Fitness marketers can employ a variety of marketing methods to expand their businesses. In any case, it all starts here: to be competitive, you must play by the new rules of the game, which are those of digital marketing.

When we talk about fitness marketing techniques, we’re talking about a subset of marketing that focuses on enhancing and conveying the activities that a gym or sports center should engage in to attract as many people as possible.

To fully comprehend the procedures and techniques that must be applied to achieve this goal, we must first evaluate two major factors.

Fitness marketing is simply that: marketing.

It may appear self-evident, but fitness marketing is, first and foremost, marketing.

In practice, this means that, despite the field’s unique characteristics, many of the tools and methods to be used are marketing-related and applicable to many industries.

We’re not simply talking about traditional marketing tactics; as we’ll see later, they must be supplemented by digital marketing strategies, which are enabled by the digital transformation that has impacted this industry, as it has so many others.

Also, sports – which are primarily designed as a business but may also be enjoyed as a hobby – are undergoing a slow and irreversible digitalization. As a result, it would be unproductive to ignore this transformation while developing a marketing plan.

Fitness is becoming more and more vital.

The second point to underline when discussing fitness marketing is that, while it is unquestionably a niche industry, this does not negate its significance. The data on the sector, as usual, confirms this.

Individuals’ desire to be “in shape” and their passion for fitness and physical well-being are well-established trends in Italy and around the world.

Around 18 million Italians use gyms, wellness facilities, or spas, making us Europe’s second-most “gym-friendly” country behind Germany.

Given this, it’s not surprising that the entire sector is worth almost €10 billion, which rises to €12 billion when we factor in the revenue generated by wellness tourism.

That’s why, according to the most recent census, there were more than 8,000 gyms and fitness centers across the country in 2017.

Fitness is now a legitimate industry that attracts significant investment, encompassing not only the establishment of gyms in small towns but also the provision of new, innovative services and offers that are increasingly individualized.

Let’s begin by discussing marketing methods for the fitness industry.

Ambition and the goals.

As previously said, many companies in the business are investing heavily to develop increasingly enticing products and services to remain competitive.

This is a crucial aspect of a fitness marketing plan, but there’s a lot more to think about.

This is also because, while temporary promotions are beneficial in the near term, they prevent the company from growing and consolidating within the industry.

To that end, the first step in developing a fitness marketing plan is to identify goals, as these will decide the actions you’ll need to do.

Making oneself known and starting a business is one thing; carving out a fresh niche within your industry is another, and increasing the number of visitors or members is still another.

Even in this case, it’s impossible to be too accurate! How much should the number of customers be increased if the goal is to increase the number of consumers? Do they need to raise the number of subscribers or the length of their subscription? What about the positioning, by the way? What type of customer do you wish to attract?

These are all questions you should ask yourself, and the more precisely you answer them, the more clearly you can formulate a strategy.

Learn as much as you can about your intended audience.

Listening to your target audience is the first fitness marketing approach to implement, regardless of the goal.

Market segmentation is required to identify the various types of clients who may visit or may potentially attend the gym.

Identifying the reasons that drive each individual is one method to do this. For example, some people go to the gym to lose weight, while others go because they are enthusiastic about a particular activity, while yet others go mostly to mingle and meet new people.

You can also specify additional distinguishing attributes such as age, gender, residence, and habits.

The content of your digital marketing campaign will then be guided by all of this.

If you decide to purchase online banner space, it will be easier to decide which sites to advertise on, what type of message to send, and, last but not least, how to determine the most appealing offer.

The same is true if you decide to launch a social media dark marketing campaign. You may produce a series of perfectly targeted posts by understanding which customers to target and altering the message and tone of voice based on the audience.

The SEO Approach

While we’re on the subject of data and classifications, another effective fitness marketing technique focuses on web search.

As previously said, there are more than 8,000 facilities in Italy alone, implying that competition is fierce both in the physical and digital worlds.

As a result, “showing off” is crucial! In this regard, using SEO to optimize your website is a smart choice, especially given the fact that customers frequently use the internet to find the perfect facility to visit.

Effective SEO optimization may, among other things, boost your search position in comparison to competitors, as well as assure increased relevance for the material you develop and post online, increasing yet another digital technique open to industry players.

