Let’s be honest: while everyone else is sipping eggnog and watching holiday movies, you’re watching your class attendance drop as your students get swept up in holiday chaos.
But here’s what most studio owners miss—the holidays aren’t just about surviving the seasonal attendance dip. They’re a golden opportunity to boost revenue, deepen relationships with your community, and set yourself up for a massive January surge.
Your students are already in buying mode. They’re searching for meaningful gifts that show they care. And guess what? The gift of health, wellness, and community beats another scented candle every single time.
If you haven’t created a holiday marketing plan yet, don’t sweat it. We’ve got you covered with a practical, proven strategy that you can launch this week. Even better? Get started now, and you’ll build momentum that carries straight into the New Year fitness rush.
Your Holiday Marketing Checklist:
- [ ] Choose 1-2 holiday promotions to run
- [ ] Create a simple campaign theme
- [ ] Set up gift certificates or discounted passes
- [ ] Schedule emails and social posts
- [ ] Update website and social media banners
- [ ] Announce to current students in class
- [ ] Track what works for next year
Start with a Simple, Compelling Theme
The key to a successful holiday campaign isn’t doing everything—it’s doing one thing really well.
Create a straightforward theme that speaks to what nearly everyone wants during the holidays: happiness, health, and feeling good. Link this message to your specific promotion, and you’ve got a campaign.
Great examples:
- “Give the Gift of Calm: Holiday Yoga Packages 20% Off”
- “The Gift That Keeps Them Strong: 10-Class Passes on Sale”
- “Share Your Shine: Gift Wellness This Season”
- “Give Fit, Fun, and Community”
Keep it simple. Make it personal to your studio’s vibe. And make the value crystal clear.
For more inspiration on crafting messages that resonate, check out our guide on How to Get More Reviews Without Being Pushy — the same principles apply to holiday marketing!
Choose Your Holiday Promotions
You don’t need to run five different promotions. Pick 1-2 that fit your studio’s style and your students’ preferences. Here are the most effective options:
Flash Sales: Quick Revenue Boost
What it is: Time-limited deals (usually 24 hours) that create urgency and drive fast sales.
Why it works: Your loyal customers love a good deal, and their friends and family need last-minute gifts. Flash sales tap into both.
How to run it: Set up a discount code through your studio management software (Punchpass makes this super easy with discount codes). Schedule an email to your best customers and create a Facebook or Instagram ad linking to your online store.
Pro tip: Schedule your emails and social posts to go live at 12:01 AM on big shopping days (Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Dec 23-24 for last-minute shoppers). Make the offer good for just 24 hours to create real urgency.
Popular flash sale offers:
- 20% off all passes
- Buy 10 classes, get 2 free
- First month of membership free (if you offer memberships)
Gift Certificates: The Perfect Present
What it is: Simple gift cards your students can buy for friends and family.
Why it works: Takes the guesswork out of gift-giving. The recipient gets to choose when they come, and you get a new potential student walking through your door.
How to set it up: Punchpass makes it incredibly easy to create and sell gift cards online. You can make them redeemable just like regular passes—5 or 10 visit gift cards work great.
Marketing it effectively:
- Have physical certificates available before and after class
- Put up signage showing a sample certificate
- Include in your email signature
- Post on social media weekly starting in mid-November
- Add to your website banner
Pricing strategy: You can sell gift certificates at full price, or offer a small incentive like “Buy a $100 gift card, get $120 in value.” The incentive helps overcome the gift-card hesitation some people have.
Discounted Holiday Passes
What it is: Special pricing on class packages available only during the holiday season.
Why it works: Creates a sense of exclusivity and rewards both gift-givers and students treating themselves.
Example offers:
- “$100 of Classes for Just $75”
- “Holiday Special: 10 Classes for the Price of 8”
- “Give 20 Classes, Pay for 16”
How to implement: You can sell these as packages for folks to buy and use themselves, OR as discounted gift certificates for them to give to family and friends.
If your discount is steep, consider limiting sales to one per customer to protect your revenue.
Promotion channels: Email, Facebook, Instagram, printed posters in your studio, and banner stands if budget allows.
Quick win: Already have Punchpass? You can set up gift certificates and discount codes in under 10 minutes. Need help getting started? Check out our simple booking system that makes holiday promotions a breeze.
Holiday Contests and Giveaways
What it is: Social media contests that generate engagement, community, and sales.
Why it works: People love contests, especially during the festive season. It gets your studio in front of new audiences and creates buzz.
Contest ideas that work:
- Photo Contest: “Best Holiday Fitness Photo” – yoga pose under holiday lights, workout in ugly sweaters, snow yoga, etc.
- Gratitude Contest: “Share What You’re Grateful For” – builds community and positive vibes
- Tag-a-Friend: “Tag someone who deserves the gift of wellness” – expands reach
Prize ideas:
- Free yoga mat or fitness accessory
- Private training session
- Month of unlimited classes
- Holiday workshop ticket
How to maximize results:
Create a unique contest hashtag (like #StudioNameHolidayCheer). Announce through email, social media, and in-class. To drive sales, you could require contest entry with purchase—anyone who buys a gift card or holiday pass is automatically entered.
