Effective communication and customer satisfaction go hand in hand – and it’s no different in the fitness industry. In today’s technology-savvy world, gym members want to feel connected and informed. That’s why many gyms are turning to a practical, direct, and easy-to-manage communication channel: SMS.
With SMS marketing, gyms have a direct line of communication with their members and interested leads, which can improve member acquisition and retention.
In this article, we walk through the key benefits of SMS marketing for gyms, share real-life examples of gyms using SMS, and discuss how to get started.
Jump right to:
- Benefits of text marketing for gyms
- Gym SMS marketing use cases
- 8 examples of SMS marketing for gyms
- How to get started with SMS marketing for gyms
<h2 id="Benefits">Benefits of text marketing for gyms and fitness centers</h2>
SMS marketing is a valuable tool for gyms to engage with their members, leads, and staff. Let’s dive into some of the top SMS marketing benefits:
- High open rate. The average open rate for text messages is 98 percent, nearly five times the open rate of an email. This sky-high open rate ensures your important messages receive the attention they deserve.
- Direct line of communication. SMS is delivered directly to a contact’s mobile phone. They don’t need to download a separate application to see or reply to your messages.
- Immediate. Most people read their texts within three minutes of receiving them, making SMS a reliable way to send time-sensitive messages to your members.
- Personalized communication at scale. Sometimes, it can be challenging to have personalized conversations with your members outside your gym. Texting enables your gym to reach out to many members simultaneously with personalized messages. SMS is a scalable communication channel for both mass texts and two-way conversations.
- Engaged audience list. SMS is an opt-in marketing method, meaning customers must sign up to receive texts from your fitness center. This creates a list of customers who want to receive promotional messages from your gym.
- Cost-effective. When done effectively, SMS marketing is a cost-effective channel that delivers results. Compared to traditional marketing channels like billboards or TV, SMS is relatively low-cost. It costs just pennies to send and receive a text and requires little overhead to set up campaigns.
- Measurable. Text message marketing is trackable. Most SMS platforms have metrics to measure performance, analyze data, and make informed improvements.
- Easy to manage. Text marketing platforms make it easy for gyms to manage member conversations. These platforms centralize texts into one easy-to-use inbox, similar to the one on your phone. Plus, they track past conversation history, so your replies are always personal.
<h2 id="Ideas">Gym SMS marketing use case ideas</h2>
The fitness industry is highly competitive, with new studios opening regularly. This makes it imperative for your gym to stand out to both attract new customers and keep your existing members happy. Let’s look at a few ways SMS can help your fitness center improve communication, satisfaction, and revenue.
Member acquisition
Gyms must attract new members to grow. However, with the heightened competition, it can be challenging to win those customers.
Text message marketing can help your fitness studio combat this challenge. There are several ways gyms can use SMS marketing to get new members, including:
- Promote discounts or deals. Use a text message to promote your gym’s membership rate discounts or special offers. For example, you could run a holiday discount or waive joining fees for a limited time.
- Advertise new services. Keep members and leads informed about any new services your gym is offering. For example, advertise your new equipment, personal training services, or classes.
- Schedule gym tours. Use text messaging to schedule gym tours with interested members. You can instruct them to text your designated phone number for a free tour.
- Follow up via text. Use SMS to follow up with interested leads. This keeps the conversation going with any person who visited your gym recently.
- Offer a free class via text. Get interested leads through the door by offering them a free class or gym pass to try your studio via text.
Member retention and engagement
While getting new members is essential, retaining members is even more critical for sustained revenue. Gyms must keep members engaged, satisfied, and motivated to attend workouts.
SMS can help gyms stay connected with their members. Here are a few ways your gym can use SMS to keep members engaged and coming back:
- Check-in with new members. Make members feel welcome by sending a text message to check in. Text them to ask how their first week or month has gone and if they have any questions.
- Event invites. Invite your club members to any special events hosted by your gym. For example, you could invite members to an outdoor workout, a new yoga teaching class, or a new member happy hour.
- Class schedules. Let members know when the upcoming class schedule is released. This is a great way to keep them informed and interested in attending.
- Share time-sensitive information. Use text messages to share time-sensitive reminders or gym information. For example, you can text members to let them know about hour changes or upcoming renovations.
- Important reminders. Send a text message to share important reminders like membership renewal, payment due dates, etc.
- Let members text questions. Another great way to use SMS is for customer service. This means letting members text you with questions or concerns. An SMS platform makes managing these texts a breeze, as they all filter into one inbox you can manage from a computer.
Boost revenue with other goods and services
Many gyms offer members additional services and products for purchase, including one-on-one personal training, branded gear, or sports drinks. Use text message marketing to increase awareness of these services and products to grow revenue. A gym can use a text message to:
- Welcome a new trainer. Send a mass text to your members welcoming a new personal trainer to your gym. This will help increase awareness and boost personal training services.
- Promote training services. Use a text message to encourage members to sign up for personal training sessions. Share a success story or run a promotional price.
