Run a Profitable Gym

Good advertising has always been about tracking data: Try something, track it, revise it, and track it some more. That hasn't changed just because we're in a pandemic. What might change, however, is your ad strategy.Two-Brain Business is constantly collecting data on what's working and what's not in the microgym world. Here, digital-marketing expert Mateo Lopez shares what he's learned so far about advertising and lead conversion in the time of COVID-19.Links:COVID-19 ResourcesJoin the Gym Owners United group on FacebookFree ToolsBook a Free CallContact:mateo@twobrainbusiness.commike@twobrainmedia.comTimeline:2:06 – Clicks and conversions during coronavirus.4:01 – What gyms are selling right now.5:43 – Priority number one: retaining your current clients.8:27 – Sell accountability, not programming.10:27 – Sell to the situation—there’s nothing but time.12:38 – Kids programs.16:14 – Lead magnets vs. straight-up sales.21:29 – Why Zoom classes might not be the answer.25:26 – What your ad copy and media should look like now.30:53 – Don’t panic; track your data.

If you're a gym owner, you've likely found yourself suddenly thrust into a whole new way of doing business with no time to prepare. Your clients need your help now more than ever, but you know next to nothing about how to effectively move your business online. Here's someone who does.Brad Overstreet has been a trainer for decades. When his gym was unexpectedly forced to close due to permitting issues, he had to go digital. But what began as a short-term fix turned into a thriving business that allows him to live his Perfect Day even better than before.Here, he shares how he made the switch, how he gets clients, what his sales process looks like and what you can do to adapt to the current situation.Links:COVID-19 ResourcesJoin the Gym Owners United group on FacebookFree ToolsTimeline:1:55 – How Brad lost his gym.6:48 – Figuring out what clients want.10:40 – Finding your freedom number.15:18 – A profile of the ideal online client.19:08 – What Brad actually sells.27:51 – Daily deliverables for online clients.32:07 – The value is in the relationship.35:47 – An example of daily workflow.39:37 – How to build a client base and stand out from the competition.43:51 – Making connections: Stay top of mind with the paperclip method.52:33 – What to charge for online training.55:16 – Determining value.01:02:07 – Choose your clients.

Noah Ohlsen has been one of the most consistent CrossFit athletes in the field since he made his Games debut in 2014. Across six Games appearances, he has finished inside the top eight five times, taking second last year.Here, he and Sean Woodland talk about the bold prediction he once made to Dave Castro, his memorable first career Games event win in Mary last year, and how he has changed as an athlete and a person since his rookie season six years ago.Links:Join the Gym Owners United group on FacebookCOVID-19 ResourcesFree ToolsBook a Free CallContact:Instagram: @nohlsenNoah's dog, Maximus: @maximusohlsenTimeline:1:22 – Training for the Games in the middle of a pandemic.4:11 – Before CrossFit: searching for his sport.6:12 – Finding CrossFit and becoming a competitor.8:15 – CrossFit by day, fraternity pledges by night.10:23 – The promise Noah made to Dave Castro.11:46 – Lessons learned from his first Regional to his first Games.17:38 – Managing expectations after taking 8th in his rookie Games.20:53 – Playing it smart in 2019.24:41 – Noah's first Games event win.29:19 – Managing expectations moving forward.31:57 – Developing as a person over six years of Games competition.

Whether you like it or not, the landscape of the fitness industry has changed—and if you want your business to survive, it needs to change, too.But how do you do it? Will people really pay for online training? What should that look like? How do you get new clients during this time?Sales expert and certified Two-Brain mentor Jeff Burlingame is here with the answers to all that and more. You'll get a step-by-step, actionable plan for how to save your revenue stream—and even increase it—while your doors are closed.Links:COVID-19 ResourcesJoin the Gym Owners United group on FacebookFree ToolsContact:mike@twobrainmedia.comTimeline:3:08 – Be Netflix, not Blockbuster. 4:25 – Don’t just post your programming; provide coaching and accountability.8:57 – To preserve the novelty, don’t give away everything at once.12:24 – If you don’t believe online coaching is valuable, neither will your clients.16:24 – Why online coaching is actually more valuable than group-class training.21:56 – How to handle the workload.25:31 – Sell what people are buying.28:06 – Offer digital No-Sweat Intros—and make it clear that they’re virtual.29:39 – Why you shouldn’t market with dumbbells or kettlebells.33:36 – What to do if you haven’t made a single sale since the start of the crisis.35:33 – What your ads should look like now.39:40 – How to run a virtual No-Sweat Intro. 48:08 – Practice your on-camera persona.49:27 – Reach out to old leads and former clients.

