Gym event ideas that your members and prospects will love

Looking for a fresh, fun way to attract new members to your gym? Want to give your existing members more reason to show up each week? It could be time to throw a big event.

From open days to wellness weekends, there are loads of things you can do to generate buzz, drive new memberships, and build a community that’s strong to the core. Here, we share some of our favourite gym event ideas. But first, why bother?

Why host gym events?

Sure, it can feel like a bit of effort to plan and implement an event at your gym. Like throwing a big party, there’s a lot to consider. But the effort is well and truly worth it, with fitness events proven to pull in new members and motivate your current ones. 

Here are four great reasons to get into planning mode.

1. Gym events attract new members

‍Consider the fact that acquiring new members can cost five times more than retaining existing ones. A well-promoted gym event could attract a whole swathe of people who otherwise may have been hard to reach, giving you a really cost-effective way to grow your membership base.

2. Gym events keep current members involved

‍Member retention is the industry’s biggest weakness. Turn it into an opportunity by holding regular events, challenges, and group workouts – all proven tactics to keep members engaged. Events are all about creating those shared experiences that make your members want to stick around.

3. Gym events generate the right sort of hype

Get people talking about your fitness studio for all the right reasons. When you throw a successful event, you’ll soon experience the positive impact of all those word of mouth recommendations.

4. Gym events help you connect with other businesses

‍You might call on local caterers to provide healthy platters of food. Or an aligned wellness practitioner to give a presentation. Or perhaps a local influencer to take a class. It all helps strengthen your relationships with others across the industry, which in turn helps strengthen your business.

How to plan your gym event

We get it. You didn’t pursue a career in the fitness industry to become an event planner. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with all the basics of organising an event your members will love. 

Set your goals

What are you hoping to achieve with this event? Work out your “why”, as this will guide every subsequent decision you make – from the theme to the budget.  

For example, if you’re hoping to attract new members, then a free class or open house could be the way to go. If you’re wanting to reward existing members, you could host a member appreciation day with healthy snacks and giveaways. Or, if you want to promote a new service, then you can’t look past a launch party – the perfect way to build hype around your new yoga class, personal training package, or smoothie bar.

Crunch the numbers

How much should you spend on your event? The last thing you want is to blow your budget on an event that doesn’t drive new memberships or sign-ups.

Consider costs like food and drinks; decorations; any vendors you might want to bring in, such as a DJ, photographer, or local wellness expert; and any giveaways or prizes. Also factor in the cost of marketing to promote your event. 

Assemble your dream team

Who’s going to make this event really shine? Book your vendors early on, and reach out to any other businesses you want to bring on board. You’ll need their commitment before you can tackle the next step.

Flex your marketing muscles 

Start promoting your event at least a few weeks in advance. Use a mix of channels, including in-house posters and flyers, social media, email marketing and cross-promotion in other local businesses. You could also consider advertising in the local area, depending on the size and style of the event.

Get set for the big day 

On event day, create a clear schedule of activities and make sure everyone on your team knows who is doing what. For example, you might designate someone to welcome guests (and capture their contact details, so you can reach out to them after the event), another to manage the food and vendors, and a third to snap photos.

Easy gym event ideas to get you started

Sure, every fitness business is unique. But there are some events that just work – no matter whether you’re a boutique yoga studio or a national chain of 24/7 gyms. Naturally, you’ll want to adapt these ideas to suit your goals, target audience and budget… but we hope they are enough to get you started.

Host an awesome open house

An open house does what it says on the tin: it opens up your gym or fitness studio for everyone and anyone to come along and check it out. You could use an open house to let existing members know about cool new classes you’ve got coming up; or you could use it to attract new members through the door. 

Think about what sort of vibe you want at your open house. Would a DJ add some fresh energy? What about a smoothie bar or barista? Could you hold some special classes, encouraging pre-registration to help you plan for the big day? Whatever the vibe, pump up your team and get ready to spread positive energy – so you get everyone talking about how great your gym is!

Hold a rejuvenating recovery day

Your members work hard. Your not-yet-members might be looking for more than just a HIIT class. So why not give them all something to feel good about? Whether it’s a once-off or a once-a-month thing, you could create a rewarding, rejuvenating recovery day that reminds members that rest is as important as the hardest workout. 

To get everyone talking about this type of event, make sure it’s stacked with insta-worthy recovery tools like compression boots and ice baths. Bring in a masseuse. Fuel their recovery with healthy snacks and smoothies. Whatever it takes to leave them feeling, “Ahhhhhhh…”

Offer a wellness workshop or targeted training

Everyone loves a little personal development, right? Events that help your members (or non-members) learn new things or build their skills are a great way to boost engagement and loyalty. And, even better, they’re super easy to organize – often, all you need to do is secure a great presenter and bring in some delish catering, and the job’s done. 

Some ideas for workshops and training could include meditation, nutrition, ‘celebrity’ instructors for one-off classes, stretching for recovery, breathwork, stress management… the list goes on. Stuck for ideas? Why not survey your members and ask them what they’d like to learn more about. 

Stay true to form with a fitness event

Fitness challenges are a great way to keep existing members engaged, and we’ve got plenty of ideas in that department. 

You could also set up “community challenges” to engage new members, too. For this audience, think about what you could do beyond the walls of your gym. How about a run club that anyone can join, not just your members? Start and finish out the front of your gym, or choose a run-friendly location like the beach. Or what about a pop-up yoga session in the park? (Just check for any council permissions before you head out there.)

Throw a feel-good charity event 

Is your team passionate about a local cause? Is someone in your gym community in need of a helping hand? Want to throw your collective weight behind a larger charity?

A charity event is a feel-good, do-good way to create stronger connections and build your community – all while giving back to a good cause. Your charity event could include some of the ideas above, but the difference being you’re raising money for someone else. You could sell tickets to a workshop or charge an entry fee to a special gym class. Or you could hold a fitness challenge where members get sponsored by friends and family.

Make your gym event a success with Hapana

Hapana is packed with features designed to help you run events – and your business – with ease. To see how easy it can be, take a tour of our gym management software today.