Run a Profitable Gym

Last month your Facebook ads cost $10 a lead. Now they cost $50. What gives? And should you pull the plug on Facebook advertising?Not just yet. Rising ad costs are normal and to be expected, especially if you're advertising to a local market. But that doesn't mean ads are a dead end. It's all about knowing your numbers. In this episode of Two-Brain Radio, digital-marketing expert Mateo Lopez will tell you how to calculate appropriate ad spend, what to do when ad costs go up and why you don't need to panic when they do.Links:Free ToolsBook a Free Call with a Certified Two-Brain MentorContact:mateo@twobrainbusiness.commike@twobrainmedia.comTimeline:1:19 – Why ad costs increase.3:07 – How much should you spend on leads?5:57 – The importance of knowing your numbers.6:53 – You need to know what your client acquisition cost is.9:24 – Marketing spend put in perspective.11:48 – It’s no longer enough just to be a good coach with good programming. You have to market.14:43 – Social-media spending is rising—don’t get dusted by the competition.18:18 – How to calculate your client acquisition cost and marketing budget per lead.24:16 – How length of engagement and average revenue per member affect client acquisition cost.26:51 – Refreshing your offer and ad creative to reach new leads.

What's your 30-second elevator speech? That your gym is state of the art? That you have all the best equipment, the most qualified trainers and the smartest programming around?That's cool, but it's probably not going to get you many new clients. Customers don't want to hear you talk about yourself; they want you to talk about them. How they'll accomplish their goals and improve their lives with your product or service. It's not rocket science; all you have to do is tell a story—and make sure the customer is the lead character.Here, Two-Brain mentor Jay Williams shares what he learned from Donald Miller's "Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen" and the two-day StoryBrand workshop in Nashville. You'll learn about the seven basic plots of all stories and the seven steps of every hero's journey. Then, you'll learn how to apply it all to your business and tell the stories your customers will resonate with.Links:StoryBrand"Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen"CrossFit HaleFree ToolsBook a Free CallContact:jay@twobrainbusiness.comTimeline:3:56 – What happened after Jay Williams started implementing the StoryBrand method at his gym.5:38 – A lesson from Lego.6:19 – What happens at the StoryBrand workshop.8:51 – The importance of clarifying your message.11:07 – Invite your customers into a story.11:51 – The seven basic plots of every story ever written.13:41 – Get to know your hero character.15:50 – Identify internal and external problems.16:57 – Become the guide.17:36 – You are not the hero, but you need authority.20:28 – Give them a plan.21:56 – Call them to action.24:17 – Lead magnets as transitional calls to action.26:52 – Immediate, long-term, specific and general success.30:10 – The storytelling mistake most gyms are making.31:58 – Pairing the script with No-Sweat Intros.34:08 – Make sure your story resonates with the audience you’re trying to reach.36:39 – Do you need to go to a StoryBrand seminar?40:29 – Experiment and test.43:43 – Applying StoryBrand principles to your website content.46:34 – StoryBrand: Is it the answer to all your problems?

More than a million dogs are euthanized in shelters each year. Many are pit bulls or other bully breeds, which are often stereotyped as vicious and sometimes outlawed by local government.Alex Castiglione is working to change all that. When Alex visited a shelter after losing his beloved bully, Chops, he noticed all of the unadopted dogs were bully breeds. Soon after, he and his wife founded Barbells for Bullies, a nonprofit organization raising funds and awareness for animal rescues all over the country, with an emphasis on bully breeds.He and Sean talk about what motivated him to start his organization, the prevailing misconceptions about bully breeds and what people can do in their own communities to help local shelters and rescues.Links:Barbells for BulliesFree ToolsContact:Instagram: @barbellsforbulliesinfo@barbellsforbullies.orgalex@barbellsforbullies.orgTimeline:1:39 – Alex's first CrossFit workout: "I was not prepared."2:40 – How he fell in love with bully breeds.4:36 – Stigma surrounding bully breeds.5:58 – Founding Barbells for Bullies.8:18 – CrossFit + bullies = a perfect match.9:11 – From one 80-athlete competition in 2016 to 12 events in 10 cities in 2018.10:36 – Managing growth and scalability.13:26 – What Barbells for Bullies has done so far.15:59 – There's no such thing as bad dogs; there are only bad owners.17:21 – PAW-tners in fitness and advocacy.19:30 – The Underdog Fund: taking dogs off death row.21:02 – The future of Barbells for Bullies: More partners, more events and more dogs saved.25:00 – What people can do to help.28:44 – What keeps Alex motivated to grow Barbells for Bullies while also working full time and attending graduate school.

