Don't Buy Ads: Grow Your CrossFit Box

I.P. Law - for Non-CrossFit Gyms

Perhaps to your surprise - maybe to your chagrin - CrossFit has exploded worldwide. This is good for everyone: pulling people toward higher levels of fitness changes the paradigm. If you run a yoga class, 'boot camp,' or spin class, get ready to benefit from the trickle-down effect.

Driving this tsunami, at least partially, is the tectonic-size social effect of CrossFit. Our pictures are everywhere: beautiful, inspiring pictures of performance and the athletic aesthetic. Well-written essays, professional photography, motivational stories, and professional video. Heck, we're on ESPN2, and every shoe company is trying to get on the bandwagon with their own training videos.

It's tempting, isn't it? There are pictures of our athletes everywhere. Some have motivational text added. Some have incredible abs. It's so EASY to right-click, or drag; to save and re-post as your own.

What is Intellectual Property (IP) ? 

Just because something appears on the internet doesn't mean it's free. Though it may be intangible - just a bunch of organized pixels - the concept is owned by its creator, just as surely as if it were made of clay. Use a picture that I own? You might as well break into my house and steal it off the mantle. Less broken glass, sure, but still theft.

The difference between 'Sharing' and 'Borrowing'

Hitting the 'share' or 'like' button on social media is okay, because it gives attribution to the creator of the picture or essay. Hitting 'like' denotes your passive acceptance - you 'like' something, obviously - of something you find on facebook. Hitting 'share' means you think it's important enough to show your friends. 

Saving a picture to your own hard drive, and re-uploading it - modified or in its original form - as your own, without permission, is theft. Permission is NOT implied online. When in doubt, ask for permission, or don't use it. 

Q&A:

Can I use the term, "CrossFit' on my website if I'm not a licensed Affiliate? No.

Can I take pictures from CrossFit.com and make them my profile picture? No.

What if I crop them? No.

What if they're REALLY awesome? No.

What if someone else did it first, and I take it from THEIR site? No.

What if I'm a hippie with a sense of entitlement? No.

What if I'm not a corporation, but just a tiny person? No.

What if I'm a supplement company? No.

What if I'm a hyoooooooge fan? No. Sorry.

What if I'm just registering a .com so that I can have it when I Affiliate? No.

The really tricky stuff:

What if my web designer uses copyrighted material, and I'm not aware? You're liable. Call 321GoProject.com - 435.901.2173

What if I take a picture from a third-party site, instead of its original owner? You're liable.

Take a picture found with Google image search? You're liable.

Copy a block of text that you found REALLY motivating on LisbethDarsh.com, and paste it on your own blog? You're liable (and lazy. Just ask permission and give credit.)

A New Fitness Landscape

As gym owners, we're accustomed to carrying insurance for liability, damage, theft, and fire. Some of it seems a bit overboard...but it's necessary in our litigious climate. 

The new coverage you'll be considering when you renew? IP Defense. In case you're sued, your insurance provider covers your attorney fees up to a certain amount. It may seem superfluous, but some gyms to whom I've spoken have been hit for up to $1800 per picture. 

NO ONE wants to pay a lawyer with money that could go toward a new rower. Be careful out there.

The Real Solution

Affiliate. Join the movement. CrossFit has the lowest barrier to entry of most new businesses. Do it right.

Why Write A Book?

In 2008, I combined my philosophy that I learn BEST when I paraphrase and teach with the new knowledge that I was gaining in business. When I started posting on DontBuyAds, I was telling myself stories. I was writing because I love writing, and because I didn't want to forget any of this stuff.

When we started studying psychology, behavioural anthropology, and neurology for Ignite, the applications to the business world were immediately apparent. Our brains are not those of our ancestors; our thoughts are not those of our parents. Our business is not the gym business of the 1970s, the 1980s, the 1990s...or even the modern-day "low-price lifetime membership" model of today.

Nearly 400 posts later, I started worrying about forgetting stuff. Affiliate owners and coaches were emailing questions about problems I'd encountered years before, and I wanted to send them the best answer I could provide. I also wanted to arrange the content from this blog, and many other things I've learned, into a more cohesive process. 

This book is the sum of 7 years of experience owning a gym, 9 years' experience coaching before owning a gym, hundreds of calls with other gym owners, big mistakes, and big victories. There's a lot of research, and many stories. 

