When people join a gym, they’re looking for more than just a workout. They’re looking for a place where they can set and meet goals that will boost their physical fitness and self-esteem. They don’t want to be another number on a key tag. They’re looking for a sense of community.
To make it even more difficult for the small health club owner, it seems like every gym is offering the same deal. “Sign up now to get the initiation fee waived!” But what’s the value the prospective member is getting? When you can’t afford to lower your prices, you need to turn to creative fitness marketing and look at new ways to pull in members and keep existing members.
One of the best ways to keep your members engaged is to invest in creating the sense of community that many gym-goers crave. You need to create a place where members support each other. And it’s not enough to just slap up a Facebook page. Facebook is great for facilitating interactions. But what are you doing in the gym to create commeraderie among the members?
People connect because they share a common interests or common activities. So the first step in building a community is to create common activities that appeal to most of your members. Community events where successes and failures are shared are a perfect way to start.
If your gym is focused on the body building crowd, hold a simple body building competition. Or if you’re a family gym, create family based activities that encourage interaction. Bike races, 5k’s, and weight loss challenges are all great concepts for a shared experience among the members.