How to Get Your Coaches and Members Selling For You

The best gym apparel programs don't rely on the owner doing all the selling. They build a system where coaches promote naturally and members do the marketing for you — without anyone feeling like they're being "salesy." This is the difference between a gym that sells 20 shirts per drop and one that sells 80.

Here's how to make that happen.

Your Coaches Are Your Sales Team (They Just Don't Know It Yet)

Your coaches are in front of your members every single day. They have built-in trust and attention that no Instagram post can match. When a coach says "I just grabbed the new hoodie and it's unreal," that converts better than any ad you could run.

But most coaches won't promote apparel unless you make it easy for them. They're focused on programming, coaching, and keeping people safe — merch isn't top of mind. Your job is to remove every barrier so promoting the drop takes zero effort.

Give them the info upfront. Before the drop launches, send your coaches a quick message with everything they need: what the designs look like, the store link, the close date, and the early bird deal if there's one. One message, all the info. Don't make them hunt for it.

Create a coach group chat. If you don't already have one, start a group text or Slack/Discord channel with your coaching staff. When the drop launches, send the link and a simple script: "Hey team — new gear just went live. If you could mention it before class this week and point people to the link, that'd be huge. Store closes [date]." That's it. No long instructions, no meetings about merch strategy.

Compensate if it makes sense. Some gyms give coaches a free item from each drop as a thank-you for promoting. Others offer a small percentage of sales. Even a free tee per drop costs you very little and creates buy-in from your staff.

The Ambassador Model

Beyond coaches, your most engaged members are a goldmine for organic promotion. These are the people who post gym content, tag you on social media, show up to every event, and generally love being part of the community. They'll promote your gear for free — you just have to invite them.

Identify 3-5 ambassadors. Look for the members who are already the most active on social media, the most vocal in the group chat, or the ones who buy from every single drop. Reach out to them directly: "Hey — we're doing a new gear drop next week and I'd love for you to help spread the word. Would you be down to post about it when it launches?"

Give them something exclusive. Early access to the design reveal. A free item. First pick on sizes. A shoutout on the gym's social media. Ambassadors don't need much — they just want to feel like insiders.

Make it easy to share. Send them the mockup images, the store link, and a suggested caption. Don't make them create content from scratch. The easier you make it, the more likely they are to post.

Repost everything. When ambassadors or any member posts about the drop, repost it immediately. This does two things: it rewards the person who posted (everyone likes being featured), and it creates social proof for everyone else who sees it.

Member-Driven Promotion Tactics

Beyond ambassadors, there are several ways to get your broader membership involved in spreading the word.

The repost challenge. "Repost our new gear announcement on your story and tag us — everyone who does gets entered to win a free tee." This costs you one tee and gets your drop in front of every member's personal network. If 20 members repost, that's 20 separate audiences seeing your gear.

Order screenshot sharing. Encourage members to screenshot their order confirmation and post it in the group chat or on their stories. This is social proof in real time. When one member sees three others have already ordered, they're far more likely to order themselves.

In-class contests. "Whoever gets the most people to order using their referral link wins a free hoodie." If your store platform supports referral tracking, this gamifies the entire process. Members start texting their gym friends, tagging people in comments, and actively driving orders.

The "who hasn't ordered" list. This one sounds aggressive but it's actually effective when done right. After Day 5, pull up the list of members who have ordered and compare it to your full roster. Then casually — and genuinely — reach out to the ones who haven't: "Hey, just wanted to make sure you didn't miss the new gear drop. No pressure, just didn't want you to be left out." Framing it as inclusion rather than a sales pitch makes all the difference.

Creative Plays That Work

These are the extras — the moves that take a standard drop and turn it into an event.

Launch countdown. Three days before the store opens, start teasing: "Something's coming Monday..." on your stories. Day 2: a blurred or partial mockup. Day 1: the reveal. By the time the store opens, members are already primed and curious.

Live design reveal. Go live on Instagram or do the reveal in person at the gym. Unveil the new designs in real time, let members react, answer questions, share the link immediately after. Live moments create energy that a static post can't match.

Print a handout. A simple 4x6 flyer with the mockup, QR code, and close date. Hand them out at the front desk or slip them into cubbies. Physical reminders in a digital world stand out.

Loyalty program. "Order from 3 drops in a row and your 4th item is free." This creates repeat buyers and gives members a reason to order from every single drop, not just the ones they love. Over time, your participation rate climbs because members are "invested" in the streak.

The Follow-Up System

After the store closes, don't just go silent until the next drop. The period between drops is where you build anticipation for the next one.

Delivery day content. When the gear arrives, take photos and videos of the boxes being opened, the shirts being laid out, members picking up their orders. This content serves double duty: it excites the people who ordered and creates FOMO for the people who didn't.

"Who's wearing it" series. Over the following weeks, post photos of members wearing the new gear in class. Tag them. This keeps the apparel visible and plants the seed for the next drop.