Complete winter fitness guide for fitness professionals

The days are getting shorter, the temperatures are dropping, and your members would rather curl up on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate than sweat it out at the gym.

Sound familiar?

For you as a fitness entrepreneur, winter is the ultimate challenge: how do you keep your members motivated and prevent them from falling into a winter slump? 💤

Don’t worry, we’ve got your back!

This winter guide is divided into 3 sections:

1. Smartly leveraging the holiday season in winter
2. Recruiting new members in the cold season
3. Creating a plan for the coming year

1. Smartly leveraging the holiday season in winter 🎄

The holidays are the perfect opportunity not only to connect with your current members but also to attract new ones.

With a bit of creativity, you can use the festive atmosphere to strengthen your community and give your revenue a boost.

Make your gym the ultimate holiday destination with smart campaigns, challenging activities, and personalized actions. This way, your members will feel appreciated and special! 🎁

Holiday fitness campaigns that really work

Use the festive cheer to surprise and motivate your members. These campaigns are perfect for activating your current clients and recruiting new members:

🎄 Christmas Gift Challenge

Give yourself the best gift: a fitter, healthier body!

Organize a 4-week Christmas challenge where members can participate in group classes, personal training, or a customized plan. Everyone who joins gets a small Christmas gift, like a shaker, a Christmas ornament with your logo, or a free intake session.

Make it extra fun with a contest: participants have a chance to win a month of free training in January!

❄️ New Year, New Me Package

Help your members achieve their New Year’s resolutions!

Offer a special package with a free intake session, a personalized training plan, and a discount on the first month of membership or PT sessions.

🎁 Give a Christmas Gift

Motivate members and their friends and family to buy fun merchandise from you.

Encourage members to purchase gift certificates or merchandise for family or friends, such as:

• A month of free training
• Personal training session
• Fun water bottle or fitness towel

🛒 Festive Upsell Promotion

Entice your members with smart bundles.

For example, put together a “Winter Warrior Pack” with protein shakes, a water bottle, and a discount on personal training. Or give a free personal training session with a 6-month membership.

✨ Share and Inspire

Decorate the Christmas tree with members’ best wishes and goals.

Bring an extra dose of atmosphere and connection with a special Christmas activity: a wish and goal tree!

Set up a large, festive Christmas tree in a central spot in your gym or studio. Decorate it with lights and create a cozy, inviting look.

Let members write down their fitness goals or Christmas wishes and hang them on the tree, such as: “Achieve my first pull-up!” or “Keep moving during the holidays!”

Festive challenges

During Christmas and the holidays, it’s perfect to strengthen your community with fun and motivating challenges!

Consider a “12 Days of Fitness” challenge, where members complete a small task or workout each day, such as a number of squats, a walk, or a healthy meal.

Or organize a team challenge, where members earn points by training, achieving goals, or motivating others. These challenges not only provide extra motivation during a busy period but also strengthen mutual connections.

Curious how such a challenge might look? We’ve already prepared an example for you, so you can get started full of inspiration! 🎅💪

Example 12-day challenge (countdown to Christmas)

We’re all fans of advent calendars – you see them everywhere, even TikTokis full of them. So how fun would it be to bring this concept to your gym?

Perfect to keep them motivated during the holidays, strengthen the community, and give the gym an extra festive vibe!

Holiday content for your marketing

To stand out during the holidays, it’s essential to go beyond clichés like “burning off calories after Christmas dinner.”

Here are strategies that truly make an impact:

1. Personal storytelling: “How do you stay fit during the holidays?”

• Why it works: People connect more deeply with real stories than with generic tips. Have your trainers and members share their personal strategies for staying active despite the holiday bustle.
• How to execute:
  • Film a short video where a trainer or member talks about their favorite holiday snack and how they stay active.
  • Include practical tips and finish with a call-to-action (e.g., a trial class or challenge).

2. Workout series: “20-minute workouts during Christmas”

• Why it works: Short, effective workouts are perfect for this busy period.
• How to make it practical:
  • Create a 3-part video series with 20-minute workouts (upper body, lower body, cardio).
  • Use minimal equipment so members can do it at home or with family.
  • Share the videos through your newsletter, social media, or as exclusive content in your app.

3. Smart lead magnet: a holiday survival guide

• Why it works: People seek balance during the holidays without feeling like they have to give up everything.
• Content:
  • Short workouts that can be done without equipment.
  • Finding balance: Tips on enjoying a Christmas dinner without overeating.
• How to implement:
  • Offer the lead magnet as a free download via social media or a newsletter.
  • Use it as a lead magnet for new members through your website or campaign.

