Are you addicted to content creation as a business owner?
If you feel the need to crank out social posts, blogs and videos without investing any time in the rest of your funnel, the answer is yes.
If you’re obsessed with learning how to use the latest filters and filming hacks but you’re putting off a much-needed rate increase, the answer is yes.
And if you start creating content that gets likes but doesn’t appeal to your client avatar, the answer is also yes.
It’s common for gym owners to struggle to create content.
But other entrepreneurs become addicted to the dopamine hits they get when they open an app and find 1,000 video views or 100 likes.
Attention is really addictive.
According to The Guardian, Dr. Anna Lembke “calls the smartphone the ‘modern-day hypodermic needle’: we turn to it for quick hits, seeking attention, validation and distraction with each swipe, like and tweet.”
I know you know what I mean. Tell me you don’t feel a rush when you open an app and see that a ton of people loved your latest post. And I know that talking about apps and likes is making you itch to check your notifications.
But stay with me for three more minutes.
Here’s a scenario:
- Gym owner likes producing content.
- Gym owner gets a bit of traction on social media and spends increasing amounts of time on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok.
- Gym owner focuses on media and ignores operations.
- Gym owner keeps cranking out content while retention suffers.
- Gym owner gets lots of attention but struggles to acquire any new clients.
This is a real thing, even if it’s less common than the gym owner who hates producing content (no content is also a problem).
Ask Yourself Hard Questions
Here are eight questions that will give you some insight into your own media habits. If you answer “yes” to any of them, you might have a problem.
- Do you check social notifications faster than you respond to leads?
- Do you spend more time editing videos than practicing sales?
- Do you produce content to get likes instead of to make sales?
- Do you make time to publish at the expense of improving business operations?
- Do you prioritize publishing over booking Goal Review Sessions with current clients?
- Do you want to start a podcast solely because lots of other entrepreneurs have podcasts?
- Do you produce increasing amounts of media while revenue numbers drop or stay the same?
- Do you produce increasing amounts of media without hiring staff to take care of other parts of the business?
A Simple Media Plan
So what’s the right media plan for a gym owner?
Here it is, as simply as I can lay it out:
1. Create your perfect client avatar. This is the person you will create content for—and only this person.
2. Ensure your content is Step 1 in a clearly defined sales funnel. You must be able to show exactly how your content moves people into your business.
3. Create a simple content calendar—one blog, podcast or video and three social posts per week is a good start.
4. Allocate a set amount of time to content creation. Work fast, hit publish and move on. Do not invest extra time to get something “just right.”
5. Track your metrics, and create more content only if your sales funnel is working perfectly and your retention is great.
6. Hire and delegate so you can increase output, but set a new and appropriate time limit for content creation.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6.
Use Your Time Wisely
As smartphones and AI make content creation even easier, you’re going to be tempted to spend more time cranking it out.
But be careful. Unless you’re one of the rare influencers who can monetize content itself, you’re using content to grow your main business: your gym.
Make sure you always remember that. If you do, your gym will grow. If you don’t, you’ll have 10,000 followers and a monthly revenue shortfall.
