Digital Marketing Ideas for Gyms with little Budget

Digital marketing is much more than just a trendy concept. The best marketing ideas have the potential to lead gyms to more recognition, clients and sales. However, when the budget is low, the best ideas and intentions may be nothing more than that.
There is no doubt that the expectation of gaining new clients through digital marketing is valid. However, the idea of having to spend hundreds or thousands of euros on websites, ads, graphic design, software or influencers can discourage the most optimistic manager. Undoubtedly, having money to invest can bring excellent results. Still, when it comes to digital marketing, there is a lot that can be done even when the budget is tight.  

Bet on Google MyBusiness

Google My Business is a great tool for promoting businesses locally. Plus, it’s free! All you need to do is build your business page on Google My Business and with time it will appear in Google’s search results for gyms.
Appearing in Google searches as well as Google Maps can give your gym the boost it needs to be found more easily by potential prospects. It can also impact people within your geographic area more consistently. Your clients can also leave reviews of the gym, which ends up being a very powerful way to get the word out about your business.  

Offer subscriptions for specific niches

The strategy behind this idea is to create subscription conditions according to a certain category of clients, such as:
• Students
• Couples
• Senior population
This allows you to spread the word about your gym to a wider demographic, creating an extra incentive of exclusivity for these people to want to get to know your gym better.  

Perfect your sales pitch

The window of opportunity to grab people’s attention is very short. So you need to have your sales pitch well tuned to make a positive and persuasive impact. The key is to know what motivates the audience you want to impact. Are people looking for a lifestyle change? To lose weight? Or do they simply want simple and practical information to stay healthy? Anticipate the audience’s questions and have an empathic and approachable message in your relationship with people.  

Use storytelling

We have already shared here an article on how you can use storytelling to “convey a unique and unforgettable message, connecting in a much stronger way on an emotional level.” Tell a story that shows your level of expertise and how your gym is prepared to meet the prospect’s questions, challenges and expectations.  

Engage with the community

Managers often think of marketing as a large-scale, grand strategy. The truth is that its “goal” may lie precisely in thinking on a smaller scale and focusing on your local community.
When you think locally, you can create a closer and engaging message, rather than a cold and very “corporate” relationship. There are plenty of cases of gyms across the country that have had great success because they have focused on the needs and challenges of the local community.  

Publish high-quality content

Believe us, you don’t need to spend a fortune to create high-quality content for your prospects. Don’t know how to create videos on YouTube? You can learn and make simple videos but rich in information and content. Don’t think you are a gifted writer? You don’t have to be if you know how to give people the information they are looking for to improve their lives. Don’t have time to send emails? Instead of sending emails every day, set aside 1h of your week to create a weekly newsletter with information, exercise suggestions, etc. Can’t afford to hire influencers? Make short stories with people exercising in your gym.  In conclusion, if your gym doesn’t have a big budget to invest in digital marketing, you need to get creative. There is no doubt that money is a big help, but at the end of the day the success of a marketing campaign is in impacting the right people, with the right content. Why don’t you put some of these tips into practice? And, if you need more inspiration, be sure to take a look at our blog, with dozens of articles that will help you boost your gym’s digital marketing strategy… Without spending too much money 😉