Best Practices to Run A Successful Online Gym

GOAL: Help gym owners navigate these tough times and use best practices to go on the offensive during this pandemic. We want to arm you with the tools to keep pushing forward and trying new ideas to see what sticks.

When there are problems, and there will always be problems, there is also opportunity. Right now we have the opportunity to stand up as leaders in our communities and help lead the way in health and fitness.

Your community needs you now, more than ever. Use this time as an opportunity to grow, and get outside of your comfort zone.

Meet people where they are. Speak to their fears, acknowledge them then provide a clear plan for success. You may just come out of this crisis with a new service you can offer.

SOME OF OUR WEBSITE FEATURES YOU MAY WANT TO USE:

1. Youtube Video Gallery Block | View >

TIPS FOR USE:
Introduce yourself to new lead
Walk through the daily workout
Screenshare how to use an app or proce

2 Restricted Pages | View >

With this feature, you can restrict page/post access per user.
TIPS FOR USE:
Get new leads by making visitors signup with email to get access to certain pages you choose.
Create member only content/pages
Get Creative! Lots of other ways to use these User Login pages.

VIRTUAL TOOLS TO STAY CONNECTED: ( View the webinar )

1. LOOM: 1 to 1 Video | View >

TIPS FOR USE:
Introduce yourself to new lead
Walk through the daily workout
Screenshare how to use an app or process
Say thank you to a member or lead
Tips and Advice
Followup on a workout. Great job, etc.

2. ZOOM: Video Meetings & Webinars | View >

TIPS FOR USE:
Live workouts
1 on 1 video: sales, PT, check-ins
Staff meetings
Podcast interviews
What else?

3. STREAMYARD: Livestreaming | View >

TIPS FOR USE:
Facebook, Youtube, LinkedIn
Multiple platforms at once
Branding, Recording, Q&A, Chat
Scheduled or GoLive

4. SLACK: Collaboration | View >

TIPS FOR USE:
Unified, real time communication
Replaces email
Keeps everything in one place

Tips to Improve your Client's Online Experience

Audio: Use Airpods or bluetooth earbuds to improve audio
Video: For most applications, your smartphone or laptop’s camera will work fine. For wider point of view, try using a web camera like this.
Lighting: Bad lighting is very distracting to the viewer. Always try to use natural sunlight if possible. There are many options online to choose from. Do a little research for yourself if looking for better lighting.
Eliminate distractions: I know it's hard right now since most are working from home. Tips like closing doors behind you, letting others around you know that you are on camera, turning off text and notifications on your devices, and do a quick mirror check to make sure you don't have food stuck in your teeth from lunch:)

ONLINE GYM PLAN INCLUDES: ( View the webinar )

Website geared towards running an online gym

Revise your existing site so it's completely focused on "At Home Workouts". Use this guide to transition your GoSite.
Turn off everything else that distracts on the site. Anything right now that relates to coming in your gym will be distracting.
Revised Call to Action around virtual consult/workouts, Get Two Weeks Free, etc.
Messaging, photos revised to be all about online. Show people working out at home.
Clear explanation of why someone would want to choose your online plan.

Well organized live workouts:

Show up 5 minutes before your online workout starts
Provide clear direction on what you want your clients to do
Share an explanation of movements via a movement library on your website or Youtube Channel. TIP: To get started, CrossFit HQ has a Youtube channel you can link to: At Home Movements and Cooking

Communication/Check-ins:

Weekly edited video for all members sent out beginning of the week detailing week ahead, motivation tips, advice, suggestions, etc.
Individual personalized member live check-in videos scheduled through an auto-scheduler app like Calendly.
Weekly emails sent out either beginning or end of week updating members on latest news, gym info, etc.
“Coach on Call” - hours each day that members can use to talk to a coach. Can use a standing Zoom video link that you share with your members.


BONUS TIP: If possible, send out a daily text/email beginning of the day with a motivation tip, workout for day and an encouragement/motivation to show up, like an ongoing challenge. This will go a long way in the eyes of your clients and potential clients.

Outreach/ engagement

Paid ads: This is a great time to share the promotion you are running with your local community. "Get Two Weeks Free", etc.
Strong lead magnet/CTA. This is very important to showcase on your website to attract new leads. Something like "Get Two Weeks Free"
Daily Facebook/IG posts. Now more than ever, you have to be in front of your local community. Brand awareness is key.

Continually running Challenges:

Specifically created to keep members motivated and build excitement. It's very difficult for people at home to stay motivated and get off the couch for a workout.
Challenge prizes could be: swag, local gift cards, discounts on memberships, etc.

EXAMPLE: Physical Challenges A Gym Can Run

These are going to be a static focus for five weeks. Goal is these static holds are done every day and athletes increase their times by 5-10 seconds each day. This will create grit, mental toughness and none of these are hard to do. Timely, yet effective and will help them hone in on the muscle strength & endurance fitness has to offer.

Week 1 - Nothing Special here! Meal Prep!

Let’s dial it in on the meal prep and get your week organized. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Snacks. Need to show your meal prep completed, and if you’re one of those cook-as-you-goers, then give us the rundown of how your meals will be planned this week!

Week 2 - You Heard it, lay off the sweets!

Fruit doesn’t count! So all the sweet teeth you have, let’s find a different way around it like some berries or a banana! Artificial sweeteners are a no-no, even from the stevia leaf, let’s cut it out all this week.

Week 3 - Let’s get hydrated!

Try and shoot for 80-100oz of Water each day. Water meaning regular water, not the fizzy water, not the water full of your Mio or Crystal Light packets. Let’s get some straight up, regular, old fashioned water flowin’ through that bod of yours to keep your metabolism healthy and this WILL help prevent you from eating when you’re actually NOT hungry at all.

Week 4 - A salad a day keeps the doctor away?

Let’s get in those greens people! This is not the time to get in your pasta salads, potato salads, chicken salads where all the extra stuff is in there. Let’s get creative with our greens this week and share some fun recipes that you’ve found! This should replace at least one of your meals! Let’s make those salads big, bold and beautiful!

Week 5 - Let’s try something new, shall we?

Quite often we get into a groove of what we make cause we know what we like, right? Let’s get creative with our meals this week. Find 3 new recipes and as a bonus (to you), see if we can make them with different foods that don’t normally go in our grocery cart. Egg plant, spaghetti squash, tofu?, who knew? Let’s step outside our comfort zones a little!

Updated on: 30/07/2020