25 Fitness Marketing Ideas For Gyms, Studios & Personal Trainers

Looking looking for proven fitness marketing ideas for your gym, studio, or personal training business? Whether you want to attract more members, generate more revenue, or boost retention, smart marketing strategies can help you achieve your goals.

In this article – we share 25 proven fitness marketing ideas to get more gym members, increase business revenue & build a loyal community.

We’re a specialist fitness marketing agency with 15+ years of industry experience, so we know first-hand what works (and what doesn’t!). We’ve helped gyms, fitness studios, and personal trainers to successfully promote their businesses, so our marketing strategies are tested and proven.

Fitness Marketing Fundamentals [Online Course]

Top Fitness Marketing Ideas

Here’s an overview of the fitness and gym marketing strategies we’ll cover in this article…

1. Fitness client testimonials
2. Website marketing
3. Set up a Google My Business profile
4. Run fitness challenges
5. Advertise online with Google Ads
6. Post highly-shareable social media content
7. Send regular marketing emails
8. Offer day passes & trials
9. Generate leads with interactive quizzes
10. Tap into video marketing
11. Run loyalty promotions
12. Generate gym referrals on demand
13. Market & upsell using cardio consoles
14. Publish & promote fitness blog posts
15. Hold client appreciation days
16. Partner with complimentary wellness businesses
17. Get your business cards multi-tasking
18. Run courses & in-house workshops
19. Advertise using in-club posters & displays
20. Generate leads with community seminars
21. Network with your target market
22. Contribute to publications & podcasts
23. Create & share fitness infographics
24. Design stylish promotional postcards
25. Review your pricing strategy

These are the go-to promotional ideas that we use with our marketing clients. Whether you run a gym, PT studio, or online fitness business, there’s an idea here that can get you more customers.

Save these ideas for later! Bookmark this page or download our free mini-guide so that you never run out of promotional ideas for your fitness business…

Fitness Marketing Ideas Mini-Guide

25 fitness marketing ideas for your gym, studio, or online business. Attract new members, get more PT clients & boost your fitness blog.

Now let’s dive into each of these marketing ideas and why they’re so effective in more detail…

1 – Fitness Client Testimonials

Client testimonials are an essential marketing tactic for gyms and fitness businesses.

20%–50% of all buying decisions are driven by testimonials and word of mouth. So, they’re an incredibly powerful tool for promoting and selling fitness.

Quotes, reviews, star ratings, case studies, and ‘before and after’ photos can all be used. The crucial thing is that they provide proof that your training methods get results for customers. This reassures would-be gym members and clients that your services are worth the investment, making them more likely to buy.

2 – Website Marketing

Every fitness business these days needs an online presence. Your website acts as a brochure and lead gen tool, so it’s crucial to set yours up for success. Without a website, people may question whether you’re a ‘real’ business.

It doesn’t need to be complicated, in fact the simpler it is, the better it’s likely to function. Ensure your website has…

• Homepage – that makes it clear what your fitness business does and which products and services you offer.
• Professional photography – that reflects your target audience and helps people visualise what training at your gym or fitness studio is like.
• Lead generation form – such as a free day pass or fitness goals quiz that helps turn visitors into customers.
• Contact info – so that people know where to find you and how to get in touch.
• Testimonials – as mentioned above, so that visitors have proof that you get results for your members.

Learn more… check out our complete guide to web marketing for fitness businesses.

3 – Set up a Google My Business Listing

Set up a free Google My Business listing so that anyone who searches for your business online will find it immediately on Google or Maps. It also includes your location, services, and contact details, which can help drive leads and sales for free.

4 – Run Fitness Challenges

When it comes to fitness marketing, you can’t beat a good challenge. They’re a great way to generate leads, build a community, and get people on the right track towards changing their lifestyle.

You can host fitness challenges on social media or in the gym itself to encourage sign-ups and referrals. Create a pack that walks people through a 10-day plank challenge, 7-day smoothie challenge or simply builds up to a total rep count (such as 100 sumo squats). Be sure to align your fitness challenge with a common goal that new members have when joining.

Hit up your existing suppliers for freebies that you can give away as prizes. Then promote the competition via social media channels and collect email addresses from all the contest entrants.

This makes it easy to follow up with them about joining your facility afterward. Social media software like Hootsuite and Rafflecopter makes it easy to run contests and collect emails.

Check out our list of fun fitness challenge ideas and engaging weight loss challenges to get started. 

