As 2023 draws to a close, the functional fitness community is stirred up.
On podcasts and in various forums, you’ll find a lot of debate about affiliate fees, coaching credentials, floor cleaners—yes, we’re still on floor cleaners sometimes.
Everyone has an opinion. Which is fine.
But are you comfortable gambling your business on someone’s Facebook rant?
New Year’s Resolution
Here’s my wish for you in 2024: Great financial success as an entrepreneur with less stress and more free time.
Here’s my request: In 2024, resolve to make decisions based on data and evidence, not opinions.
Social media makes it easy for people and companies to produce opinions faster than anyone can ignore them. I see a lot of “it worked for me” and “I haven’t tried anything else” stuff, and I see mountains of statements based on personal experience, someone else’s word, myths from the days of yore or nothing at all.
Do yourself a favor: Whenever you see one of these discussions, ask yourself who’s just yelling loudly and who’s got data and evidence.
The people who are yelling are entertaining. But let that be their sole value.
When you’re making decisions, ask for proof. If you don’t get any, keep looking.
Numbers Over Nothing
Here’s an example of the kind of exchange I’d like to see:
Gym Owner 1: “More coaching credentials will make your business better.”
Gym Owner 2: “How do you know? How many more? And can you define ‘better’?”
Gym Owner 1: “I have seven credentials and make a lot of money. It works for me.”
Gym Owner 2: “OK. Thanks for your opinion! Who’s got data on this?”
I’ve personally swallowed many hooks based on unsupported recommendations. A few times, I made the right decision by accident and got lucky. Many other times, I was punished for taking opinion as fact.
I still make mistakes with our business, but they’re rarer than they used to be because I can say something like this:
“A dozen great gym owners tested this marketing tactic and reported their exact results. All of them generated the desired ROI. I’m going to use that tactic exactly as they did, and I’ll track my results, too.”
That approach helps me sleep better at night, and I think it will help you.
So resolve to make decisions based on data and evidence, not opinions, in 2024.
Where can you get data and evidence?
Request this free guide: “2023 State of the Industry Report.”
Join this group: Gym Owners United.
And to talk about a tailored, data-backed plan for your unique business, book a call here.
All the best in 2024!
