For fitness business owners, December can kind of feel like no man’s land. Your clients are busy with travel, work parties, school activities and the chaos that just naturally comes with the holidays. So it can be tempting to coast through until January, but what if you used this time to prepare, optimize and get ahead? That’s exactly why having the right December fitness business tips is so important—what you do in these 31 days can kickstart an incredible 2026.

Think of December as your strategic advantage. It’s the perfect time to focus on operations, systems, revenue, retention and more. Leveling these things up before the New Year’s crowd arrives can turn your planning into profits once the ball drops.

Today, we’re looking at the top ten December fitness business tips to help set you up for your most successful year yet.

Top 10 December Fitness Business Tips

​1. Keep Clients Motivated During December

Have you heard the saying, “It’s cheaper to keep your current clients than it is to acquire new ones?” You’ve worked hard to build your gym community, so it’s important to make sure you’re consistently building brand loyalty and focusing on retention.

Think about a fun holiday fitness challenge for your clients—anything that keeps them checking in during the time when they might otherwise take a break. Keep in mind that nutrition is usually the bigger culprit when all the holiday treats hit the table. So it might not be a bad idea to include a nutrition component like our Healthy Steps Nutrition (HSN) integration in your challenge.

2. Win Back Former Clients

December is the perfect time to win back past clients. You probably have the extra space in classes and a little extra free time to spare this month, so what about:

  • Sending a friendly “We miss you” message to your former client list
  • Inviting them to enjoy a free week pass, or even take free classes for the month
  • Personalizing a note that “the 4:30pm class hasn’t been the same without you”
  • Reminding them what’s new (class schedule, equipment, staff, community events, etc.)
Remind former clients why they should return to your fitness business for the new year.

Former clients are the most likely to convert quickly, so the reward is probably worth the lift. Plus, Wodify’s automated workflows are like your new favorite employee, making it super simple while saving you time.

3. Strengthen Sales Systems Before the January Rush

Before you put any time and effort into marketing, it’s important to make sure you’re set up for sales success. This isn’t just one of the December fitness business tips—it’s an all-year-round to-do list item as your gym continues to evolve.

Think of it this way: Imagine getting a ton of leads and not being prepared to handle them. People are ready to hand you their money but you don’t have the systems in place to make it happen. It’s a business owner’s nightmare, right?

That’s why it’s important to look at each step of the buying journey. From your initial response time to the moment they’re in your gym, ready to sign up, make sure you and your team are prepared.

Let’s be real: Building your sales systems can feel a little daunting, so we’re here to help! Check out this webinar to walk you through the process of turning leads into loyal members with less effort.

4. Refresh Your Onboarding Experience

The first 90 days at your gym will set the tone for a client’s entire membership journey. If you can take off your fitness business owner hat and step into the shoes of a new member, you can create an experience that helps them fall in love with your brand and stick around for the long term.

Therefore, think about ways you can educate, inform and entertain the newest members of your community. Answer the critical questions that they need to sign up for classes or log their workouts. Make them feel welcome and included in upcoming events. Celebrate milestones like number of classes attended or their first PR.

With the right onboarding experience, you’ll skyrocket gym retention as you leave clients wishing they would’ve joined sooner, and singing your praises to everyone they know.

​5. Discover Outsourcing Opportunities

In the complete list of December fitness business tips, none are more valuable than the ones that save you time. When you first opened your gym, chances are you were wearing all the hats. From coaching classes to cleaning toilets, you were a jack-of-all-trades.

But seasoned fitness business owners know that outsourcing can be a game-changer to free up your time. After all, your priority is working on the business, not in it.

One of the best places to start outsourcing is your cleaning tasks. After all, if you can replace scrubbing toilets with CEO tasks, think of how that will move the needle for your fitness business. Then, some of the more commonly-outsourced tasks for gym owners include programming (check out the Wodify Marketplace!), content like social media and blogs, legal, bookkeeping and accounting.

6. Deep Clean and Upgrade Your Facility

Speaking of cleaning, December is the perfect time to put some fresh or fun touches on your fitness facility.

Start with the necessities—is your major equipment is well-maintained, safe and clean? Replace any smaller equipment like resistance bands, bumper plates or jump ropes that might have significant wear and tear. Then consider a deep clean of floors, common areas, windows, etc. You might even find that a fresh coat of paint brings different spaces to life.

Your current clients will appreciate the time and effort you put into the space they call their fitness home (and there’s a good chance they’d be willing to help, too). And for leads checking out your gym for the first time, aesthetics will matter in making a great first impression.

7. Plan Your January Content, Socials and SEO

The New Year’s rush will naturally bring in some leads, but there’s no reason you can’t cast an even bigger net with your gym’s content.

First, updating your gym website and creating fresh content shows leads what to expect at your fitness business and that you have a plan for their success. Second, it will help to improve your gym’s SEO (search engine optimization).

The great news is, it doesn’t have to be complicated. Start one month at a time, coming up with a few ideas for January and repurposing each one into things like your blog, social posts, lead magnets and email campaigns.

Lastly, don’t forget to optimize! Optimizing Google Business Profile with current business information, photos, fresh posts and new Google Reviews from clients can be a powerful piece of your gym’s SEO strategy.

8. Revisit Staff Expectations and Training

As a fitness business owner, you have a vision for how you’d like your gym to run, right? But if you don’t clearly communicate that vision to your staff, they will run things how they think things should be run.

From class procedures to gym policies, help staff members understand your vision.

As the New Year’s rush approaches and new faces appear in your gym, help your team by giving them guidelines to follow. Create an SOP (standard operating procedures) manual or playbook to align your team for the new year.

Avoid any grey areas, and try to avoid assuming that just because you would do something one way that everyone would do it that way. You’re the boss—it’s on you to outline the path to success.

9. Protect Your Fitness Business

As the year wraps up, December is the perfect time to fully protect your fitness business on all fronts. Here are some items to check off your list:

  • Double-check that your insurance is correct and up to date.
  • Organize your books so that tax preparation is seamless.
  • Review your annual expenses to plan next year’s budget.

Lastly, check out this recent blog post from Matthew Becker at Gym Lawyers PLLC for 7 legal and business year-end tasks every gym owner should tackle.

10. Rest, Reflect and Set Owner Goals

For most fitness business owners, December is the calm before the storm. You started your business to help people live healthier, happier lives, and you deserve that too. After all, you can’t lead a strong community if you’re burned out and overwhelmed.

Take some time to step away from the gym for your own rest and recovery. Look back at the past year and review what worked and what you would improve. Set some goals for the new year, and be sure to include your own physical and mental health.

That’s how you’ll be set to turn these December fitness business tips into your biggest year yet in 2026.

Next Steps: Check Out This Free Webinar

​Ready to take your fitness business to the next level in 2026? We’ve got you covered! Watch the recording of “4 Moves to Grow Smarter in 2026,” a free strategy session designed to help you step into 2026 with momentum.

In it, we walk through practical, high-impact ways to streamline your operations, strengthen your revenue, and set your business up for scalable growth—without adding more to your already-full plate.

Watch the webinar to learn how to:

  • Turn your website into a lead-converting machine
  • Implement the 3 automations every gym needs before January hits
  • Boost profit by optimizing your payment model
  • Monetize your space beyond class hours

Check out the recording here!