Eddie Lester is a personal trainer of more than a decade and the founder of Fitness Mentors, a certification and business education program for online personal trainers. Eddie's been refining the online training process and teaching trainers how to deliver digital training since well before the coronavirus pandemic. Today, he joins Chris Cooper on Two-Brain Radio to share some tricks of the trade. Eddie and Chris discuss the mindset shift that trainers need to make when moving to online training, how to communicate effectively with clients and how to build a digital audience.Links:Fitness MentorsOff Day TrainerCOVID-19 ResourcesJoin the Gym Owners United group on FacebookBook a Free CallTo access the Fitness Mentors free guide for starting an online training program, text "online trainer" to 31996.Timeline:1:07 – The history of fitnessmentors.com.5:03 – Making the mindset shift to online training.7:21 – Simplify, simplify, simplify.10:14 – Where do online trainers go wrong?12:24 – The skills every online trainer needs to have.16:03 – The importance of personalized communication.18:52 – Online training and retention.20:50 – What online trainers should be offering in addition to programming and coaching.24:07 – How to cultivate a digital audience.29:51 – Be the same person online that you are in the gym.32:32 – How to access Fitness Mentors’ guide to online training for free.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This episode was recorded before the widespread coronavirus outbreak.Cassidy Lance-McWherter is a five-time individual CrossFit Games competitor. Her best finish was 8th in 2014, and she also won the Worldwide Open in 2018 before finishing 10th in her final appearance as an individual in Madison. But her story is about much more than CrossFit competition.Here, Cassidy speaks with Sean Woodland about her athletic career, what she and wife Aly went through when they decided to start a family and why Cassidy is teaming up with Camille Leblanc-Bazinet to help people improve their health.Links: Feroce FitnessCrossFit WaterSideJoin the Gym Owners United group on FacebookCOVID-19 ResourcesFree ToolsBook a Free CallContact:Instagram: @cassidy_lancemcwherterTimeline:2:07 – Growing up a gymnast.5:57 – Pursuing a master’s in rehabilitation counseling.7:08 – Finding CrossFit.9:14 – Becoming a competitive CrossFit athlete.11:37 – Dialing it in after missing the Games in 2016.15:14 – Winning the 2018 Open.17:51 – Memories from the speed clean-and-jerk ladder at the 2018 Games.20:50 – Deciding to retire and start a family.24:50 – Navigating the challenges of the IVF process.28:34 – Getting the goods news and surprising her wife.32:47 – Documenting the IVF process.36:15 – Joining Camille-Leblanc Bazinet on Feroce Fitness.38:30 – Working out during pregnancy.41:35 – Looking to the future and reflecting on the past.

EDITOR'S NOTE: All coronavirus information accurate as of time of recording on March 20, 2020.Many gyms across the world have been forced to shut their doors in response to the coronavirus pandemic. However, gym owners still need to make ends meet. So what should they do about advertising during this crisis? Digital-marketing expert Mateo Lopez is here to tell you what to consider before pulling the plug on your ads and how to adapt them to fit the situation.Links:Join the Gym Owners United group on FacebookCOVID-19 ResourcesFree ToolsBook a Free CallContact: mateo@twobrainbusiness.commike@twobrainmedia.comTimeline:3:49 – Should you run ads right now?6:09 – How to get Two-Brain Business’ free guide, “How to Add Online Training in 24 Hours.”9:15 – Pros: Ads are cheap right now.12:22 – To get leads, you need to adapt your offer.13:18 – How to stand apart from the big online training companies.15:22 – Some ads for inspiration. 18:00 – Digitizing the No-Sweat Intro.19:14 – The problems your service can still solve for clients.24:48 – How to phrase your ad copy.27:55 – Why you need to figure out how to keep getting new clients.31:04 – Don’t forget to update your website and automations.33:32 – Where to get help rewriting your website and automation copy.35:29 – Is this the right time to run an engagement campaign?37:29 – “Stay home, stay fit”– how Mateo would advertise during this time.

