If you own a gym, you already know that communication is everything. Whether it’s updating members about class schedules, promoting an upcoming challenge, or nurturing leads who haven’t signed up yet — staying connected keeps people engaged.
The problem? Most gyms stop at workout updates and billing reminders. That means they’re missing a huge opportunity to highlight the one thing most members actually want help with: nutrition.
That’s where your CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system comes in. With the right strategy, you can use your CRM to build automated funnels that showcase your nutrition program, nurture leads, and increase conversions, without adding more to your plate.
What Is A CRM:
A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is a tool that helps you manage relationships with current members, prospects, and leads. In the gym space, a CRM can:
Track attendance and member activity
Send automated emails and SMS campaigns
Manage leads and prospects through a sales funnel
Keep your community engaged with consistent communication
Think of your CRM as the backbone of your marketing and retention strategy.
Do Gyms Need A CRM?
A good CRM does more than store data — it saves time, increases retention, and helps you convert more leads into paying clients.
Benefits of a CRM Include:
Consistent communication with members and leads
Automated nurture campaigns that run in the background
Clear reporting to track what’s working
In fact, PushPress reports that members who attend events are far less likely to leave a gym. A CRM makes it easier to promote those events, encourage attendance, and ultimately keep members longer.
The Most Popular CRMs In The CrossFit Space:
There are dozens of CRM platforms out there, but in the fitness and CrossFit space, these three stand out:
PushPress – Strong reporting, attendance tracking, and event promotions.
Wodify – Combines workout tracking with lead management tools.
Kilo – Marketing-first CRM and website platform built specifically for gym owners.
At Healthy Steps Nutrition (HSN) Mentoring, we’ve built nutrition-focused automations inside all three platforms to make it easy for you to highlight your habit-based coaching program, not just workouts.
Here’s how to integrate nutrition into your CRM:
Step 1: Understand Who You Are Speaking To
Not all messages should go to the same audience. A strong CRM strategy tailors communication to meet people where they are in their journey.
Members
Goal: Keep them engaged and connected.
What to share: Program updates, upcoming events, healthy tips, client success stories.
Why it matters: Engaged members stay longer.
New Leads & Prospects
Goal: Build trust and show what makes you different.
What to share: Case studies, myth-busting content (e.g., “You don’t have to be in shape to start CrossFit”), nutrition education.
Why it matters: People sign up with the gym they trust to help them reach their goals. People spend on average twice as much when lead nuture is done properly (your nutrition + fitness programs are likely double the cost of your fitness-only option).
Nurture Prospects (The Long Game)
Goal: Stay top of mind until they’re ready to commit.
What to share: Value-based content — tips, recipes, education that aligns with your philosophy.
Why it matters: Most people don’t convert right away. Consistency builds trust.
Re-Engage Old Leads
Goal: Bring them back into the conversation.
What to share: New guide, event, case studies highlighting awesome results
Why it matters: A cold lead isn’t a lost lead. Sometimes they just need a new opportunity to say yes.
Pro Tip: If you release a new guide, instead of just giving it to everyone on your email list, have them opt-in so they are added to a new funnel that has more follow-up once they get it.
Capture New Leads
Goal: Build your list with high-value opt-ins.
What to share: Free guides, nutrition talk, or checklists (“Beginners Guide To Meal Prepping”).
Why it matters: A lead magnet not only grows your email list but also positions you as the expert.
Pro Tip: Once people opt into a funnel, be quick to share case studies, Google reviews, and success stories of people like them so they build confidence that you can help them, too.
Step 2: Communication Best Practices
The biggest mistake gyms make? Inconsistent communication. Here’s a rhythm to follow:
First 10 days: Communicate daily — this is when excitement is highest and engagement is easiest.
After 10 days: Shift to 2x per week.
Long-term: Weekly communication to stay connected without overwhelming.
Pro Tip: Map these touchpoints into your CRM automations so they run automatically for every new lead and new member.
But don’t rely on automation alone. There’s still an important place for real human connection and manual follow-ups.
📞 The research shows people are most likely to buy from the first person who responds. Remember, your gym probably isn’t the only one they reached out to. The sale often comes down to how quickly you follow up.
That’s why automations are a great immediate touchpoint; they buy you time while you personally connect. But nothing beats picking up the phone:
Call right away (if they don’t answer, call again within minutes — people are more likely to answer the second time).
Leave a short, genuine voicemail so they know you care.
👉 The winning formula = automation + fast human follow-up.
Step 3: What Are You Sharing?
Your CRM content should reinforce your health-focused, habit-based coaching philosophy.
👉 Keep your content aligned with your values. For example, at Healthy Steps Nutrition, we would never send a “macro calculator” email because it doesn’t align with our habit-based approach.
