How Prebuilt CRM Playbooks Can Improve Your Gym Sign-Ups & Customer Retention

Technology has reached a point where individual businesses can now be their own marketing departments using robust tools that agencies use themselves. Platforms such as GoHighLevel were originally developed for agencies but are now gaining traction among fitness businesses for their exhaustive list of features that render outside expertise redundant.

“Not all gyms have the resources of major chains,” said Netpartners Marketing, a publisher of CRM resources for fitness companies. “Gym owners are trying to do things in-house because despite the industry anticipating more growth this decade, competition remains high and so do the costs of doing business.”

Growth Means Competition

Market research firm IBISWorld expects the fitness sector to continue its upward trajectory between 2025 and 2030, driven by an aging population looking to maintain their physical health.

Platforms like GoHighLevel have become increasingly attractive to smaller gym businesses that want to cut costs and remain profitable amid the industry domination of major fitness chains.

However, while the platform offers substantial potential for small players, many gym operators struggle to tap into its full capabilities. “A lot of fitness business owners don’t come from a marketing or tech background,” Netpartners Marketing explained. “They need guidance that speaks to them in plain language, with a clear setup process.”

Playbooks for Success

To assist non-technical gym owners, resources such as playbooks have emerged. These step-by-step guides are designed to make marketing and CRM software more accessible for those focused on running a business rather than learning software.

Among the more common features covered by these materials are how to set up automated email and SMS sequences for lead follow-up, integrate existing tools with marketing software, and unlock the many different features that those afraid of tinkering with the software often miss.

“As creators of such materials, our emphasis is to surprise users with what they can achieve with their software while making sure that the least technical reader can implement what we’re teaching them,” Netpartners Marketing said.

Automating Retention

Retaining clients is the lifeblood of fitness businesses, and CRMs now play a critical role in keeping paying customers coming back for contract renewals. Most playbooks offer clear instructions on how to set up marketing software to automate correspondence that keeps members satisfied.

“In our case, we include walkthroughs on integrating GoHighLevel with their social media accounts so that clients can book directly through Facebook or X,” the publisher said. “Convenience is a big driver of whether someone stays with a gym. If you can reduce friction, you’re already in a better position to retain members.”

“And that is what we attempt to teach in all our materials,” they added.