SMS for gyms, studios and personal trainers

Keep classes full and members motivated with timely, useful texts. Orbis SMS works for independent studios, coaches and multi-site gyms.

The challenge

Why gyms & fitness turn to SMS

Fitness businesses depend on members turning up regularly. Booked class places go unused when people forget, leaving others on the waiting list, and personal training sessions are cancelled at the last minute. Timetable changes, instructor cover and facility closures need to reach members before they make the journey. Retention is a constant challenge: members who stop attending in the first few months often cancel soon after, and generic emails do little to bring them back. Studios also need an easy way to tell members about new classes, challenges and renewal deals without spamming them.

Gyms & fitness
How Orbis SMS helps

Messages that make a difference

  1. 1

    Class booking reminders

    Remind members about classes they have booked, especially early morning sessions and popular classes with waiting lists. A reminder a few hours ahead encourages people who cannot attend to cancel their place, so someone on the waiting list can take it instead.

  2. 2

    Timetable and cover changes

    Text affected members when a class is cancelled, moved to another studio or covered by a different instructor. Being upfront prevents frustration at the front desk, and members appreciate knowing before they set off rather than finding out at the door.

  3. 3

    Personal training sessions

    Coaches can confirm and remind clients about one-to-one sessions, including the location and anything to bring. Clear reminders reduce last-minute cancellations, which matter a great deal to self-employed trainers whose income depends on every booked hour and who cannot easily refill a slot at short notice.

  4. 4

    Membership renewals and re-engagement

    Remind members that a membership or class pass is due to renew, and send a friendly message to opted-in members who have not visited for a while. A personal-sounding text with a reason to return often works better than another email.

  5. 5

    Facility closures

    Let members know about pool closures, maintenance, holiday opening hours or a car park out of use. Groups by site or membership type ensure each message reaches only the members it affects, which keeps your texts relevant and stops members at other sites ignoring future messages.

Good practice

Compliance notes for gyms & fitness

Class reminders and timetable changes are service messages, while re-engagement offers, challenges and renewal deals are marketing. Collect marketing consent at sign-up with an unticked option, or rely on the soft opt-in for existing members with an opt-out in every message. Do not include health, injury or body measurement information in texts. Stop marketing promptly when a member asks or cancels their membership.

General information only, not legal advice. See our guide to UK SMS marketing rules and Acceptable Use Policy.

Use cases

Popular with gyms & fitness

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Today, gyms typically schedule reminders in Orbis SMS or import class lists from a CSV export of their booking system. For regular timetabled classes, templates make this quick.
You can send re-engagement offers to members who agreed to marketing, or under the soft opt-in if you offered an opt-out when they joined and include one in every message. This is general information, not legal advice.
Yes. Use contact groups for each site, so a closure at one location only reaches members of that site. Templates help each site send consistent messages while keeping the details local.

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