| You're certified, insured and passionate about | | | | publicity via the local media and serves as a great |
| helping others achieve their fitness goals. But | | | | lead generator. |
| when it comes to the business side of fitness - | | | | 3. Embrace technology: |
| you're lost. So how do you find clients and make | | | | Your next client is more likely to search for you |
| the kind of money that you deserve? | | | | on the Internet than in the phone book. |
| Let's face it, not too long ago most personal | | | | Technology has given consumers the power to |
| trainers needed a second job just to make ends | | | | seek out local services faster than ever before. |
| meet. But times have changed and many fitness | | | | Today more people search Google for information |
| professionals today earn more than medical | | | | than anywhere else. You can benefit from this in |
| doctors, attorneys and accountants. Still a large | | | | a big way. |
| percentage of personal trainers struggle to find | | | | Don't let the idea of technology scare you. Here |
| their way to prosperity. Today personal training is | | | | are three ways to maximize your business |
| one of the fastest growing professions in the | | | | potential online. Create a website. There are two |
| consulting sector. Now more than ever you are in | | | | types of websites. One works in attracting clients |
| the position to help others realize their fitness | | | | and generating leads and the other does not. |
| goals all while creating a successful business model | | | | What you want is a content rich website, one |
| that will provide you with years of reliable income | | | | that has 15-30 articles written by you on all things |
| and security. | | | | fitness. People on the Internet are searching for |
| Here are four secrets to grow your personal | | | | information--not for a glorified virtual flyer. Your |
| training business into a thriving enterprise that will | | | | content rich site should educate, inform and |
| win you financial freedom. | | | | position you as the obvious local fitness expert. |
| 1. Specialize: | | | | But the Internet offers more, much more. |
| Doctors and attorneys specialize all the time. In | | | | Thanks to online personal training you can train |
| fact, those who niche themselves are usually the | | | | clients from all over the world. That's right, |
| most successful. You wouldn't go to a divorce | | | | technology now gives you the ability to create |
| attorney for advice on opening a new business, | | | | passive income right from your home computer. |
| would you? You'd go to a corporate attorney | | | | But the Internet offers even more for fitness |
| who specializes in corporate and business law. Yet, | | | | professionals today. Email marketing is the |
| personal trainers still offer "general" services which | | | | fastest, easiest and most economical way to get |
| makes it hard for clients to find them and even | | | | new clients and retain the ones you have. If you |
| harder for them to find clients. | | | | don't offer a weekly or monthly fitness |
| I know what you're thinking. If I say that I | | | | newsletter - now is the time. |
| specialize in all aspects of fitness and weight loss | | | | Take your business online. Your website can help |
| then I'll have a larger market to cater to. While | | | | you attract more clients. You can earn more |
| that sounds good in theory the fact of the | | | | revenue and reach more clients with online |
| matter is that it does not work. Here's an | | | | personal training. And a simple online email |
| example. Let's say that right now you do general | | | | newsletter can position you as the local expert |
| personal training. If you need more clients where | | | | faster than you ever thought possible. |
| do you advertise? in the local paper or community | | | | 4. Think outside of the box: |
| publication? Sure you may get a lead or two, but | | | | It's time to stretch your mind. Look outside of |
| most people who see your ad are not likely your | | | | your industry for ideas to help make your |
| ideal prospects, right? | | | | personal training business a success. Consider |
| Now imagine if your niche was golf conditioning or | | | | group sessions or semi-private training programs |
| high income housewives. Now you know where to | | | | to maximize your time. Switch to 30-minute |
| advertise, right? You can find golfers at the local | | | | sessions. Sure it sounds like a bold move, but |
| driving range, the pro shop, golf course and even | | | | many of today's top fitness trainers only training |
| in the sports section of the local paper. And if | | | | clients for 30 minutes. This is a great way for you |
| you're looking for high income housewives then | | | | to make more dollars per minute and allows you |
| you may want to look at local day spas, | | | | more time to reach more clients. |
| boutiques, hair and nail solons, and high end | | | | Let's look at two other business building strategies |
| grocery stores. See how easy it is to find the | | | | that successful trainers use. |
| right prospect? And don't you think that the | | | | Number one: stop selling single sessions. The truth |
| potential clients would find you more credible if | | | | is that your clients are not going to achieve |
| you specialized in what they were looking for? | | | | significant results with single sessions or even a |
| One of my clients, 2006 NSCA Personal Trainer | | | | handful of sessions, and this method of selling |
| of the Year, Michael Seril, has a unique niche. He | | | | does not generate a reliable income. Consider |
| gets his clients from local doctors who refer to | | | | selling long term, results based programs that |
| him. Michael has positioned himself as the "expert" | | | | allow the client to purchase a large number of |
| therefore doctors trust him with their patients. | | | | sessions at once and to pay for them over |
| 2. Market | | | | several months. |
| There's advertising and there's marketing. You, | | | | This leads me to strategy number two: This |
| the fitness professional, must learn to market. | | | | system is called EFT (electronic funds transfer) |
| Marketing is everything you do to get and retain | | | | and it's no different than how a gym membership |
| clients, position yourself as the local fitness | | | | works. The EFT model is perfect for building a |
| expert, generate publicity and stimulate referrals. | | | | reliable and consistent monthly cash flow--and it |
| Advertising is the act of branding yourself and it | | | | even saves you time and effort so you'll never |
| can get pretty expensive. Businesses that can | | | | have to be a "bill collector" when your clients run |
| afford to successfully brand themselves are the | | | | out of sessions. In a nutshell EFT allows you to |
| big companies like Adidas, Gatorade, Coke, and | | | | sell large session packages and gives the clients |
| Pepsi because they have nearly endless amounts | | | | the opportunity to pay a given amount per month |
| of advertising dollars. | | | | for your services. A win/win proposition! |
| If your goal is to quickly grow your business | | | | Some the ideas presented here may seem |
| without wasting money then learn to market. You | | | | foreign to you. But if your goal is to create a |
| can easily get free exposure in your community | | | | stable, secure, and successful personal training |
| by offering to write a weekly or monthly fitness | | | | business then I suggest that you give these |
| column for the local paper. Or consider aligning | | | | proven ideas, tips, and strategies a try before |
| yourself with local businesses that can refer you | | | | you write them off. After all, they've helped me |
| clients. Establish your credibility by offering a free | | | | and many of my coaching clients create a thriving |
| Saturday morning fitness bootcamp in your town. | | | | six figure training business. |
| This is also a great way to generate lots of free | | | | |