The #1 Reason People Join CrossFit Gyms Is…
…it’s not to do CrossFit.
…it’s definitely not to move better.
…it’s not to join a new “community”.
The #1 reason new people seek out CrossFit gyms is to solve THEIR problems. Their problems are different from YOUR problems.
That sounds like a simple statement, but gym owners who don’t understand it fail. Because the #1 reason people DON’T attend CrossFit gyms is because they don’t know how our service will solve their problem.
For example, if someone decides, “I need to lose weight!” they follow this series of decisions:
“What’s fastest/easiest? Diet or exercise?”
If they choose “exercise”, they ask themselves this question next:
“Should I start jogging or join a gym?”
If they choose “gym”, they’ll ask themselves:
“What kind of gym should I join?”
Remember: they’re only concerned with losing weight. If your gym website doesn’t say “We’ll help you lose weight!” then you’re not even an option in the potential client’s mind.
If your Facebook posts talk about your amazing community, or your programming, or your kettlebell selection, you can stop. Because potential clients aren’t looking for any of that.
No one is typing “nearby gym with great community and best programming” into Google.
No future client is following the #constantlyvaried hashtag on Instagram.
To be successful, you must bridge the gap between what your gym sells and what people want to buy. You must talk about the benefits of your gym—how your clients lose weight, gain energy, feel amazing—instead of the features—programming, equipment, and coaches’ credentials. No one buys features.
You have to talk about these things a LOT. Post about fixing lower back pain. Shoot videos about meal prep. Tell stories about your clients’ journeys to health. And do it every day. Share it everywhere. Your media bridges the gap IF you say the things people want to hear.
When you started CrossFit, what were you looking for?
For me, it was novelty. I was already working out 5 days every week. I loved powerlifting, and CrossFit was an epiphany of intensity. I did Murph on my second day, almost puked, and loved it. You were probably the same. But our future clients aren’t like us. They aren’t seeking to do CrossFit for its own sake. They’re looking for a tool. You and I know that CrossFit is the best tool out there, but they don’t.
Tell them.