Gyms and fitness centers all over the country are currently experiencing the same thing they experience every January: high sign-up rates that will begin to tail off throughout the year. For four out of five Americans, joining a gym amounts to no more than good intentions.

But mobile technology is helping gyms retain more members. SMS in particular is playing a vital role in transforming this ‘New Year bump’ into true, long-lasting brand loyalty. Here, we take a look at some of the best applications of mobile solutions for gyms:

1. Personalized Plans A good fitness regime requires constant tweaking. As you lose weight and tone up, your fitness plan must be adjusted accordingly. Text messaging allows you to schedule daily messages that send just before the workout is due to begin. Add motivational messages into the mix and your smartphone has become a personal trainer.
 
2. Diet Program For many, simply remembering what they're supposed to be eating (and not eating) is difficult. Scheduled text messages can help weight loss programs remain regimented. Menus, recipes, shopping lists, nutritional information – there are plenty of ways you can use mobile technology to tighten up that diet.
 
3. Alerts Gym members – especially new ones – are often anxious about working out during busy times, and regular members may want to avoid busy times, so why not send a mass text when they gym is particularly quiet? You can create a contact list of subscribers who live within, say, a four mile radius. You can turn a wet Wednesday morning into a busy lunchtime session. Only text messaging can act quickly enough to make this work.
 
4. Class Schedules Smartphones work like diaries and personal organizer all in one. One of the most effective ways for fitness clubs to make use of them is to send an SMS regarding class schedules. Last minute changes can be quickly communicated to large numbers of people.
 
5. Promotions and Cross Marketing Effective promotions are all about good timing, so if you come up with a promo idea on Monday and want to implement it by Wednesday, the surest way of reaching every potentially interested member is via text.

Such applications of mobile marketing and text outreach prove just how much can be achieved with SMS. Getting a concise, time-critical message out to a large number of people, and allowing them to interact with you on the same platform? SMS messaging wins hands down.