How boutique fitness studios and gyms attract more of the right members

Like doing single-leg squats on a Bosu Ball, running a gym is all about balance. You need to fill your classes and your gym space to pull in a profit, but you don’t want to oversubscribe and ruin the vibe. 

Given that without members, there’s no vibe (and no business) then it definitely pays to get the first part right. That is, consistently bringing in new members. And for this, you need a healthy pipeline of leads – that is, those who show interest in your gym or fitness studio and may be more likely to join.

This article will show you how to attract and capture new leads. If you’ve got that side sorted, then you might want to learn more about converting leads into paying members and building your sales funnel.

Before you start, get to know your audience

There’s no point in marketing your business to the masses if your fitness studio has a niche offering. Different fitness modalities attract different types of people – the person who frequents a bougie yoga studio is probably poles apart from a typical ‘gym junkie’. 

You know your business better than anyone, so think about your ideal member and the type of community you want to create in your gym or fitness studio. 

Do you want to attract busy professionals in their 30s who stop by on their way home from work or active retirees with time on their hands? Are your members motivated by hitting new PRs or achieving mental clarity? Do they want to hang by the front desk for a chat or would they prefer app-based interactions? 

Asking questions like these will help you build a profile of your ideal member. Then, it gets a little easier to target them – and only them.

Invest in lead gen channels that work

To generate leads, you need to show up in the places where prospective members are likely to be. Increasingly, this means building a strong digital presence.

1. Your website

It’s one thing to build a beautiful website. It’s another thing to make sure people can find it. Your goal here is to create great content that’s not only optimized for search and AI, but also helps build trust with would-be members. 

As part of this process, pay particular attention to the user experience (UX) on your site – especially any sign-up or enquiry processes. If a prospective member gets frustrated trying to navigate their way around your website, then they may be more likely to bail.

2. Social media

Building a vibrant community online bodes well for IRL membership numbers, which is why your social channels play a critical role in lead generation. 

To make these channels work for you, think of how you can use them to really show off your ‘personality’ and the vibe of your gym. Create videos of happy members doing workouts (with their permission, of course). Set fitness challenges for your members to follow along with. Profile your friendly staff. It’s really up to you – but just remember, social media works best when it’s community-first.

3. Referrals, partnerships, and community

Building a referral program that leans into word-of-mouth marketing is a great way to generate leads. You could offer existing members an incentive to refer new clients to your studio, such as a free class or a discounted package. 

Hosting special events is another great way to attract new clients to your studio (and strengthen relationships with your existing members while you’re at it). Whether it’s a workshop, a charity event, or a themed class, special events can be a fun way to generate buzz. 

Or, you could partner with like-minded businesses in your local community, such as health food stores, wellness centres, or sports shops. This gives you access to their customer database, and vice versa. It’s a win-win.

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4. Paid campaigns

Yes, a paid campaign will cost you. But the investment can quickly pay off. Paid advertising will amplify the effort you’re putting into your long-term, organic strategies – effectively getting more eyeballs on all the work you’ve done above. Plus, with the easy ability to ensure your ads are seen by your target audience, you know you’re attracting the right eyeballs. 

With paid advertising, like with other elements of your marketing strategy, make sure you track performance metrics. It’s easy to adjust your ad spend based on how your ads are performing, which helps you get the best bang for your buck.

Lead gen gets easier with marketing automation

If all of the above is sounding harder than a HIIT workout, don’t despair. Staying on top of lead generation gets a whole lot easier when you’ve got a marketing automation platform like Hapana in place. 

Most importantly, Hapana automates lead capture from social channels, email, your website – even phone calls. This ensures you don’t miss out on any leads, and it helps keep everything organized (handy when you’re juggling all the aspects of running a busy gym!). 

It also helps you track everything, so you know what’s working and what’s not. This way, you get a better idea of where you should invest (and where to pull back).

Time to unleash your lead gen strategy?

Now that you know what lead generation is all about, it’s time to dive in. The good news? You don’t have to go it alone. Hapana is here to help you get started in finding new leads, waking up older leads, and holding on to existing members.

To see how impactful Hapana can be, book a demo.