Climbing Gym Marketing: Turn Buyers Into Loyal Customers
Community building and goal programs are a fun climbing gym marketing strategy that both support current customers and turn day pass buyers into loyal customers. There's a lot of room to be creative in a program like this. Start by encouraging your employees to get involved. If they are excited, you'll soon find your customers following a suit.
Here are 4 steps to creating a climbing gym goal program:
1. Climbing Gym Marketing: Get Started
Your first steps are to name your program and announce it both in-house and through your outbound marketing channels. Come up with a fun hashtag to promote on social. Then, print paper flyers, post notices around the gym, send an email to your segmented email list with all details to prompt customers to take action.
2. Foster Healthy Community Competition
Dedicate a wall or poster board to the program, and incorporate a way to show your climbers' progress. A 'mountain to climb' is a simple metaphor to turn into an image and makes it easy to post goals at different levels on the mountain. Give members cutouts to write their name on, or use photos, and pin them on the board at the appropriate levels. Including an 'encouragement' section where climbers can write supportive messages and tips keeps things fun and upbeat.
3. Create a Reward Based Goal Structure
Set and post goals based on beginner, intermediate, and advanced climbing levels. Or consider creating a personalized goal program for customers taking classes or working with trainers. Once a goal is met, reward your climbers with a small gift or a one-time discount. Depending on your gym there are so many fun prizes to offer, from power bars to water bottles, merchandise and membership fee discounts, even having their photo posted on a program wall or being featured in a social media post. Mix up discounts and gifts at varying goal levels to keep your climbers motivated.
Depending on your gym there are so many fun prizes to offer, from power bars to water bottles, merchandise and membership fee discounts, or having their photo posted on a program wall and getting featured in a social media post. Mix up discounts and gifts at varying goal levels to keep your climbers motivated.
4. Spread the Word Together
Now that you've created your program, it's time to encourage your members to share with their online community. All social posts, e-communications, and printed material (like signs, brochures, posted charts etc.) should include your gyms social icons and the program hashtag with a call to action.
Your website and appropriate digital advertising should clearly display easy ways to share information about the program, celebrate when goals are met, and encourage other program participants. Most importantly, keep inspiring your customers to push themselves and have fun!
Need a little more help devising and implementing your marketing strategy? Get in touch with HARNESS here.