- Promote a contest. Use text message marketing to promote a contest. A great example is Orangetheory’s transformation challenge, which they define as an “annual opportunity to jump-start your fitness regimen, develop accountability, and help cement your goals.”
- Share discounts or coupons. Promote a discount on any of your branded gear or products. Run a limited-time sale or share a dollar-off coupon.
Referrals and reviews
Referrals and online reviews can significantly benefit a gym. Text message marketing is an excellent way for gyms to solicit referrals and get more reviews.
Send your regular members a text link directly to a Google Review site so they can leave feedback. You could also encourage referrals by letting them know what they can get in return for referring someone. For example, some gyms offer money off their memberships for the following month.
Staff recruiting
Another popular way for gyms to use SMS is for recruitment. Texting is a great tool for recruitment because it can make the hiring process more efficient. That’s because it can streamline interview scheduling and move the process along.
Gyms can use SMS in the recruiting process to:
- Schedule interviews
- Confirm application status
- Advertise job openings
- Share interview reminders
- Aid the onboarding process
Internal communication
Gym text messaging isn’t just for communicating with your members; it can also be used for internal communication. A gym can use SMS to help with many internal communication needs, like scheduling and coordinating between locations.
Use texting for internal communications to:
- Improve scheduling. Use SMS to share staff schedules and keep trainers informed of their classes.
- Fill last-minute shift openings. If someone calls in sick, use a text to ensure the class goes on as scheduled. You can send a text message to staff requesting a substitute for a particular class.
- Share gym announcements. Use SMS to inform staff about important information, such as hour changes, weather issues, or staff meetings.
- Recognize employees. Texting shoutouts and kudos can improve employee morale and help you recognize employees in a meaningful way.
- Coordinate between franchises. Sometimes, jumping on a phone call is hard when you’re trying to welcome members or be on the floor. A text message gives you more flexibility.
<h2 id="Examples">8 examples of SMS marketing for gyms</h2>
As discussed above, text message marketing for gyms is versatile. Let’s look at a few real-life examples of SMS marketing for gyms.
1. New member check-in
In this example, a fitness club in San Diego checks in with a new member after their first week at the facility. This is a great way to engage new members and make them feel valued.
2. Referral request
In the example below, a gym informs its members about its referral program and encourages them to bring in a guest for a reward. This can help gyms find new members.
3. Free class promotion
In this text message example, a staff member from a fitness studio promotes a free class to an interested lead. This encourages prospective members to test out the studio and classes in person.
4. Discounted rate promotion
In the following SMS message example, a gym promotes its limited-time founders rate. The franchised fitness studio encourages interested members to sign up by a particular date to lock in the lower rate.
5. Helpful reminder text
Another way to use SMS is to share helpful reminders with current and prospective members. In the following example, the gym lets an interested lead know they still need to submit and sign some forms to participate in a group fitness class.
6. Follow up with interested leads
Another great way to use SMS is to follow up with interested leads. In the following text example, a staff member checks in with someone who initiated a membership pricing inquiry.
7. Request reviews
SMS is a great way to get reviews and feedback from members. In the text example below, a gym encourages members to leave an online review by clicking a link.
8. Event invite
Gyms often host events for their members. These events can help gyms retain members and foster an inclusive environment. In the example below, the gym invites members to a New Year party.
<h2 id="Get">How to get started with gym SMS marketing</h2>
Get started with SMS marketing in no time. Here are the five key steps your gym can take to execute your first campaign.
1. Create an SMS marketing strategy. The first step is to establish your SMS marketing strategy. This includes determining your use cases, core audience, and texting goals.
Do you want to make sure your strategy is up to par? Get Textline’s 12-step guide to creating a winning SMS marketing strategy.
2. Pick an SMS platform. Next, you’ll need to choose an SMS marketing platform. These enable businesses to send texts at scale from a computer, tablet, or laptop. Many platforms are on the market, but you’ll want to pick one with the features, pricing structure, and integrations your gym needs. You may also want to consider an SMS platform’s reputation, scalability, and the breadth of support they offer.
SMS platforms like Textline make it easy for gyms to execute SMS campaigns. It offers features like mass texting, scheduled texts, and two-way SMS. You can even text-enable your existing phone.
3. Build your SMS contact list. The third step is collecting SMS opt-ins from your members or leads. To be SMS compliant, you must get consent to text your contacts. This process is also called building an SMS subscriber list or SMS contact list.
4. Craft your texts. Finally, it’s time to put your creativity into action by creating your text messages. Be sure to proofread and include a call to action.
5. Press send. Now, you’re ready to send your marketing texts to your target audience. From here, you can measure results and optimize content.
Attract and retain members with a gym texting solution
With a 98 percent open rate and 45 percent response rate, SMS is a powerful communication tool for gyms. Use text messaging to attract new leads and keep existing members engaged.
Textline can help your gym succeed with SMS marketing. The Textline SMS platform has features that make managing this messaging channel a breeze. You can text clients from one centralized inbox and automate responses to save time.
But don’t just take our word for it. Try the Textline platform free for 14 days.