4. Themed group classes: more than just Christmas sweaters

• Unique twist: Give group classes a genuine theme that aligns with your gym.
  • For a boutique studio: “Yoga in the Snow” (artificial snow, soft lighting, relaxing music).
  • For a strength-focused gym: “Santa’s Bootcamp” – high-energy with exercises like sled pushes (Santa’s sleigh!) and kettlebell swings (lifting gifts).
  • For spinning: “Christmas Night Ride” with festive lights and a dynamic playlist.

Our personal favorite! 🤫

One of our personal favorites is sending handwritten Christmas cards! 📨

Sending personal Christmas cards is a simple yet highly effective way to get your gym noticed during the holidays. Many people love Christmas cards and proudly display them on their mantlepiece, windowsill, or fridge, meaning your card will be in their home where they see it every day.

Send your members a personal Christmas card thanking them for the past year. Mention something specific, like how often they’ve worked out, their progress, or just their positive energy.

Consider adding a small gift, such as a free PT session, a fitness check in January, or a voucher for a shake or snack at the gym. This small gesture shows you appreciate them and builds their loyalty.

Don’t forget your leads– people who have shown interest but haven’t yet joined.

Send them a card with a message like “We miss you!” and offer something exclusive, such as a free trial class, an intake session, or an attractive discount on their first membership.

This is a subtle yet personal way to get back on their radar and motivate them to join your gym.

2. Attracting new members in the winter

Winter, especially January, is the prime time to attract new members.

People are motivated by New Year’s resolutions and want to start the year strong.

Here are some examples and tips for attracting new members:

Start now, pay from January

The winter months are a time when many people postpone their resolutions until January, but you can already convince them to start moving with an attractive offer to start exercising now.

Offer new members the chance to start training immediately while only paying from January. This lowers the barrier and gives them a head start on their resolutions.

Promote the offer via social media, a newsletter, and posters.

Make sure to clearly communicate that this offer is temporary, for example: “Sign up before [day/date] and start right away!”

By adding a deadline, you create urgency and scarcity, increasing the likelihood that people will take immediate action.

6-week winter challenge

A short, results-oriented challenge is an ideal way to introduce new members to your business and keep them motivated during the cold months.

Create a program where participants work towards a specific fitness goal, such as fat loss, strength building, or endurance, over 6 weeks.

Combine 2 guided group classes per week with a training schedule, making it achievable and accessible for everyone.

Start the challenge with an intake session to measure metrics like body fat percentage, weight, or strength, and conclude with a measurement to show progress.

Promote the program with a clear price, for example €75-€197, and emphasize the results participants can expect: “Stay strong and fit during the winter!”

Winter trial month deal

It’s important to lower the threshold to convince new members to join your gym.

Offer a special trial month during the winter, for example for €25, allowing new members to train unlimited.

Make sure the deal is available for a limited time, such as “Only valid in December,” to encourage immediate action.

Use social media to highlight the benefits of this deal, such as “Try our gym in December for just €25 and start your fitness journey!”

Make it clear that there is no obligation after the trial period.

This helps persuade hesitant individuals to take the plunge and gives you the chance to convince them to join after the trial month.

Winter events and challenges

Winter is the perfect time to attract new members with fun, sporty activities that tap into New Year’s resolutions and the need for movement during the dark months.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Skating Together. Plan an afternoon at the local ice rink. Invite members to bring friends or family. Start with a warm-up to prevent injuries and end with hot chocolate (or a protein version) and a group photo.
• Winter Running Club. Start a weekly running club to exercise outdoors in the cold weather. Members and non-members can run in the fresh air with different level groups. Finish with hot tea or coffee at the gym and a discount voucher for participants.
• Train & Hot Chocolate. Organize a winter boot camp with challenging circuits and functional training in the cold weather. After the workout, offer hot chocolate and a chance to network. Invite members to bring a guest to exercise outdoors.
• Winter Wellness Workshop. Plan a wellness afternoon focused on relaxation and recovery during the cold months. Include yoga, stretching, and mindfulness aimed at stress management. Encourage members to bring a friend to enjoy the fresh air.
• New Year’s Party. Host a New Year’s party in early January. Invite members and guests for a short group workout, like HIIT or yoga. Offer guests a free trial class or a discount on the first membership.

