How To Use Your CRM And Marketing Automation To Grow Your Gym

Smarter systems, stronger growth – less admin, more impact.

Running a gym today is about more than managing equipment and class timetables. These days, growing your gym comes down to forming meaningful connections, before, during, and after a member joins. Building strong relationships, staying connected, and delivering a personalised experience is what keeps your members coming back for more. This is where a good CRM system and smart marketing automation come in.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to make CRM and marketing automation work for your gym. From converting leads more efficiently to boosting retention. Streamlining your operations and giving your team back hours every week.

What Is A CRM (And Why It’s A Game-Changer For Gyms)?

CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management. For gyms, it is a system that helps you store contact info, track leads, monitor member interactions, and manage follow-ups with ease. 

Without a CRM, lead details can easily slip through the cracks. Maybe someone called to ask about memberships, someone else filled in a form online, and someone else popped by for a tour. 

Where did you write that down? Who followed them up? That’s where a CRM steps in and simplifies everything.

With a CRM, you can:

Over time, a good CRM becomes your gym’s memory bank. So even if staff members leave, your prospect and member relationships remain. Allowing your team to pick up the conversation exactly where it left off, regardless of if it’s tomorrow, or two weeks from now.

Why Gym Owners Love It:

What Is Marketing Automation and How Does It Help Gyms Grow?

Marketing automation isn’t as complex as it sounds. And it isn’t just for larger gyms. At its core, it helps you stay connected with people automatically. It’s all about sending the right message at the right time, without someone on your team having to hit “send” every time.

No need to manually send every follow-up email, booking reminder, or welcome message yourself. With automation, you can set up workflows that respond to your leads’ actions and take care of the follow-up for you. 

And the best part? It doesn’t feel robotic. Done right, it’s actually more personal than ever.

For example:

It’s like having a marketing assistant working 24/7, helping move through your gym sales funnel without the hard sell.

Marketing automation can be used to:

The Perks:

Regardless of the size of your gym, marketing automation makes it easier to stay connected with leads and members. It keeps your messaging consistent and relevant, even when your hands are full.

Why CRM + Marketing Automation = Growth on Autopilot

Individually, a CRM and marketing automation are powerful. But together? That’s where the magic really happens. 

When these tools work together, your system can track lead behaviour and respond in real time. You’re putting the data you have collected to work to create better, more timely, more personalised communication. 

For example, if someone fills out a form on your website, your CRM stores their info and tracks their area of interest. That action can then trigger an automated email sequence. Maybe a welcome note, followed by a video tour, then a booking prompt. As soon as they engage, your team sees the update and can follow up straight away.

It’s a smart, scalable way to nurture leads and guide them along the journey, from “just looking” to “where do I sign up?”

All this without your team needing to send a single email manually. It’s smooth, consistent, and scalable.

5 Ways to Use CRM and Automation to Grow Your Gym

Here are five practical ways to use CRM and automation to improve the experience for your leads and members.

1. Lead Nurturing That Converts

People rarely join a gym the moment they first land on your website. They browse, they think, they hesitate. A well-set-up nurture sequence can turn that initial curiosity into real commitment.

Using your CRM to tag leads based on their interests or source (e.g. challenge landing page vs referral form), you can send a series of emails or texts tailored to their journey. These might include testimonials, success stories, links to blogs, or a gentle nudge to book a free session.

The goal? Build trust, highlight your gym’s vibe, and gently guide people toward a decision without feeling salesy.

Tip

Share stories from real members or staff to create a personal connection.

 Example:

After the lead takes action, your CRM updates their status and moves them into the tour follow-up workflow.

2. Smart Follow-Ups After Tours

Tours and consultations are golden opportunities, but if you don’t follow up promptly, that excitement fades fast. With automation, you can trigger a follow-up email or text immediately after the tour.

Thank them for visiting, remind them of your unique selling points, and make it easy to join or book another visit. If they don’t respond, set up another reminder a few days later, maybe this time with a sweet joining offer.

This kind of timely follow-up shows your gym is organised, welcoming, and genuinely keen to help.

Tip

Use your CRM to track who toured, when, and what they were most interested in.

Example

3. Re-Engage Old Leads

Remember all those prospects from last year who never joined? Don’t write them off. Your CRM stores a goldmine of leads you can bring back with the right message.

Create a win-back campaign targeting leads who’ve been inactive for 3+ months. Start with a friendly “We Miss You” message, then follow up with a short-term offer or a relatable testimonial.

Even if only a few bites, it’s growth with zero extra ad spend.

Tip

Add a link for leads to update their preferences or tell you they’re not ready yet. This will help to keep your contact list clean and relevant.

Example:

4. Improve Onboarding with Personalised Journeys

First impressions count. When someone joins, you want them to feel supported, not confused. Automated onboarding sequences can guide new members through everything they need to know in the first 30 days.

From how to book classes, to what to bring, to introducing them to key staff. These emails or texts can smooth out the experience and help members feel part of the community from day one.

You can even tailor this journey based on membership type or interest area (e.g. strength training vs group fitness).

Tip

Include a check-in message around week two asking how they’re settling in. Members love the personal touch.

 

Example:

5. Keep Members Engaged with Milestone Messages

Member retention is just as much about celebrating wins as it is about solving problems. Use your CRM to track important member dates and trigger automated messages when they hit key milestones.

That could be their birthday, 6-month anniversary, or even just hitting a certain number of check-ins. These little touches go a long way in building loyalty.

You could offer a reward, a free PT session, or even just a friendly “You’re smashing it!” message.

Tip

Don’t underestimate the power of a personalised message. Especially when it’s unexpected.

Example:

What to Look for in a Gym CRM and Automation Setup

Not all systems are created equal. Here’s what to look for when choosing a CRM and marketing automation setup for your gym (or reviewing your current setup):

If you’re using multiple tools, make sure they play nicely together. Ideally, you want a gym management software that manages it all. Your member data, marketing, communication, and reporting. 

A system like Xplor Gym keeps everything in one place. It includes both CRM and automation tools, so your team doesn’t need to switch between different platforms. 

Keep It Human: Automation with Personality

Automation is powerful, but it shouldn’t feel cold. The best marketing automation feels like a thoughtful, timely message from someone who knows your name, not a spammy campaign.

Make sure your tone is friendly and warm, reflect your brand personality, and personalise wherever possible. Use people’s names, mention their goals or interests, and don’t be afraid to be a bit fun.

Also, keep an eye on frequency. Too many messages and people will tune out. Less is often more, especially when it’s well-timed and relevant.

Key tips:

Remember

The goal is connection, not just conversion.

Final Thoughts

Growing your gym doesn’t always mean working harder. It’s often about working smarter. 

Finding ways to cut down repetitive tasks and finding user friendly solutions that save time.

Using CRM and marketing automation together is one of the most powerful ways to do that.

With the right tools, you can stay in touch with leads and members without all the manual work. That means your team can focus on giving members a great in-club experience.

Want to see how a gym-specific CRM and automation system could work for your business?

 👉 Book a demo with Xplor Gym to see how our CRM and automation tools can support your business growth.