You’ve probably spent a lot of time and effort on building your gym. From your equipment to your drip (that’s apparel for us older folk), you’ve spent countless hours working on your dream. But there’s a critical piece that deserves just as much, if not more attention: Your gym website.
Many times, your website is the very first impression a potential client is going to get about your business. And in case your momma didn’t tell you, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
What’s the impression you’re looking to make?
When a prospective member comes into your gym and you get the opportunity to show them around, they’ll be able to see what you’re all about. They’ll see the equipment and the people in your community, and they’ll feel the vibe of your culture.
Now imagine you never had the chance to meet with them face-to-face because they're only willing to check out your business online. For the time being, your website is the only representation of your business that you can provide to them. How will it show them what you can do for them?
Five Tips To Rock Your Gym Website.
Here are five things to include when designing a powerful, compelling website for your gym:
1. Keep It Simple.
Picture this: A prospective member comes to tour your gym. When they walk through the doors, they immediately trip over a pile of boxes, dumbbells and an inconveniently-placed GHD.
“I'm over here,” you shout from somewhere on the other side of the clutter.
It takes a hot minute for them to find you but when they do, you just start talking. Instead of asking anything about their background or goals, you just start listing all the reasons your gym is great.
If your gym website isn’t clean, professional and easy to navigate, you’re giving potential leads this unwanted experience online.
Start by keeping it simple: Tell them how you’re going to solve their problems. Get rid of the clutter, making it quick and easy for them to find the information they’re looking for. And remember, even though the vibe of your gym might be chill, don’t let that translate to “unprofessional” on your website. There are lots of ways to be authoritative, trustworthy and fun in a professional way.
2. Tell Them What To Do.
When someone visits your website, they’re looking for your expertise. They want clear direction on the steps it will take to reach their goals, and your CTA (call to action) should indicate that.
If they were taking a class, your coach wouldn’t ask them what they feel like doing that day. They’re paying your coaches to direct them from the very first step to the subsequent ones. So if the first step on their journey to becoming a member is to book a free intro, your CTA should be a big, bold “BOOK A FREE INTRO” button. From there, every page and section of your website should direct them to taking this action.
3. Get Their Digits.
The CTA on your gym website - and all the sections that direct people to it - should lead to one thing: Obtaining the lead’s contact info.
Whether they’re requesting membership rate info or filling out a form on the “Contact Us” page, you should (at minimum) get their full name, email and phone number.
This is imperative for the next step: Follow up. A few of your leads will immediately book an intro session, show up and sign up. For the rest (probably the majority), your follow-up process will be the difference between their membership at your gym or somewhere else.
We highly recommend automating your lead follow-up because, as Robert Schwartz, owner of All Fit Orlando says, “Sometime people have to see or hear or be in touch with you 50, 60, 70, 80, 100 times before they make a decisions to join your gym. So there’s no way one person can get a lead in and then remember to reach out to this person one week, thee weeks, one month, two months, three months out... It’s just impossible.”
Pro Tip: Want to learn more about automating your lead follow-up to save you time and increase conversion rates? Book a demo with the PushPress Grow team today!
4. Don’t Answer Questions They Didn’t Ask.
As a gym owner, you probably have a list of questions that you’ve been asked a million times over the years. Such as, how much does it cost? How many times a week should I work out? What are the best shoes for class? Why are thrusters so terrible?
Even though people have a plethora of questions that you have the answers to, you don’t have to provide them all on your website. Because if you answer every question, you’ve removed their reasons to contact you or walk through your doors.
In fact, you might have even given them an excuse they didn’t have before. For example, if they’re already trying to figure out how to budget for this investment in their health, talking about the knee sleeves, grips and weight belt they’ll need will only make them bounce.
5. Keep It Fresh.
Your gym website is only as good as its visibility. You can have the best website in the world but that means nothing if you’re not gaining visitors and converting leads.
Make sure to optimize your website for search engines. In other words, your goal is to help Google help people find you. The key is to provide relevant content to your target audience. It’s a process that’s absolutely worth the effort. Need help with this? The PushPress Grow team creates fully-optimized websites that are done for you!
You’ll also want to keep your content fresh. One of the best ways to do this - and to provide useful info for your members and leads - is with a gym blog. Publishing new blogs will keep people coming back to your site, and you can repurpose the content for your social media as well.
In Summary: Make Your Website So Fresh And So Clean Clean
Your website is often the first glimpse into your gym for a prospective member. Put in the effort to make an unforgettable first impression. Keep it clean, professional and easy to navigate. Give them a clear call to action and collect their information for adequate, automated follow-up. Don’t overwhelm them with answers to questions they didn’t ask. Consistently throw in some fresh content to help solve their problems and keep people coming back!
