It's been such an unprecedented and strange year so we can all be forgiven if the festive cheer hasn’t hit yet and the last thing you are thinking of is fitness marketing ideas for your gym or PT Studio.
And with the threat of more lockdowns and tight restrictions I can understand not wishing to perform any form of marketing. But I believe people need to hear from us more!
It’s the time for giving and reciprocation, and that’s exactly the kind of mood I’m in today. Oh, have I got something for you!
The reality is that Christmas is one of the most commercialised times of the year (even this year) and with that comes great opportunity!
It’s the perfect time to launch quick and effective marketing campaigns.
Plus, if you keep your foot down on your marketing efforts now (as most others ease off the marketing accelerator) then it will give you traction and a heap of positive momentum as we race into January and beyond!
I know you’re asking yourself, “what kind of campaigns?”
That’s where I come in.
I’m going to share 7 FITNESS MARKETING IDEAS FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON that could have you and your business closing the year on a high!
Let’s get started.
IDEA #1: Host or Participate in a Toy Drive or Community Share Scheme
During the Festive season, it’s important to remember those less fortunate than ourselves. So the first fitness marketing idea I have for you is to host or participate in a toy drive and encourage customers to do the same.
Advertise your participation on social media by tagging the charity that you’re working with and asking them to retweet or share the post for a greater impact.
Participating with other local businesses for the benefit of children is a great way to get your business name into the community.
Here are some ideas for your toy drive:
- Set out a large box for clients and community members to drop toys in.
- Offer a promotion for clients who donate to your toy drive—you can give them a coupon for their next visit, a percent off a purchase, or a stamp on their client loyalty card.
- Partner with other local businesses in your area to get the word out about your toy drive and encourage them to leave a box out at their business.
- Share photos of your participation on social media and tag the charity you’re working with.
Just remember to abide by all Covid-19 rules because being seen to flaunt them will have the opposite effect to what you planned!
IDEA #2: Run a Holiday Instagram Giveaway
Instagram giveaways are a great fitness marketing idea and are popular throughout the year, but they can give you a real boost in December around the holidays.
Think about the goal for your Instagram holiday giveaway —are you trying to get more followers, increase awareness for a specific product or service, or just spread some cheer to peoples’ feeds?
From there, determine the right giveaway for your business. Just be sure that it’s a giveaway that your audience will LOVE
One more thing: familiarise yourself with Instagram’s rules on giveaways. You don’t want yours to be removed!
IDEA #3: Send Holiday Cards (with a Promotion!)
If any marketer ever tells you that direct mail is dead, then give them the proverbial cold shoulder!
Direct mail is arguably stronger than ever and it’s a great fitness marketing idea to employ.
There’s nothing more fun than getting mail around the holidays. Gather your contact list and send out New Year’s cards from your business to them.
You can create a traditional holiday card with a picture of your team and a simple greeting along with a promotional code to encourage them to visit your business during the holidays.
Clients like to be appreciated, and a holiday card can keep your business on the radar of customers—new or loyal—so that your business comes to mind when they need your services.
IDEA #4: Create a Gift Guide
A gift guide is a great way to get your name out there and provide a helpful service to your community.
We know that people will be searching online for holiday gifts this year more than ever so write a blog post or social post about health and wellness gifts for mums, dads, kids, and friends!
When it comes to creating your holiday gift guide, the most important thing to consider is your audience. What will they be looking for? What would they be most interested in?
Think about your target client’s interests, hobbies, and more to determine what to include in your gift guide.
And, don’t feel like you have to include only goods or services you offer. You can align your gift guide with your business in creative ways based on your customers’ interests.
For example, if you operate a spa and salon, your customer base may be interested in essential oils, candles, yoga classes, or other holistic healing methods, so include those on your guide along with some of the merchandise you sell at your spa.
The gift guide can include some of your products and services, but the best way to sell your business is not to sell it at all.
Instead, showcase items that are related to our industry:
Gift Guide for the Fitness Enthusiast (ice cleats for running outside, winter hat with Bluetooth headphones, Epsom salts for tired muscles).
Have you ever tried this fitness marketing idea before? If so, how have you got on? Let me know in the comments below.
IDEA #5: Share 12 Days of Tips or Products
Take inspiration from the 12 Days of Christmas and feature a tip or product of the day on your blog or social media feed.
Here are some ideas to get started with this fantastic fitness marketing idea:
- You can give an exercise of the day to fight off gaining holiday weight.
- Or perhaps some examples of healthy variations of typical Festive treats
- I used to run a marketing campaign based upon the 12 Days of Christmas - each day I would run a different deal or offer for each of the 12 days. This will keep people coming back to your social sites each day, which can increase engagement on your pages.
- Some clients I have worked with decided to promote one BIG End of Year offer for a set time frame.
IDEA #6: Christmas Survival Tool Kit
A popular tactic I used to employ when I ran my Bootcamps was to send a booklet to each of my clients that I called the Christmas Survival Toolkit.
We used to take a break for 2 weeks over the Festive Period and the Toolkit came into being when clients asked me for something for them to follow at home.
The booklet contained tips on not over indulging along with a series of home-based workouts to do when my classes were closed over Christmas.
If you want a copy - shout and I can send you a draft copy for you to make your own.
IDEA #7: Client Reactivation Campaign
This is a marketing campaign I believe EVERY fitness business needs to have in place.
A Client Reactivation System is a simple campaign that encourages past clients to come back into your program.
Clients leave for various reasons….and this is a great strategy to get people back training with you, particularly at this time of year and even more so after the year we have had in 2020.
I used to give my past clients a compelling offer to come back to my program.
My offer was £49 for a month of group fitness training and a 30-day meal plan and food shopping guide.
My reactivation campaign was actually the lowest price I ever sold my program for. My goal was NOT to make money on the front end - it was to wow them with the experience and most would ultimately continue with me after the offer.
If you need a campaign outline to follow, let me know.
But what makes it the easiest and most effective way to get more clients, you ask?
The simple fact is, the easiest sale you’ll ever make is to someone who’s already bought off you before (provided you delivered a good experience last time out of course).
Why? Because they already TRUST you. And this is the biggest factor in any sale.
Remember these people are already pre-qualified because they used to be members.
The time, effort, and money spent are far greater acquiring a cold client than it is a warm or hot client.
It’s just a fact.
So, let’s think about it for a second. They already know you. They already trust you. They’ve already had a positive experience with you. And now you're offering a discounted price for them to come back????
Why wouldn’t they come back? It’s a NO-BRAINER. They’d come straight back into your arms.
So, there you have it! The easiest and most effective way to get more clients.
As a whole, I hope you’ve enjoyed this short outline of Christmas marketing tips I’ve shared with you. Pick one, add it to your marketing calendar, adapt it to your needs and use it to start 2021 as you mean to go on.
