Intro offers that really work in bringing in new members

Even for seasoned gym junkies, signing up to a new gym can feel like a huge step. An intro offer can make the whole process feel a little less scary, and a lot more attractive. 

Question is, what type of intro offer will work best for your fitness studio? Should you offer a free trial? A month at a discounted rate? Or something else entirely?

Let’s unpack intro offers and see how you can start using them to your advantage.

Why are intro offers so hard to resist?

If we put our behavioural science hats on for a moment, it’s easy to see why intro offers work so well as a sales tactic. Humans are hard-wired to behave in certain ways under certain conditions. If they think something is scarce (like a limited-time deal), then they’ll want to snap it up. No-one likes the fear of missing out, right? 

When it comes to your gym or fitness studio, though, there’s more to intro offers than just a great deal. With the right offer in place, you’re essentially giving new members the opportunity to “try before they buy”. They can test out your classes and equipment without over-committing - and they’ll soon see that your gym is a welcoming, inclusive, and fun place to be.

An intro offer could be just the thing you need to get someone off the couch and into your gym or, even better, get them to walk away from your competitor and sign up with you instead. Sure, you might lose a little revenue in the short term, but in the long term it could help you build a loyal membership base.

What are the best intro offers for fitness studios?

Like personal playlists or fave workouts, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for intro offers. Some members will be lured in by the word “free”; others might be looking for some sort of incentive or package that gives them a little extra bang for their buck.  Here are a few ideas to get you started. 

Free trials

Some people might want to try out your gym and see if it’s the right fit before they commit to a paid membership. A free trial is perfect here. Whether it’s a single free pass or a week of free entry, giving prospective members something for free can be a great way to get more people through your doors.

Discounted deals

If you feel like “free” is a step too far, you could offer a discounted rate for a set period of time. For example, a 20% discount for the first three months. Or $10 for 10 days. If a prospective member is comparing your gym to the one down the road, such a discount could be all they need to decide you’re the one. 

Something extra

Instead of offering a discount, you could give new members a little extra bang for their buck. For example, you could throw in a free personal training session, or a custom 8-week fitness challenge complete with classes, meal plans, testing, and more.

Seasonal specials

Tap into people’s FOMO by offering targeted discounts at specific times of the year. Think “New year, new you”. Or “Be a winter warrior”. Or “Smash your spring cleanse”. With offers like these only available for a limited time, you could attract those who hate the idea of missing out on a great deal. 

Class bundles

Like a coffee loyalty card, but for your classes, you could give members free entry to every tenth class they attend. Or give new members a discounted rate on a bundle of classes. 

Wave joining fees

If your fitness studio charges a joining fee to cover admin costs, this could be something you wipe as part of an intro offer. Remember, just like a good workout, you can mix things up. Create a few different intro offers and test them out at different times of year. You’ll soon get a sense of which offers resonate the most with your target audience.

Customise your offers with Hapana

Setting up all these intro offers might feel like an extra round of burpees. Hard work. But it’s the type of work that pays off - and Hapana can help.

With Hapana, you can easily build custom membership types, class packs, or class types - along with all the necessary templates and membership forms to get those prospective members to sign up with you.

If your gym’s a franchise or you operate across multiple locations, you can set it all up across all locations, too.

And, when it comes to spreading the word about all those irresistible intro offers that you’ve set up, use Hapana’s marketing automation tools to promote them. 

Ready to see the difference an intro offer could make? Get started with a tour of our gym management software today.