Loyal clientele is key for fitness centers such as gyms and studios. Not only must fitness clubs gain new clientele, they need to be hyperfocused on keeping repeat customers.
These repeat customers are our Modern Fitness Gurus. When joining a fitness club, these gurus want to know when classes and special events are. They want to be properly updated when their class has a last minute change. They want to be inspired to keep running when their legs just want to give up. They want a gym experience that connects them to the fitness community and inspires them to lead a healthy lifestyle.
So how can gyms meet these seemingly lofty needs? Simply, they need to communicate.
Fitness clubs and gyms must communicate class schedules, events and announcements, health tips, workout motivation and entertaining media to their customers.
Currently, fitness centers are using a wide range of channels to reach their customers. Most gyms use websites, email newsletters, and paper bulletin boards to announce class schedules and hours. Some gyms use TVs with cable to entertain elliptical users. Most studios and fitness clubs use social media to show current client stories and health and fitness tips.
However, these communication routes do not reflect our Modern Fitness Guru’s preferred networks.The modern gym go-er or pilates-studio-enthusiast or boxing-aficionado is not just an active member of the fitness world, they’re an active member of the digital world and the digital world is constantly evolving.
For these fitness clubs and gyms, communication can be easily upgraded using digital displays. The best part: most clubs already have the content and the screens to implement digital displays. With a plug and play solution, clubs can modernize their facilities and studios faster than the average abs class.
Digital displays offer a wide range of benefits for fitness clubs and gyms. Here we have outlined the top reasons for fitness clubs to go digital:
- Relevant Entertainment Content
Have you ever been on the treadmill, listening to Shakira workout music, watching a rerun soap opera on the TV screen in front of you, when WHAM – a commercial comes on advertising the most delicious looking cheeseburger you’ve ever laid eyes on. Not only was this ad torturous to endure, it was also highly irrelevant to its health-conscious audience .
With a digital signage solution, treadmill-runners can be shown inspirational fitness tips, custom RSS feeds, workout video suggestions, and even ads for relevant products like a kale salad or fashionable sneakers. Digital displays focus on providing relevant visuals since most gym goers listen to their own music and podcasts anyway – BYOA (Bring your own audio).
Digital displays can also cater to specific audiences throughout the day. For those before-work workouts, screens can show morning inspiration and help clients get in the right mindset to start their day. For evening workouts, screens can show the nightly news and stretching tips to help people relax and unwind after their day.
2. Advertising Opportunity
Gyms and fitness clubs can also sell ad space on screens to local advertisers that are looking to reach a health-conscious audience. Think vegan protein powder or the boutique fitness gear store around the corner. Advertisers will love the ability to directly reach an ultra-engaged audience and your clients will appreciate the end of out-of-place cheeseburger ads.
3. Gamify Workouts
Gamification is a trend sweeping marketing everywhere. The concept is simple; marketers create competitions or games where clients compete. The winner? Your company since clients who compete will feel more involved and therefore more loyal to your brand.
Gamifying workouts can happen in an infinite amount of ways. Maybe you want to show off your clients who’ve attended over 100 classes. Or, you can let weightlifters submit their number of reps to see a live leaderboard over the course of the week. Allowing customers to engage via games and competitions will stop your clients from debating whether or not to get up in the morning and renew their gym membership and start getting them excited to beat the most recent high score.
4. Get Social
Our Modern Fitness Guru is all over social media. They are Snapchatting on the way to their workout, checking-in on Facebook when they arrive at their workout and then Instagramming during their workout. Social media is a major channel of communication and also a great way to build a community around your fitness club.
With digital displays, fitness clubs can display their Instagram feeds or other social media walls. With an Instagram app for digital displays, you can have your clients recent #Fitspiration posts displayed in your gym or studio reception area. This is especially effective for specialty classes like boxing, pilates, yoga and barre. Clients love sharing the new, unique class they just took and you’ll love the free advertising your clients give you on their social accounts.
5. Wayfinding and Safety
Safety is always a top priority for any physical fitness space. With digital displays, its easy and effective to display tips on how to use machines and properly stretch before and after workouts. Digital displays can also be used to show class information and can be updated instantly for any last minute class cancellations or instructor changes.
Fitness clubs will also find digital screens to be convenient for displaying wayfinding information to help new clients navigate a fitness club and feel comfortable during their first few workout sessions. For gym newbies, it can be intimidating to find the right machines or the right class and take the first steps (literally) on their new journey to fitness. But, when your clients feel comfortable and safe in your fitness club, you can be sure they will become loyal to your brand and stick with your community for their workouts to come.
6. Promote Upcoming Events or Special Deals
Digital displays let you tell your clients about upcoming events and special deals you’re offering. Talk about your upcoming 4-for-1 class pack deal while clients wait to start their class. Or, create a video about the running club your gym started and promote it on your treadmill-facing screens. The digital displays allow you to customize your offerings and make sure your specials and events are in front of the right sets of eyes.
Overall, using digital screens means a more connected fitness space – connected to your online presence and connected to your customers at your location. You can easily cater and update content to meet the ever-changing needs of your audience. And most importantly, you can communicate with your fitness club gurus and build up a community of loyal clientele.
If you’d like a demo to see how digital signage can upgrade your fitness space and help you build your fitness community, contact us here!