What Are They Saying About You?

What Are They Saying About You? & One Of Those Lists.Except This Time We Are On It!

When we opened our door to our current facility, there were some assumptions about who were are and what we do. At that time, word on the street was we were a strongman or powerlifting gym. People almost sarcastically tossed it around as though they were being fed the lines by someone threatened by who we are and what we were doing.

While that is something many facilities WANT to be seen as, that was not consistent with our vision. We wanted to set ourselves apart as an athletic performance center. To be more specific, not just any type of athletic performance center. A place for the best, for the motivated athlete with a desire to move above and beyond their current capabilities.

Our own lifting interests were working against us and in order to move forward we had to help mold perception. We had many clients training at our home prior to the facility opening so the foundation was already in place, not to mention The Big Guy's professional work in the field as well. Yet still, it took work, it took people out there working on our behalf and clarifying any misinterpretations. It took work member by member, family by family, building relationships and establishing trust. Paying specific attention to our image was essential in order to grow.

As a result we regularly reflect and make assessments on how our members and potential members view us. Our goal is always to ensure consistency with who we are, what we do and what the public sees us as.

We were watching some marketing material for what might be considered the closest type of competitor we have. Although we weren't mentioned by name, it was crystal clear. In the material we reviewed there were references to this competitor being a place to train for everyone, not the select few, not a secret facility only for elite athletes and nobody is sure what really happens there.

My impression is it wasn't negative, it is true. We are succeeding at defining who we are, separating ourselves as being leaders, producing results and being competent. Many of our practices have subsequently been put into place there but at the end of the day, it doesn't matter. You can replicate physical space, certain practices and represent yourself as a competent practioner, etc. You can never replicate knowledge, experience, quality, accurate information and RESULTS.

We view any competition as an asset. Many members have found their way to us after cycling through coach required training with programs, not achieving results and having zero carry over to their performance on the field. In many regards much publically posted programming undercuts basic knowledge on how to increase strength which in turn makes it easier for new athletes to find their way to us.

The reference to being a "secret" facility does have merit. We do not post our results on line and we are terrible at posting pics and vids. We don't have to convince people to train with us. Potential members see their fellow teammates making ridiculous improvements, professionals in town are referring injured athletes to us, and we are the furthest thing in the world from being a strongman gym or whatever it might be.

We balance a fine line between privacy of our members (many under 18 years old) and celebrating success. Truthfully, most of the time my stomach turns when I see videos posted by facilities/trainers trying to provide training advice, technique videos or a feat of strength of an athlete. The majority of the time it is wrong, the athlete has crappy form and the trainer doesn't seem to know or care about it.

We don't WANT to fuel people to tear our work down simply because they don't know what they are talking about on a very rudimentary level. We don't want our members to feel as though we are marketing successes of kids for our own gain.

In the strength and fitness world, everyone is an expert. They are an expert because they are an athlete, they lift, they are jacked or are a trainer or have a bachelor's degree but no real work experience in lifting. See where I am headed here?

We value our members, we value our relationships and trust with them, we value our opportunities to interact in a meaningful and supportive way with our families without it appearing as though we are trying to "sell" something.

Having it both ways is very difficult to do. Until we have ten extra hours a week to put together videos proclaiming how bad ass we are, we will continue to do our best and most important work in the gym. After all, we are that elite facility that caters to only the best. I will wear that perception with pride through the smile on my face every single day. It tells me we are right on target, we have set ourselves apart from our competition and our members value their results and experiences enough to send their teammates, siblings and children in to train with us.

That doesn't sound like a bad spot to be. It's exactly where we WANT to be.