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Every summer like clockwork, gym attendance dips, leads dry up, and owners start bracing for the dreaded “summer slump.” I know it well. I ran a boutique fitness concept with 9 locations across two of the most seasonally savage states—Minnesota and Colorado. The second the snow melted, our members vanished.
Until we flipped the script.
If you joined us for our recent Summer Marketing Strategy Webinar, you already know: when the summer slowdown hits, you don’t have to accept it. I’ve seen firsthand how the right strategies can turn your slowest season into your strongest. Two approaches consistently helped me keep attendance high and engagement strong:
This post is your full playbook for launching a Summer Check-In Challenge that actually works. It’s simple, scalable, and energizing for your entire member base. I’ll walk you through exactly how to plan it, promote it, and execute it with confidence.
Need a shortcut? We’re giving away a full free bundle to help you launch your challenge:
Incentivizes consistency: Members stay motivated to show up regularly. It turns attendance into a game—and people love crossing things off a list.
Reduces holds and cancels: To earn rewards, they have to keep their membership active. This gives them a reason to think twice before pausing or canceling for the summer.
Builds long-term habit: 30–60 consistent check-ins creates serious sticking power. Once that routine locks in, it often carries well beyond the challenge window.
Fuels community energy: Friendly competition brings people together. Expect more high-fives, post-class convos, and inside jokes—aka culture glue.
Gives you a non-salesy touchpoint: You're not pushing offers—you’re building a vibe. It’s an easy way to show members you care about their progress, not just their payment.
First things first: when will you run your check-in challenge? This depends on your members' habits, and when you typically see that summer slump hit hardest. Ask yourself: Which months are the toughest for engagement?
You can go with a 30, 60, or 90-day version—but be careful not to go too long, or people will lose steam. If you’re not sure where to start, a 60-day challenge kicking off July 1 is a great sweet spot. It captures peak summer distraction season and gives people a reason to stay plugged in.
This is the key to keeping utilization up all summer long. Don’t just pull a number out of thin air—base it on your data and what you know about your most loyal members.
Ask yourself:
For me, that number was 3 times per week. So, when we ran our Summer Check-In Challenge, we set the bar a little higher—30 classes in 60 days, or 3.5 times per week on average. That kept people engaged without burning them out, and created just enough of a push to help average members step into that “super user” zone.
Your goal should stretch people just enough to change their behavior—but still be doable for anyone who’s moderately committed. A few examples to get you thinking:
Don’t Break Your Weekly Streak (Hit your goal every week all summer)Pro tip: Wodify automatically tracks weekly streaks inside the member app, so it’s easy for participants to stay on track and hold themselves accountable. This kind of consistency-based challenge is perfect for people who thrive on building habits—and seeing those habit streaks stack up week after week.
You’ve got a ton of flexibility here. The right reward depends on your business model, your budget, and what gets your members excited. Here are three approaches that worked well for me:
This one was a game changer for us. We ran a challenge that pushed people to attend 30 classes in 60 days. During this, we offered $1 in account credit for every class attended. So if someone took 22 classes, they’d earn $22 in credit. If they hit 30? That’s when the magic kicked in—we doubled their reward to $60.
It created this amazing sense of momentum. People who were on track didn’t want to stop at 20 or 25 check-ins—they pushed to 30 to maximize their reward.
Important: Run the numbers. Ask yourself: What happens if everyone hits 30? In our case, the increased check-ins drove stronger retention and lower cancellations, so the credit basically paid for itself through kept revenue.
Tip: Add a cap if needed—something like “Earn $1 per class, up to $60 max” to keep it clean and scalable.
Don’t want to offer something to everyone? No problem. Just completing the challenge earns members an entry to win a free month of membership.
This is an awesome option because the perceived value is high—but the actual cost to you is low. And because it’s a raffle-style reward, people are still hyped to finish even if they know not everyone wins.
Tip: You can even add bonus entries for things like bringing a friend, sharing on social, or hitting a mid-point milestone.
Sometimes the best reward isn’t financial—it’s access. If someone completes the challenge, they unlock a VIP experience at your gym. Think:
This gives your challenge an elevated, community-focused feel. Plus, it makes your members feel seen—and that goes a long way in driving loyalty.
This is a great option if you want something high-impact with minimal financial investment.
Keep it simple—and visible.
If you're using Wodify, you're already ahead of the game. It automatically tracks attendance for you, and you can even set up automated emails to cheer members on as they hit milestones. Whether it’s “You’ve checked in 10 times!” or “Only 5 to go!”—those touchpoints go a long way in keeping motivation high.
You can also use Wodify Progressions to award digital badges—so members earn visual rewards right inside the Wodify app as they hit check-in goals.
BUT—pro tip: don’t underestimate the power of physical tracking.
There’s something about seeing your name on a wall and getting to mark your own progress that just hits different. We printed 50 trackers for the gym, let everyone grab one, write their name on it, and post it up. Suddenly, people were checking the wall after every class, cheering each other on, and taking real pride in those check marks. It turned into a community moment—not just a personal goal.
Want our exact printable tracker? Download the template.
Best results? Use both. Let Wodify handle the digital tracking and automations, and bring the vibe to life with a big, visual tracker wall your members can interact with.
Watch this quick video from Reganne to see exactly how to set up Progressions in Wodify and start awarding digital badges throughout your challenge.
No time to design your own? Use our Progression Badge Templates
This part matters more than people think. A great challenge that nobody hears about is just… a missed opportunity.
Here’s what to prep before launch:
Steal our plug-and-play email and instagram templates. Download them here.
Hype it up like it’s a big deal—because it is! This isn’t a passive reminder; it’s an invitation to commit. Host a 5-minute kickoff at the end of a class. Post daily teasers. Turn it into a mini campaign.
This is where most gyms drop the ball. You’ve gotta keep energy high through the midpoint and final push.
You don’t need a massive prize budget to make this work. What matters is consistency, visibility, and hype.
The Summer Check-In Challenge is a low-lift, high-reward way to re-engage your community, boost retention, and bring some fun back into the business.
So: pick your dates, set the goal, and start talking it up now. Summer slump? Not this year.
Need help launching fast? Grab the full Summer Check-In Challenge Toolkit
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Grace Bettino is the Director of Brand and Communications at Wodify where she leads creative and content strategy. With a background in boutique fitness marketing and a passion for storytelling, she’s focused on connecting Wodify to its community through marketing that’s both effective and authentic. Grace lives in Minneapolis with her husband, daughter Sloane, and their 80lb Golden Retriever, Bear.
Grab our free Summer Check-In Challenge Toolkit and get everything you need to drive attendance, boost retention, and build community all season long.
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