Chad Smith’s career journey stands out as an extraordinary example of resilience, vision, and adaptability. Beginning in the fitness industry, where he carved a name for himself by helping clients achieve their personal goals, Chad has now established himself as a marketing expert with a deep understanding of client acquisition strategies. His experience culminated in the founding of Five Lions Digital Marketing Agency, a company that focuses on helping businesses consistently attract and convert high-quality leads.
This transformation from fitness coach to marketing strategist offers insights into how personal passions can translate into powerful business ventures. His journey is an inspiring one that has left a mark on the marketing world, with a tailored approach that simplifies marketing for service-based businesses.
Chad Smith’s Transition from Fitness to Marketing
Chad Smith started his professional life with a passion for fitness, dedicating years to building a brand based on delivering tangible results for clients. His ability to connect with individuals on a personal level, helping them achieve their health and fitness goals, set him apart. He didn’t just provide training; he formed relationships built on trust, communication, and a commitment to seeing results. This skill, which he honed over decades, would later prove instrumental in his marketing approach.
Understanding his clients’ struggles, whether in fitness or business, allowed Chad to shape his services around their unique needs. This background in coaching people to achieve their goals informed his marketing philosophy, and when he transitioned into digital marketing, he brought this client-focused mindset with him.
Chad’s ability to blend empathy with strategy laid the groundwork for Five Lions Digital Marketing Agency, where his expertise now lies in helping businesses grow through a personalized approach to marketing.
The Elite Acquisition Method: Attract, Engage, Empower
Chad’s marketing success is largely attributed to the development of the Elite Acquisition Method, which revolves around a clear framework: Attract, Engage, Empower. This three-part system is specifically designed to streamline the process of client acquisition for service-based businesses.
Attract
In the first stage, attracting the right audience is key. Chad emphasizes that simply casting a wide net and hoping for conversions is not enough. Through precision targeting, Five Lions Marketing helps clients focus on reaching the most qualified prospects. By creating content and strategies that speak directly to these potential clients, businesses can attract the kind of attention that leads to higher-quality engagement.
Whether through optimized social media campaigns, SEO-driven content, or paid advertising, the goal is to drive attention from those who are most likely to benefit from the services on offer. Chad’s approach in this phase is all about relevance—ensuring that marketing efforts are not just visible but compelling to the right people.
Engage
Once the audience is attracted, the next step is to engage them. Engagement is about more than just getting attention; it’s about building a relationship. For Chad, this is where his background in fitness shines. In the same way that he engaged with fitness clients to understand their personal goals, he helps businesses create genuine connections with their leads. Whether it’s through email marketing, personalized content, or direct communication, engagement should feel authentic and meaningful.
This phase also includes the nurturing of leads—keeping them interested and informed until they are ready to make a decision. With strategies like automated follow-ups and high-quality content, Five Lions ensures that leads don’t slip through the cracks.
Empower
The ‘Empower’ stage is the final, and perhaps the most transformative, phase of the Elite Acquisition Method. In this stage, the focus goes beyond delivering a service; it’s about equipping clients with the tools and knowledge to cultivate a loyal network of satisfied customers who will actively refer new business. Chad’s goal is to help clients understand how to create this loyal ‘army’ of advocates, grounded in trust and confidence in the value provided. This phase centers on transparency and building long-lasting relationships by empowering clients to make informed decisions, setting the foundation for sustained growth and loyalty.
The framework has been a key driver in the success of Five Lions Digital Marketing Agency, transforming what can often be a complex and overwhelming process for business owners into a clear, strategic approach. For example, one local Physical Therapy practice increased its clientele by 40% within the first 90 days of implementing the framework, highlighting the tangible, measurable results this method delivers. By turning marketing into an accessible process, clients experience real growth and see direct impacts on their business goals.
Building Strong Client Relationships
Photo Courtesy: Chad W. Smith / Five Lions Digital Marketing Agency
One of the core philosophies behind Five Lions is the importance of relationship-building. Chad emphasizes that successful marketing is not just about generating leads but about fostering long-term relationships. His approach is highly client-centric, focusing on understanding each client’s unique challenges and helping them overcome those obstacles.
At Five Lions, the focus is on guiding clients through their entire marketing journey, from the first point of contact to lead conversion and beyond. The agency handles all aspects of the marketing process, including content creation, lead nurturing, and conversion optimization. The goal is to allow business owners to concentrate on their strengths while Five Lions handles the marketing complexities.
Chad’s deep understanding of people, honed from years in the fitness industry, informs the agency’s entire philosophy. He knows that behind every business is a person with a dream and a set of challenges. His ability to connect with those people and guide them through their marketing efforts sets Five Lions apart in the industry.
Resilience in the Face of Challenges
Chad’s adaptability, particularly during difficult times, speaks to his resilience as a leader. Like many business owners, he faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, instead of allowing these difficulties to derail his progress, Chad used them as an opportunity to reflect, learn, and grow.
He developed new strategies to help clients navigate an increasingly digital world. During the pandemic, many businesses were forced to pivot online, and Chad’s experience enabled his gyms along with 4 other gyms to adapt through that transition. His focus on innovation and adaptability during these trying times shaped the philosophy that continues to guide Five Lions today: flexibility and forward-thinking are crucial in navigating the ever-changing marketing landscape.
Chad’s quote, “My unique perspective allows me to see marketing challenges with fresh eyes and develop innovative solutions that get real results,” reflects his ability to approach obstacles as opportunities for growth and transformation.
Conclusion
Chad Smith’s journey from the fitness industry to founding Five Lions Digital Marketing Agency is a testament to the power of personal transformation and professional resilience. By leveraging his unique understanding of client needs and goal achievement, Chad has built a marketing agency that thrives on relationships, strategic thinking, and tailored solutions.
His Elite Acquisition Method—Attract, Engage, Empower—offers a simplified yet powerful approach to client acquisition that delivers consistent results. Through relationship-building, personalized strategies, and a commitment to client success, Five Lions continues to help businesses navigate the marketing jungle with confidence.
Contact Five Lions Digital Marketing Agency
For more information about Five Lions Digital Marketing Agency and how they can help your business grow, visit their website: www.fivelionsmarketing.com
Published by: Annie P.
