In a member based business, such as gyms, you are always looking for ways to boost new member promotions. Fitness app provider, Netpulse, published this list of “3 Easy Ways to Promote Your Gym.”
We’re going to look into ways to make those promotions even more successful.
Boost New Member Promotions
1: Member Referral Campaign
As stated, 65% of new members are referred by current members. Therefore, incentivizing your members to refer more people, more frequently is always an excellent idea. How can we make a member referral campaign even more potent?
Reward Both Parties
Many members will be motivated to make referrals with an incentive dangling in front of them. However, the number of referrals will be tempered by a member’s fear of seeming too pushy or selfish. This can easily be overcome by pairing the referral campaign with a campaign that also rewards the person being referred. Give a reward such as a gift card for taking a tour of the gym or for joining.
The joint rewards will lower any apprehensions your members may feel and increase the number of referrals they will make. Additionally, this will boost new member promotions by increasing the number of people that act on those referrals.
2: Free Group Exercise Classes
Group classes have become increasingly more popular. “Members love classes like zumba, spin and outdoor boot camps because of the fun and motivating group environment.” Free trials do allow potential members to experience that excitement and sign on for more.
Taking advantage of Groupon, LivingSocial and Yelp Deals will expand the reach of that offer, getting it in front of a larger number of potential members. But, does giving away your own product offer enough perceived value?
Turn the Discount into an Incentive
Free trials work best for people that were already looking for what you’re selling. You may see this free offer as a way to drive membership with the lowest cost of acquisition. However, discounting or giving away your own product can be more detrimental than adding the small cost of a 3rd party incentive.
Giving away your own product can send the message that your product is not valuable. This is detrimental when your intention is to demonstrate just how valuable your product is. Adding a third party incentive does just that. It offers increased perceived value, demonstrates confidence in your own product and has the added gains of brand pairing when using a big brand gift card such as Amazon.com or Starbucks.
3: Incentives for Positive Yelp Reviews
Yelp reviews can make or break a business, today. Getting your members to write those reviews can sometimes be difficult, however. Encouraging members to write those positive reviews by offering incentives can give you a great leap. As noted, this can boost your referrals as well.
Offer E-Gift Card Incentives for All Major Review Sites
As noted under number two, there are many advantages to using a third party incentive, such as a gift card, rather than discounting your own services. This applies to branded merchandise as well.
In the case of rewarding online reviews, expand the scope to other popular review sites such as Google and Better Business Bureau and your own social media pages. There is no better time to use an egiftcard. In order to facilitate receipt of their e-giftcard, your members will have to voluntarily provide their online contact information. Since this promotion is going to specifically target those members that are active online and engage with social media, this data can be vital in conducting online campaigns and building your social media presence. Companies such as Promotion Vault specialize in managing that data, and fulfilling gift card promotions through email.