50 Fitness Marketing Templates

5 – Advertise Online With Google Ads

Online advertising is a targeted and effective way to generate fitness leads. These are the lifeblood of a gym as they feed the membership sales funnel.

Google Ads is our top pick for advertising and the platform we recommend to our marketing clients (over social media and other ad options). This is because it allows you to target people who are actually looking for your services. Since you’re only charged when someone clicks your ad, it’s really cost-effective.

6 – Post Highly-Shareable Social Media Content

It can be hard to get traction on social media these days. The key is to post highly shareable content that followers will forward and tag friends in. This is how you extend your reach and get in front of new potential gym members.

People love to share social media posts that make them look good. So help them out! Promote their stories, successes, and achievements – anything that makes them look smart, successful, funny, or helpful.

Posts about people achieving personal bests, winning challenges, or overcoming obstacles all work really well. Use popular formats like Instagram Reels, Stories, and TikTok videos to get more cut-through. Your followers will be much more likely to share this type of content (especially if they know the person being referred to).

Social Media Content Bundle – 400+ Fitness Posts

You might also like… Our in-depth articles on social media marketing for gyms and personal trainers or our platform guides on Instagram and Facebook marketing.

7 – Send Regular Marketing Emails

Send a regular newsletter with a variety of valuable content, such as articles, tips, and announcements. Use it to build relationships, share expertise, and engage with your audience.

Incorporate welcome sequences into your email marketing to nurture new subscribers and convert them into gym members. They should introduce your brand, your offering, and how you help people by showcasing client success stories.

8 – Offer Day Passes & Trials

Offering day passes and trials is a tried and proven marketing method for gyms. It’s a highly effective way to generate leads and convince would-be members to sign up.

But be careful with how you position these trials. Anything that’s ‘free’ has no value so stop referring to ‘free trials’ in your marketing! Positioning them as ‘7-day memberships worth $50’ or ‘1 Day Passes’ will subconsciously reframe how customers view them.

Fitness Marketing Fundamentals [Online Course]

9 – Generate Leads With Interactive Quizzes

Quizzes are great for boosting social media engagement and generating leads online. Use them to bust common myths, educate your audience, or help them find the right product for their needs.

10 – Tap Into Video Marketing

Create fitness videos to use on your website, social media, or in-club TVs. While workout videos are the go-to choice for most fitness businesses, try mixing things up with other types of video content. Sharing your backstory, behind the scenes, customer case studies, and objection handling all work well.

You might also like… 10 Creative Fitness Video Ideas or How to start your own fitness YouTube channel in 5 simple steps.

11 – Run Loyalty Promotions

Running loyalty promotions can be a great way for gyms and fitness studios to boost retention.

Learn from coffee shops and give cards to new members that get stamped every time they attend. If they visit 10 times in their first month, then reward them with a free class, PT session, or swag. Consistent attendance in the first month is linked to longer retention, so gym promos like these are a win-win for everyone!

12 – Generate Gym Referrals On Demand

Make it easy for gym members to refer others by creating online vouchers. Enable people can share them with friends and family (e.g. Swim & Sauna Day For 2, Group PT Session).

50 Fitness Marketing Templates

13 – Market & Upsell Using Cardio Consoles

Most members spend 30-40 minutes on a cardio machine, so why not advertise to them whilst you have their full attention? Attach ‘console cards’ to the top of machines or use built-in software to advertise PT, smoothies, and supplements.

14 – Publish & Promote Fitness Blog Posts

Create fitness-themed blog posts specifically designed to attract new clients. Focus on questions or concerns that people have when thinking about joining a gym or buying PT to boost sign-ups. Or check out our comprehensive list of fitness article ideas for more inspiration.

Fitness Blogging Success Strategies [Mini-Guide]

15 – Hold Client Appreciation Days

Events are a powerful marketing method for gyms and health clubs. They allow you to meet people face to face and enable them to try out different aspects of your offering.

Boost retention by putting on a free seminar, small group PT session, or exclusive preview of group exercise classes before they launch. Members will feel valued and that they’re getting extra bonuses for free.

16 – Partner With Complimentary Wellness Businesses

Partnering with other local businesses can help you extend your reach in the community. Advertising at a local health food store or juice bar is a great way to get in front of potential new members.

They’ll often let you advertise on their notice board or cashier desk for free. Or why not run a nutrition seminar at your local organic cafe and offer all the attendees a complimentary one-day gym pass.

17 – Get Your Business Cards Multi-Tasking

Put special offers on the back of your business cards. You’re paying to print them anyway so might as well include special offers.

