Back-to-School Season: How Climbing Gyms Can Stay Front and Center

As the summer season wraps up and the school year kicks into gear, climbing gyms often find themselves in a bit of a transition. Morning traffic slows down, family travel drops off, and the buzz from summer camps begins to fade. But don’t hit autopilot just yet—back-to-school is a prime opportunity to re-engage your community, attract new members, and reset your gym’s momentum heading into fall.

Here are a few smart strategies to help your gym stay visible, valuable, and vibrant as routines shift and school schedules return.

1. Market Climbing as the Ultimate Study Break

For students, parents, and teachers alike, fall can bring a whirlwind of stress, structure, and screen time. Climbing offers the perfect balance—a physical outlet, a mental reset, and a social escape from school or work pressures.

Now’s the time to reframe your membership offerings and class programs around this idea. Position your gym as the go-to place to de-stress after class, take a break from homework, or catch up with friends in a healthier, more meaningful way than another coffee shop meetup.

Bonus Tip: Create a short-term “Back to School” promo or a student-specific membership to help new climbers commit without a long-term contract.

2. Host Welcome-Back Events

Whether it’s an open house, a “try climbing free” night, or a student social, early fall is an ideal time to run community events that pull in first-timers. People are looking for fresh routines—and these kinds of gatherings lower the barrier for someone who’s curious about climbing but hasn’t made the leap.

Try ideas like:

Campus Climb Nights for local college students

Parent + Kid Nights to help families reconnect post-summer

Fall Climber Socials with games, raffles, or themed routes

Events like these create buzz, encourage word-of-mouth, and build a sense of community that can turn casual visitors into consistent members.

3. Build School + Youth Partnerships

Back-to-school isn’t just for students—it’s also a chance for gyms to partner with schools, youth groups, and educators to create long-term relationships.

Whether it’s hosting after-school programs, offering PE field trips, or launching youth climbing leagues, now’s the time to connect with:

Local elementary, middle, and high schools

University outdoor programs and clubs

Homeschool co-ops and scouting organizations

These partnerships aren’t just good for filling quiet afternoon slots—they build deep connections with families and introduce climbing to the next generation of climbers.

4. Refresh Your Digital Front Door

Back-to-school also means back to searching: students, parents, and teachers are online looking for new routines and activities. Make sure your website, class schedule, and social feeds are fully up to date.

Post about:

Fall events and special offers

New classes or youth programs

Student-friendly pricing or referral bonuses

Even just a few timely updates can give your digital presence a sense of momentum and make your gym feel current, active, and inviting.

Don’t forget to update your Google Business profile and local listings—first impressions often start with a search.

5. Use Automation to Capture New Interest

Back-to-school brings new faces, new waivers, and new email addresses. Don’t let them slip through the cracks.

Using tools like Approach Journeys, you can automatically follow up with:

First-time visitors

Students signing up for a free belay class

Parents registering kids for after-school climbing

Set up personalized emails, new member onboarding flows, and timely nudges that encourage repeat visits, upgrades, and community engagement. Let your systems do the work so your staff can focus on the in-gym experience.

Fall Is Your Fresh Start

The back-to-school season isn’t a slowdown—it’s a reset button. With smart campaigns, engaging events, and consistent outreach, your gym can stay top of mind for families, students, and your broader climbing community.

So dust off the whiteboard, sketch out your promotions, and kick off the season strong. Because the fall rush isn’t just for schools—it’s for climbing gyms, too.

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Approach Capital: Fueling the Future of Climbing Gyms with Gym Funding

July 16, 2025

At Approach, everything we build is guided by a simple belief: when climbing gyms succeed, the climbing industry thrives. That belief is at the core of our latest offering, Approach Capital,: a new way for gyms to access fast, flexible funding directly through our platform. Whether launching a brand-new facility, renovating an existing space, or investing in programs, Approach Capital gives our customers access to the capital they need, when they need it, without the complexity of traditional loans. No banks. No paperwork marathons. Just a few clicks, and funds can be accessible in as little as 1–2 business days. How It Works Approach Capital is a capital advance program that allows gyms to borrow against future payment processing revenue. It’s seamlessly integrated into our embedded payment system, Approach Pay, that powers the gym's day-to-day transactions. That means: No disruption to operations Simple repayment structure integrated as the gym processes payments No lengthy credit checks or personal guarantees required Repayment happens automatically, based on a small percentage of your daily revenue. So you’re never hit with a surprise bill or forced to choose between making a payment and making payroll. An Industry First Approach Capital isn’t just a new feature. It’s a new mindset. Approach strives to be more than just a technology provider. By reinvesting in the industry with innovations like this, we’re providing resources to help gyms grow. This program is made possible through our parent company, Fullsteam, whose extensive resources and infrastructure allow us to offer something that’s simply not available anywhere else in the climbing space. Through Fullsteam, we’re able to deliver financial backing and technology under one roof, allowing gyms to do more, faster—and with less stress. Why This Matters for the Climbing Industry Climbing gyms are community hubs, cultural centers, and launch pads for the next generation of climbers. Yet, access to funding has historically been a significant hurdle, especially for independent gym owners and facilities in underserved markets. Approach Capital is here to change that. By offering accessible, embedded funding directly through the tools you already use, we’re lowering the barrier to entry, reducing operational friction, and helping climbing businesses build stronger foundations. It’s part of our broader mission to be more than a software vendor and instead a true partner in the growth of the climbing industry. Your Ascent Starts Here If you’re ready to make your next move--whether it’s a renovation, expansion, or just some breathing room during a seasonal lull, Approach Capital is ready to help.

