3 Ways to Sell More Retail at Your Fitness Studio

From equipment and supplements to apparel and gym bags, your fitness studio or gym offers retail products that help clients reach their goals and look stylin' doing it. Selling merchandise can be a powerful, additional revenue stream for your business—but it can sometimes take a bit of extra effort and creativity to make it happen.

So how can you promote your fitness retail section, turn window-shoppers into repeat customers, and see results in your fitness software (hello, sales report)? Here are three simple ideas to boost your retail sales stat:

1. Get clients excited to shop with social media

Social media is a no-brainer for marketing your fitness services as well as the products you sell. But instead of simply posting photos of your products, why not get your customers involved and teach them why each product is worth trying? Here's how:

• Share the "why" behind the product. An educated consumer is your best customer, which is why sharing the benefits of your product offering across your blog, email marketing, and social media is so important. Go live on Facebook and Instagram or create a series of posts or Stories highlighting your individual products, their price points, and why they're valuable. Your clients trust you and your trainers' expertise; if they know why you're selling a specific clothing brand, nutritional supplement, or post-workout snack, they're more likely to make a purchase. Not sure what to sell? Start with your favourites. It'll be easy to pitch the products, and your clients are probably already asking you for your recommendations.

• Ask for their opinion. Use Instagram Stories to gather feedback from your customers. Designing new apparel? Use the Instagram Poll sticker to see which styles and colours they prefer. Stocking post-workout snacks? Use the Question sticker to ask which on-the-go options they'd love to see on your gym's shelves. Bringing clients into the decision-making process provides meaningful insight for you, confirms you value their opinions, and gets them excited about current and upcoming products.

2. Create gift packages or grab bags

The perfect gift for holidays, birthdays, graduations, or just because, curated gift packages that include multiple products are an easy option for clients looking to give (or get) a wellness-inspired treat. Plus, selling in bundles helps you rack in sales and sell multiple products with each purchase.

When creating these gift packages, get creative; pair fitness apparel with protein powder or supplements, equipment with a cookbook or journal, or fill a gym bag with light equipment, accessories, and healthy snacks. You may also consider theming your gift packages for specific holidays like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or Valentine’s Day and package them accordingly. Regardless, product bundles give recipients the opportunity to try products they haven't used before, which in turn, may lead to future sales when they need to restock.

Looking to clear out inventory quickly? Create a limited number of mystery grab bags that include an assortment of products at a discount. We have a feeling your customers won't be able to resist the surprise.

3. Brand the essentials

Although larger purchases like yoga mats, equipment (dumbbells, kettlebells, foam rollers, etc.), and fitness apparel are items worth stocking, don't forget about the essentials your clients need to make their workouts more effective—and comfortable. Headphones, hair bands, face wipes, sweat towels, deodorant, water bottles, and snacks, albeit small sales, can really rack up over time. Plus, it's easy to brand these items to make them even more fun for clients to buy and represent your brand, again and again. And they’re much easier for you to store!