I'm a member of the CrossFit Media Team, a position that's been incredibly rewarding. However, this book does NOT reflect the opinions of HQ, and though some on the Media Team will read it, they weren't asked to edit the book because the act would constitute a blessing they won't want to give, in the name of objectivity. 

Cover design by the magnificent Clay Weldon of 321GoProject.com, with whom I'm lucky to share the joy of helping new and existing Affiliates make their businesses better every day.

Enjoy. I sure do.

(click the book to buy it.)

What Makes US Special?

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to sharea plane ride with my first business mentor (frequently referred to as "The Consultant" in many posts on this site.) I was on my way to Boston; he was headed to Toronto for more Consulting work. At $500 per hour, he has no trouble filling his time. 

He also usually draws a crowd, even on a commuter flight, so our conversation was a short one. I mentioned that I was helping others in the role of Mentor for 321GoProject.com; he was pleased. "You've certainly earned it," he said. I asked what he meant. I expected him to say, "You've made more mistakes in 16 years than most make in a lifetime," but not this guy. 

Instead, The Consultant picked highlights of our business from his memory:

• We're the first CrossFit Affiliate (and, likely, the first Garage Gym) to receive funding from Insurance Companies, at least at this magnitude.
• We're the first gym to run studies, at our own expense, purely in the interest of helping our clients.
• We're probably the first gym ANYWHERE to win "Innovation Company Of The Year," an award that spans ALL industries. We beat out energy companies, Tech companies, and inventors.
• We're bigger than a 'gym': people who haven't been here in two YEARS still identify themselves as part of the 'Catalyst Family.'
• We're probably the first gym in the world to offer math classes, guitar lessons, drama, and French Tutoring on the same nights as Strongman, Powerlifting, and CrossFit groups.
• Our adherence rate (93% last year) is almost exactly DOUBLE that of the fitness industry (47%.)
• The Catalyst 'Family' is a top-level goal of our business. Not a means to an end: a corporate goal. "You have enough friends YET?" he joked. "No," I said.
• When people 'leave' Catalyst, they very rarely leave forever. They don't join a GloboGym, for instance. They just take a break.
• We're perhaps the first gym to have a library where our Family brings books to share and takes others home. This is a member-driven initiative; we don't have library cards.
• We have (possibly) the lowest monthly rate of any CrossFit Box in the world, but (equally possibly) the highest monthly revenue per member. 
• People identify themselves as PART of Catalyst, not a Catalyst 'client.' They take ownership because they achieve self-fulfillment here through education, donation, and sweat. We do a LOT of fundraisers, and for many, this helps fulfill their spiritual needs.

Yes, it's impressive that The Consultant could remember these things off the top of his head - but he IS a genius, after all. When folks visit YOUR website, what are three things they'll remember three months later?

What Makes You Special?

In addition to editing "Two-Brain Business," my new book about building and operating a successful CrossFit Box or Garage Gym, I'm incredibly fortunate to be on the CrossFit Media Team. My role, beginning a few weeks ago, is to collect stories for the new Community Page.

It's a LOT of fun. Every day, I hear a new story about a CrossFitter doing something extraordinary. These gifts of great empathy and courage sometimes happen within their Box, and sometimes outside, but ALL list CrossFit as a driving force.

Surprisingly, and perhaps sadly, the majority of these stories are buried. Even when someone like me, who WANTS to share your Affiliate's special purpose with the world, is creeping your website...your special stories can be tough to find.

After reviewing over 300 sites in the last week, I'm surprised to find:

• Almost half of all Affiliates don't have their contact information on their main page.
• Almost 30% of all Affiliates have a 'contact us' form, but don't give out their email address ANYWHERE.
• Around 40% of Affiliate websites send a new user straight to their WOD page. 
• Most Affiliate sites don't have an obvious point of differentiation, even in more crowded centres.

Answer this question: WHY US? 

The average lifetime value of a client is nearly $10,000. If I'm on your site, and can't find a convenient way to ask questions about my knee injury...I'll just ask the next guy. He'll know.

Tips And Tricks: The Supplement Issue

Pro: Your athletes, arguably, NEED some supplements. The top performers need help with recovery, and most coaches recommend fish oil to their CrossFitters. Selling them from your gym helps with quality control: "They have to buy them SOMEwhere...."

Pro: You WILL make a bit of revenue, usually 20-30 percent over wholesale, with supplements on the low end and shirts on the higher.

Con: You taint the recommendation for supplements if you stand to gain financially. This varies by client, but if you have a clear vested interest in the sale of OmegaBowelBlast, it shadows the transaction. Your clients have been fooled before, after all.

