Automated drip campaigns for fitness centers and gyms

Since its inception, you have worked diligently to make your fitness center or gym a successful business.

By now, you’ve mastered the job’s many different demands and duties, and you juggle them all with poise and precision. Fitness coach, working the laundry machines, wiping down equipment, hiring manager, and marketing director—you do it all. And you make it look easy.

Not quite?

Being a business owner is all about balance. Sometimes, that means delegating. Or, in this case, automating. By setting up an automated campaign, you can nurture your leads and put valuable, engaging marketing into place without having to compromise on your business’s most precious commodity—time.

In fact, with the right segmenting and the right timing, you’ll be able to build loyalty and grow your sales with a single campaign in a single click.

What is a drip campaign?

A drip campaign is a type of text marketing automation that sends a series of pre-scheduled, pre-written text messages to your customer segments based on their behaviors, interests, gym membership type, etc.

These messages are built into a larger workflow, one that is automatically triggered by the actions of your audience—it could be they have just signed up for a fitness class, renewed their membership or even opted-in to a specific location.

How can they help gyms?

Now that you understand the basics, you can put one (or several) campaigns in motion. The best drip campaigns are built with two things: content and a well-segmented list of customers. Knowing your customers’ interests will help you tailor your messaging to them and create a targeted and engaging campaign.

Segment your audience based on fitness goals

Take, for instance, a customer segment based on fitness goals. You could group them into “gain muscle,” “lose weight,” or “improve stamina” and, from there, adjust your content accordingly.

This type of campaign is structured as a funnel, so your initial message should be very broad and general. For example, if you are speaking to customers whose fitness goals were to gain muscle, your first text could say:

The soft sell puts your brand into customers’ hands without being overbearing—it simply shows you know your stuff (and everyone needs a little nudge on Mondays). The second message should be slightly more targeted and speak more about your gym’s services:

The link could take the reader to content on your gym’s blog and detail both weightlifting exercises as well as machine exercises. This creates value for your gym by making you a source of information as well as a workout venue.

The final message (whether that’s the third, sixth, eleventh, or so on) should be your sales offer—a low-stakes commitment that doesn’t overwhelm your customer. It should be something like:

This should link to a landing page that was created for this specific segment and offer.

An important practice when you are implementing any campaign is to use trackable links. A trackable link gives you real-time insight into how many times your link is clicked.

Segment based on favorite workouts

Creating an audience segment based on fitness goals is just one strategy that can help you successfully sell a specific service (e.g., personal training services).

What if, say, the goal was to increase class attendance? You could segment your audience based on their favorite workout such as yoga, Pilates, spin, or boot camp, and target your messaging to each workout. For instance, if yoga was their workout of choice, then you could text:

The link should go to curated or self-created content that is helpful, but not overtly sales-y. YouTube is a great resource if you don’t have time to record anything yourself—just make sure it wasn’t made by one of your competitors.

Your second text in the campaign should be slightly more direct and, when you can, refer to blog posts or videos that come directly from your business. Consider something like:

The final text should always serve up the offer you created the campaign for. In this instance, it would be something along the lines of:

The link should go to an offer landing page that is specific to your segment.

Segment based on start date

Say your goal is to reengage with lapsing members or to maintain your attendance numbers.

Segmenting your audience by the month they joined or their membership type helps you keep track of when they are set to renew, when they will most likely fall off the wagon, and how you can rekindle their interest with specific, targeted content. The same old, “We miss you!” message won’t get you far.

Instead, you should reach out with low-impact information that offers some encouragement. For instance:

The second text should be slightly more targeted, though it should still steer clear of a hard sell. That should always be saved for the final message in the campaign. Instead, provide them with an article or some facts and figures.

The last text should make an offer that best captures your audience’s interests. In this case, it would be a general membership:

Segment based on location

If you are a franchise and have multiple locations, then consider segmenting your audience by their go-to location. You could use your campaign to promote the benefits of your specific location, such as events, classes, amenities, and instructors your members can’t find anywhere else.

The first text can speak to these highlights. Something like:

The link should take your reader to a list of classes and possibly a comments section that allows them to browse your course offerings and make suggestions. There shouldn’t be an offer on the page they are directed to. This first text in the campaign should just provide helpful information.

Given that these texts are scheduled, the second or third texts can speak to an upcoming event or special guest.

The final text can offer a general or specific offer—either a membership or class pass, depending on your goals. But remember, it should never be an all-in offer. Instead, propose something small as you continue to build a relationship.

Ready to automate your gym’s marketing efforts? SimpleTexting can help. Actually, we have an entire SMS marketing guide for gyms and fitness centers. 

Our robust features like segmenting and autoresponders can help you curate and schedule a drip campaign that’s perfect for your business. Best of all, it’s free to get started. No card, no kidding.