When PTs and gym owners think about target demographics, “students” are often way down the list. But this is short sighted. Students can be a great target market. Many of them are highly motivated to train and be part of a gym environment. They value health and fitness. And training offers them an important social outlet.
If your PT studio or gym is in a student town or city, you could capitalise on a demographic of young people enjoying freedom and making new social connections through sport and fitness.
And if you’re not in a student town, you could create special fitness offers to sweep up the students when they’re home for the holidays.
Wherever you’re located, there will be students. Maybe it’s time to reconsider your stance, and get creating profitable student offers that may create lifelong brand loyalty?
5 reasons to create fitness offers for students
- Younger people are more likely to be comfortable with and excited by gym culture via social media
- Students may be more willing or able to pay for gym membership than older adults
- Students may have more time and flexibility to train or attend classes
- Fitness and training offers an important social and bonding outlet for student populations
- Higher Education facilities are acutely aware of the social, physical, and mental health benefits of fitness for their students
Finding yourself going through seasonal dips? Find out how to mitigate this across our blog, starting with Leverage Summer To Boost Your Profits (But Watch Out For These Pitfalls)
Student town or city gyms: how to create profitable student fitness offers
If your PT facility, studio, or gym is in a student town or city, you have access to a recurring audience of potential members. And yes, it’s true that they may leave the area when they graduate. But new ones will come into the area every September.
The key thing to think about is how to differentiate yourself from the University and college gyms. These are usually heavily subsidised and promoted to students (even before they arrive in town).
That said, there are many ways you can create appealing student offers that can compete with the Uni gyms.
- Think about reduced rates for specific hours or classes (students may be able to fill hours that other members cannot)
- Focus on the social aspect of training, offering students a welcoming environment outside of Uni/college
- Consider offers: Freshers Week, bring a friend, off-peak passes
- Use your facility for quiz nights, games, or light hearted fitness competitions (think beyond gym and classes)
- Research the University training facilities and think about what differentiates you (equipment, classes, opening hours) and how you can promote the differences
- Consider than Uni gyms may have a sports/BUCS focus and many students don’t actually want or need to be part of this environment – can you offer a more laid back or social vibe?
- Student offers do need to be attractively priced, but the discounts don’t all have to be on your side. Can you create a deal with a local café, coffee shop, or health food shop?
- Your marketing will need to be different – students are mostly new to town, and looking for a “home” rather than high-end programming and entire lifestyle overhaul.
Non-student town: when and how to create student fitness offers
Even non-student towns and cities contain students – during the holidays. If your usual gym membership is older individuals or couples, they may well have student-aged offspring returning to the family home for the Summer. Student offers could fill gaps in your opening hours and class timetable.
- Think about student-friendly offers that you can promote for the Easter, Christmas, and Summer holidays. How can you communicate these to the target market quickly?
- What would work best for your existing operation? Day passes, week passes, class passes, bring a friend sessions, family bolt-on options for student children?
- Think about the fact that some students will be BUCS-level sports people, others will have discovered a love for fitness at Uni, and others may want to get fit over the holidays.
- How can you keep them engaged whilst they’re back at Uni – so they’re more likely to join you again in the next holidays? Merch, email communications, an exclusive Christmas-holidays discount code…?
