Attract more customers to your gym and increase your memberships with a referral program. Bringing in new business is always the most challenging part of running your gym, and a referral strategy can help you maintain a steady flow of new members.Focus on providing your fitness community with quality equipment, stellar instructors, and exciting classes to get them motivated, and they will do the hard work for you. Referral programs are proven to work and provide some easy, low-cost advertising to incorporate into your fitness marketing strategy.Why do I need a referral program?Referrals are incredibly important to the health of your fitness business, and some of the most valuable leads you can get. Sixty-five percent of new business comes directly from referrals, as most customers trust word-of-mouth recommendations over any other form of advertising.Your loyal gym lovers might share how much they love your gym without the extra motivational push that a referral program provides. However, creating a referral program that rewards members who bring their friends can get everyone involved —not just your raving fans.Incentives for your gym’s referral programA referral program can help with the long-term success of your business. The lifetime value of a new customer who has been referred by an existing member is 16% higher than a new customer without a referral, meaning more money and time spent in your gym and on your merchandise.Use the following strategies to incentivize members or new customers to invite their friends:

• Join with a friend discount. Offer discounts or bonus rewards when they join with a friend such as, “10% off your membership when you join with a friend” or a “Give $10, get $10” bonus for you and a friend when they join. Get creative with your deals and group discounts.

• Offer guest passes to your members. This gets more people into your gym, trying your equipment, and becoming part of your fitness culture. The guests will get a taste of how your gym runs and once they are in the door, it’s up to you to provide a world-class fitness experience.

• Free one-on-one fitness session. Partner with your personal trainers and fitness instructors to offer an exciting one-on-one training session when you get a referral.

• Earn bonus reward points for referrals. Give your members a way to rack up points for each referral so they can spend it on cool branded swag, recovery drinks, or other fitness products inside your gym.

• Group fitness discounts. Get your members moving and feeling great with their friends. Offer group fitness discounts or free sessions with a referral. Make it fun and engaging for your members to actively participate with the community while getting their friends involved.

Spread the word and promote your programFor your referral program to be successful, you need to spread the word and let your members know they can earn cool rewards for bringing their friends. You can promote your new program with in-store signage, social media, or blog content. Get the word out there that you want your members to bring their friends, and they can get rewarded for it. If they don’t know, they won’t feel inspired to do so.Get ready to grow your fitness brand, extend your reach, and attract even more members with UpSwell. Our hyper-local marketing professionals are experts in the fitness industry and are ready to help propel your business forward. Contact us today to get started!