with "boutique" gyms that offer a more specialized regimen within a smaller facility. Not to mention the ever-growing variety of digital fitness programs, which are enticing to those who lack the spare time or confidence to make it into a brick-and-mortar gym. Established brands like Peloton and Planet Fitness have flooded TV and YouTube with advertisements and become household names. Aside from that it really seems like anywhere you go, online or otherwise, you'll find marketing for all kinds of fitness and health related businesses. How do you convince customers to sign up, and furthermore, how do you retain members long-term in a market with an annual turnover rate of 25-30%? We will explore some solutions to these questions, as well as other challenges unique to the fitness industry in this article.

Standing Out in a Crowded Market

In 2023, the number of operating gyms and fitness centers in the U.S. was estimated to be approximately 113,326. The total industry revenue has yet to reach the pre-pandemic peak of nearly $45.5 billion, but it has been steadily increasing since 2022. In addition, roughly 72 million Americans have a gym membership - accounting for about 22% of the population - though not all gym memberships are actively used. The steady growth of the gym industry and the constant introduction of new fitness options via digital and boutique indicates that as much of a demand as ever exists for these types of services. Of course, the problem becomes that with so many ways to get or stay in shape, the abundance of options can be overwhelming to the average consumer.

In a sea of possibilities, you have to leverage what makes your gym unique in order to hook new members. Consider what makes you stand apart from the competition, what can you provide to your members that they cannot get elsewhere? This process should actually begin with some competitor research - find out what other fitness centers exist within the same geographic area as you. This can be limited to gyms that are within a particular driving distance radius from your business - no sense in advertising to customers who can't conveniently reach your facility. Make a list of your competitors and sort them by the category of gym they represent. Figure out what specializations are accounted for in your area whether those be commercial, boutique, yoga, CrossFit, combat sports, etc. Take note of what's on offer in terms of classes, training structures, membership options, and even equipment availability. If you see a gap in the market that you can cover - make that a focal point of your marketing efforts. Of course, you can create multiple campaigns to highlight various aspects of your fitness center - but be sure to put the spotlight on what sets you apart from the rest.

Establishing brand recognition should be another priority in your marketing efforts. Many fitness brands have mastered this already - namely Planet Fitness with its very recognizable purple and yellow color scheme. If you watch a gym video online and see purple walls - you'll know in an instant that it's being recorded in a Planet Fitness location. Likewise, establishing a consistent color scheme, emblem, font selection, and even a repeatable slogan will help you stand out in the minds of your audience over time. Having these elements incorporated into your marketing strategy will generally improve brand perception and help set you apart from the competition.

Retaining Members Long-Term

There's a reason that gyms being overcrowded in January and then nearly empty in February has become such an iconic joke in America. One of the gym industry's biggest challenges is the high turnover rate, with 25-30% of members cancelling their memberships every year. It's a unique dilemma because there are few industries in which the end result of the services provided depend on the effort applied by the customer. It differs significantly from something like a restaurant where the sandwiches you purchase will still taste more or less identical on different days. Fitness is a journey that works differently for everyone depending on factors such as age, lifestyle, and goals. Some turnover among members is inevitable but in order to maintain as many as possible past the one-month mark, you need to do as much as you can to support your customers in their journeys.

The first step is establishing your gym as an open and welcoming community - many of your new customers are bound to be first-time gym goers so train your staff to be friendly and engaging with new members to help alleviate some of the tension. Consider other steps that you can take to make your gym accommodating for newcomers - many people feel anxious when trying something new in an environment full of others who already seem to know what they're doing. You can offer some training courses or programs geared toward beginners - maybe discounted off of what your typical rate for personal training is to help encourage members to push past the one month mark. Loyalty programs are also a great way to encourage long-term membership - consider some special discounts or offers that you can give to customers who have achieved certain milestones at your facility. Doing so will help you retain older members and reassure them that they're just as much of a priority as the newcomers.

Lastly, it's worth creating a feedback system through which your members can communicate their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with your facility. This can take various forms such as the tried and true suggestion box - where gym goers can write their comments on paper anonymously and then place them in a box that you can read through later. You could also ask for feedback via email outreach. Either way, it's important to consider customer feedback and respond accordingly, as doing so will show your community that you care about their needs. It'll serve as one more reason to stick around - so don't pass up the opportunity to engage with your members.

Meeting Your Community's Wants and Needs

Consider the demographics that are prominent in the area around your gym. Factors like age, family size, and median household income will be instrumental in finding out how to best meet the needs of your community. For example, if there's an abundance of families with children aged under 12, you might want to consider offering on-site childcare if you have means to do so. Responsibilities can often get in the way of the gym for many people, so doing what you can to make training more convenient will bring more members through the door. If your location is near an aging population - consider offering some classes geared towards older adults. Having on-site recovery options like a stretching area, massage devices, and cryotherapy machines is also convenient and helpful. As mentioned before - engage with your customers and ask for feedback to see what other ideas you can incorporate into your fitness center.

You can utilize a promotion to boost membership in a variety of ways. "Refer-a-friend" programs are a great way to leverage you community to get new members. Simply offer your current members a discount or some other benefit for encouraging a friend to signup. This is instrumental because some people feel significantly more comfortable visiting a new gym with someone they know, rather than going alone. Another common tactic often employed by boutique gyms is partnering with other local health-related businesses for cross-promotion. Other specialty gyms, sports apparel stores, recovery centers, and healthy food manufacturers are all types of businesses that are likely to have some crossover in target demographic with your own facility. Reach out and collaborate on some crossover discount promotions - in which customers of one business can receive a discount at the other. It can be a mutually beneficial arrangement to boost membership and sales at both locations. Not to mention the customer crossover might even help strengthen community bonds.