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Approach is Heading to the CWA Summit

March 25, 2025

At Approach, we’re always striving to elevate the climbing gym experience, and that means staying connected to the vibrant climbing community. One of the most exciting events of the year is right around the corner—the Climbing Wall Association (CWA) Summit in Salt Lake City, UT! As a gym management software specifically designed for climbing gyms, we’re thrilled to be a part of this amazing event, and we can’t wait to share why we’re so excited about it! What is the CWA Summit? For those who may not be familiar, the CWA Summit is the premier gathering for climbing gym owners, operators, and enthusiasts from across the country. It’s a place to learn, network, and dive deep into the latest trends in the climbing industry. The event brings together the best minds in climbing, offering educational sessions, workshops, and opportunities to collaborate. Whether you’re a climbing gym veteran or just getting started, the Summit is the perfect place to gain new insights, discover innovative products, and build relationships with others in the community. Why We’re Excited to Attend At Approach, we’ve always been passionate about supporting climbing gyms with tools that help them thrive. That’s why the CWA Summit is such an exciting opportunity for us to connect with industry leaders, gym owners, and passionate climbers who are dedicated to making the climbing experience even better. Here’s why we’re especially excited about the Summit: 1. Building Stronger Connections with Climbing Gym Operators As a gym management software designed specifically for climbing gyms, we understand the unique challenges that gym owners face. From member management and class scheduling to inventory control and point-of-sale systems, running a climbing gym requires a lot of moving parts. The CWA Summit gives us a chance to connect directly with gym operators, listen to their needs, and understand how we can continue to improve our platform to make their operations run more smoothly. 2. Learning from Industry Leaders The Summit is packed with workshops, seminars, and presentations from some of the brightest minds in the climbing world. As a company that’s committed to providing the best solutions for climbing gyms, we’re eager to learn about the latest trends, best practices, and cutting-edge technologies that can benefit our users. From operational tips to insights on creating better climbing experiences, we know that the Summit will be full of valuable takeaways that we can bring back to the Approach platform. 3. Supporting the Growth of Climbing Gyms At Approach, we’re all about helping climbing gyms grow and succeed. Whether it’s streamlining operations, improving customer experiences, or providing tools for better data analysis, we’re dedicated to supporting the climbing community. The Summit is an excellent opportunity for us to share our vision, demonstrate how our software can support gym growth, and learn how we can continue to help gyms thrive in this ever-evolving industry. 4. Connecting with Like-Minded Professionals The climbing world is full of passionate, innovative individuals, and the CWA Summit is the perfect place to meet and collaborate with them. It’s not just about business—it’s about building relationships and sharing a love for the sport of climbing. We’re looking forward to meeting new people, catching up with old friends, and engaging in conversations that will inspire us to continue pushing the boundaries of what we can do for climbing gyms. Join Us at the CWA Summit! If you’re attending the CWA Summit in Salt Lake City, we’d love to meet up! Whether you’re an existing customer or just curious about how Approach can streamline your climbing gym’s operations, our team will be there and ready to chat. Stop by our booth or set up a time to meet — we’re excited to connect, learn, and grow together! We’ll also be offering some exclusive insights and demos of Approach, so you can see firsthand how our gym management software can help you improve your operations, increase member engagement, and support the growth of your climbing gym. See You in Salt Lake City! We’re counting down the days until the CWA Summit and can’t wait to see you there! This event is a chance to come together as a community, celebrate the growth of climbing gyms, and learn from one another. Let’s make the most of this incredible opportunity to connect, share, and continue to push the sport and the climbing gym industry forward. Stay tuned for more updates as the Summit approaches. We can’t wait to see you there!