Here’s what works best:
Tips: Simple, actionable nutrition or lifestyle habits (e.g., “How to stay on track eating out”).
Recipes: Healthy, family-friendly recipes that people can use right away.
Success Stories: Highlight real members who’ve seen results with fitness + nutrition coaching.
Pictures are great, but capturing your client’s story on video to share their journey with you and how it’s improved their life is so much more impactful.
Check out Esnel’s story below.
Step 4: Use the Right Tools
What works best? A platform that allows you to communicate across multiple channels — email and SMS.
Email is great for long-form content, newsletters, and education.
SMS is perfect for reminders, quick nudges, and links to register for events or book appointments.
Using both increases open rates, engagement, and conversions.
Tips To Increase Open & Engagement Rates:
Even the best email funnel won’t work if people don’t open or engage with your messages. Here are some simple ways to boost performance:
1. Personalize Your Subject Lines
Use the first name tag in your subject line.
Add an emoji to catch the eye in a crowded inbox.
Tools like subjectline.com or ChatGPT can help you brainstorm catchy subject lines and preview text.
2. Make Your Call-To-Action Stand Out
Use a button instead of just a link — it draws more attention and increases clicks.
Keep it action-focused (e.g., Book Your Free Nutrition Intro, Download Your Guide).
3. Integrate Video Whenever Possible
Videos create more engagement and build trust faster than text alone.
Even short 30–60 second clips work great for appointment reminders, challenge invitations, or coach introductions.
People are far more likely to remember your message when they see and hear you.
👉 Small tweaks like these can make a big difference in how many people open, read, and take action on your emails and SMS messages.
Ready-To-Go Workflows & Website Templates (For Healthy Steps Nutrition Mentoring Clients With Software Partners)
If you’re using PushPress, Wodify, or Kilo, the good news is you don’t have to start from scratch. Healthy Steps Nutrition has pre-built workflows and website templates ready for you to plug in and start using.
Here’s what’s included:
📥 Beginner’s Guide To Meal Prepping: Evergreen Lead Capture
16 emails + 5 SMS over 32 days
Designed to educate, nurture, and convert leads into coaching clients
📞 Discovery Call Appointment Follow-Up
15 emails + 7 SMS over 29 days
Tailored sequences for people who didn’t buy right away, didn’t show up for the discovery call or people who canceled
🆕 New Client Campaign
31 emails + 12 SMS over 114 days
An onboarding workflow that integrates nutrition education for every new member
⏰ Discovery Call Reminders
2 emails + 2 SMS tied to appointment time slot
Lead capture and reminders to reduce no-shows
🔄 Lead Re-Engagement
5 emails + 1 SMS over 11 days
Re-ignite interest in cold leads
❄️ Lost Lead Campaign
15 emails over 205 days
Long-term nurture to re-engage leads who weren’t ready at first
💡 These workflows are already built inside PushPress, Wodify, and Kilo for mutual clients of HSN, saving you months of writing, testing, and building.
Instead of spending hours trying to create nurture sequences, you can focus on what matters most: connecting with leads and coaching your clients.
How To Personalize The Workflows Powered By Healthy Steps Nutrition Mentoring:
The best part about using the pre-built workflows in PushPress, Wodify, and Kilo is that they save you time, but you should still add your own personality to make them feel authentic.
Here’s how to make them yours:
Add Your Own Success Stories
Drop in Google reviews or short video testimonials from happy clients.
Highlight transformations that combine fitness + nutrition so new leads see what’s possible.
Share Your Social Media Links
Point people to your Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube for healthy recipes and quick tips.
This keeps your gym top-of-mind and adds extra touchpoints outside of email.
Show What Makes You Different
People buy from people. The more you share about your team, your community, and your approach, the faster new leads will think:
“I know you can help me!”
The pre-built workflows give you the structure. Personalizing them with your stories and your voice turns them into powerful connection builders.
Final Thoughts About Integrating Nutrition Into Your CRM As A Gym Owner
When someone finally gets on a call with you, you want them to say:
👉 “I feel like I already know you.”
That’s the moment you know your content and workflows are working. You’ve built trust before you ever speak, and that makes it much more likely they’re not just a lead; they’re your ideal client.
How do you make that happen?
Automations that provide consistent, timely touchpoints
Personalized content that shares your philosophy, success stories, and recipes
A mix of email, SMS, and real human follow-ups
When your CRM is set up this way, prospects don’t feel like they’re just getting automated messages — they feel like they’re already part of your community.
Your CRM isn’t just a tech tool — it’s your voice.
By integrating nutrition into your communication strategy, you can:
Engage current members
Nurture and convert new leads
Re-engage old contacts
Capture fresh leads with valuable opt-ins