New Year campaigns ✨

The start of the new year is the perfect time to attract new members. Here are some concrete campaign ideas to leverage New Year’s resolutions:

• Kickstart package: Offer an intake session, personalized workout routine, and two personal trainer sessions. Promote this winter activity at the local gym and on social media, valid until January 15.
• New Year, New You offer: Provide 50% off registration or a free trial month. Share via newsletters, social media, and ads: “Start today!”
• Success stories: Share inspiring member progress from last January with photos and quotes. Encourage new goals for the year.
• Bring-a-friend campaign: Invite members to bring a friend to the local gym with rewards like a free personal trainer session if the friend joins.
• No excuses campaign: Motivate with a “No excuses, just results” message and energetic winter activity videos.

Seasonal marketing for winter

Winter is great for promoting indoor workouts and collaborations that meet athletes’ needs during the cold months.

Host indoor spinning marathons with winter themes like ‘Tour de Alpe d’Huez’ or offer indoor running sessions to improve technique and stamina.

Partner with local sports clubs for strength and conditioning training using resistance bands during their winter break.

Winter challenge circuits, like ski- and snowboard-inspired strength workouts, are also perfect.

For outdoor runners, offer guided winter runs with tips on safe physical activity in the cold.

3. Planning for next year

“Summer bodies are made in the winter” – a saying that resonates with fitness entrepreneurs.

Winter isn’t just a season of cold and holidays; it’s the prime time for setting goals and fostering growth. ❄️

Here are a few things you can tackle during the winter:

Optimize your facilities and processes

This is the perfect time to organize behind the scenes and prepare for new members while keeping current ones happy.

Check your inventory to ensure popular items like energy bars, smoothies, and merchandise are fully stocked.

Assess your facilities, especially heating, and consider upgrades like energy-efficient appliances or LED lighting.

Review your processes to eliminate issues with registration, booking, or outdated software.

Consider tools like Virtuagymfor smoother operations, from payments to schedule management.

Lastly, plan for the future: ensure contracts with suppliers and trainers are up to date.

Team training and planning

A strong team is the key to success during the busy winter months💪 Ensure your staff is ready for peak hours and unexpected surges by investing in training and planning now.

Organize training sessions where your team learns how to warmly welcome customers, offer smart upsells (like personal training, group classes, or nutrition advice), and keep members motivated to continue coming.

Have them practice handling feedback and recognizing customer needs to elevate the customer experience.

A clear and efficient schedule is essential. Peak times like January demand smart staffing plans to ensure your gym is well-manned while keeping your team energized.

No one benefits from an overworked trainer! Use tools like Virtuagym to keep schedulesorganized and flexible, allowing you to quickly adapt to changes.

Reflect and evaluate

Look back on your campaigns, events, and programs.

What actions really worked, and where can you make adjustments? What brought in the most new members, and which programs fostered the strongest engagement?

Not sure? Ask your members! A short survey can easily gather feedback on what they like and what can be improved.

Consider questions like:

• Which classes do they enjoy the most?
• Are they satisfied with the guidance?
• Where do they see opportunities for improvement?

Insights from this surveyprovide concrete steps to start the new year even stronger.

Set goals for the coming year

Looking forward with a fresh perspective – that’s what winter is for. Set concrete goals for revenue growth, member retention, and expanding your offerings.

Focus on SMART goals that provide direction:

1. Revenue Growth: Increase monthly revenue by 10% by launching new group classes in Q1.
2. Member Retention: Reduce churn by 15% through personal check-ins, improved onboarding, and Virtuagym’s retention planner.
3. Innovation: Launch an online platform with on-demand training and nutrition advice by June.

Marketing planning for the coming year

A successful year starts with a smart and well-thought-out plan.

Winter is the time to look ahead and develop a marketing strategy that will bring in new members and keep existing ones engaged all year long.

By setting up your marketing calendar now, you can budget efficiently and ensure your website, social media, and newsletters perfectly align with your goals. This way, you start the year prepared and remain visible and relevant throughout.

Conclusion

Winter is the time to give your gym a boost and prepare yourself as an entrepreneur for the new year.

Take a moment to reflect on what you want to achieve and where you can improve—whether it’s better planning, trying new classes, or strengthening your team.

Start small, tackle a few impactful tasks, and let go of the rest. It doesn’t have to be perfect, as long as you keep moving forward.

Ultimately, it’s about being ready for your members and strengthening yourself as an entrepreneur.