HYROX is taking the world by storm, with more than 650,000 people expected to participate in a race this year. The hype has created an unprecedented growth opportunity for fitness business owners, and a unique way to connect new leads to unfilled spots in class: ClassPass.
Most gym owners think of ClassPass and HYROX as completely separate business decisions. Should we offer HYROX classes? Should we use ClassPass? But the truth is, connecting them helps you bring in new leads for a low-stakes first visit. It’s a top-of-funnel strategy that doesn't cost you a dollar in ad spend.
Why runners need a lower-friction entry
John Singleton, founder of The Progrm and an official HYROX training partner, put it well on The Next Rep podcast: HYROX is the “known and knowable” race. Eight stations that are always the same, with no Olympic lifting or gymnastics skill required.
"You can do the same thing as the elite athletes, albeit at a lower intensity level," Singleton said.
That accessibility is what makes HYROX so appealing across different fitness groups. Runners who want to get stronger often assume a functional fitness gym isn't for them. They picture max-effort snatches and RX weights, not a room full of people training for a race they already understand.
Singleton explained, "All of a sudden, you've got a huge demographic of fitness people who would have probably never walked foot into a CrossFit gym. But they might now be interested because you offer what they need."
At that point, the obstacle is getting those people to actually book their first class. And that’s where ClassPass comes in.
How ClassPass bridges the gap
Athletech News reported that 94% of ClassPass users are new to the studios they visit. That means they’re not your current members who are shopping around for a discount. ClassPass users are people who may have never heard of your gym but are able to find you through the directory.
This matters for HYROX affiliates, because your target members are those testing the waters. They’re comparison shopping and might not necessarily want to sign up for a membership yet. That’s why it’s key for your HYROX classes to show up where they’re looking, in the ClassPass directory.
How to turn ClassPass into a growth engine
Grace Bettino was the CMO of a boutique fitness concept, and found tremendous success with ClassPass once she started thinking of it as a marketing channel instead of a membership competitor. She described it as a marketing channel “with more money, more reach, and a bigger local audience than I could ever touch on my own budget.”
Here are five steps to copy her success:
1. Set your expectations.
You are always going to have a handful of people who use ClassPass on a recurring basis and never convert. But track the numbers. Then you’ll see the volume of ClassPass visitors that actually convert, making the few others pretty insignificant.
2. Hold back your best class times.
If your 6 am and 9 am Saturday classes fill on their own, ClassPass visitors don’t get access to those times. Save your best classes for direct members only, and let ClassPass fill the gaps. For example, the 12 pm Tuesday slot that usually sits half-empty? Those empty spots are missed opportunities to get new prospects in the room, so let ClassPass fill them without touching your prime real estate.
3. Cap ClassPass spots in popular class formats.
For studios or gyms that offer multiple workout formats, consider the same concept with HYROX classes. Cap the number of spots available to ClassPass users in your most in-demand classes. For example, only allow two ClassPass users in a HYROX to give priority to your direct members. This ensures ClassPass users in HYROX classes aren’t crowding out the people who are actively investing in your business.
4. Set a shorter booking window for ClassPass users.
This one is pretty simple: Your own members get to book first, and ClassPass users get whatever’s left, closer to class time. This shows your members that you’re protective of their experience and builds loyalty.
5. Offer perks exclusively for direct members.
Create perks that make it genuinely worth joining your gym directly. These can be anything from community events and special programming to buddy passes and exclusive swag. The price doesn’t necessarily matter as long as it’s not available to anyone except your members.
Don’t just count visits, convert members
Remember, the ultimate goal is to capture the interest of ClassPass users when they come to try a HYROX class, and eventually make them a full-time member. In other words, you’re not counting visits, you’re aiming to convert.
ClassPass is a powerful tool to get new faces in your door. And once they’ve tried out a class or two, it’s time to kick your conversion plan into high gear. Bettino said she had a full nurture sequence in place to keep her studio top-of-mind between visits. The goal was simple: every touch point moved them one step closer to a conversation, without ever feeling like a hard sell.
Here are a few examples of what that sequence looked like:
- Text the day after their first class: “So glad you came in today! How are you feeling? Let us know if you have any questions about what we offer.”
- Coach check-in after their third visit: “Hey, I’ve loved having you in class. Have you thought about what a membership might look like for you? Happy to chat.”
- Invite to a member community event: “We’ve got [event] coming up, open to members and their guests. Would love to have you join us and get a feel for the community.”
- Direct membership offer after 30 days: “You’ve been in a few times now and we’d love to make it official. Here’s what we can do for you as a first-time member.
How Wodify can help
Wodify’s ClassPass booking integration makes class reservations seamless for everyone. When a ClassPass member books a class, it shows up automatically alongside your regular class reservations.
Plus, Wodify makes it easy to auto-enroll ClassPass drop-ins directly into Wodify Workflows, taking manual follow-up off your plate. You’ll save time and avoid anyone falling through the cracks. It’s like having an extra sales team member that works around the clock to grow your gym.
Want to learn more? Book a demo with a member of the Wodify team today!
Author: Monica Hilton, Wodify