Fit, but with substance

We’re talking about content strategy here, which is a marketing plan centered on the creation and distribution of relevant and entertaining information to attract and engage users, and eventually, persuade them to take certain activities.

This marketing tactic can be highly beneficial to fitness businesses because it raises their awareness among potential clients. Users are increasingly exploring the internet for information about wellness and physical fitness – a trend that has accelerated in recent months, among other things, as a result of compulsory smart working – and it is precisely inside these searches that the company’s content must fit.

In this approach, the user is not passively reached, but rather actively seeks for such content, making him far more responsive to what he sees and, at the same time, making it simpler to hold his attention for a long period.

And once you have his attention, a whole new universe of opportunities for your company opens up. You can persuade the customer to provide his information to arrange a one-day trial, subscribe to the newsletter, or simply inform him about your services and invite him to learn more.

These are all preparatory steps in the process of converting the user into a customer and establishing a long-term trusting connection.

To achieve all of this, two requirements must be met: the first is SEO optimization, which enables greater traceability of their material through the use of specific keywords, and the second is topic selection.

The themes can range from nutrition and “how to’s” to purchasing recommendations for specific products and equipment. The decision must be made carefully, taking into account current trends as well as the preferences and demands of users.

So, once again, it’s critical to keep an eye on online dialogues and study the types of clients who visit your facility: it’s only by understanding their motivations that you’ll be able to interact effectively with them.

Social Personal trainers

In terms of content marketing, social media marketing is a must-have strategy.

The introduction of social media has transformed the industry, imposing a new language and new means of engaging customers on all participants.

After all, social media is a powerful tool for getting to know and reaching out to a wide range of consumers. These platforms allow for the analysis of user activity and the delivery of ad hoc, highly targeted messaging.

At the same time, they can help you build a stronger and more personal relationship with your clients.

Customers’ sense of belonging is increased when they can consult a webpage that is always up to date, with engaging material, and where they can ask any question and receive a prompt response.

This sense of belonging can be bolstered, for example, by using social media platforms that allow you to create closed groups that only a select number of customers can access. They will then have a sense of belonging to a group of people who share their passions and interests.

To be even more enticing, form a group.

There’s another fitness marketing method that anyone in the industry may use, and it’s based on an old but still important marketing mechanism: word of mouth.

People may often persuade others far more effectively than offers or marketing efforts because we trust what someone we know says more than what a brand communicates.

As a result, having a referral program can be a wise decision.

Current clients will become ambassadors for the facility, inviting others to become members or engage in a trial, all while the owner invests very little if any, money.

To implement this technique, make sure that the mechanics of gaining access to program advantages are quick and straightforward (possibly through a digital or app-based process), and that the benefits are clear and compelling so that people are motivated to join.

Socialable Gym

As stated at the outset of this essay, there is a growing emphasis on fitness today, and as a result, people are increasingly prepared to spend money in exchange for health and wellness benefits.

And it’s not just about going to the gym; many people want nutritional guidance, specific accessories, or to work with a personal trainer.

This opens the door to execute a more comprehensive fitness marketing approach based on affiliate marketing, capable of building a genuine network of affiliates around your facility.

You can do this in a variety of ways: you can collaborate with retailers to offer your products, you can collaborate with personal trainers to offer free training sessions in exchange for their clients becoming gym members, or you can offer discounts and other benefits if the client seeks advice from specific facilities.

This method allows you to publicize your structure, expanding the penetration of your offer while also enriching your service offering, making it more attractive and full for all customers.

It is always vital to understand the sort of clientele you want to reach and, above all, the positioning for your business for it to be effective because collaborations of this nature also help to the development of your company’s identity.

Conclusion

Finally, these are just a few of the methods that can be used in the context of fitness marketing; they are far from exhaustive, and the list might go on forever.

However, two key factors must be emphasized.

First, as indicated by the huge number of strategic choices presented, the fitness business is not only very promising in terms of revenue, but also terms of activities. As a result, taking risks and daring while incorporating creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, and modern technologies should not be feared.

Second, even though their mechanisms, goals, and outcomes differ, the tactics mentioned above are not interchangeable.

The ability to coexist and integrate them, on the other hand, considerably increases their effectiveness and, in essence, should be the goal of any organic and inventive fitness marketing plan.