Everyone to the Gym: A Knowledge Base for Creating SMS for Sports Centers and Fitness Clubs

SMS campaigns are an effective way to attract new clients and maintain loyalty among existing ones. They are the most convenient way to inform people about various events and promotions at your establishment. What SMS marketing for sports and fitness clubs is based on — read on.

Types of Fitness-Related Campaigns 

Announcement Campaign

The perfect foundation for an advertising campaign is the introduction of a new product, and it’s entirely possible to organize it with minimal organizational costs. This could be a new complementary service, such as acupuncture or taping after a workout. Or the start of a group focused on a specific activity, such as cardio training or Pilates.

What to write?

Offer a presale on memberships, a free trial class, or the opportunity to book at the best price.

Tip:

Explain unfamiliar terms — many consumers may not understand fitness jargon. Focus on the benefits. For example, in an SMS about taping, you could mention that taping relieves pain and relaxes overworked muscles.

Pre-Holiday Campaign

There are many special dates in the calendar, and many of them are perfect for fitness club SMS campaigns. Choose the most significant ones for your business. Consider nuances such as your main clientele, local traditions, etc.

For example, in some cities, people respond more actively to Christmas promotions than New Year’s offers. Or September 1st: the beginning of the school year isn’t seen as a celebration. However, if your facility is located near a university, you could use this in a marketing campaign to attract students and faculty to sports.

The anniversary of your fitness club or the opening of another location are also reasons for an SMS campaign.

What to write?

That a fitness studio membership is a great gift. You can help loved ones and friends take the first step toward their dream (like doing the splits, etc.).

Alternatively, it could be a gift certificate for a specific amount instead of a membership.

You could also offer a discount, a buy-one-get-one-free deal, or participation in a gift draw.

Tip:

Don’t overlook situational opportunities: the sports achievements of your city’s football team or the success of one of your trainers can also be used in a fitness club SMS campaign.

An offer like “Two memberships for the price of one” or “Bring a friend and get a discount” can also be effective.

Pre-Season Campaign

The tradition of “losing weight for summer” has sold hundreds of thousands of gym memberships. But it’s not just about summer: every season has its own advantages for dedicating extra attention to your body and health.

What to write?

Remind them that the next summer is closer than it seems, and that a good shape isn’t achieved in just one month. Or that autumn is the easiest time to start new things. Or that in the off-season, sports are the best way to combat emotional stress and colds.

Tip:

Regularly update your sending list. Should you send messages to former clients? It depends on where you work. If in a big city, then no. The person may have moved, and competition in large cities is fierce. In other cases, it’s worth a try.

However, it’s preferable to have feedback on why the person stopped attending. It’s not always due to a change in personal circumstances; the reason could be simple laziness or financial constraints. It could also be disappointment, lack of attention, or even a reaction to a careless word from an administrator.

Motivational Campaign

People don’t always go to the gym just to lose weight or build muscle. It might be the desire for additional social interaction, to meet interesting people, to release aggression, or to learn new skills…

And also: for a client to actually purchase a membership, they need to understand that the activities will fit harmoniously into their life. In other words, that they will be working out at a convenient time and in a convenient and safe place.

What to write?

• That workouts restore a sense of joy and help maintain calm.
• That through training, the person will definitely learn to sit in the lotus position.
• That your place is more than just a gym—it’s a place to recover.
• That the gym is located in a basement, or that it’s 50 meters to the nearest metro or shelter (important for countries with potential military conflicts).
• That you have an additional service — a kids’ room where you can leave a child over three years old while the mother works out.
• That the gym is open from 7 am, so you can focus on yourself before work or school.
• That you have especially attractive offers for full-time students, children, and pensioners.

Tip:

Make an offer where they can try different types of activities. This way, it’s easier for a person to find the sport that suits them. Or their trainer — each of us is influenced by personal perception.

Individual Campaign

These should be strictly business-related organizational messages for your current client. Anything related to their payment for classes, conditions, and gym visit schedules, etc. In such messages, it’s definitely appropriate to address clients by name.

What to write?

Inform them that their membership is activated or remind them that it’s about to expire. You can send reminders that a class is scheduled for tomorrow—provided the person has requested this service. Sometimes it’s more appropriate to send a monthly class schedule.

Notify them that tomorrow’s class will be conducted by another specialist. This shows respect for the client.

Tip

Personalized offers are definitely appropriate here. For example, for their 50th or 100th session at your club, or for the person’s birthday.

In Conclusion: 

From the beginning, work deeply with your customer database. To set it up, it’s better to seek help from professionals.

The simplest way is to divide the database into four groups: beginners, regular clients, occasional clients, and former clients. This allows you to tailor messages to specific groups and reduce the unsubscribe rate.

And always sell not just a membership but an investment in value — beauty, strength, safety, confidence, flexibility. And remind them that time invested in their health always pays off.