Fact: Marketing is hard.
We’ve all struggled with the best ways to reach prospective members and how to craft the perfect ad that will sing to the hearts and minds of potential/future members in your area.
Marketing can be hard but it’s part of running a successful business.
People can’t contact you or join you if they don’t know you exist. So you have to reach them somehow (Facebook, Google ads, Instagram, flyers, events, etc).
But the question is… are you fully utilizing one of your greatest marketing resources – your own members?
Nothing speaks louder to prospects then your own members raving about you and your services. So give them every opportunity to market for you. Here’s how:
- Get reviews whenever you can. By playing Bingo (with “write a review” as a center square). Ask drop-ins (face to face and/or with follow-on email) to review you by giving them the link to your google review or FB biz page. And finally, just ask your members directly to write a review. Let them know that they are a valued member in your community and you want to fill your box with people just like them and their review would help. Then, send them the direct link to your google review page (just google your gym and it’ll be on the right under your pictures), making it super easy for them.
- Reviews #2. Once you see reviews coming in, go and cut and paste their review, superimpose it on top of a picture of them (canva.com is GREAT for this and FREE) and then post that on your Instagram, FB Biz page, group page and even website (under testimonials). Now you’re bragging about your member and letting them brag about your box.
- Bingo. If you haven’t played Bingo in your box, you’re missing out on a prime opportunity to have your members market for you. Not only can you get reviews out of it (see #1 above) but you can make some squares such as “post a selfie of yourself on your timeline and tag Gym XYZ” or “tag the box on social media after a partner workout”. There is a great template on The Hub for a bingo card. Just change the logo and tweak the boxes and give your members a month to get as many bingos as possible and do random drawings for gift cards for winners. 🙂
- Put pics directly on members timelines. Many boxes put pics in their private group but these groups are usually just current members. You want to speak to those who haven’t checked you out yet. Take a good pic, put it directly on a members timeline with “Great job today!” and tag your location. Not only do you get to throw some motivation at a hard working member but your post will be seen by all their friends and family, folks you want to check out your gym. This is one of the BEST, but most overlooked ways of marketing.
- Provide a great service and love your members. Just by doing these two core things, your members will rave about you all on their own.
Again, marketing can be hard. By using your members and some easy strategies, you can not only make it more effective but have some fun with it as well!
This article was written by Don Moss, 321Go Business Coach.
Need resources to help with your marketing efforts? Check out the Hub.