18 – Run Fitness Courses & Workshops

Combine practical training with theoretical knowledge and create 4-6 week courses on specialist topics. Popular themes include pre or post-natal fitness, IronMan preparation, or nutrition-related topics. This provides extra value to members and positions your brand as an expert.

Or hold in-house workshops instead. These offer greater flexibility than courses since they are one-off events that don’t need a long term commitment. You can either charge for attendance or offer them for free in order to generate leads. Be sure to offer complimentary places to your existing client base as an ‘exclusive loyalty perk’.

19 – Advertise Using In-Club Posters & Displays

Take advantage of advertising opportunities within your gym. Existing members already know, like, and trust you so are the easiest to sell to. Position ads wherever they naturally pause, such as the reception desk, water cooler, and locker doors.

Get involved in your local community by running seminars on popular topics. Why not arrange a 45-minute seminar on healthy family meals, active aging exercises, or meditation for stress?

Make sure you encourage people to invite a friend for free, then collect all their details during registration so you can market to them afterward.

50 Fitness Marketing Templates

You might also like… our article on gym event ideas for more suggestions that you can use in your business.

21 – Network With Your Target Market

Networking is often overlooked as a fitness business marketing tactic but it can be effective when done correctly. Targeted networking allows you to reach new audiences and leverage other company’s relationships. By connecting with your target market, you’ll be much more likely to generate business.

Attending meetups are a tried and tested method. These events are a great way to network and meet new clients.

Join local Meetups that your ideal client would be interested in, such as those focused on sports, healthy eating, and fitness. Meetups are also great for developing relationships with other local businesses.

You could try officiating for sports clubs as a way to extend your contacts with would-be clients. Clubs often need fit and healthy people to referee during matches. If you’re a personal trainer, then it generates extra income whilst building relationships with clubs for future training opportunities.

Fitness Marketing Fundamentals [Online Course]

22 – Contribute To Publications & Podcasts

Write articles for magazines and guest posts for websites that your ideal client is likely to read. Editors are always under pressure to produce content, so they’ll happily print good quality articles for free. Make a list of target publications and then pitch fitness article ideas to them.

Get interviewed on health podcasts (or record your own!) and tap into a much wider audience. Prepare a customised lead magnet that will appeal to listeners and offer it for free during the interview. That way you’ll not only increase awareness of your brand but capture leads too.

23 – Create & Share Fitness Infographics

Infographics are ideal for communicating complex info in an easy-to-understand way. Because they’re visual, infographics are educational, shared more often, and aid brand awareness.

24 – Design Stylish Promotional Postcards

Ditch traditional marketing materials in favour of well-designed postcards that people will want to keep and display on their desks or fridges. Include motivational quotes or inspirational images, with your group exercise schedule, contact info, or a guest pass on the back.

25 – Review Your Pricing Strategy

How you price and package your services will have a profound effect on sales revenue. So it pays to review your pricing strategy regularly and see if there are ways to optimise it.

For example, breaking down the cost of your gym memberships into weekly or daily equivalents can make it more appealing. This helps people to get over their initial impression that something is ‘expensive’. Then compare it to an equivalent daily cost – “that’s less than your daily latte”!

Or you can use ‘anchor pricing’ when presenting your offerings. Research shows that by offering three price options, people will invariably choose the middle one. This is known as anchor pricing and can be used to bump up your average order or sign-up value.

You might also like… Effective Gym Membership Pricing Strategies For Clubs & Studios.

Downloadable List of Fitness Marketing Ideas

If you’d like more fitness marketing ideas to help grow your business, then download our free guide. It contains 25 ideas to attract new gym members, get more PT clients, or boost your fitness blog.

Fitness Marketing Ideas Mini-Guide

25 fitness marketing ideas for your gym, studio, or online business. Attract new members, get more PT clients & boost your fitness blog.

The guide covers social media, content marketing, advertising, and promotions, so you’ll never be short of fitness marketing ideas for your business. Download it now for free.

Fitness Marketing Templates & More

Our ready-made templates make it quicker, cheaper, and easier to promote your fitness business. They can improve the effectiveness of your sales and marketing campaigns. If you aren’t an experienced marketer, then templates also provide a useful guide for you to follow.

50 Fitness Marketing Templates

Whether you run a gym club, fitness studio, or personal training business, these templates will save you time and effort. They’ll help you to plan and organize your promotional activities so that you generate more revenue. You’ll get 50+ templates covering social media, content marketing, advertising, and more.