The photo was perfect. The beads of sweat brilliantly illuminated, the chalk dust billowing through the air. At the center, your buddy hitting a PR clean. So why does it only have three likes?Social-media algorithms are constantly changing, and the dance between paid and organic marketing can seem complicated and confusing. Neither paid nor organic posts are enough on their own: You have to use them both in complementary ways to build your audience, get people to trust you and eventually get them to buy.In this episode, marketing expert Mateo Lopez will demystify the process and give you actionable steps for creating paid ads and organic content that work well together. You'll also learn why he never boosts organic posts.Links:Free ToolsBook a Free CallThe Clogs in Your Funnel: And How to Kill ThemHow to Start a Business Blog—and Fill ItContact:mateo@twobrainbusiness.commike@twobrainmedia.comTimeline:1:41 – Is organic reach dying?7:20 – And if so, what’s the point of it?7:51 – The importance of organic content for ad algorithms.9:05 – Using organic content to build an audience.11:24 – How organic marketing directed to warm leads can result in more conversions.13:35 – What you can learn from Doritos’ crazy bold ad campaign.16:16 – Using organic materials to build trust.18:42 – How organic content can improve retention.19:24 – Organic content as a testing ground for paid ads.22:01 – Why Mateo doesn’t boost posts.23:19 – Congruity in your messaging: Make sure your ads and organic content share a consistent narrative.28:08 – Using blog posts and pictures to pad paid campaigns.31:33 – Produce content regularly to prime the pump.33:20 – How to start producing content and the Power of 10.

What would it be like to own a million-dollar gym? Would you be rolling in dough? Sleeping in every day, never having to worry about another bill again?Not quite—but it's still pretty awesome. Peter Brasovan and Jared Byczko opened NapTown Fitness in a tiny space in an ex-FBI building for $500 a month's rent. In the early days, they kept the lights off and the heat low, and they posted a sign on the bathroom: "No more than two paper towels, please." Today, NapTown has multiple locations, several intrapreneur-operated core offerings, 44 staff members and $1 million in annual revenue.In this episode, Peter and Jared talk with Chris Cooper about how they did it: the lessons they learned, the strategies implemented and the mindset it takes to go from Farmer to Tinker.Links:NapTown Fitness"Founder, Farmer, Tinker, Thief"Book a Free Call with a Two-Brain mentorContact:info@naptownfitness.comTimeline:2:09 – From childhood friends to workout buddies to business partners.4:16 – NapTown’s first location: a space in an ex-FBI building for $500 a month.5:32 – Defining roles from the start.6:51 – Honing the early picture of success.10:06 – Does a million-dollar gym make them millionaires?11:16 – Growing ideas into core services.15:45 – The key: start small.17:16 – Before you diversify, prove your concept.18:49 – To identify “champions” of your core services, mentor your staff.21:07 – The security of being a $1 million gym: The freedom to take on the best clients for the gym.22:51 – “Loves and loathes.”24:55 – Replacing themselves in lower-value roles, but doing so strategically.28:04 – The challenges of being a $1 million gym.28:29 – Which programs get the money?31:26 – The pressure and responsibility of needing to make $83,000 a month to make payroll.35:08 – A look at the books: NapTowns’ profit ratios.38:50 – How NapTown keeps its expenses under control.41:26 – Long-term strategies for building wealth.43:20 – What’s next?

In Kari Pearce's first CrossFit Open, she could barely do a set of 10 double-unders. A few months later—after less than a year of CrossFit—she qualified for the CrossFit Games in 2015.What Kari lacked in experience she made up for with a robust athletic background. She was a gymnast for nearly 20 years and competed on the gymnastics team at the University of Michigan in college. She took up weightlifting after her college gymnastics career was over.Kari has finished in the top 10 at the Games from 2016 onward and has also been named the fittest woman in the U.S. for the past three years. Here, she speaks with Sean Woodland about how her gymnastics career set her up for success in CrossFit and how she's working to become the first American woman to stand on the Games podium since 2014.Links:Book a Free Call with a mentorContact:Instagram: @karipearcecrossfitTimeline:1:26 – Starting gymnastics at just 3 years old.2:27 – Training 20 hours a week and mental toughness as a young child.3:21 – Developing a work ethic in the gym.4:08 – Competing on the University of Michigan gymnastics team while also managing her studies.7:31 – Finding weightlifting after college.9:00 – Embracing CrossFit after first rejecting it.11:25 – Qualifying for Regionals after her first Open—depsite being bad at double-unders.13:51 – Her rookie CrossFit Games experience.16:35 – The fire to do better.18:18 – Taking fifth in 2016.20:22 – The key to sustained success.21:59 – Pursuing the podium.24:10 – Best Games memories: Doing Mary strict.26:47 – On what it takes to succeed at the Games in its new format.27:47 – Rehabbing a slight Achilles injury.30:15 – Plans for Sanctionals and training to peak at the Games.

You're running ads for your gym. You've honed your copy and paid the man to boost them. Still, no bites. What's the problem?It's hard to get strangers to buy into your core offering when they know nothing about you or whether your program works. That's why in addition to your regular advertising, you need lead magnets. Lead magnets are smaller—but still valuable—offerings that give people something in exchange for their contact info. They don't have to be expensive or complicated, and they're a great way to widen your lead funnel and get more people in it.In this episode, digital-marketing expert Mateo Lopez shares the key elements of effective lead magnets and how you can get started making your own.Links:Free ToolsBook a Free CallContact:mateo@twobrainbusiness.commike@twobrainmedia.comTimeline:1:48 – Lead magnets: Really great bribes.2:53 – Where lead magnets go.5:01 – The purpose of lead magnets: to get people into your lead funnel.6:43 – Positioning your company as an authority figure.7:08 – The importance of presentation.9:21 – The mistake many gyms make with their ads.11:15 – Removing risk for the prospect.13:00 – Lead magnets can double as retention tools.13:58 – A few examples.16:11 – Be irresistible and specific.17:39 – Solve a problem.18:20 – Offer a quick, small win.19:25 – Make it actionable.20:09 – Lead magnets should be easily digestible.22:11 – Cost of production.22:30 – Follow through: Make sure your lead magnet delivers on its promise.24:07 – More on establishing authority.25:15 – Real and perceived value.26:00 – Design matters: Proofread.27:20 – Don’t steal photos.29:00 – Scarcity and urgency.

