Steal these ideas…
What’s up Gym World?
One of the most common complaints from gym owners is that they need more leads.
Well, we’ve covered how top gym owners get leads from
- Paid ads,
- Social media, and
- Referrals.
And today, we’ll explore throwing gym events.
Meet Mike Bouranis
Mike runs Stoked Athletics in Long Island, NY. The gym brings in $50k a month from just 130 clients.
Besides using paid ads and social to grow his gym, Mike throws events with local businesses and gets HUNDREDS of leads each time.
Here’s how he does it:
Most local businesses are boring, and so is their communication. If you want to get ignored, do what your competitors do.
One of the easiest ways to stand out is to show some personality and let your freak flag fly.
Mark Fisher does it by adding personality to his messaging. In 2015, he peddled a lead magnet called the “7 Habits of Highly Sexy Mother Fuckers!” After you opted in, you got this email:
Cassie Day fills her Instagram with fun, bubbly pics of herself and her members both in and out of the gym:
Bryan Johnson literally sleeps with a tiny jet pack on his penis and spends millions to slow his aging. 1,750 other rich people compete in his Rejuvenation Olympics to reverse their age too:
Then there’s Mike, who grew up on Long Island and doesn’t take life too seriously. He’s a millennial hipster who’s all about tacos, bikes, PBRs, and his legendary mustache:
Mike leaned into his quirks and threw events that were authentic to him and interesting to his target clients (25 to 35-year-olds who couldn’t afford personal training).
💡 Don’t blindly copy someone’s drip. People are quick to sniff out copycats and bullshitters.
Here are a few events that helped Mike generate nearly 1,000 leads:
Point 5k Very Fun Run
Mike’s father-in-law had Leukemia and has been a big proponent of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). To raise money in a fun way, Mike organized a .5k run around a local brewery and called it the “Point 5k Very Fun Run blood cancer awareness pro-am for people who hate running but love beer.”
He charged $50-$70 for tickets, which got you swag, discounted food from the brewery, a donation to LLS Long Island, and good times.
Last year, 250 non-gym members signed up. Not bad.
The summer of Stoked
Mike runs an annual Instagram giveaway and markets it as free tacos all summer. He buys a $100 gift card from a local taco shop and offers 3 months of free training (which costs him about $100 to deliver).
Last summer the giveaway got him 400 new followers. That works out to about $0.50 a lead.
Pumpkin throwing competition
Here at Gym World, we’re advocates of planning your marketing in advance.
Instead of throwing a lame fall event, Mike hosted a pumpkin-throwing competition for charity.
Brogi Barn
Boardy Barn was Long Island’s rite of passage. For 20 bucks, you’d stand for hours in line to party, get stickers, and drink dollar beers in a circus tent:
Mike did something similar and hosted a ‘Brogi Barn’ at a taco place. He charged $75 a ticket; attendees got beer, food, and customized stickers.
He sold 100 tickets. Five of those leads signed up for his gym that day.
💡 Leads are more receptive to a sales pitch after tacos and beer.
So, why do these events work?
Mike does a few things that make his events special. He:
- Partners with cool businesses that serve his target clients,
- Throws unique events that people will talk about for a long time,
- Raises money for charities and causes he cares about, and
- Injects personality throughout his brand.
This gives him an edge over his competition. By hosting cool events, he constantly attracts his target demographic.
💡 Curtis Christopherson owns 17 high-end personal training gyms in Canada. He organizes monthly trips for his members to places like Norway.
For more insights, watch or listen to Mike’s full interview on Gym World.
cheers,
j
