In this series, I’m taking about the measurable value of being the best gym in town.
Sure, it’s awesome to think you’re the best: You get a lot of pride from it. But actually being the best carries real, measurable value.
Today, I want to introduce a new concept: ascension.
When you’re the best, you will attract the best clients from other gyms.
You won’t attract all the clients, but the best will find their way to you. That means you can actually view competitors as your “feeder system.”
When a new gym opens down the street, it might be stressful. But if you’re the best, the gym’s presence can benefit you. After owning a gym for 18 years, I’ve seen this happen many times:
1. New gym opens to great fanfare. Existing gym owner is terrified to have another CrossFit or HIIT or similar gym on the block.
2. The new gym attracts different types of people to “try” the method. For whatever reason, the new equipment or different branding draws people.
3. After trying the method, the best clients will seek to upgrade their experience by finding the best gym.
I’ve seen this dozens of times in my gym, but it’s also so common in business coaching that a similar sequence is actually part of our plan at Two-Brain Business: Sometimes a gym owner signs up with a different coach or mentor for a year and then ascends to Two-Brain. We even have a popular hashtag in our groups: #bestfindsbest.
Sometimes clients are attracted to novelty. Sometimes your future best clients aren’t ready to be your best clients yet. Sometimes they need to try the “cheap version” before they go all in on the best version. But if you’re the best, they’ll eventually upgrade to you.
Many clients at my gym, Catalyst, started somewhere else but are now longstanding members of our community.
Once again, time plays a huge factor. People can’t ascend to your business if it’s clearly a flash-in-the-pan endeavor.
But if you’re a lighthouse of excellence in your town for years, you can expect the top clients to ask you for direction at some point.
Other Blogs in This Series
“Does Being the Best Gym Owner Really Matter?”
“How to Become the Best Gym in Town”
