5 seasonal email marketing examples to inspire your next fitness campaign

Think of email marketing for a second. Did you picture product launches, flash sales, and promotions? That's a common connection to make.

Now think about Christmas or Black Friday. People's inboxes are flooded with sales emails. And they’re scrambling for the perfect gift idea or hunting down the best deal. That’s the impact of seasonal email marketing: it’s high-stakes, high-volume, and high opportunity.

Unlike generic emails, seasonal campaigns demand more. More personalized recommendations. More eye-catching designs. And more helpful content.

Most brands lean into popular holidays that people celebrate globally. And this is a good start. But if you want to surprise your audience (in a good way) and stand out from the competition, lesser-known holidays could take you one step further.

For example, would you include Cooking Day in your list of fitness seasonal email campaigns? If you answered no, think again.

Better yet, keep reading to discover insightful ways to engage your audience with seasonal emails. And do so even on lesser-known holidays to leave no opportunity untapped.

How to increase sales as a fitness brand with seasonal email marketing

It might be difficult to imagine what kind of seasonal email marketing campaigns to send as a fitness brand. To fuel your imagination, we gathered our favorite, spot-on campaigns.

1. Make them an offer they can't refuse

Some consumers will indulge in impulse buying just because it's the holiday season. Others won't. That's why you must make your deal stand out in the noise.

For this to happen, you need to give your audience something of value. Something they can't say no to. What would interest your audience more: Limited-time discounts, flash sales, or special bundles?

Generally, time-sensitive offers and deals are an excellent way to convert subscribers. Especially in fitness email marketing, where seasonality often aligns with personal goals, a sense of urgency can prompt quick action.

Do “summer body” or “new year, new me” projects ring a bell? Such a goal usually has a clear deadline. Urgency, in its turn, might make people think: “If I don't start now, I won't see results in time.” Which is why sending them a time-sensitive deal could be that extra nudge they need.

A fitness studio might share a limited-time offer on a monthly workout program during summer. The subject line could be something like: “Only 24 hours left to claim our summer workout program discount.”

Subject line: Less than 72 Hours Left! $550 Value on Peloton Bike+

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What we like:

• The simple and clear design that naturally leads the eye to the prominent CTAs
• They highlight the time limit both in the subject line and in the email copy in bold
• The headline copy uses a pun that makes you think of New Year instantly

2. Add the discount to the email subject line

Consumers tend to look for the most profitable discount in the market. During popular times of the year, when every brand comes knocking with an offer, they need an offer that will grab their attention.

And numbers are as specific as it gets. Percentage discounts are prevalent during holiday seasons. Therefore, your prospects expect to see this kind of email in their inbox. Numbers make the benefit more tangible.

Many successful fitness brands opt to include the percent sign in the email subject lines. Adding a specific percentage helps recipients evaluate the cost compared to the reward—which is even more effective in emails for fitness brands, where long-term memberships may feel like a big commitment.

Subject line: It's Cyber Monday: Up to 40% off

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What we like:

• The generous percentage offer included in the subject line
• The countdown timer displaying zero hour—an indicator that the offer is coming to an end
• They use multiple, straightforward CTAs to facilitate navigation to different product categories

3. Promote limited-edition products

Discounts aren't the only way to create a FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) effect. It may come in the form of product availability, too. Scarcity in seasonal emails triggers the human need to get our hands on something valuable—before others pick up on it.

The feeling that some products will only be available once leads to quick purchases. Besides that, consumers love having things that are limited and special. It makes them feel like they've outsmarted their peers. And now they're part of an exclusive group that owns that unique piece.

For better results, highlight scarcity clearly in the email subject line or the email body. For example, mention the number of items available. A nice touch is to share the story behind the product. What urged you to create it? What makes it special?

Launching limited-edition products is all about providing a unique selling point. So, make sure the products are actually worth the "limited-edition" title. And your subscribers’ money. Overall, don't overdo it with this tactic. If you start launching limited-edition products every three months, the novelty will wear off soon.

Subject line: A new Dawn

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Why we like it: 

• The name of the product symbolizes new beginnings, connecting it with spring—that time of the year associated with renewal
• They add an appealing and high-quality product image to make subscribers desire it
• The email copy is centered around the product's core characteristics and how it's different from the brand's other offerings

4. Include educational resources to support your audience

People are looking for ways to improve their well-being throughout the year. For this reason, they don't just need your products or services. There are additional ways a fitness business can support them to reach personal milestones.

