CrossFit and Inbound Marketing – skeptics abound but why?

Not very many people can say that they’ve had two life changing events. Fortunately, I can, and one was in my personal life and the other in my professional life.

The first came 4 years ago when I started doing CrossFit.  My brother would come over to my to my house on Saturdays to do some quick workouts, and before I knew it we were working out on Saturdays and Sundays and now I’m up to 5 days a week. I didn’t even realize that I was hooked on working out until it was too late!

The second life changing event arrived when I was introduced to the world of Digital Marketing. I was at a point in my previous career where I needed something new and an opportunity presented itself very close to my house (also through my brother), so naturally I was very interested.  I came from a very traditional sales/marketing industry, so I was a bit skeptical when it came to selling Digital Marketing services. However, just as it happened with CrossFit, I was quickly convinced and didn’t even realize it was happening.

There may be other articles written about the similarities between CrossFit and Inbound Marketing, but I haven’t found any that focus on most people’s hesitation to start and the patience and dedication needed for both in order to see real results.

There are 5 key components that relate well to both CrossFit and Internet Marketing, and the reasons why you should move past skepticism:

1)       Success Doesn’t Happen Overnight. You can’t just walk into a gym and start doing advanced movements like muscle ups, double-unders, snatches, etc. You’re going to have to work up to those exercises with time and dedication, and marketing over the Internet is no different. You can’t start out blogging, tweeting, Facebooking, etc. and expect to see results without having a solid foundation to build from. Those specialized tactics need a strong website if all of your digital marketing efforts are going be worthwhile.

2)       Once the foundation is created, you’ll see strength and skill improve. If you’re ever going to be able to do a muscle up, then you’re going to have to master the strict pull up and non-assisted dip, first. In order to effectively attract and convert website visitors, you’re going to need a strong search optimization strategy and clearly defined personas and messaging. Without them any visitor that finds your website will likely simply move on.

3)       Continued testing will result in change and progress. An Oly (Olympic Lifting) hour helps with fine tuning form and also tests your lifting capacity. A/B testing your pay-per-click landing pages is very similar, and subtle changes to things like button placement and content can make a huge difference with conversions.  Without testing to see what works and what doesn’t, how can anyone expect better results?

4)       It’s not about being good at one thing. Every day at CrossFit is a new day. One day could bring cleans and burpees, another could bring push presses and squats. You have to be ready to do what’s asked, when it’s asked, and monitor your own progress. Similarly with Digital Marketing, one month’s focus could be on PPC and the next month’s emphasis could be on growing organic exposure, while tracking your KPIs to see what works best.  Just like with the WODs (Work Out of the Day), you need to be open to using all tactics when the time comes. If you get caught in the trap of relying on one channel you’re almost certainly losing out on additional opportunities.

5)       Take it to the next level! Once you’ve mastered everything above, it’s time to take things to the extreme. A big part of the allure of CrossFit is the competition, so competing in local events is the next major step for any CrossFitter. When it comes to business, you’re also looking to overtake your competition and/or completely destroy them. Creating unbelievable offers, offering incredible insight, producing compelling videos, etc., will help set you apart from those just doing the basics. Excite your audience and leave them wanting more.

There’s a reason those who CrossFit and those who believe in Inbound Marketing talk relentlessly about it. Because they both work amazingly well!

 Wondering how Inbound Marketing could work for you or are in need of fresh new ideas? Contact Us, you have nothing to lose!