The Field Guide

Resources for gym owners
who want to grow.

Tactical articles on trial follow-up, member retention, class fill rates, automation, and the unglamorous systems that separate packed studios from struggling ones.

Featured

20 articles
Buyer's Guide7 min read

How to Choose the Best Gym CRM Software

Picking the right CRM for your gym comes down to five questions most owners skip. Here's the framework that actually works.

By Alex Vance (Gym Growth Lead)Read article

All articles

Sales6 min read

7 Trial Follow-Up Mistakes Costing Gyms Thousands

Trial leads are different. The prospect is nervous, motivation is fragile, and three other gyms are texting them right now. Here's where most gyms bleed members.

By Alex Vance
Sales7 min read

Why Gym Trial Leads Don't Convert (And How a CRM Fixes It)

Industry average trial-to-member rate is 25 to 35 percent. Top gyms hit 50 to 60. The gap isn't price — it's follow-through.

By Alex Vance
Lead Gen8 min read

Flyering vs. Meta Ads: Modern Gym Lead-Gen

Every gym has the local-marketing debate. The fastest-growing studios stopped picking sides — and started feeding both pipelines into one CRM.

By Alex Vance
Automation7 min read

Automating Member Onboarding and Retention for Gyms

Memberships are a follow-up business. Most gyms lose members not in the first month — but in the silent stretch between the trial and the 90-day mark.

By Alex Vance
ROI6 min read

The Real ROI of a Gym CRM in Year One

Sales pages promise 10x ROI. Reality is messier. Here's what year-one actually looks like for a gym that implements a CRM well.

By Alex Vance
Automation5 min read

5 Automations Every Gym Owner Should Set Up Today

You don't need 50 automations. You need five that run flawlessly. Build these first, in this order, and ignore everything else until they're earning.

By Alex Vance
Reputation6 min read

How to Get 100+ Google Reviews for Your Gym

Google reviews drive 60 percent of map-pack visibility. Most gyms stuck under 20 reviews are making the same five mistakes — and all of them are fixable.

By Alex Vance
Sales7 min read

Gym Membership Pipeline Stages That Actually Convert

Most gym pipelines have too many stages and not enough triggers. A pipeline isn't a graveyard for old leads — it's a forcing function for the next action.

By Alex Vance
Comparison8 min read

CRM for Gyms vs. Mindbody vs. Glofox vs. Wodify

This is the question every gym asks at some point. The honest answer: they're not the same category — and most growing gyms eventually run two of them.

By Alex Vance
Lead Capture6 min read

The Gym Owner's Guide to Missed Call Text Back Automation

62% of fitness prospects who reach a gym voicemail hang up and call the next gym on Google Maps. Here is how 5-second SMS auto-replies save $3,000+ per month in lost memberships.

By Alex Vance
Retention8 min read

How to Reactivate Cancelled Gym Members Without Running Paid Ads

Your past member cancel list is a goldmine. Learn the 3-touch SMS and email re-engagement sequence that consistently reactivates 10% to 15% of lapsed members.

By Alex Vance
Scheduling6 min read

How We Reduced Gym Tour No-Shows by 70% Using 3 Simple SMS Reminders

A 35% tour no-show rate destroys staff morale and burns coaching payroll. Here is the exact automated SMS cadence that gets prospects through your doors.

By Alex Vance
Playbooks9 min read

The CrossFit Lead Generation Playbook: From Meta Ad to Signed Athlete

CrossFit boxes can't rely on generic fitness marketing. Here is how to structure beginner OnRamp offers, qualify leads, and close 3-month commitments.

By Alex Vance
Strategy7 min read

Boutique Fitness Studio Pricing: Unlimited Memberships vs. Class Packs

Are class packs secretly killing your studio's recurring cash flow? Discover how leading pilates, barre, and yoga studios transition clients to high-retention monthly direct debits.

By Alex Vance
Coaching7 min read

How Independent Personal Trainers Use a CRM to Retain 90%+ of Clients

Solo personal trainers don't need complicated enterprise software. Here is how independent coaches automate progress check-ins, package renewals, and billing without burnout.

By Alex Vance
Growth6 min read

How to Automate a High-Converting Gym Referral Program in 4 Steps

Referral leads convert 3x higher and stay twice as long as paid ad leads. Here is how to set up an automated post-workout referral machine for your gym.

By Alex Vance
Operations5 min read

Gym SMS Marketing Compliance: A2P 10DLC, Opt-Ins, and Best Practices

Don't get your gym's business phone number carrier-blocked. What every fitness owner needs to know about TCPA consent, A2P 10DLC brand registration, and message delivery.

By Alex Vance
Sales8 min read

How to Handle 'I Need to Think About It' on Gym Tours and Close Same-Day

Tired of hearing 'it's too expensive' or 'I need to talk to my spouse'? Learn the 4-step framework top gym managers use to close 75%+ of facility tours.

By Alex Vance
Analytics8 min read

Gym Churn Rate Benchmarks: What is Normal and How to Cut Yours in Half

What is a healthy monthly gym churn rate? Discover industry benchmarks across boutique studios, CrossFit boxes, and commercial gyms — and the 3 retention levers that matter.

By Alex Vance

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