https://wealthygymowners.com/

Strategies for Effective Gym Marketing in 2026

In this presentation, Doug discusses the future of marketing for brick and mortar gyms in 2026, focusing on what will and won't work. He emphasizes the importance of understanding your local market radius and using precise targeting over broad, shotgun approaches. He critiques the use of AI for lead follow-up and automatic replies, advising against vanity metrics like likes and views. Instead, he advocates for face-to-face engagements, leveraging Google reviews, refining social media content with real client testimonials, and employing a three-pronged follow-up strategy of calls, texts, and emails. Doug provides detailed tactics for generating local leads through workshops, referrals, gift basket outreach, and community engagement, while stressing the importance of consistency, volume, and using marketing budgets wisely. The ultimate goal is to nurture a flywheel effect, where multiple strategies collectively drive business growth.

00:00 Introduction and Context
04:43 Marketing in 2026: What Won't Work
06:52 The Power of Local Marketing
10:00 Optimizing Online Presence
20:03 The Flywheel Concept in Marketing
25:20 Effective Social Media Strategies
30:36 Email and Text Marketing
35:25 Effective Communication Strategies
36:59 Case Study: Boosting Lead Conversion
39:19 Generating Referrals: Strategies and Tips
45:14 Business Relationships and Local Marketing
59:02 Tracking and Optimizing Marketing Efforts
01:04:11 Closing Thoughts and Final Advice