For most gym owners, the idea of creating an effective content strategy can seem overwhelming. Your days are filled with coaching, admin tasks and everything else. So how do you fit gym marketing into the mix?
Think of it like helping a member fix a bad squat. You’d start with the cues that would make the biggest impact on improving technique. Your content strategy is no different; Start with the tactics that will make the biggest impact.
Email campaigns and newsletters offer a powerful way to improve both gym revenue and retention. Today, we’re diving into their importance in your gym marketing strategy. Plus, check out the “how to” guide to get started today.
Why Email Marketing and Newsletters Matter for Your Gym Marketing.
There are several reasons why your content strategy should include email campaigns and a gym newsletter.
First, direct communication will generally yield better results than things like social media posts. While posts can get lost in a crowded feed, emails land directly in your members’ inbox.
Second, personalized emails from segmented lists can help in building relationships. Customized info that keeps members informed, motivated and engaged leads to increased member retention.
Third, emails are a great way to promote upcoming events, new programs or special offers. If you build trust and expertise with your members, you’ll likely improve email open rates.
And finally, measurability is one of the most important factors in your gym marketing strategy. You can track everything from open rates to CTRs (click-through rates) and conversions. Detailed analytics will tell you exactly how well your campaigns perform. This data helps you understand what content resonates with members, and what strategies to adjust.
Six Steps to Create a Email Marketing Strategy.
1. Build a Quality Email List.
An email list is only as good as the quality of the leads on it. Imagine someone handed you a list of 10,000 email addresses. If the leads are local residents looking to join a gym, the list is gold. On the other hand, if the list was randomly put together with no rhyme or reason, it could be useless.
To build a quality email list, use a variety of tactics to pre-qualify leads. Examples include forms on your website or links in your social media posts. And one of our favorite tactics is developing a lead magnet strategy.
Finally, make sure to follow opt-in guidelines. Leads should know that they’ll be receiving exciting gym marketing, like special offers or invites to upcoming events.
2. Segment Your Audience.
As you continue building your email list, segmenting it is the next step. This simply means categorizing leads into various groups so that you can customize your messaging. By sending the content that’s most relevant to each group, you increase the likelihood of engagement.
To get you started, we’ve created a list of five common audience segments for gyms. They include warm leads, cold leads, current members, former members and former visitors.
Pro Tip: Want to learn more about how PushPress Grow can help you segment your email audience and automate your gym marketing? Book a demo with our team today!
3. Craft Compelling Content.
The key to a successful email and newsletter strategy is to create content that’s valuable to your audience. We’ve said it before: When creating valuable content, think of the four Es. You want to educate, engage, entertain or empower.
These could be things like how-to videos, nutrition blogs or telling your gym members’ stories. Add a relatable connection by sharing personal success stories or achievements.
Also, make sure to include a clear CTA (call to action) in any of your gym marketing. Whether it’s attending an event or taking advantage of a special offer, tell people how to take the next step.
4. Focus on Design and Format.
Formatting and visual appeal are critical for both email marketing campaigns and newsletters. Make sure everything you’re sending is optimized for mobile devices. Use images and a clean layout to create visually-appealing content. If you can avoid clutter, your key messages will stand out.
5. Test Frequency and Timing.
There are two sides to consider when it comes to the cadence of your gym marketing delivery.
On the member side, make sure you’re connecting consistently without overwhelming subscribers. Maybe start with a monthly newsletter delivery and a bi-weekly email campaign.
However, the more important factor is going to be your time and availability. The delivery cadence above does no good if that workload isn’t feasible for you to accomplish. Ask yourself what the bare minimum is for you to achieve without being overwhelmed. Start there. You can always add more as you go along, but start with a plan that will make you feel successful.
6. Analyze and Adjust.
Once you’ve implemented the elements above, patience is the name of the game. It will take time to track the performance of your gym marketing. You can use your email platform analytics while testing different delivery days and times. This will allow you to see when your audience is most responsive, and which content resonates most.
You may also want to consider A/B testing in your email campaigns and newsletters. This simply means experimenting with different subject lines, content blocks, images and layouts, to see what works best. Then, adjust as needed!
A Few Practical Ideas to Use in Your Gym Marketing Today.
- Member Success Stories. Featuring achievements and transformations can motivate others and build community spirit.
- Exclusive Content. Incentivize people to subscribe to your emails lists by offering exclusive content that they can’t get without being on the list.
- Seasonal Promotions. Design specific email campaigns or newsletter features around seasonal trends, like New Years’ resolutions or the fall rush.
- The Power of Automation. From a welcome series for onboarding to long-term helpful content, automation is key. It’s how you create the ultimate member experience without adding extra work to your plate.
Pro Tip: Ready to find out how automation can be a game-changer for your gym? Book a demo today with the PushPress Grow team!
In Summary: Start with the Highest Impact in Your Gym Marketing Strategy.
Email campaigns and newsletters can be a powerful way to level up your gym marketing strategy. It’s a measurable way to connect with members, increase gym revenue and improve retention.
Start by building and segmenting a quality email list. Then craft compelling content. Focus on design and format, and test delivery frequency and timing. Over time, you’ll be able to analyze results and see the areas you need to adjust.
