For a lot of gym owners, The CrossFit Open is a fun way to connect the community through testing fitness feats and progress. Others see an opportunity to generate revenue by running an intramural Open.
But there’s a path less traveled, and yet equally beneficial, for gym owners. Running an intramural Open can actually serve as a great lead generator for your gym!
On our constant quest to bring about new business, creativity is often key. Think about this: First, the Open is unique to CrossFit gyms, making it an impactful differentiator. Second, it’s one of the best tools available to show prospective members what a strong gym community can do for their results.
Check out this list of five ideas for you to implement in your gym this Open season!
Five Ways to Increase Lead Generation using The CrossFit Open.
1. Build a Marketing Content Media Library.
Even though The CrossFit Open workouts change from year to year, one constant that will never change is the emotion of the event. The high fives, celebrations and ‘I can’t believe I just did that’ moments are an inevitable part of these three weeks.
Make sure that you’re ready to capture these moments in photo and video form. Then use them to create a marketing content library. Having a sizable folder of imagery can help you significantly improve your gym’s social media strategy.
Before The Open begins, start by thinking about your target audience. If you’re trying to market to elite athletes, focus on capturing an abundance of photos featuring high-skill movements like muscle-ups and snatches. On the other hand, if you cater to the everyday athlete, fill your library with images of scaled athletes performing achievable movements.
Pro Tip: Consider hiring a professional photographer (or barter for a membership) during The CrossFit Open. The high-quality images will be worth it for your content library. Plus, this will allow you to keep your focus on running the weekly events at your gym.
2. Ramp Up Your Social Media during the CrossFit Open.
If we want our members to do something - like post about the gym on social media - we have to make it as simple as possible for them to do.
Think about it this way: Option A is to send out an automated message in PushPress Grow, asking members to post about The Open on their social media channels. Option B is to tag them in a high-quality, awesome photo of them having fun at your gym, then ask them to share it. Chances are, option B is going to yield better results.
With that in mind, take photos and video of all your athletes, from scaled to competitive. If scaled is one of the gym buyer personas you’re targeting, make those feature posts. But share a variety of great images and videos of all levels in your Instagram Stories, tagging each athlete.
Also, consider awarding bonus points in your intramural CrossFit Open for social sharing! Athletes are already earning points for the workouts, so this gives them extra opportunities to get ahead.
3. Gather Testimonials.
While you’re in content-gathering mode, don’t just focus on visual assets. Testimonials are a great way for prospective members to see what your gym is all about.
After a challenging CrossFit Open workout, members will likely be excited about what they just accomplished. So while you’re hanging out during Friday Night Lights, ask your members some questions and hit record!
Start by asking about each person’s CrossFit journey. Find out what didn’t work in the past and why they think your gym is helping them reach their goals. Inquire about wins they’ve had and future goals they’re working toward.
Once the interviews are complete, you’ll have a plethora of material to choose from. Turn one-liners into images on social media, or add audio clips into your Stories and Reels. This way, prospective members will get a glimpse into the people and culture at your gym.
Pro Tip: Remember to ask members for Google Reviews too! Want to use the power of automation in PushPress Grow to request reviews from your whole community? Book a demo with our team today to find out how!
4. Create a Bring-a-Friend Event During the CrossFit Open.
One of the most mutually-beneficial, points-grabbing opportunities for an intramural CrossFit Open is a bring-a-friend event. Whether your members are inviting friends to watch or participate, the result is the same. New faces are coming through your doors and getting the chance to see why you’re different than the other options out there.
Offer members bonus points for inviting friends, and make sure your events are visitor-friendly. If guests are spectating, create plenty of space for them to see everything while staying out of the way. Host a potluck after the workout so you have a chance to chat with everyone.
Remember, an event like this doesn’t have to be a sales opportunity. Simply seeing the camaraderie and connection will likely intrigue guests enough for them to come back for an upcoming class.
5. Remind Members about Your Gym’s Referral Program.
It’s a common mistake among gym owners but don’t forget to remind your community that you offer a gym referral program.
If you’ve been following the steps above, your members are already helping you spread the word about your business. They’re sharing images on social media, providing testimonials and inviting friends. So why not remind them that there’s an incentive available for all these things?
The CrossFit Open is an effective time to share the details of your referral program. If they’ve already been telling friends and family about their Open wins, it makes sense to extend an invite to a free class. Or if they’ve invited guests in the past, sometimes an incentive can be an extra motivator to nudge friends and family one more time.
In Summary: The Open can Help Build Your Fitness Business.
The CrossFit Open is a fantastic opportunity to build connections in your gym community and even generate some extra revenue. But did you know that it’s a great chance to increase lead generation as well?
Start by building a robust content marketing library, focusing on your target audience. Share images and videos on social media of members participating in the Open, tagging each one and asking them to share. After the workouts, request testimonials that can be repurposed in a variety of ways to market to prospective leads. Create a bring-a-friend event so others can see what your community is like. And finally, remind your members about the referral program so they can earn rewards for inviting friends.
This year, once the three weeks of The Open are complete, you can move forward with an even bigger, more connected gym community.