Winning hashtag combo:
holidayfit #fitnessgifts #wellnessgifts #shoplocal #giftideas #holidaywellness #fitnesscontest #yogagifts [YourStudioHashtag] #fitfam #wellness
Want to dive deeper into social media strategy? Check out 6 Smart Steps to Grow Your Fitness Business with Social Media.
VIP Holiday Shopping Event
What it is: An exclusive event for your community featuring a special class, treats, and deals.
Why it works: Creates an experience, strengthens community bonds, and drives multiple sales in one evening.
How to structure it:
- Host a fun, festive class led by you or your best instructor
- Offer healthy holiday treats afterward (green juice, protein bites, etc.)
- Provide exclusive discounts on retail, passes, and memberships
- Make it feel special and limited (invite-only or early-bird pricing)
- Consider partnering with local wellness businesses for added value
Setting it up:
You can easily create a one-time event on your Punchpass schedule. Promote it at least two weeks in advance through email, social media, posters, and in-class announcements.
Bonus idea: Make it a “bring a friend for free” event to expand your community and generate leads for January.
Common Holiday Marketing Mistakes to Avoid
Starting too late
Mid-November is when people start holiday shopping. Don’t wait until December 15th to launch your campaign.
Making it too complicated
You don’t need six different promotions. Pick 1-2 and execute them well.
Forgetting to promote to current students
Your best customers are your easiest sales. Announce your holiday deals before and after every class.
No urgency or deadline
“Available all season” doesn’t drive action. Create real deadlines: “Offer ends Sunday” or “Only 10 available.”
Hiding your deals
Update your website banner, email signature, Facebook cover photo, Instagram bio, and in-studio signage. Make it impossible to miss.
Not making it easy to buy
Link directly to your online sales page in every email and social post. Remove friction from the buying process.
Your Holiday Marketing Timeline
Early November:
- Decide on promotions
- Create campaign theme and graphics
- Set up gift certificates and discount codes
- Update website and social media banners
Mid-November:
- Launch first email campaign
- Start social media posts (2-3x/week)
- Announce in classes
- Put up in-studio signage
Black Friday/Cyber Monday:
- Run flash sales if you’re doing them
- Boost social media posts with ads
- Send targeted emails
Early December:
- Promote gift certificates heavily
- Share last-minute gift ideas
- Post customer testimonials and success stories
December 15-24:
- “Last-minute gift!” messaging
- Final flash sales
- Same-day digital delivery gift certificates
- Urgency-driven social posts
Bring It All Together
Here’s how to make sure your holiday campaign actually gets seen:
Update everywhere:
- Facebook profile banner
- Instagram bio and highlights
- Website homepage banner
- Email signature
- In-studio posters and signage
Link to your sales page:
Make it ridiculously easy for people to buy. Every email, every social post, every in-studio announcement should include a clear link to where they can purchase.
Track your results:
Keep notes on what works. Which promotion drove the most sales? What messaging resonated? Which day saw the biggest spike? You’ll thank yourself next year.
For more ideas on attracting and retaining customers year-round, check out our post on How to Create a Sell-Out Series for Your Fitness Studio.
Make This Your Best Holiday Season Yet
The holidays are magical—and they can also be one of your most profitable seasons when you approach them strategically.
You don’t need a huge budget or a marketing degree. You just need a simple plan, a clear message, and the right tools to make buying easy.
While you’re creating your holiday campaigns, make sure your backend systems are ready to handle the influx. Nothing kills holiday momentum like a clunky booking process or confusing gift certificate redemption.
That’s where Punchpass comes in.
We help thousands of studio owners run smooth, stress-free holiday campaigns by making it incredibly easy to:
- Create and sell gift cards online that arrive instantly
- Set up discount codes for flash sales and special promotions
- Manage your online store so customers can buy 24/7
- Send targeted emails to your best customers
- Track sales and see what’s working in real-time
The best part? When someone receives a gift certificate from your studio, they can book their first class right from their phone. No phone tag, no confusion, no friction—just a smooth path from gift to first class to loyal student.
Ready to make holiday marketing easier?
Start your free trial of Punchpass and see how studio owners are using our simple software to boost holiday sales without the stress.
Let us do the heavy lifting on the tech side so you can focus on what you do best—creating meaningful experiences and building community.
Want more marketing strategies?
- Dance Studio Marketing: Ideas to Fill the Dance Floor
- Old School Marketing Ideas That Still Pack a Punch
Quick Action Steps
This week:
- Choose your holiday promotion(s)
- Create your campaign theme
- Set up gift certificates or discount codes in your system
- Schedule your first email for next week
That’s it. You’re officially ready for a successful holiday season.
From all of us at Punchpass: Happy Holidays, and here’s to your most abundant season yet! 🎄
Using Punchpass for your holiday campaigns? We’d love to hear how it goes! Email us or tag us with #peopleofpunchpass.
