Back-to-school season is like the Black Friday of youth activities—except instead of people trampling each other for TVs, it’s parents frantically Googling “cheer classes near me” in the school pickup line. No…I don’t sit on my phone scrolling in that line either…🫣
It’s the one time of year when everyone’s ready to sign up for something. The only question is: are they signing up at your gym?
For years, gyms could just sit back and watch the fall enrollments roll in. But last year? It felt less like a flood and more like a sad little trickle – and the data shows it wasn’t just my gym feeling that. Welcome to the new era. Now you actually have to do stuff to earn those signups.
Lucky for you, I’ve got five strategies that actually work—no weird gimmicks or exhausting side quests required.
1. Run Ads Early—And Don’t Make Them Weird
Parents aren’t looking to read about the history of your gym or all the banners you won last year. They’re looking for something that fits into their already maxed-out brain. So hit them with what matters:
- A clean, clear ad: “Back-to-School Special” or “Now Enrolling”. That’s it. No catchy phrases necessary.
- Bright, high-energy photos. Not that blurry pic from your 2019 showcase.
- A landing page that doesn’t make them go on a scavenger hunt to register or click nine times to pick out a class when they actually have no idea what they’re doing. Plus, you know as well as I do that Suzy shouldn’t be in Back Handsprings 101 if she’s never taken a class before…
When to start? Ideally 2–4 weeks before school starts. But if you’re already behind, don’t panic. Run the ads anyway. Momentum is better than silence.
2. Host an Open House (Yes, Still)
I talked about this a ton last week. But guess what? I’m doing it again, because they work.
We’ve signed up 25+ athletes in a single day with a well-run open house. And no, it doesn’t have to be all about classes:
- Show off your birthday parties.
- Promote after-school stuff and fall events.
- Offer easy-entry events like Nerf nights or beginner tumbling clinics.
You’re not just selling a class—you’re creating a vibe. And if you get them in the door with something fun and low-pressure, you can convert later. You’re playing the long game so you’re still in the game five years from now.
3. Get Into the Schools (Sometimes It’s Possible)
Your gym isn’t the only place families hang out. Want to get in front of them? Go where they already are: school events.
- Sponsor a PTO night.
- Ask to set up a table and give away free swag at the back-to-school bash. (Funny story, we did this last week, and a little kid ran in and said, “Mom, we’re at Twisters!” because our set up was so big! LOL)
- Ask the district if you can submit flyers to go home for an upcoming free event (Keep reading…)
- Sponsor the high school cheer team with a banner up at the football field. Though high schoolers aren’t my target audience, an awful lot of elementary school kids are tagging along with their siblings for Friday Night Lights.
But here’s the catch: sometimes you’ve got to give a little to get a lot. That might mean donating snacks to a teacher lounge or throwing $100 toward a PTO fundraiser. Track what actually works and skip the stuff that doesn’t move the needle.
4. Throw a Back-to-School Bash (Trust Me, It’s Worth It)
Don’t have a fall event on the calendar? Fix that.
Go big:
- Food trucks.
- Tumbling demos.
- Kids flying through the air in the parking lot. (In a controlled and safe way, obviously.)
This kind of event isn’t just for fun—it’s a community magnet. And bonus: schools are way more likely to hand out flyers if it’s free and open to the public. It’s a win for them and for your lead list.
5. Spirit Day = Free Advertising That Wears Sneakers
Take a cue from high schoolers who wear their cheer uniforms and football jerseys on game day. Declare a Gym Spirit Day and have your athletes wear your gear to school.
Then bribe them. (I said what I said.)
- Run a photo contest.
- Have them tag your gym.
- Enter everyone who participates into a drawing for a free backpack.
You’ll sell more merch and turn your kids into walking billboards—without spending a dime on ad space. Pro tip: Don’t do this on Fridays. I never compete with Friday Night Football or run heavy ads before a weekend where our front desk isn’t well-staffed. Try a Monday when you have the whole week ahead of you for kids to beg mom to sign them up for cheer.
True story: when my daughter was in kindergarten, she did a cartwheel at recess and told the other kids she learned it at our gym. She didn’t know anything about sales, but I taught her to tell them to visit TwisterSports.com to learn how to do one too. 🤣 A week later, one of those kids was in our lobby and ended up doing cheer with us for four years. Best ad campaign I’ve ever run—and it cost me zero dollars and zero cents.
Final Thoughts (aka: The Pep Talk You Didn’t Ask For)
Back-to-school doesn’t have to feel like a survival game. With a little planning and some good timing, this can be your biggest enrollment season of the year.
Start with one thing—ads, open house, school booth, whatever. Then stack on from there.
And hey, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, that’s what Next Gen and Cheer Biz Accelerator are here for. Systems, coaching, and a crew of other gym owners who get it.
You don’t have to guess your way through this. You just have to show up.
Visit cheerbizaccelerator.com to learn about our upcoming events (including one at MY gym!) If you want to hear more about how to run your back-to-school campaign, check out the full episode of the Fullout Cheer Podcast at the links below:
Youtube: Watch Now 📺
Spotify: 🎧Listen Here
Apple Podcast: 🍎Listen Here
