In the aftermath of Christmas, most health clubs and gyms spend significant time and financial resource attempting to sign up new members as well as reactivating existing members. For most of us, exercising is a chore that we fit around our busy lives to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The key to encourage more people to exercise is to make it enjoyable and fun. Here are some tips on how you might be able to encourage more visitors to your gym or health club:
Spell Out The Benefits
You might think it goes without saying, but regular exercise helps people look good and feel better. Even though these points are fairly obvious, they ought to be made clear in your advertising campaigns and overall corporate brand.
This is certainly something that ought to be done by gyms and health centres that appeal to the general public, but if you offer certain exercise classes (more about these later) and/or focus on a particular demographic, it’s likely that your offerings will provide more specific benefits to your target audience.
As an example, if you want to get more people to sign up Pilates sessions it’s worth publicising how this can help to reduce back pain and improve posture and flexibility. Zumba, meanwhile, is an effective form of exercise for those looking to lose weight and improve their cardiovascular health, something you may be keen to make clear to those worried they may pile on a few pounds over Christmas.
Make Exercise Enjoyable
While professional athletes and ardent fitness enthusiasts are likely to enjoy exercising every day, for many of us, the thought of getting up at the crack of dawn to go running or spending hours in the gym doesn’t always hold much appeal. However, it’s important for health clubs to make it clear that staying healthy needn’t always involve punishing amounts of exercise or sticking to a strict diet, and it can actually be enjoyable.
This can be done by offering classes such as circuit training and spinning, where people will not only be taught by an expert instructor (if I’m exercising alone, I sometimes find it difficult to stay motivated), but will also get to enjoy socialising with others as they workout.
Provide Special Offers
Another good way to get people into the doors of your gym and encourage them to start exercising is through the use of special offers and promotions. Whether this in the form of a free trial or a discount for those taking out a membership package, such deals are an effective means to give people the incentive to become active.
As part of an offer, you may want to consider offering promotional items such as sports water bottles and backpacks for paying members. Not only do these products help them in their quest to be healthy (the former will ensure they stay hydrated, while the latter can be used to carry gym gear around), but also provide plenty of space to place your company name, logo and other contact information, enabling your brand to be seen by a wide audience. With any luck, you’ll find that offering promotional products to existing members will make more people aware of your business and encourages them to come to you in order to start their own health kick!
If you work in the health sector, how are you encouraging people to exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet? Please leave a comment below and let us know!