What makes a better coach: an impeccable eye or a sense of empathy? Do you need to be a full-time coach to be a professional? What makes someone a not-so-great coach?Jason Ackerman is a career coach. He's owned multiple gyms and coached more than 10,000 trainers as part of the CrossFit Seminar Staff. With all that experience comes not only a wealth of technical knowledge but also a keen sense of the soft skills of coaching. He recently wrote a book called "Best Hour of Their Day," and on this episode, he joins Chris Cooper to discuss how coaches can give their clients just that.Links:"Best Hour of Their Day""Founder, Farmer, Tinker, Thief"Contact:Instagram: @thejasonackermanTimeline:1:40 – Catching up with Jason Ackerman.4:00 – Jason’s “10,000 hours.”6:05 – It doesn’t matter if you can coach the air squat if no one wants to be around you.7:34 – The importance of soft skills.9:14 – How the book came to be.10:46 – Taking a look at himself.12:52 – Be punctual.14:43 – Coaches need to care.15:30 – Ask one more question.18:31 – Keep learning.22:15 – What NOT to do.24:39 – Do you have to be a full-time coach to be a great coach?26:12 – Knowing your limit.27:28 – Your clients deserve a professional experience.29:40 – Give every client a win—even if the class is huge.

Emily Bridgers has been a competitor for most of her life. After a 16-year career as a gymnast, she competed at the CrossFit Games as an individual five times. Her best finish was 6th in 2014.So what do competitors do when they stop competing?In this episode of Two-Brain Radio, Emily speaks with Sean Woodland about her competitive career and why she decided to retire after the 2018 Games—despite being pulled off the field early with a dislocated ankle.She shares what fitness looks like for her today as she manages CrossFit Terminus and raises her first child. She also opens up about how hard it is to turn the competitive switch off and what it would take to get her back on the floor. Links:CrossFit TerminusTwo-Brain Business Free ToolsContact: Instagram: @emilybridgers Timeline:1:50 – Finding competitive drive in gymnastics. 2:42 – The physical and mental toll of years of gymnastics training and competition.4:25 – Dealing with the end of her gymnastics career after injury. 7:01 – Finding a new competitive spark in CrossFit.10:21 – Emily’s first Games experience: fueled by nerves.13:14 – Taking on new opportunities in fitness competition.14:16 – The 2015 and 2016 Games: “The biggest disappointments of my entire career.”15:03 – Wrecked by Murph and pushing through anyway.19:01 – Finding fun in off-season events.20:24 – Deciding to retire in 2018.23:03 – “Is my foot facing the wrong way?”24:52 – Why there (probably) won’t be one more year of CrossFit competition for Emily.26:25 – Life as a new parent.28:07 – Training one hour a day and loving it.30:05 – Setting an example for daughter Riley.31:00 – Turning off the competitive switch—it’s not easy.32:55 – What it would take for Emily to compete again.34:12 – Emily’s message to the next generation of athletes: Make sure you truly love it.

How do you get people to click on your Facebook ads? And how do you write ads that entice your audience without sounding slimy?It's not as hard as it might seem. And while you could hire a pro, you definitely don't have to.In this episode, digital-marketing expert Mateo Lopez unpacks the components of a great Facebook ad. You'll learn how to write in different tones to match your target audience and what information to include—and he'll give you a few great examples along the way.Links:Free ToolsBook a Free CallContact: mateo@twobrainbusiness.commike@twobrainmedia.comTimeline:2:00 – Do you need to be a professional writer to write good ad copy?7:17 – Before you write a word, know your offer.8:24 – The more attractive your offer, the more successful the ad.10:14 – The aggressive lens.12:52 – The benefit-driven lens (for all the Spocks out there).14:35 – The inspirational lens.17:29 – Using Facebook to tell you which ads work.18:51 – What to do if you don’t want to write ads yourself.19:55 – And if you do, templates can help.19:41 – Result + time period + handle the objection.22:03 – Action + time period + result.24:38 – You gotta get people to stop scrolling.25:06 – Hooking your audience with a question.27:01 – Hooking them with an anecdote.28:28 – Solve the problem/make your offer.30:28 – The power of scarcity.31:43 – Offer proof and/or authority.32:41 – Relate back to the reader.33:45 – Don’t forget a call to action.36:54 – Look for examples in the wild.37:45 – Check out what the competition is doing.38:45 – Test, check your data, revise, retest.