Independent gym owners, get ready to amp up your Labor Day with these five tactics to attract new prospects and boost member loyalty. Celebrate the American worker — and the unofficial end of summer — while building a powerful referral base.
1. Creat a Facebook events page
If you own a gym, consider creating a Facebook events group reflecting your fitness center’s vibe. Participants love its sense of exclusivity and being in-the-know for fun activities. The best part is this page becomes an ongoing marketing tool.
Labor Day Facebook events might include:
- Health expo offering massages, fitness advice, nutrition services, trainers and more. You could bill it as “Fit for the Fall.”
- Health food fair featuring vegan, vegetarian, and carnivorous bites.
- Outdoor group fitness program showcasing newest or most popular classes.
- A launch party with guest DJ, popular guest instructors, and healthy indulgences.
2. Plan an in-house throw-down as only an independent gym owner can
Independent gym owners do this better than any big box gyms. Why? Because creativity is at the core of your success. In these throw-downs, members and their guests sign up for matches. Management then splits the attendees into teams.
Be imaginative – determine ways for participants to win points without having to dominate the matches. Keep the competition to a strict timeline and host an after-party. Points can be redeemed for prizes — including trial memberships, reduced-price personal training, branded gear, or access to the fitness center recovery perks. This is an excellent way to use online guest passes to build memberships.
3. Hold a raffle
Our client Core Fitness in Alabama has successfully built membership by raffling off super-large propane grills over Memorial Day weekends and big-screen televisions just prior to football season.
What are the best steps to hosting a winning raffle?
- Promote in-house through an on-site leaderboard.
- Engage social media and expand the chances for members to win.
- Encourage guest referrals by offering extra chances for names and numbers.
- Publicize the drawing date and make it a celebration by asking a local celebrity to pull the winning ticket.
4. Publicize a free clinic.
Clinics are great for showcasing what your gym does the best. If you own a power lifting gym: consider a Lifting and Form clinic, or a Squats and Lunge Safety session. Are you the independent owner of a cardio-heavy center? Offer a Best Practices for Running clinic. These relaxed, small-group presentations will remove the fear out of starting something new, and generate interest in your gym.
5. Bring a friend for a week
Promote, promote, then give it away! The strategy’s been around since Milton Hershey developed his first chocolate bar. The idea is simple — invite members to bring a guest for a free week of exercise. Let them enjoy your recovery equipment, classes, stellar equipment and immaculate changing rooms. Then throw an end-of-the week party, thanking them for visiting and trying out your gym, with membership sign-up available in person and online!
Good luck this Labor Day, and gym owners — enjoy your growing business!
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Our features include tablet-based sales tools, member management, club management, digitized access control, class scheduling, simplified payment processing, and more. For information on how we can save you money and provide the most effective software that will free your time and make you more money, call us for a free demo and ask for Anthony or Natalia. We can be reached at 855-FOR-GYMS (855-367-4967).
This blog originally ran August 2024 and has been updated and republished.