We bet you know how hard the summer period can be for gym owners and personal trainers. It’s when the clients skip classes and do not pay for memberships due to holiday preparations and lack of time for fitness…
But here we come to save gym membership summer purchase! Here is a list of methods to attract customers even in such difficult times.
Key Takeaways
- Summer can be a challenging time for keeping membership sales high, as clients are busy with vacations and outdoor activities, leading many to take a break from working out.
- To retain existing customers and attract new ones, interesting group classes, summer fitness promotions and gym events can be highly effective.
- Examples of membership sales-boosting group fitness classes include themed summer training sessions, any kinds of gym referral program for new customers, and outdoor fitness events to keep engagement high.
20+ Ideas for Boosting Membership Sales in Summer
Here’s a list of gym events, promotions and other effective fitness marketing ideas for summer. It can help gyms drive attendance and boost membership sales during the quieter months.
Each idea is designed to appeal to different customer needs and motivations, from socializing and relaxation to results-oriented programs.
1. Summer Body Transformation Challenge
- Description: Launch an 8-week body transformation challenge where participants work with trainers to set goals, track progress, and reach fitness milestones.
- How It Helps in Membership Purchase: Challenges with set timelines encourage commitment, and summer is a natural time to want to look and feel good. A structured, results-oriented program keeps clients accountable and increases the likelihood they’ll maintain their gym membership long-term.
2. Refer-a-Friend Discount
- Description: Offer clients a special discount or free month for each friend they bring in who signs up.
- How It Helps in Membership Purchase: Referrals are a proven way to boost membership sales. Existing clients can encourage friends to join for summer workouts, helping the gym benefit from social motivation and strengthening community connections.
3. Outdoor Group Classes
- Description: Host boot camps, yoga, or HIIT classes in local parks or rooftop spaces. Add flexible membership options.
- How It Helps in Memberships Purchase: Outdoor classes take advantage of the season and offer a refreshing alternative to indoor workouts. They’re eye-catching and appeal to people looking for unique, summer-only activities.
4. "Sweat Now, Sip Later" Event
- Description: Partner with local smoothie or coffee shops to provide post-workout drinks after specific classes. Or maybe you have your own gym juice bar?
- How It Helps in Memberships Purchase: This type of event encourages socialization and makes workouts feel like a social outing, ideal for people who enjoy community engagement. Partnerships also help with brand exposure and create a positive local network.
5. Bring-a-Family-Member Free Week
- Description: Allow current clients to bring a family member for free during a designated week.
- How It Helps in Memberships Purchase: Family-oriented promotions encourage clients to come with family support, increasing gym visits and creating an inviting environment for potential new clients to see the gym’s value.
6. Sunrise/Sunset Classes
- Description: Offer early morning or evening outdoor classes (for example on basketball courts) that make the most of cooler hours in hot weather.
- How It Helps in Memberships Purchase: These classes cater to those who prefer a cooler environment during summer and have busy daytime schedules. It also shows flexibility, which is especially appealing to new clients with varied schedules.
7. Summer Membership Discount Packages
- Description: Provide seasonal membership options at a discounted rate, like 3-month or 6-week summer packages.
- How It Helps in Memberships Purchase: Lower commitment memberships make it easier for new clients to try the gym without feeling locked in. These packages can be a gateway to longer-term memberships after summer ends.
8. Theme Weeks
- Description: Organize theme weeks, such as ‘Strength Week’ with powerlifting classes or ‘Wellness Week’ with workshops on nutrition and mental wellness.
- How It Helps in Membership Purchase: Themed weeks create excitement and bring variety to the regular schedule, making the gym more appealing to clients interested in specialized content, which often drives attendance.
9. Buddy Training Sessions
- Description: Offer discounts on personal training sessions when two people book together.
- How It Helps in Membership Purchase: Encourages social engagement and makes personal training more accessible and fun, reducing intimidation for new clients and increasing overall gym usage.
10. Social Media Summer Challenge
- Description: Run a photo challenge where clients post their workouts with a specific hashtag for a chance to win free membership months or gym swag.
- How It Helps in Membership Purchase: Gym social media challenges generate organic marketing, encouraging clients to promote the gym. Photo contest is also a fun, community-building activity that helps potential clients see others’ positive experiences.
11. Pool or Beach Bootcamp Series
- Description: If your facility has a pool or is near a beach, offer aquatic or sand-based workouts, such as water aerobics or beach HIIT sessions.
- How It Helps in Membership Purchase: These unique workouts capitalize on the season and offer a refreshing alternative to indoor activities, attracting clients looking for varied, enjoyable fitness options.
12. Summer Camps for Kids
- Description: Host short summer fitness camps for kids, with activities like mini yoga sessions, sports drills, and fun competitions.
- How It Helps in Membership Purchase: Parents are often looking for summer activities for their kids. By offering this, you increase foot traffic in your gym and potentially gain more adult memberships as parents may decide to join as well.
13. Charity Fitness Events
- Description: Organize a charity run, dance-a-thon, or cycling marathon where proceeds go to a local charity.
