How to Host a Holiday Challenge in Your Gym with Fitness CRM Software

The holiday season is packed with events, social gatherings, and travel, often making it tough for members to stick to their fitness routines. Hosting a “Holiday Hustle” challenge at your gym is an excellent way to counter this and keep members engaged and committed. With fitness CRM software like Zen Planner, you can create an organized, engaging experience that tracks progress and motivates members all the way through the holidays.

But first, what the heck is a CRM?? A CRM, or Customer Relationship Management system, is a tool that helps you keep track of every interaction with your members, from their first visit to their latest session. Think of it as your digital assistant that organizes member info, tracks attendance, sends reminders, and keeps notes—all in one place! With a CRM, you get a clear view of how your members engage with your gym or studio, making it easier to provide a personal touch that keeps them motivated and coming back. You get all of this with Zen Planner Engage (the CRM!)

Now, let’s dive into how a holiday challenge can help your gym, how Zen Planner (with SugarWOD integration) streamlines the challenge setup and management, and specific ideas for CrossFit, martial arts, and boutique fitness studios.

Why Host a Holiday Challenge?

The holidays can be one of the most challenging times for gyms in terms of engagement and attendance. Hosting a holiday-themed challenge provides the structure, motivation, and fun that members need to stay active. Here are the key benefits of running a holiday challenge with Zen Planner Engage software:

1. Boost Member Engagement During the Seasonal Slump

• Encouraging Consistency: A well-structured challenge gives members a reason to keep showing up. With Engage tools, you can set and monitor daily or weekly goals and attendance, keeping members accountable through automatic progress tracking and reminders.

• Tracking Made Simple: Zen Planner Engage and SugarWOD allows you to easily set up individual and team goals, create leaderboards, and track member participation—all automated and easy to manage.

2. Strengthen Community Bonds

• Friendly Competition and Team Spirit: Holiday challenges are a great way to create camaraderie and friendly competition among members. Using SugarWOD’s in-app notifications, participants can track their progress in real-time, fostering community and making each win feel more meaningful.

• Social Sharing & Recognition: With built-in social sharing and Engage email updates, you can keep everyone engaged and motivated. Weekly progress emails, public shoutouts for high achievers, and motivational tips build a sense of community while helping members feel seen and recognized.

3. Streamline Challenge Management with Zen Planner Engage

• Automate the Logistics: With Zen Planner Engage, you can manage sign-ups, set milestones, and track results without micromanaging. Zen Planner Engage automates reminders, goal updates, and end-of-challenge awards, reducing the administrative workload.

• Track Real-Time Progress with SugarWOD Integration: Zen Planner’s integration with SugarWOD means you can set up workout goals and leaderboards and display real-time standings. This seamless integration allows participants to log results in SugarWOD while Zen Planner provides the broader CRM functions to keep things organized.

How to Set Up a Holiday Challenge with Your Fitness CRM Software

Setting up your holiday challenge is simple and efficient when using Zen Planner Engage features and SugarWOD. Here’s a step-by-step approach to getting your holiday challenge up and running:

1. Choose the Right Challenge Type for Your Audience

• Tailor the Challenge: For your challenge to succeed, ensure it matches your members’ goals and fitness styles. CrossFit participants may enjoy a performance-based workout challenge, while boutique fitness members might prefer a wellness-oriented, variety-based approach.

• Group Members with CRM Software: Zen Planner Enage allows you to organize members by interest or skill level, making it easy to target each group with an appropriate challenge.

2. Set a Challenge Timeline and Clear Goals

• Define the Duration and Goals: A 4-6 week holiday challenge keeps the momentum going without overwhelming participants. Use Zen Planner to set specific goals, such as total workouts completed or individual performance improvements, and let SugarWOD handle real-time leaderboard updates.

• Track Progress with SugarWOD: SugarWOD’s integration with Zen Planner allows members to track daily completions, see personal scores, and view leaderboards for team or individual challenges.

3. Promote the Challenge Through Multiple Channels

• Automate Reminders and Notifications: Use Zen Planner Engage to send out reminders, daily motivation, and weekly progress updates to keep the challenge top-of-mind.

• In-App and Social Media Announcements: Announce milestones or leaderboard standings through social media or directly in the Zen Planner app. This consistent communication keeps excitement high and encourages new participants to join.

Challenge Ideas for Different Gym Types

Here’s how to tailor the “Holiday Hustle” challenge for different gym types, maximizing engagement for each unique fitness community.

CrossFit Gym: “12 Days of CrossFit”

• Overview: Build excitement with a 12-day workout challenge where participants complete a new CrossFit workout each day, with intensity and reps increasing daily.

• Tracking with SugarWOD: Members can log daily workouts, view personal progress, and track rankings through a real-time leaderboard in SugarWOD. Zen Planner’s integration makes it easy to send daily emails with each workout and track attendance.

• Community Engagement: Encourage members to post their progress and share workout highlights, bringing festive energy to the challenge and motivating others to keep going.

Martial Arts Studio: “Holiday Sparring Showdown”

• Overview: Set up a skill-focused challenge where participants complete sparring, endurance drills, or form practice each week. The goal is to improve technique and endurance over the holiday period.

• Engagement & Rewards: Weekly leaderboards within your school can show standings, while Zen Planner can send “Weekly Top Sparrer” announcements to build excitement. Small rewards for progress milestones further motivate participants.

Boutique Fitness Studio: “Festive Fit Bingo”

• Overview: A fun bingo card challenge where each square represents a fitness activity or wellness goal, such as trying a new class, drinking a set amount of water, or hitting a step goal.

• Tracking with SugarWOD and Zen Planner: Members can mark off activities in SugarWOD and view a leaderboard of participants with the most bingo squares completed. Zen Planner can automate weekly updates and remind members of bingo goals.

• Celebrate Community: Host a mid-challenge “Bingo Night” to celebrate progress. Use Zen Planner’s email and app notifications to keep members on track and excited about reaching “bingo.”

Tips for Keeping Members Engaged

Keep the holiday challenge fresh and exciting with these engagement strategies that leverage Zen Planner Enage tools and SugarWOD’s leaderboard tracking.

1. Leverage Social Media and Community Shoutouts

• Highlight Progress: Encourage members to share their achievements on social media using a unique challenge hashtag, like #HolidayHustle2024. Weekly “Top of the Week” shoutouts can be sent through Zen Planner to recognize high achievers and inspire others.

2. Offer Small Rewards for Milestones

• Rewards for Key Achievements: Prizes like gym-branded merchandise, class discounts, or nutrition consultations can be awarded for milestones. Zen Planner Engage can handle point-based rewards, while SugarWOD tracks achievements and rankings.

3. Encourage Group and Team Activities

• Mini Challenges: Set up small, team-based mini-challenges within the larger challenge. SugarWOD makes team tracking easy, while Zen Planner can organize groups and send team reminders.

• Accountability Groups: Zen Planner’s CRM lets you create accountability groups, where members can encourage each other, receiving weekly group updates or personalized reminders.

Keep Members Engaged with a Holiday Challenge Powered by Zen Planner

A holiday challenge like the “Holiday Hustle” is a fantastic way to keep members engaged during the holidays. With CRM software like Zen Planner Engage and its integration with SugarWOD, you can create a seamless, motivational experience that encourages consistency and community throughout the season. Ready to keep your gym buzzing this holiday season? Discover how Zen Planner and SugarWOD can elevate your member experience all year long.