Most CrossFit HQ social media platforms ceased operations on May 22, and the company hasn’t reactivated its profiles.
Really, it’s a good thing for you, the gym owner.
Here’s why: Greg Glassman filled a room full of people who are waiting for someone to grab the mic and say something intelligent or tell a great story.
Now is your chance.
HQ Social Media Changes Course
Immediately after most of CrossFit HQ’s social media platforms disappeared—Twitter still exists—Two-Brain Business created an action plan for people who were concerned.
Click here to read “CrossFit Social Media Is Gone. Here’s What It Means for You.” It’s got a concise list of things you should be doing.
The move off social media really isn’t surprising.
CrossFit HQ describes itself as “contrarian” and has never shied away from a fight. That’s a great thing for affiliates, who benefit every time CrossFit’s legal team carves up an infringer or beats down a frivolous lawsuit against a gym.
CrossFit has privacy and censorship concerns about Facebook, and so it’s stepping away from the platform. That’s laid out clearly here, and you have to admire CrossFit’s commitment to its values.
Battles aside, CrossFit has also long shown that it’s very willing to “replace itself,” just as we advise entrepreneurs to do. For example, Two-Brain mentors regularly tell gym owners to hire a cleaner so they have another 10 hours a week to use building the business.
Same principle here: CrossFit Inc. is narrowing its focus and doing only very specific things. It’s letting talented people in the community take over certain roles.
That was stated when CrossFit stepped back from Regionals and a host of CrossFit Games Sanctionals popped up to replace them.
Same deal with specialty courses, media and now social media. HQ is narrowing its focus, which leaves unbelievably attractive opportunities for others.
Like you.
The Content Revolution
Now, more than three weeks after HQ’s social media exit, here’s what’s happening:
Gym owners are stepping up to produce content. And not crappy content. The best gyms have decided to make amazing content.
At the recent Two-Brain Summit in Chicago, we met a host of gym owners who are incredibly interested in producing great stuff—podcasts, blogs, videos, photos. Some have extensive experience in media and now use it in their gyms. Others have quickly learned how they can use media to help their businesses.
They all use this content according to the Two-Brain Business Help First philosophy: They give it away for free. Doing so is good for retention of members who see added value and enjoy interacting with their gyms on social media.
These gym owners also use content as part of a marketing strategy: They’re offering social proof, establishing expertise and building their brands one tweet or post at a time. The best of these posts can be boosted to reach even more people, so regular posting is really like creating a free focus group for ads that can generate new business.
The content revolution isn’t just happening in the local communities that surround CrossFit gyms. Many businesses are now making an impression across the fitness ecosystem. Their media is engaging people who want functional fitness, but also people who want personal training, nutrition services, sport-specific training, kids programs, yoga, massage, physiotherapy and more.
Potential client: How does this fitness program work?
CrossFit Kanna: Check out this video!
Potential client: What will happen to me if I stick with your program?
CrossFit Hale: Let our members tell you!
Modern Social Media Moguls
In the fitness community, some businesses are becoming increasingly recognized as true authorities.
Their content simply stands out, and they’re being rewarded for it. Not just with followers and likes but with improved SEO rankings, better average revenue per member (ARM), better length of engagement (LEG), more leads, better conversion rates and greater revenue.
It’s hard to tie an Instagram post directly to a client who renews a membership. But it’s clear that media output is closely linked to the success of a brand.
For one example, consider the owner who can supply his client success manager with a beautiful photo to send to a member who’s feeling unmotivated.
Another example: A prospective client who sees an ad for a gym, heads to the business’ website and finds a rich, professional, educational experience characterized by great writing, photography, videos and podcasts.
In the Two-Brain family, some owners are investing heavily in learning how to produce their own quality content, and they’re doing a spectacular job. Others are going even further.
One gym owner at our Summit publishes standout content and said people are always asking how he makes such great videos. His response: “I hired a professional.” While that pro was making the videos, the owner wrote and published an entire book and set himself apart from his competitors.
People didn’t stop looking for great stories about CrossFit when HQ stopped using Facebook and Instagram. They’re still searching, and they should find you and your stories.
Here’s how to help them do it.
The One Thing You Need to Do Today
Here’s your to-do list:
Publish.
That’s it.
We regularly talk to business owners who have content problems, and they fall into two categories.
1. Businesses that aren’t producing content regularly. Output is low and sporadic at best. People have no reason to come back or engage. These businesses are “throwing a pebble in the hole” twice a week at best, and no one really notices. Other businesses are dumping boulders in the pile 2-4 times a day, and they’re filling the void quickly.
2. Business that aren’t publishing content regularly. This is actually a thing. We’ve talked to many owners who have lots of content—some of it very high-quality stuff—but can’t get it out fast enough. These businesses have a huge pile of rocks, but they aren’t doing anything with them.
As a business, you need to publish. Daily. Maybe even several times daily across 5 platforms.
Does it sound like a lot of work? It can be, but you can find efficiencies by using the same content in different ways. At Two-Brain Media, we advise people to only create media that can go in at least two different spots.
Examples: Instagram post tailored to Facebook, podcast transcript posted as blog, YouTube video chopped up for Instagram, and so on.
You can also offload jobs. Content production and social media management are important, but that doesn’t mean the business owner must do it. Find someone who can do it for you—or talk to Two-Brain Media about how you can save time by having us manage your media.
Lost? Here’s What to Publish
What should you publish? You can get very detailed with content strategies and plans, but let’s keep it simple here so you don’t get overwhelmed:
Publish smiles and stories to start.
Show happy people at your business and explain why they’re smiling.
After that, ask some new clients about the questions they had before they started. Make a list of those questions and publish an answer for each one.
Just those two things will kickstart your content factory.
But start publishing now—and if you are publishing, keep improving the quality and dialing in your message. Tell people your story in new ways. Engage them. And don’t stop publishing.
Everyone in fitness world is looking at the stage and wondering who’s going to pick up the mic.
Grab it and say something brilliant.
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