So I'm on the board at a non-profit organization that serves the community as a recreational/fitness center for families and individuals. Let's call it the ACMY, just for the purpose of this thread.

Our memberships have been slowly declining over the past few years, so the president of the board has asked us to come up with marketing ploys to help rejuvenate excitement in the community about the ACMY and help increase memberships.

If you are not a member of a place similar to this, but it's available in your community....what is holding you back? What would it take for you to join?

Our target group is really the 20-40 year old's with families who can utilize all that the ACMY has to offer (such as classes, courses, etc.) instead of just the fitness center (track, pool, weightroom).

Since most everyone on here is in that age group, I thought this might be a good place to get some feedback.

Thoughts? GFM?

SnotBubbles;1204799 wrote:Our target group is really the 20-40 year old's with families who can utilize all that the ACMY has to offer (such as classes, courses, etc.) instead of just the fitness center (track, pool, weightroom).

I honestly have no idea outside of the pool and weightroom what you can do at an ACMY.

Imo I think people are holding onto there money a little tighter then they used to. No one wants to spend it unless its something they really need. If the place is old and there is a new acmy around people will probably go to the newer place thinking its the cleaner of the two. Only way I would sign back up to the y or anything like that would be if it was an incredible deal.

First month free with sign up of a year? Also offer free personal training consultations. I'd throw the word FREE around a lot.

Our local ACMY offers free babysitting while the parents are taking classes or working out. They also have a pretty active Facebook page.


We don't belong, but we are aware of some of the services they offer, so it must be working.

Make it exclusive to iPad owners only. Apple fanboys will be frothing at the mouth to spend time with other people who waste money on useless things like the ACMY.

Also, offer different levels of membership. Our local one includes the use of the weight room, cardio room, and pool all for one price. Now I would never use the pool, but there is no way to break out the cost of pool usage from the membership. I would look at the deal a little more closely if I wasn't paying for something I would never take advantage of.

I joined the AMCY in Toledo for working out and swimming, pretty expensive like $50-$60 a month for a couple. Then I moved away and found P90X and our local rec with an indoor lap pool is $24 a month for a family. Win, win. AMCYs are too expensive.</SPAN>

Work with local employers to offer discounted prices on passes. Have "free admission" days to get people into the gym to see what there is to offer.

Oh - female trainers only who give happy endings with each personal training session

Yep I looked into joining and for what I'd use it for, its way too expensive.

THE4RINGZ;1204819 wrote:Our local ACMY offers free babysitting while the parents are taking classes or working out. They also have a pretty active Facebook page.


We don't belong, but we are aware of some of the services they offer, so it must be working.

Definitely take to mobile marketing like Facebook and Twitter. Sounds like your main need is to get your information out to the public. Facebook ads let you target a demographic very specifically. Alot of radio stations will give you some free on-air publicity if you're a community-based non-profit. Also, as previously mentioned, sign-up specials are a good idea.

You should ask LJ, the local expert.

Snot, whatever happened to the GOAT tourney?

ernest_t_bass;1204857 wrote:Snot, whatever happened to the GOAT tourney?

unlike snot, it killed itself.

Raw Dawgin' it;1204858 wrote:unlike snot, it killed itself.

That's reppable, but I need to spread them around more.

ernest_t_bass;1204872 wrote:That's reppable, but I need to spread them around more.

If any sort of new member fee like I remember some ACMY's having get rid of it immediately. Nothing makes me say "nah fuck that" like new member fees.

Pretty much everything you guys have mentioned is already in place at our ACMY, except the female trainers who give you a happy ending. I'll forward that immediately to the president.

ETB...I told you to finish the GOAT tournament. I don't have time. I shouldn't be on here now.

SnotBubbles;1204889 wrote:Pretty much everything you guys have mentioned is already in place at our ACMY

Do you have any competition with the local YMCA?

SnotBubbles;1204889 wrote:ETB...I told you to finish the GOAT tournament. I don't have time. I shouldn't be on here now.

Don't be a quitter. Finish it.

About the only thing that got me into the gym was a friend of mine going and I got to enter with him.

How about "Bring a friend for free" days?

A lot of industries/businesses give their employees a fitness club allotment. Most that do ,have a attendance incentive such as the longer you are a member, the more they pay of it, with a cap of course. Approach businesses/industries in your area and if they don't have this to possibly start one and your selling point to them is healthier employees. You could possibly offer the business a group discount, set up to charge less for certain amount of employees that sign up and stay members

Offer free donuts and coffee all day to members enrolled in the weight management program.

Im not a member of the YMCA because I already pay for a gym membership at school.

Something that might get me interested though would be something like a seasonal basketball league. I wouldnt do a year membership though, more like a one time team fee.