Con: You tie up thousands of dollars in inventory costs.

While my recommendation will be shared another time, this great idea came from David Marshall of CrossFit Muskoka:

$1 from the sale of every retail item goes toward the purchase of new equipment for the gym. Dave takes a picture of the 'next big thing,' and posts it near his retail area.  "Here's what we're working toward, and here's when we'll buy it!"

While it's likely true that you're doing the same thing, informally, Dave's idea reinforces the concept of reinvestment in the minds of his client. He's not just raking in profit: money paid by his clients is reinvested back into their experience. It's a good reminder of the closed environment of your gym: money spent here stays here.

He may or may not have a giant novelty thermometer set up.

Tips and Tricks: The Hoodie Bonus

When we're talking about giving clients bonuses - or 'mangoes' - we're talking about altering their brain chemistry.

Put up a notice that you'll give a client 10% off their membership for referring a friend? Okay. Appealing to some, definitely. When you deduct 10% off their price next month, they'll feel as if your convenant has been fulfilled. You've satisfied them. Their brain checks a box, and moves on.

However, if they're NOT expecting a bonus for a referral, and they bring in a new client ANYWAY, we have a dramatic opportunity to create joy. A happy surprise triggers a neurotropin release, which helps to cement the memory of the moment (and the emotional response) into their unconscious mind. There's a long-term association built - though small - between your face, or your gym, and 'happy!'

Over time, as this association is strengthened through MORE instances of joy, a client becomes hard-wired to your service. This is good; it's a small-scale chemical dependence, and it's the reason so many of your clients say, "I'm totally addicted to CrossFit!" They are.

Ginger Comstock, owner of CrossFit Westfield (NJ,) has created gorgeous hoodies for the occasion, with her new logo on the back. They're in a special shade of blue. You CAN'T buy the hoodies; they're not for sale. She doesn't advertise they're available; just gives them, along with a genuine 'thank you!' to anyone who refers a long-term signup.

(this isn't the real one; I just chose a blue Reebok hoodie. Want one? Refer someone you know to CrossFit Westfield in NJ.)

It's a truly special gift, a fantastic surprise, and a conversation-starter in her gym. 

"Where'd you get that sweet CFW hoodie?"

"Oh, I brought my friend in last week. They loved it and signed up, and Ginger gave this to me to thank me."

"How do I get one....?"

 

Tips and Tricks: Wristbands

Every week, while speaking with an average of 10 Affiliates around the world, I get to hear these great little ideas. I write them down, share them with one-on-one business coaching clients, and sometimes steal them for myself. 

With the upcoming publication of my book on the business of gym ownership, I've been meaning to post these 'when I have time.' I'll put them out in little bursts. Use what's applicable, ignore the others.

The wristband idea comes from Tony at SmallTown CrossFit.

When a new member enrolls, Tony gives them a SmallTown CrossFit wristband. They're encouraged to give it to someone else, who can use it to try out a free class.

When a new person comes in wearing the wristband, Tony knows they've been referred by an existing member. He has a new wristband waiting for his Maven, as well as a surprise for referring their friend, when they arrive at the Box for their next class.

A simple way to track referrals, spread the word, and make sure you're delivering unexpected joy to your members. Nice one, Tony!

How To Retire

An excerpt from my upcoming book:

Two years ago, I was sitting in a stiff-backed office chair in a tiny room with my business mentor. The lights kept going out. On automatic timers, they responded to movement, and I was so riveted that I wasn't fidgeting enough to keep the lights on. That office chair was beginning to feel like a therapist's couch.

"What's your biggest fear in business today?" he was asking, and I didn't have to think long at all.

"Retirement. I'm putting NOTHING away." I said. I'd been brought up at the feet of regular RRSP contributors, who maxed out their annual contributions for tax refunds. My parents had every conceivable form of 'safe' investment; I hadn't contributed to a retirement plan for 5 years.

"Well, don't worry about it. You're not going to retire." he said. My blood pressure spiked. "You're not the kind to retire. You're always going to be doing something." He said. Strangely, that put me at ease. It may not do the same for anyone else.

Tim Ferriss' first big seller, The Four-Hour Workweek, shared several novel ideas about the relationship between 'work' and 'time.' Instead of massing a lump sum over 30 years, and then stretching it for another 30, Ferriss advocates "mini-retirements" throughout one's lifetime.