Turning Trainers Into Influencers

Whether on TikTok, Instagram, or even YouTube, there's never any shortage of fitness content. People enjoy posting about and watching gym transformation journeys, exercise tutorials and tips, or even comedic skits. With fitness content being as popular as it is, you won't want to pass up the opportunity for some extra publicity. Of course, you'll want to have a primary account established for your gym, not only for marketing outreach but to communicate with your followers about special events and promotions. However, it may also be worthwhile to ask the trainers on your staff about creating some posts or videos at your gym to push to their followers. You could set up an influencer program that staff members can opt-into, and have them make their own original content about the gym to help boost visibility and brand awareness. Ask them to post about their workout routines, fitness classes, or gym events. Be sure to have them wear some branded clothing if you have it available - to further reinforce the brand association. Lastly, try no to place to many restrictions on how they create content - their followers might find it inauthentic if they are forced to alter their personalities too much.

With so many gyms, fitness companies, and influencers already on social media, how do you stand out among the rest? Start by highlighting what makes you unique. If you offer specialty classes or exclusive equipment - be sure to post about it regularly. Even a unique-looking gym interior can be worth highlighting in your content - it can draw some intrigue if you have a one-of-a-kind mural on your wall or other special decor. Consider taking the time to create some educational content about fitness, health, and the body. By becoming a top-ranking result for commonly searched queries - you can get your brand in front of potentially thousands of people. Don't shy away from using your social media accounts to engage with your audience either - you can answer their questions directly in the comments section of your posts or even host live Q&A sessions to further boost your reputation. Become a go-to authority in your area of fitness.

Finding Fresh Content Ideas

Originality is becoming harder and harder to achieve in the fitness space. You may be struggling for social media or blog content that you feel truly makes you stand out. Here are some ideas to consider if you're finding it hard to keep things fresh online:

• Write reviews for exercise equipment or fitness accessories
• Design training programs that can be performed under special circumstances such as living in a rural area
• Issue a weekly or monthly challenge to your followers
• Share some original recipes for homemade protein shakes and bars
• Show a success story of one of your members - showcasing the progress they made at your gym
• Tour the interior of your facility - you'd be surprised how effective this can be at enticing new members
• Work in tandem with local events such as bike races or runs and design some preparatory training regimens
• Curate some workout playlists that cater to different tastes and genres on Spotify or Apple Music
• Debunk common myths and misconceptions about the gym

Effectively Utilizing Direct Mail Marketing

While online platforms and TV channels might be packed to the brim with fitness marketing already - there is a traditional media channel that you can take advantage of as a small gym. Direct mail campaigns excel at cutting through the noise and reaching your audience through their mailbox. Commercials are a form of advertising the intrude upon the audience as they try to watch shows or videos - and many find them annoying. Direct mail is different because it gets in front of the audience while they're checking the mail - so it's significantly less intrusive. You can use a direct mail campaign to show relevant offers to locals, and get them to consider trying out your facility.

Using a postcard for your direct mail campaign will be generally more effective that an enveloped letter, as your message will be visible the moment it gets into the hands of its recipient. When designing your fitness mailer be sure to use high-quality images and maintain your branded elements to help your audience create positive associations. If you have a special offer or discount you want to promote - make sure it's front and center on your piece. Also be sure you have a clear Call to Action statement that communicates what you want the reader of the postcard to do - whether it's signing up for a trial class or even stopping by for a tour or a special event. Maybe consider including an image from Google maps that shows exactly where the location of your gym is - even if your audience doesn't immediately want to try your facility - knowing where it is may help them if they are deciding between different fitness centers in the future. One postcard can go a long way in terms of setting you up for success in the future - so take the time and thoroughly consider all elements of your design.

Measuring the Success of Your Marketing Campaigns

Every direct mail campaign that you run should have specific marketing goals - which should drive the decisions you make from your mailing list to your design. Your marketing goals should be reflected in the metrics you decide to track over the course of your campaign. As a fitness center - some metrics you may want to consider include member acquisition, member retention rates, and overall return on investment (ROI). Primarily, you want to ensure that your marketing spend is producing tangible results for your gym - and you'll want to adjust your strategy based on where you see success and where you don't.

Managing member data may be difficult when you already have so much other work on your plate. Thankfully, there are many software solutions available to help streamline your data collection process. Service companies such as Virtuagym and Zen Planner cater specifically to the needs of fitness companies to help keep track of member onboarding and customer retention. Not to mention some services include automated billing, attendance monitoring for classes, and customer engagement. It may be worth researching and investing in one of these services before rolling out your first campaign - you can have your postcard's CTA instruct recipients to signup via a software application - that will give you a more direct measurement of response to your mailers.

Conclusion

Interest in personal fitness is still on the rise in the U.S. - so there is ample opportunity to find a niche in your community and fulfill it. Using direct mail campaigns to your advantage is a great way to boost membership and keep your community engaged. If you aren't experienced in conducting direct mail campaigns - Cactus Mailing is here to help. We've worked on over 50,000 direct mail campaigns over the last 22 years - many of which were for gyms and fitness centers like yours. We'll help you through the entire process - from mailing list selection to design.

Connect with one of our direct mail experts and get started on your campaign today.