You are not good at guessing what other people want.
Nobody is.
When I opened my first gym, I hung a giant pirate flag in the corner of a cinder-block room. Chalkboard paint on the walls. Metallica’s “Black Album” on repeat. Angry powerlifting vibe. I thought I’d attract people like me.
I did: I attracted broke powerlifters who scared off the clients who would’ve actually paid the bills.
Most gym owners make the same mistake: They never stop to ask what people actually want.
Instead, they project their own mindset onto their clients:
“They can’t afford this without a discount.”
👉 That’s the speaker’s wallet talking.
They publish stuff that fires them up: photos of ripped hands, bloody shins, vomiting athletes and shirtless maniacs lifting 500 lb.
👉 Meanwhile, their clients and prospective clients are thinking about losing a few pounds and getting home in time to walk the dog, help kids with homework and cook dinner.
They obsess over gym drama and minutia because the gym is their life.
👉 The clients don’t notice any of that stuff and want a coach who’s totally focused on them.
And the biggest projection of all:
“My method, my certifications, my politics—people care!”
👉 They don’t. They care about solving their problems: “How do I lose weight? How do I feel better? How do I stay consistent?”
The lesson: You can’t—and shouldn’t—guess what people want.
You should just ask.
Just ask people what they want, what they struggle with and what would help them succeed.
Here’s exactly how to apply the Just Ask Method in a fitness business, metric by metric.
Marketing: The Pumpkin Plan
Great marketing isn’t art—it’s duplication.
And you don’t need to guess about what will connect with potential clients. You should simply go to your “internal focus group” for the right answer. Mike Michalowicz—who will be speaking at the 2026 Two-Brain Summit—laid the plan out in his book “The Pumpkin Plan.”
Identify your best clients by making a list of the members who make you happiest and a list of the members who pay the most. Your best clients are the ones on both lists.
Take each one out for coffee and ask them three questions:
❓ 1. What brought you here in the first place?
➡️ This tells you exactly what attracted your best clients. Do more of that.
❓2. What else did you try?
➡️ This tells you exactly where to find similar people. Direct marketing here.
❓3. What’s your biggest challenge outside the gym?
➡️ This tells you how to provide more value. Solve the problems.
The first time I used this process, I expected to hear “CrossFit is fun! I want to compete! This gym is my family!”
Instead, my best clients said:
- “This is the only place where someone says I’m ‘doing it right.’”
- “This is the only place where people remember my name.”
- “No matter how the workout goes, it makes the rest of my day better.”
None of that was in my marketing.
So I changed everything—and the gym got better immediately.
Sales: The Prescriptive Model
Stop guessing what memberships and services people want.
Ask about their goals, listen to what they say, make a prescription to help them win, and then ask them what they prefer.
“Based on what you want to accomplish, here’s what I recommend. Would you prefer to do this in a small group or 1:1 with me?”
Give choices, not ultimatums.
That’s how you sell what people actually need—not whatever class you like coaching.
Retention: Goal Reviews
Retention might be the most important metric in a gym, so prioritize it.
Every three to six months, sit down with every client and ask, “Are you completely happy with your results?”
They’ll answer in one of three ways:
1. “Yes.”
➡️ High-five! Keep them on track and get a testimonial.
2. “Kinda.”
➡️ Update their prescription. They want more; show them the path.
3. “No.”
➡️ Great. Now you know. Make a new plan.
Asking saves clients.
Guessing loses them.
ARM: Stop Making Stuff Up
Your people don’t all want the same things. Don’t blow up your schedule because you think they do.
❌ “We’re starting a new kettlebell program even though no one but me is into it!”
👉 Instead: Use data from goal reviews. If 10 people mention they’d like to get better at running, offer a running program.
You can also use simple “hand-raising posts” to gauge interest and survey the market:
- “Who’s looking for something for their kids this summer?”
- “Who has a parent who would benefit from strength training?”
If enough hands go up, offer a short-term program as a test. If you sell it out several times, consider making it a permanent addition.
Let voices and wallets—not your imagination—prove demand.
ROI: Ask Vendors
Before cutting an expense, ask the vendor “how can I get a better return on this investment?”
Better ROI beats cheaper every time. And you’ll never know how to get better ROI if you don’t ask the companies and experts you are investing in.
Effective Houly Rate: Ask Your Staff
If you want to energize your staff so you can delegate and earn more money in less time, don’t assume your team members want what you wanted 10 years ago.
Set up Career Roadmap meetings and ask, “What do you want now?”
Build a plan based on their answers. Show them how to earn more money, guide them, coach them, and mentor them just like you coach and mentor your clients.
Net Owner Benefit: Ask Yourself
You can’t build a business that serves your life if you never ask, “What does my Perfect Day look like?”
Work backward from that. Align the business with the life you want—not the life you’ll tolerate.
A mentor can help you make a plan to create the business and life you want fast.
Just Ask—and Win
None of us can read minds. But we all try far too often, and we inevitably fail.
Guessing wastes time, money and opportunities, and sometimes it ruins the entire gym.
Asking gives you clarity, happier clients, better staff and a far more profitable gym.
Get over yourself and get out of your head.
Stop guessing.
Just ask.
And if you want the actual words to use in a host of situations—including gym operations—DM me and request “Two-Brain’s 23 Best Sales and Marketing Scripts.”
