No matter what you may hear these days, the fact remains – email marketing is far from dead.
Digital marketers do indeed take into account search engine and social media advertising. However, email marketing is still a great low-cost, direct way to create a relationship with your existing members and keep them in the loop about special offers and promotions.
The email marketing tips below can help you start your own marketing programme to benefit your fitness facility.
1. Get those email addresses
According to a 2012 Blue Kangaroo study, 70 percent of people report that they have redeemed a coupon or offer they’ve received via email. Email marketing is so effective because you’re communicating with people who are already interested in and know about the topic at hand.
Train your staff to ask for email addresses when new members register. To collect existing members’ email addresses, put a sign-up sheet at the front desk and have staff ask members to leave their email addresses for the latest updates.
Be sure to let your members know what they are signing up for. Nutrition tips, gym and class schedule updates and limited time offers are great pieces of information to share with members via email.
2. Find a reputable email service provider
It’s important to work with a trusted email service provider. Not only do email service providers make sending out emails easier, but they can also be great partners in ensuring that you maintain important Spam Act 2003 laws.
Service providers like MailChimp or Constant Contact provide in-depth reporting and statistics so you can see if members are reading your emails and engaging with your content.
3. Create a clear layout
It’s easy to want to include a lot of information in your first email, but the “KISS” (keep it simple, stupid) method works best in email marketing. Keep your layout simple and make sure your message is brief and to the point. Long rambling emails run the risk of going unread.
It’s also important to provide an offer or call to action for readers. For example, if your facility is offering a limited-time personal training or tanning deal, include a link in the email so readers can sign up right away.
4. Give your members a way out
Inbox clutter from colleagues, staff, friends, family, and companies can be overwhelming, so give readers a way to unsubscribe from your email communications if they no longer wish to receive them. Also make sure that you’re being respectful of how often you’re distributing member emails – there absolutely is such thing as too much communication.
5. Track your results
It’s important to always know the return on investment on your marketing efforts. Your email service provider should give you a report of statistics that will allow you to make more informed marketing decisions and optimise each email. Here are a few key terms you’ll want to be familiar with as you start your email marketing journey:
Open Rate: The percentage of members who opened your email. To calculate open rate, divide the number of members who opened your email by the total number of emails that were sent. A 20 percent open rate is a great goal.
Click-Through Rate (CTR): How many people clicked on your call to action. Aim for a CTR of two to three percent.
Opt Outs: It’s important to pay attention to how many members opt out, or unsubscribe, from receiving future emails. The opt-out rate is a great way to track if you’re emailing too often or sending material that doesn’t engage your readers. If opt outs start rise above one percent, then it may be time to go back to the drawing board and re-evaluate your marketing plan.
With some careful planning, email marketing can generate more business for your gym and improve the relationship between you and your facility members.
Get started today by downloading three ready-made email marketing templates made exclusively for fitness professionals.
Article written and supplied by Precor Australia.