Seasonal email marketing isn't just meant to promote your value proposition; give subscribers helpful content like guides, eBooks, even how-to videos. With such incentives, they’re more likely to think of you as a caring friend instead of a brand that wants to sell.

For example: 

• A yoga studio sends a guide with meditation, breathing, and correct posture tips to fight holiday stress
• A gym or personal trainer shares a New-Year workout worksheet so customers can write down their progress
• An athletic apparel business includes a back-to-gym checklist to ease the transition from the summer leisure to the autumn goal setting fever

This kind of educational content adds real value to your recipients’ daily routine, helping them lead a healthier life. And it's better to do so during stressful periods like the holidays.

Subject line: Claim your FREE PDF, our holiday gift to you 🎁

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Why we like it:

• The subject line cleverly includes everything the reader needs to know beforehand: the resource inside—plus, that it's free
• The “experts’ take” in the copy builds authority and credibility
• They use short and crisp copy and an actionable, straightforward CTA to convince readers to get the guide

5. Stand out by sending emails on lesser-known holidays

Not every holiday and occasion are a good fit for your industry and objectives. You should mark those dates on the calendar that could turn into email marketing milestones.

This is how you'll make a difference and stand out while your competitors are busy planning for Christmas, Halloween, and Black Friday campaigns. Which holidays should you consider as a fitness business? Here are some ideas for your seasonal emails:

• International Mind-Body Wellness Day (January 3rd): Emphasize the importance of well-being and send best practices to maintain “A healthy mind in a healthy body”
• International Happiness Day (March 20th): No better occasion to share statistics and reports demonstrating the connection between endorphins and exercise
• Global Earth Day (April 22nd): A great opportunity to promote eco-friendly products and share sustainability practices you're using
• Summer Solstice (depending on the hemisphere): Encourage your audience to adopt healthy summer habits or promote summer collections
• National Cooking Day (September 25th): An excellent occasion to offer tips on how to prepare healthy and nutritious meals ideal for sports enthusiasts

The list is endless. To keep track of the major holidays and how you'll add them to your marketing mix, make sure you create an email marketing calendar. There, you can organize your campaigns, analyze and delegate tasks, set deadlines, etc.

Subject line: It’s Menopause Awareness Month ❤️

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Why we like it: 

• The simple, short, and concise subject line that communicates the email purpose
• They placed the free delivery information at the top of the email so scrollers won't miss it
• They use an image of a smiling woman working out, as well as statistics and menopause-related facts to keep the subscribers interested

Add seasonal emails to your fitness marketing mix

Seasonal email marketing allows you to drive year-round engagement. Additionally, it keeps your fitness business top of mind, bringing it one step closer to strong emotional connections.

To succeed, though, make sure you stick to email marketing best practices. Perform granular segmentation and regular A/B testing to understand which seasonal offers could align with each group's interests and requirements.

Another effective tactic includes using holiday-specific imagery and copy to match the seasonal spirit. However, ensure you keep your design clean and focused to avoid distracting your subscribers.

Last but not least, analyze your audience carefully to determine the best time to reach them. If there's one factor that impacts your seasonal email performance, that's timing. So, make sure you nail it!

FAQs

1. When should fitness brands start planning their seasonal emails?

It's best to start planning your seasonal campaigns at least 4-6 weeks ahead of time. This gives you enough room to brainstorm ideas, assign responsibilities, and schedule A/B testing. Also, an email marketing calendar is necessary to have everything marked and remove frustration for all team members about what should be done and by when.

2. How should I personalize seasonal email for different fitness goals?

Use your subscriber's behavior like browsing and purchasing history and any other data you have to personalize the content to their unique needs and goals. Don't forget to tailor the offer or incentive, too, to make them take the next step.

3. Should you send seasonal emails to inactive recipients?

Yes, but in a moderate way. In other words, don't bombard them with deals and offers just because it's the holidays. Use their past interactions and demographics with your brand to understand what would interest them. Also, start by sharing helpful content instead of promoting products and services right away. If they respond well, you could go on and send an exclusive offer to encourage action.

Author

Maria Fintanidou works as a copywriter for email marketing automation software Moosend, having created the Help Articles (FAQs) and overseen the platform’s translations in Greek and Spanish. She loves exploring new cultures and ways of thinking through traveling, reading, and language learning.