NOTE: ALL DATA ACCURATE AS OF TIME OF RECORDING ON MARCH 20, 2020.Gyms across the world have been forced to close their doors during the coronavirus pandemic, and business owners are scared. The good news is that we're in communication with Two-Brain gyms from all around the world, and we're getting data and experience live from the trenches to help gyms survive.In this live town hall for gym owners, recorded on March 20, Chris Cooper outlines what gym owners need to do in the next 10, 60 and 90 days to retain clients and preserve cashflow. He also shares best practices for online training, how to ask your landlord for a break and resources for small businesses.Links:Gym Owners UnitedFree ToolsBook a Free CallContact:chris@twobrainbusiness.comTimeline:4:00 – Plan to close (if you’re not already).6:25 – Pivoting to online training.8:21 – Customization vs. personalization. 11:11 – Focus on what your clients need right now.14:08 – Data on the digital group-class experience.16:43 – Your 10-day priority: Retention.19:30 – Attracting new clients with online training.23:08 – Why you shouldn’t give discounts—even now.28:14 – Skip the park workouts.31:20 – What to say to your landlord.34:16 – How to market online programs to existing and former clients.38:02 – What to pay staff.41:10 – Preserving cash flow. 45:07 – Why you need to call each and every client.46:36 – Kids Zoom classes.52:36 – Make sure your systems are nailed down before you advertise online training to the public.53:13 – Expenses: Increase ROI.55:14 – Cash-flow resources.58:40 – Keep in touch with members who cancel. 01:00:42 – Supplements for quick cash.01:05:33 – Digital training is more than a BandAid; it’s the future.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This episode was recorded before the widespread coronavirus outbreak.What if the thing standing between you and that next PR isn't your muscles, but rather your brain? According to chiropractic neurologist Dr. Jonathan Arkin, it just might be.Chiropractic neurology examines the relationship between the nervous system and functional movement. The goal of treatment is to rewire the brain to correct faults that cause pain or loss of function.Here, Sean Woodland speaks with Dr. Arkin about the science behind the practice and how the brain influences athletic performance.Links:Carrick InstituteFree ToolsBook a Free CallJoin the Gym Owners United group on FacebookContact:drjonathanarkin@gmail.comInstagram: @d.r.jonathanarkinTimeline:1:29 – What is chiropractic neurology?5:20 – Defining brain injury.8:56 – How chiropractic neurology helped Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby recover from a series of brain injuries.12:01 – The connection between neurological pathways and fitness.16:27 – Discerning between physical injury and neurological problems.20:49 – Why you should always train handstand push-ups last.24:23 – Diagnosing a CrossFit athlete.28:30 – How to get your neurological pathways checked.29:46 – The advancement of chiropractic neurology in sports and mental health.33:30 – The science behind why thrusters suck.37:28 – Is Mat Fraser just wired differently?

This is a stressful time for gym owners. The coronavirus pandemic is forcing gyms to close their doors, and owners are worried about the bottom line.Here's the good news: You sell results, not programming, and you can keep selling results by pivoting to online training. Here, certified Two-Brain mentor Jeff Burlingame joins Mike Warkentin of Two-Brain Media to discuss the how, what and why of selling during social distancing.Links:Join the Gym Owners United group on Facebook Free ToolsBook a Free CallContact: mike@twobrainmedia.comTimeline:2:39 – Should you be selling right now?6:00 – The value of online training: Accountability.9:04 – Your clients are bored, lost and stressed. You can solve those problems.11:02 – It’s not about the programming.13:08 – Pricing online training: a tiered approach.16:50 – Join Gym Owners United and get our free guide: “How to Add Online Training in 24 Hours.”17:36 – Now is the time to run engagement ads.19:21 – Moving your No-Sweat Intro online.21:44 – The advantage of video over phone.24:46 – Communicating the value of online training to new clients.26:15 – Over-communicate.28:42 – Why digital training is actually more valuable than group classes.