What is your in-gym marketing strategy?

Most gym marketing happens outside the gym, and most of the budget goes on new members. That makes sense: you need sign-ups. But a sign-up is the start of the relationship, not the end, and the members you already have are the easiest people to sell to.

Acquisition, engagement, retention

Think of marketing in three stages:

• Acquisition: getting people through the door. Ads, offers, referrals and your website.
• Engagement: getting members to use more of the gym. Classes, personal training, events and challenges.
• Retention: keeping members happy enough to renew. Progress, community and a great experience.

In-gym marketing covers the second and third stages, and it’s where your members are already listening.

What to promote inside the gym

• New classes and timetable changes
• Personal training, assessments and programmes
• Referral rewards, such as “bring a friend for free”
• Challenges and events
• Holiday opening hours
• Supplements, merchandise and the café

Where to reach members

Use a mix of channels, because each member notices different things:

• Posters and screens at reception and in changing rooms
• Your app, email and social media
• Staff on the gym floor
• Audio messages between the songs, which every member hears, even with their eyes on the treadmill screen

Why audio works

Members can ignore a poster, but they hear the gym speakers the whole time they train. A short message between two songs, in a natural voice, reaches everyone in the building without interrupting the workout.

The key is balance: music first, with one short message every few songs. Our guide to gym radio ads covers what to say and how often to play it.

Make it easy to keep up to date

In-gym marketing only works when it’s current. An ad for last month’s offer does more harm than good. With the GymRadio.com Ad Studio, you type what to promote and get a 15-second radio ad in about a minute, with an end date so it stops on time. Classes can be announced automatically from your timetable. See how it works.