Charity events are a golden opportunity for fitness business owners to help those who need it. And there’s no better time of the year than the holiday season, when everyone is feeling more generous.

Doing good also pays off for gym owners in the following three ways.

1. You’ll generate new leads

Hosting a charity event is a great way to get new prospects into your gym. People often attend charity events in groups, inviting family and friends and increasing your business’s exposure to more people—always a good thing.

Pro tip: Don’t make a sales pitch. The event is your sales pitch. If it goes well, you’ll get a few leads on the spot. Just be sure to have a signup sheet so you can follow up with everyone later. Send a thank-you note and a free trial or discounted membership offer.

2. You’ll promote your business

Philanthropy is a powerful marketing tool. You’re putting your name out there and raising your local profile. Charitable donations can have a direct positive impact on the community, and when you make the effort to do that, the public takes notice. All the while, you’re gaining valuable marketing experience that will serve you as a business owner for years to come.

Pro tip: Enlist a photographer or videographer to cover the fundraiser. You can use the images and footage to promote future events.

3. You’ll keep ’em coming back for more

Social responsibility engages people. Members will love it, reaffirming their choice to train with you. And if the cause is meaningful to participants, they’re likely to get behind it—and return for more. Make the event a tradition and participants will come back year after year, turning your gym or studio into a community institution.

Pro tip: Get creative and have some fun with it. Include props or costumes, rent a dunk tank, or hire a DJ. One fitness chain has participants “buy” trainers’ time, making them do whatever torturous drills the purchaser chooses to inflict. The more fun and memorable you can make it, the more money you’ll raise and the more you’ll appeal to current (and future) customers.