Holiday Fitness: Driving Member Engagement and Retention During the Festive Season

Dec 19, 2024 by Snap Fitness · Franchise
Holiday fitness fun with Snap Fitness members

Think about the holidays—you’re probably picturing a bunch of cookies, eggnog, and candy canes and not a whole lot of whey protein, dietary supplements, or macronutrients. 

Let’s call a spade a spade and admit that in our society, the holidays are about indulgence—which, for gyms, often means a decline in attendance. With members juggling holiday obligations and vacations, maintaining member engagement during the holidays can be challenging for gym owners. However, with some proactive and strategic thinking, the festive season can become an opportunity to boost participation while helping your members balance their end-of-year obligations.

Snap Fitness is an established and successful partner of many gym owners, offering proven tools and support to overcome seasonal engagement challenges. If you’re reading this as an aspiring fitness entrepreneur, here is a glimpse into how Snap Fitness works with you throughout every month of the year to boost your business, holidays included. Keep reading this article to see how to finish 2024 with a bang and start turning your attention to 2025.

Why Member Engagement and Attendance Dip During the Holidays

During the holidays, gym attendance takes a hit for various reasons. For some, it’s traveling out of town to visit family, suddenly having more social obligations like office holiday parties, or a natural deprioritization of fitness since we’ve lost our sunlight to daylight savings. These seasonal challenges can lead to lower participation and sometimes affect member retention and revenue.

Understanding and working around these factors is critical for gym owners. You can address and overcome certain obstacles with targeted and intentional holiday fitness tips and programs that keep members engaged and motivated.

Top Strategies to Keep Gym Membership Engagement Up

The key to engaging members during the festive season is creating opportunities that align with their schedules and holiday spirit. Let’s break down some ways to do that inside and outside the gym walls.

Host Themed Group Classes

Holiday-themed group classes add a festive touch to regular workouts, making them more exciting and fun.

  • Examples: Try “Holiday HIIT,” “Festive Yoga,” or “Jingle Bell Spin.”

  • Execution Tip: Use seasonal music, decorations, and small incentives like holiday-themed giveaways to boost attendance.

Offer Special Holiday Workshops and Events

Workshops and pop-up events provide members with something new and exciting to look forward to.

  • Ideas: Host a “Stress Relief Workshop” or a “Holiday Nutrition Tips” seminar.

  • Preparation Steps: Promote these events early using social media, email newsletters, and in-club posters.

Implement Social Media Challenges

Interactive online challenges can keep members engaged even when they can’t attend the gym.

  • Examples: A “12 Days of Fitness” challenge where members complete daily exercises and share their progress.

  • Community Interaction: Encourage participants to tag the gym in their posts and offer rewards for the most creative entries.

  • Tip: Make these challenges more calisthenics-based so members don’t require extensive gym equipment to participate. It can be as simple as the pushup or situp challenge, so members only need a spot on the floor to compete.

Always remember to create a hashtag for your social media challenge. It’s great for active participants and can boost visibility for potential members, as well.

Effective Holiday Fitness Programs and Promotions

Creating structured holiday programs and promotions can make your gym the go-to destination for fitness during the festive season. Take it from us: Lean into the holiday season. People love it, their eyes are attracted to it, and details down to the name of your event can help create retention in the minds of your members. For example…

The “12 Days of Fitness” Challenge

How about adopting the lexicon of holiday well-knowns, like the “12 Days of Christmas song,” repurposed as a 12 Days of Fitness challenge?

This program uses holiday cheer to keep members active with daily challenges, such as completing a specific workout, attending a class, or hitting a step goal. Tools like the Snap App can help track participation and celebrate milestones. Offer rewards for completing all 12 days, such as branded gym gear or a free personal training session.

Referral Promotions

The holidays are a great time to encourage gym referral promotions and for members to invite family and friends to the gym.

  • Offer: Discounts or free memberships for referrals made during December.

  • Why It Works: Referrals boost attendance and introduce potential long-term members to your gym. It also never hurts to be visible to new audiences of members’ trusted friends and families.

Incentives for Current Members

Reward loyalty with special holiday perks:

  • Complimentary guest passes for family and friends (if applicable).

  • Discounts on personal training or group classes.

  • Exclusive access to holiday-themed classes or workshops.

The Snap Fitness Advantage for Franchise Owners

Our Snap Fitness franchisee partners have access to many resources to make holiday engagement seamless and practical. From ready-to-use marketing materials to innovative digital tools, Snap Fitness equips gym owners with everything they need to succeed, including:

Sometimes, the most challenging part of a promotional event is the brain required to get it off the ground. With Snap Fitness, we’ve probably done it before, have a template for it, and are happy to work with you on implementing it in your gym.

Maintain Member Engagement and Retention After the Festive Season

Of course, the holiday season sets the stage for continued engagement and growth in the New Year. Fitness is a crowd favorite in the “New Year's resolutions” category, so here is how to use the pieces to take advantage of that.

Post-Holiday Retention Plans

  • Goal-Setting Workshops: Help members set fitness goals for the new year with workshops or one-on-one consultations.

  • Loyalty Rewards: Offer incentives for members who maintain consistent attendance through January, such as discounts on classes or personal training.

Extend Themed Activities into the New Year

Carry the festive energy into January by extending popular programs or creating new challenges tied to New Year’s resolutions. For example, transition your “12 Days of Fitness” challenge into a “New Year, New You” program.

Leverage Holiday Momentum

Members who stay engaged during the holidays are more likely to continue their routines in the New Year. Use data from holiday programs to identify active participants and tailor follow-up strategies to keep them motivated.

A word of the wise: January can tend to be a very busy time for gyms. So, hold off on that renovation and be prepared to have increased capacity as many new members look to kick off their new routine in the new year. 

Ready to Make Your Move?

The festive season is an opportunity, not a challenge, for gym owners to build stronger member connections and drive long-term growth. By implementing targeted holiday fitness strategies, you can turn seasonal attendance dips into moments of community-building and engagement.

With Snap Fitness as your partner, you can access proven tools and resources to keep members motivated and loyal. From app-based challenges to expert marketing support, Snap Fitness makes succeeding as a gym owner easier than ever.

Make 2025 your year to break out on your own with Snap Fitness. Explore franchise opportunities and learn how we can help you turn your fitness dream into a thriving reality.