Did you know one-third of all gym members decide not to renew their annual memberships? This takes a huge toll on your bottom line.

It’s challenging to keep your gym full and your members engaged. You’re not just competing with other gyms. You also have home workouts and online fitness programs to contend with.  

So, how do you make your gym stand out and keep your members returning? Offer more value by upselling.

This isn’t just about convincing members to spend more. It’s about offering your members extra features that enhance their fitness journey. The benefits? Increased revenue for your gym and happier, more committed members.

In this article, we’ll discuss why knowing your gym’s audience is important. Then, we’ll explore gym promotion ideas specifically designed to upsell to your current members.

Lastly, we’ll provide actionable tips that you can use right away to start making these upsells.

Ultimately, you’ll have a toolkit for boosting your gym’s appeal and keeping those membership renewals coming in.

Understanding Your Gym’s Audience

All good marketing starts with an audience’s wants and needs. Knowing who your gym’s members are forms the basis for effective, revenue-driving upselling promotions that boost your ROI
(return on investment). Think about it.If your gym is all about bodybuilding, your members probably care a lot about lifting weights and getting stronger. They might not be as interested in yoga or dance classes.When you really understand what your members like and want to achieve, you can create promotions they’ll be excited about.This means more members will join in, and you’ll get the results you need to thrive.Here’s how you can learn more about your gym members:

• Ask your members : to fill out a survey. You can do this in person or by email.  

• Leave feedback forms : around the gym or include a feedback section in your monthly newsletter. This way, members can share their thoughts anytime they have an idea or concern.  

• Pay attention : to what your members say on social media. Which posts do they like or comment on the most? This can give you clues about what interests them.

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5 Gym Promotion Ideas for Upselling Current Members

When you upsell, you offer members extra services or products that go beyond what they already receive for a nominal charge. Upsells can make each member more valuable to your gym over time.

This idea is called Customer Lifetime Value (CLV). It means making more from each member while they stay with your gym.

According to Gartner, “25% of marketers rank CLV among their top five marketing metrics as it helps them assess and increase the efficacy of their outreach campaigns.”

It’s also usually far less expensive to keep a current member than to find a new one. So, when you upsell, and members are happy, they stick with you. This saves your gym money in the long run.

But there’s a trick to upselling.

You want to offer great benefits without making members feel like you’re just trying to sell them something. No one likes to feel pressured into making a purchase, and aggressive sales tactics can often backfire.

To do this right, remember three things:

• 1. Offer real value : Your promotions should offer something that members will find truly useful or exciting.  

• 2. Make offers fit your members’ needs. : Know what your members like and need. Then, create promotions just for them. This makes the offer feel personalised and less like a sales pitch.  

• 3. Be smart about sharing offers. : Don’t just throw your deals at members all the time. Choose the right times and ways to tell them about your offers so it feels helpful, not pushy.

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Feeling inspired? Here are five gym promotion ideas you can use to increase CLV by upselling:  

1. Bundle Services to Save Costs.

Offer packages that combine different services for a lower price. For example, selling a class pass that covers multiple classes at a lower rate than paying for each class separately.

Bundling lets members feel like they’re getting more for their money. They might try new classes they wouldn’t have before, which can make them use and enjoy the gym even more.

2. Offer a Freebie With an Upsell.

Give out a free personal training session when a member signs up for a new program or renews their membership. Gifts make members feel special and valued.

Plus, it introduces them to services they might not have tried yet. After the free session, they might decide to continue with personal training.

3. Create a Loyalty Program.

Start a program that gives members points or rewards when they spend more at your gym. Points could be granted for buying products, booking personal training sessions, or signing up for special classes.

Members will like getting rewards and might be encouraged to try new things at the gym. It’s a win-win—they get more from their gym membership, and your gym makes more sales.

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4. Host a Members-Only Competition or Challenge.

Set up a contest or challenge with prizes for members who join a certain program or service tier. This could be a weight loss competition, an endurance contest, or a wellness challenge.

It creates a fun, competitive, community atmosphere that encourages members to get more involved. It also highlights the value of being part of a higher-tier program or service.

5. Partner With a Local Related Business.

Work with a nearby health food store, sports equipment shop, or wellness centre to offer special deals to members who upgrade their memberships.

For example, if a member signs up for a premium membership or a new program, they could get a discount at the partner business and vice versa.

How You Can Start Upselling Current Members Right Now

Upselling to your gym members doesn’t have to be hard or overly pushy. When done correctly, it can present a positive opportunity for gym owners and members alike.

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Here are some simple steps you can take right now to get started:

• Check social media likes and comments. Review what your members enjoy on your gym’s social media pages. What posts get the most engagement? This can tell you what services or products they’re interested in.

• Send out a survey. Email a short survey to your members. Ask them what they like at the gym and what new things they want to try. This can give you more informed ideas for what to offer as an upsell.  

• Talk with your team. Sit down with your gym staff and brainstorm fun challenges or new class ideas. Your team members can offer great insights into what your members might like.

• Plan your budget. Decide how much money you can devote to promoting your upselling offers. Over time, you should get a better idea of how many members are likely to take advantage of your upselling offers and include an accurate forecast in your budgeting. 

• Train your staff. Make sure your staff knows about the upselling offers you’re running. They can talk to members about these offers in a friendly, organic way.

• Track successes. Monitor which promotions do well and which ones don’t. This helps you know how to move forward in the future.

Looking for more membership promotion tips? Download our handy Gym Marketing Campaign Planner with all the key fitness-related dates for 2024!