4 Summer Marketing Ideas for Fitness Studios

The sky’s the limit when it comes to summer marketing opportunities for health and fitness businesses — start with these 4 summer marketing ideas for fitness studios to attract new members to your gym, club or bootcamp!

1. Offer outdoor classes.

Grab your flyers and make sure you’ve got some merchandise. Whether it’s group yoga at the park or simply taking the squats, sit-ups and sprints outside, outdoor classes are one of the best free summer marketing opportunities. For many would-be gym members, seeing people training for a 5K marathon in their neighborhood or exercising in a green space near the office will be just the push they need to give your studio a shot.

Speaking of which, 5Ks, obstacle courses and races are in full throttle during the summer season. Make a splash by offering one-off training events or ongoing classes geared directly toward preparation for popular local events. Get the word out effectively via flyers, social media and smart email marketing using gym management software.

2. Run refer-a-friend and family promotions.

Your marketing options are endless, but summertime isn’t! It’s no secret that millions of Americans head into the summer aiming to get fit — similar to the major jump in gym membership sign-ups around New Year’s Eve. Make sure you’re capitalizing on this seasonal trend by offering refer-a-friend programs! Refer-a-friend programs not only decrease the likelihood that individual members will leave your studio — like the wave of membership cancellations in February and March — but they’re an affordable way to drum up new business from members that can truly vouch for your studio!

Another bright idea? Kids fitness programming keeps the youth in your community active while they’re out of school — and gives parents a chance to catch some rays … or z’s. You could also offer family-oriented programming, with parents and kids classes that take place at the same time. Make sure to sweeten the deal with thoughtfully priced family packages.

Get on the fast track to better fitness marketing, more members and happier clients with gym management software for fitness businesses.

3. Partner with food businesses & nutrition specialists.

You stop into your favorite independent coffee shop to pick up a drink, and that’s when you see them: Doughnuts, madeleines and cookies for sale right beside the point-of-sale system. The shop is partnering with a local bakery for the summer to give the bakery some publicity, and add another incentive to buy. Take this idea and run with it at your yoga studio, CrossFit box or dance school!

When it’s hot out, there’s nothing more inviting than a cold, fresh smoothie or a light, tasty snack. Reach out to local juice bars, health-focused cafes or even the company that sells your favorite protein shakes and nutrition bars online. While the staff hands out samples and sells some treats, chat with prospects about your new-client specials and summer programming — and get them signed up for a free trial.

4. Have fun with email messaging and social media.

Word-of-mouth is one of the most powerful ways your business gets promoted — so strike up a conversation with your clients this summer. Use the easy and effective marketing tools in gym management software to offer personalized promotions via email, text or social media. With gym software, you get helpful member management features like attendance tracking. Has one of your members attended a yoga class three times per week for the last year? You could reward their commitment to your fitness business with a branded yoga mat.

Want to run a summer giveaway, but not sure what “swag” your customers would get excited for? Just ask! With gym management software, you can send out a poll via email or social media — and show that you’re always listening to your customers. Create set-it-and-forget welcome emails, class reminders and more so customers feel taken care of from start to finish. With gym software, you can even set up intake forms for new members and get helpful information for better marketing purposes down the road.