You Can Stop December’s Drop in Gym Memberships

As a fitness club owner, you can prevent December’s inevitable dip in gym memberships. Unfortunately, January’s newcomers often only replace members lost during this mall-wandering month

It doesn’t have to be this way. Nationwide, health club memberships have increased 6% since 2023. More age groups are taking classes, lifting weights, and exploring the mental and physical benefits of regular exercise. This growing enthusiasm presents an excellent opportunity to change old habits and encourage both existing and prospective members to stay active this fall.

Personal trainer helps young woman maintain plank position.
Personal training can turn a low-use client into a happy, active gym goer.

Four Promotions to Build and Retain Gym Memberships

1. Promote Free Trials

As oxymoronic as it may sound, offering a free trial can help attract long-term members. It softens the financial hesitation of committing to a monthly plan—after all, it’s easier to say yes to something you’ve already tried. Consider branding it as the “Taste and Test Challenge.”

2. Provide Incentives to Current Members

Increasing your internal spend rate can offset seasonal membership drops. Try offering:

  • Promotional specials on meal plans, supplements, merchandise, and smoothie bar purchases
  • Discounts on personal training packages
  • Early renewal discounts before New Year’ rate increases

3. Encourage Referrals

Referrals remain one of the most powerful and cost-effective ways to grow your membership base.

  • Sell personal training for two: Build a buddy system. Encourage clients to share sessions with a friend at a discounted rate. The friend joins them for the first two to four sessions—everyone wins.
  • Reward referrals: Offer a free month, a “bling bag,” or a complimentary service for referring a new member. Choose what fits your brand.
  • Run a referral contest: Hold an internal competition with a prize drawing to boost engagement.

4. Build Camaraderie

Recent research shows that 37% of new gym members join for the mental health benefits of exercise. While this often includes physical wellness, “mental health” is frequently code for community. We all want to feel accepted and welcome in communities we value.

As a gym owner, the atmosphere you foster becomes the vibe members recreate on the gym floor and in classes. This fall, take the time to build relationships between management, members, and staff by:

  • Decorating for the holidays
  • Hosting club-wide contests
  • Organizing a charity drive
  • Remembering members’ names
  • Offering a short-term “holiday de-stress” breathwork series

Create a friendly space that feels like a retreat from the holidays. Become the “stress-free zone” your members won’t want to skip during the holiday rush.

Use Gym Insight to Stop Drops in Gym Membership.

Gym Insight’s tools make it easy to design and track your seasonal campaigns. Our detailed reporting helps you identify trends, refine your advertising, and target specific audiences.

For example, our rich tagging system and easy-to-use Member App let you bulk-message groups with personalized offers:

  • Want to promote a new recovery service to your running group? Filter and send.
  • Launching an easy yoga class for older adults? Filter for “Silver Sneakers” and send.

You can even schedule birthday messages. Add them to the task list and pull a report to make sure your team connects personally with every member celebrating that month.

Don't let December drop in gym memberships impact your gym this fall.
Don’t lose clients this fall to the traditional drop in gym memberships!

Enjoy This Beautiful Time of Year

Whether your gym is in the sunny South or the crisp, colorful Northeast, fall is a season worth celebrating. Even if you’re in California juggling half a dozen microclimates, autumn can be magnificent. So remember to smile at the hoodies-and-flip-flops crowd, tolerate the Bills fans, and reach out to those members on the brink of quitting.

While you do, Gym Insight will be here for you—with the best, easiest-to-use gym management software in the industry. Our powerful tools include:

Call us today for a free demo and see why we boast an industry-leading retention rate. Once you experience how easy it is to use Gym Insight, you’ll wonder why you didn’t switch sooner.

📞 Call 855-FOR-GYMS (855-367-4967)

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