Today’s business landscape is mainly digital. From connecting with your customers to getting your products featured by the media, everything can be done in a way that incorporates digitalization. However, when it comes to building targeted localized audiences, you cannot ignore the good old-fashioned traditional marketing approach for your gym business.
Here are some non-digital strategies to market your gym business.
Reach out to your customers on the street – one by one or in a group
If you have a gym business, there is a high chance that at least some of your target audience is located within close vicinity to your physical location. You can benefit from this situation by going out and talking to them face-to-face.
Face-to-face interaction can be done in several ways – you could go out on the street and hand out flyers or even hire a booth at their local market to drive more traffic to your gym.
The benefit of this method is that you get to meet your target market in person, and you can get real-time feedback from them about what they’re looking for in a gym.
Attend local events
Attending events and promoting your business is a great way to get your brand out there. By taking part in local events, you can build rapport with potential customers interested in the same things as you. You could even volunteer at these events or sponsor it – if not both!
Events like local health fairs are also great events to attend if you are in the fitness industry – meeting people who are already into health and wellness means that they will be more inclined to choose your gym when they’re ready to join.
Organize events yourself
Another way you can market your gym business is by organizing events at your own initiative. It doesn’t have to be anything too serious – a fitness demonstration or a simple health fair can work just as well.
The key is to ensure that the event is relevant to your target market. You can then use it as a platform to market your gym business and drive traffic in the long run. Here you can invite people in the neighborhood to meet each other, introduce them to your product and brand, and tell them how it can help solve their problems.
You can also try to organize seminars or workshops. It provides an opportunity for you to connect with customers and get to know them better. You can use this opportunity to learn about their needs and goals and then craft a marketing strategy tailored to their needs.
Network with local fitness influencers
If you’re looking to take your marketing game up a notch, consider networking with local fitness influencers. Fitness influencers have a large following on social media and are respected by their peers for their knowledge and expertise in the fitness industry.
By networking with them and giving them a sneak peek of your latest fitness products, you’ll be able to get your brand in front of their audience. It can be a compelling gym marketing strategy, as the fitness influencers will be more likely to talk about your product or service if they like it.
Attend events (both national and international)
If attending local events and networking there did not bring you enough customers, consider attending events on a national or international scale. There are multiple events around the world every year that you should consider attending. These events often take place in major cities across the country/world at all times of the year.
These events are excellent places to network and connect. Look for relevant events to your product or service, attend them, make connections there, and encourage those connections to spread the word about you via word-of-mouth. Additionally, look for opportunities to get featured by press networks present at these events or get your perspective published in the media.
If you are attending international events, make sure that online fitness classes are a part of your gym business as well. You can create a global following and revenue stream with potential clients in hand by providing online classes to them.
Try philanthropic activities for your gym business
Philanthropic events like fundraisers, marathons, charity walks are excellent places for your gym business to get noticed. This is because these kinds of events, particularly marathons, are attended by people who are very enthusiastic about fitness and can help put your business in the correct light.
People always appreciate a gesture of goodwill from their favorite brands. If you can offer anything that would brighten up the lives of the less privileged, then do so. It is an excellent way to earn goodwill and build positive associations with potential customers.
Establish strategic partnerships with other brands
Building up your brand is an integral part of any gym business, but it isn’t easy to do so without the help of other people. This is where strategic partnerships come in. The key here is to maintain cordial business relationships beyond selling products and services.
Using promotional products to market your brand (offline ̶ t-shirts, pens)
Using promotional products is a time-tested method for building top-of-mind recall for a brand.
Offering branded merchandise to customers and potential customers can be an excellent way to get their attention. You can use special offers or discounts to incentivize them to try out your products, and you’ll be able to get some excellent word-of-mouth marketing going as well.
Takeaway
There are multiple analog ways to market your gym business, and the ones listed here are some of the most effective strategies. Try out a few of these strategies and see which ones work best for your fitness business. With a bit of creativity and perseverance, you can create a gym marketing strategy that will help your gym business succeed in the long term.
