Advertising your group fitness classes doesn’t have to cost a penny.
As 2024 is just around the corner, people across the country will soon be searching for ways to get active as they commit to get fit.
As a group exercise instructor offering classes, one of the most significant challenges you may face is getting the word out about your services. Advertising can be costly, however the good news is that there are so many ways you can advertise your classes for free.
In this blog post, we explore three places where you can showcase your classes without spending a single penny.
1. Get posting on social
Social media platforms are one of the most obvious places to post information about your classes. You can create a business page or group where you share information about your classes, as well as special offers and announcements.
But before you hit the ‘Post’ button, there are some things you need to know. For example, did you know only 8% of group exercise participants find out about classes from X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok? Whereas 26% of people find out about classes from Facebook and Instagram.
So before you think about opening more accounts and posting on all of them, stop and think – do I need to do this? Use your time more wisely and focus on the platforms more likely to convert into members.
You can find more data about participant behaviours in our new resource here.
2. You local community
A great piece of advice is “Go where the people go”. People are out of the home a lot, whether working, shopping, socialising, and more. This means you cannot solely rely on social media to advertise your classes.
Many cities, towns and villages will have community noticeboards where residents can share information about events, businesses, and services in the area. These might be in supermarkets, libraries, and coffee shops.
It’s really important to chat with local businesses too. By talking and connecting with them, you’re opening up promotional avenues which could include:
- Flyers in their kitchen/break area
- Poster on staff notice boards
- A section in a staff newsletter
Most local areas will also have a ‘what’s on’ website or similar. Not just for theatre and events listings, these sites can be utilised for listing your classes – especially useful in January.
Although some may offer premium listings, free listings will also be an option.
Why list on here? When it comes to beginners searching for exercise, many people won’t know what class they want to do. They may not be familiar with HIIT or know the difference between Pilates and yoga. Listing your classes on more general websites opens you up to being found by those unsure about what they might like or need.
Find your local what’s on website by typing ‘What’s on near me’ into your preferred search engine.
3. Utilise the best advertising – your members!
Yep, that’s right! Your members are the best form of advertising you could ask for.
When they walk out of class smiling – that’s advertising.
When they share a story of something funny that happened in class – that’s advertising.
When they say hi to newbies and make them feel welcome – that’s advertising.
The more welcome and cared for you make your members feel, the more likely they are to organically talk about you and your classes outside of the sessions they attend.
A whopping 32% of people find out about group exercise classes via word of mouth. That’s friends, family, and/or colleagues spreading the word about the classes they love.
Your current class member are your fans. They’re your brand ambassadors. They come to your classes because they want to and because they like you.
The happier your current clients are, the more likely they are to be brand promoters and speak favourably about your business at every opportunity. To make sure positive word of mouth spreads, keeping your current members happy, healthy, and engaged is a key business objective.
Want to find out two really easy ways to keep your members happy? Download our free resource here.
And now, it’s over to you…
So there you have it, three places and ways you can advertise your classes for free in January and all year round. Make sure you take the time to do a little local research to be top of your promo game.
And don’t forget, you can get more top tips like these and learn how to manage your promo time more effectively in our new resource, 5 things you need to know about group ex participants (and what you can do with the info).