- How It Helps in Membership Purchase: Fitness-for-a-cause events bring in a broad audience, creating a sense of purpose that encourages clients to participate and bring friends along, leading to potential new sign-ups.
14. "Sweat & Stretch" Recovery Workshops
- Description: Host workshops focused on post-workout recovery techniques, like foam rolling, stretching, or mobility drills. Add tanning beds to your temporary offer, to be able to provide a full summer result for your members.
- How It Helps in Memberships Purchase: Summer can be a busy and strenuous time, so these workshops appeal to those wanting to maximize their fitness results while minimizing injury. This value-add shows prospective clients the gym’s commitment to their wellness.
15. Workplace Wellness Discount Program
- Description: Partner with local businesses to offer employees a corporate discount for the summer season. Broaden the same proposal towards universities: provided having a valid student ID, give the prospective members access to the gym services and pay less during the summer, just like Planet Fitness does. (Read more about Planet Fitness business model)
- How It Helps in Memberships Purchase: Corporate wellness programs tap into an audience of working professionals who are more likely to maintain memberships long-term, especially if they get a taste of it over the summer.
16. Member Appreciation Events
- Description: Host a monthly member appreciation event, like a barbecue, to build camaraderie.
- How It Helps in Memberships Purchase: Building a community culture in the gym encourages clients to stay committed, as they feel a sense of belonging. Happy clients are also likely to refer friends and family, boosting sales.
17. Special Summer Class Passes
- Description: Offer a pass for unlimited group classes over the summer months.
- How It Helps in Memberships Purchase: Class passes are appealing for individuals who might not want a full membership but want access to group classes. These might be teens, young people, students or a parent of a holiday-absent child. Once they experience the community and benefits of the gym, they may convert to regular memberships.
18. “Train the Trainer” Day
- Description: Offer a fun event where members can train their trainers in playful competitions, like obstacle courses or fitness games in the months of June, July and August.
- How It Helps in Memberships Purchase: This breaks down barriers between staff and clients, creating a friendly, supportive atmosphere. It also increases visibility for personal training services.
19. Open House Day with Free Assessments
- Description: Host an open house where non-members can try classes and get a free fitness assessment or consultation.
- How It Helps in Memberships Purchase: Free, no-obligation access gives potential clients a taste of the gym’s offerings. The fitness assessments show people their potential and drive them to join to work on their goals.
20. Weekend Warrior Passes
- Description: Offer a pass valid only for weekend access to the gym during the summer months.
- How It Helps in Memberships Purchase: This affordable, flexible option appeals to those who have weekday commitments or are interested in a lighter membership. It provides a lower barrier to entry, increasing the likelihood they’ll upgrade later on.
21. Summer Sweat Gear Giveaway
- Description: Offer a giveaway for gym-branded items like water bottles, towels, or T-shirts when new clients sign up.
- How It Helps in Memberships Purchase: People love free items, especially if they’re fitness-related. Brand visibility outside the gym is also a plus, as it can attract interest from non-members who see it.
How to Let the Clients Know About Summer Promotions
1. Create Seasonal Fitness Content
Inform about your holiday themed workouts or the ideas for summer challenges on your blog. In order to be really effective, read more about SEO for gyms.
2. Use Your Gym Social Media
Focus on targeted marketing – create short and concise messages, containing CTA (call-to-action) phrases. Place them on your social media channels.
3. Invest in Targeted Advertising
This is how you’ll get exactly to the people you should – taking into account their location and interests. Think mainly about Facebook Ads or Google ones.
4. Use Your Gym CRM System
Let your clients know in personalized messages, what attractions await on the occasion of summer in your gym.
5. Use Your Website
While integrated with other IT tools, your website is an ideal place to put information about seasonal events. You can make it for example in the “news” section.
Let the clients know about the promotions and events that you prepare. Don’t let them forget you for the summer period!
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FAQ
People often stop working out in the summer because schedules get busy with vacations, outdoor events, and family commitments. Many might feel they can stay active outdoors rather than sticking to group fitness training or yoga classes at the gym. Additionally, those who paid an annual fee might question the cost if they’re not fully using it, especially if free fitness training options or outdoor basketball courts feel more appealing. For others, the fitness journey can lose momentum due to health or financial priorities, with some redirecting their money to seasonal experiences instead.
Summer gym promotions can be very beneficial, especially when strategically timed around July and August. They often encourage people to log more workouts by offering discounts on fitness classes or access to facilities, appealing to a wide range of members. High school summer programs are also popular, helping students stay active and build good habits early. Well-planned summer promotions can boost attendance and engagement, keeping gyms vibrant even in quieter months.
The best summer gym promotion combines flexible pricing to help clients save and special access to facilities. Offering discounts for memberships purchased in July and August encourages new sign-ups, especially when tied to a specific end date, creating urgency. Tailoring these deals to highlight facility perks, like premium equipment or unique classes, makes the gym, club or personal trainers more attractive during the summer.
