Summer is quietly one of the hardest seasons to grow a gym. It's hot, everyone's outdoors, there's usually a big sporting tournament dominating the TV, and the last thing on anyone's mind is signing up somewhere new. Enquiries slow down, and the ones that do come in take longer to turn into members. It's a pattern most class-based gyms see every year, and it's rarely about interest dropping. It's about timing.
1. Bring a Friend Day
Give members a free trial class to bring a friend to. The reason this works better than most referral schemes is simple: your members are already the kind of person who trains hard and sticks around, so their friends tend to be similar people.
Timing matters more than most gyms think. Running it on a Thursday, near the end of the month, catches people just after payday, when "I should probably get fit too" is easier to say yes to. Adjust the day to whenever your local pay cycle actually falls; the principle is the same everywhere.
2. A HYROX simulation event
has exploded across Europe and is picking up fast in the US, and anyone training for one wants to rehearse the pacing and logistics before race day. Running a simulation event (same rough distances, same rough weights, open to the public) gives them exactly that.
Two things make this idea better than most: people expect to pay for it, so you're being paid to bring new leads through the door, and you can capture their details on the way in to follow up afterwards. Time it four to six weeks ahead of a real HYROX event in your region, and pair it with HYROX-style programming if you run any, so the follow-up offer is obvious rather than generic.
3. Local business partnerships
Pair up with businesses near you: a café, a physio, a local shop, and swap discounts. It doesn't need to be complicated: 10% off, or a free week of classes, is enough to start. The value isn't really the discount; it's the trust: someone who already likes and visits that business is more receptive to a recommendation sitting on the counter than to a cold ad.
If you're a WodBoard gym, this is easier to keep visible than a stack of leaflets: create a Discounts folder in your Content Hub, add a file per partner business, and members can find it in the app any time. It also works quietly on retention, since nobody wants to cancel and lose their 10% off the bakery next door.
4. A recurring open day
Most gyms only run an open day once, when they first launch. It's worth bringing back once or twice a year, because it reaches people a normal trial class doesn't: the ones who are curious but intimidated by walking into a room full of people who clearly know what they're doing.
Keep it low-key: quiet gym, a couple of friendly coaches, no expectation that anyone trains. Show people around, ask what they're trying to achieve, and capture their name, email and number before they leave, ideally against a specific low-commitment offer like a two-week intro period rather than a full membership. A prize draw for a free month works well as the hook for handing over details.
5. Real-life, offline advertising
Digital marketing is measurable, which is exactly why most advertising budgets have piled into it and left offline space comparatively cheap and underused. A few options worth checking, depending on your local bylaws:
Billboards: pricier in big cities, often surprisingly affordable in smaller towns.
A street sign or sandwich board outside the gym, with the message changed regularly so regulars don't tune it out. A rotating, slightly funny daily line on a chalkboard is the version people actually stop and read.
Posters and stickers in high-footfall spots: check local rules first, since most require your details on them.
Leaflets: genuinely novel again now that almost nobody sends them. Something physical to hold stands out precisely because it's rare.
6. A free community-run club
Running is having a moment, largely on the back of HYROX, and a weekly or monthly run club is a low-cost way to ride that. Run it early in the week; a Monday or Tuesday evening works well, when people would otherwise be doing nothing, at an easy, conversational zone 2 pace, 5 to 8k. No charge, and open to members, their friends, and anyone local.
This is a top-of-funnel play, not a quick win: it takes months of consistent, repeated sessions before it converts into memberships, but it works because people get to know and like you before they ever consider joining. Finishing at a nearby café or pub helps it feel social rather than transactional. It's also a naturally seasonal idea: start it now while the evenings are still light, and let people migrate indoors to your gym as the weather turns later in the year.
7. An end-of-summer member barbecue
Invite members to bring a plus-one to a barbecue, ideally paired with a short, low-intensity partner or team workout to ease everyone back into routine after a summer of disrupted schedules. It's an easy, low-pressure way for a guest to get exposed to your community without the intimidation of a normal class, and it's genuinely good for retention, since members reconnect with people they only ever see in passing at different class times.
Charging a small fee for food (members and guests) keeps it simple to run. It's also worth asking members directly if they'd like to contribute; a member who plays guitar or has a skill to show off usually says yes, and it costs you nothing but a thank-you.
How to make any of these stick
Before you run any of these, three things are worth getting right:
Pick one, not all seven. Choose something you can set up within a week or two and measure quickly.
Ask members to help. Most are glad to be involved, and it costs you nothing but a thank-you.
Write down every step the first time you run it. Turn it into a simple checklist, so the same idea takes a fraction of the effort the second time around.
George and Viv go into more of the reasoning behind these seven on The Gym Owner's Manual podcast.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best low-budget marketing idea for gyms in summer? A Bring a Friend Day is usually the easiest starting point. It costs nothing, uses trust you've already built with existing members, and can be set up within a week.
Is a community-run club worth it if it doesn't convert people straight away? Yes, but treat it as a long-term play rather than a quick win. It typically takes several months of consistent sessions before it meaningfully feeds into memberships, so it works best as a background activity you run every week rather than a one-off.
Do offline marketing ideas like posters and leaflets still work? They can, particularly because so few businesses use them now, which makes them stand out. Always check local rules on posters, stickers and signage before you start, since most areas require your details on anything displayed publicly.
If chasing enquiries and running events is eating into time you'd rather spend coaching, see how WodBoard's membership and automation tools can take the admin off your plate, or book a demo to see it in action.