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich (Expanded and Updated)

Rather than trying to save 600,000 by age 55, take one whirlwind vacation and settle into a pattern of driveway-watering, Ferriss champions the idea of three-month "mini-retirements" while you're young enough to enjoy them. Twenty thousand dollars, spent judiciously, can get you out-of-country for a year at a time, if you choose. Ferriss goes into great detail in his book, which I recommend.

Rather than work stoppage, then, we may consider work abatement. We can think about rest time. Call it 'active rest,' if that makes you feel better about it.

For many entrepreneurs, a change is as good as a rest. There are two parts necessary for you to walk away from your business, a week or month at a time:

1. Solid business infrastructure, so that staff can run the business (no business runs itself);

2. Cash flow that doesn't depend on your presence (though cash flow from your LEGACY is fine.)

More on this topic, including Investment at startup, and investment through your gym's lifetime to provide hands-off income, will be included in my book. First editions, crudely edited, will be available at the Ops Seminar in Fort Lauderdale on August 11; nicer copies will be available by the end of September.

Talking About Community

A few weeks ago, during a Q+A with Jon Gilson (my personal CrossFit hero) an interesting point was raised. It's widely understood that the largest differentiator between CrossFit and 'other' fitness is the community. The Games help; Reebok helps; novelty helps; even satire helps. The community, though, is what changes lives.

In Dr. Allison Belger's The Power of Community: CrossFit And The Force of Human Connection, the psychologist reinforces the idea that we are much greater than the sum of our parts. Sharing initiatives like Steve's Club, Dr. Belger explains how communities like CrossFit form the foundation on which great works can be performed. I can't recommend it highly enough.

The Power of Community: CrossFit and the Force of Human Connection

As Dr. Belger illustrates, our generation has less involvement in social groups than any in recorded history. Raise your hand if you belong to the BPOE; the Shriners; the Legion; a knitters' circle, a reading group....even church attendance is at an all-time low. CrossFit fills that social need - a critical level of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs - for many of us.

Overtly, though, "community" is too abstract a concept for many. In what is perhaps the greatest irony of the CrossFit business, our greatest attribute is the one that carries the least promotional weight. It's too broad. "The community is awesome!" is both an understatement of truth and irrelevant to non-CrossFitters. Social support isn't something you can advertise; people assume they already have enough friends. 

Instead, 'Community' must be inferred; alluded to; pictured, but not billboarded. The pictures, the causes, the groups - they're all valuable for keeping people and creating a unified empathy. After they've signed up, 'community' is the flypaper....but it's not the fruit that got them there.

The 'bait' is Size Four. It's The Gun Show. It's the things with which your prospective new member is already familiar. It's framing the benefits of CrossFit against the backdrop of their current context. Talk about The Family to those already inside; talk about The Sweat to those at the door.

Brag about people who are just like your next client (you know what they look like, right? The NEXT guy? Can you sketch him with a pencil?) Tell stories about members. Take pictures of groups. Show the community, but sell the bikini.

Smashing Your Job

It's easy, isn't it? 

It's so easy to add another class. It's easy to stay an hour later, come in an hour earlier. Easy to skip lunch. Easy to skip sleep. Easy to skip family mealtime. They're all easy - each just one small surrender in the rearword march toward burnout. All too easy to pack one more thing into the day, usually at the edges, and the giant ball just expands outward....

New Box owners laughingly refer to their weight-loss and performance deterioration as, "New Box Owner Syndrome." You put everyone before yourself (good) and pay the price physically and emotionally (bad.)

The first step toward free time isn't delegation: it's breaking your job apart. By smashing your day into smaller roles, you can identify the many hats you've been juggling...and then, when your staff comes asking for a new Horizon, you'll have something to shift over. A nice little package, done up with a bow. "You want more money? Here's the Social Media job." "More influence over coaching decisions? Here's what it will take to step up into Head Coach."

Write these roles - they're really job descriptions - into separate boxes on a piece of paper. Don't assign names yet. Let them stand on their own: it's easier to hold up a role and say, "think you can fill this?" than it is to replace a human who performed tasks D, L, and Q - a unique combination.

 Clearly delineating these tasks into bite-sized chunks - bringing them down to checklists, if possible - will make them easier to shift to another. The key is to have a well-written job description for each role, even if YOUR NAME goes into every single box at first. 

Every time I speak with a Box owner, I ask them to list their priorities. If they've been in business for more than a year, TIME is always at the top. Help everyone: smash your job.