Say Less. Be Concise. In this episode I'll share skills learned from decades of public speaking and the National Speakers Association. Considering all forms of marketing public speaking is ranked as the number one way of getting new clients. If less was ever more, speaking is it. Writing is similar. So pull up a chair or lace up your sneakers and get ready to get clients to run straight to you with a powerful presence and presentation. 

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If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. All to overused and yet all to infrequently applied. You have the best of intentions. Yet, intentions aren't actions. As a fitness professional in almost any environment, whether you are a solo entrepenuer or you are a manager/director of a fleet of trainers, life gets in the way unless you plan. 

The creative professional, that trainer who likes working for him or herself is the enemy as well as the asset. As a "creative" you have more ideas than time to implement. You're amazing ideas often don't ever get implemented. Here's how to harness the idea factory you are while handling day-to-day fires and time commitments. At the end of the year you'll have been much more productive with a publishing plan that includes marketing and life activites that make the work worth it.

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Dr. "Paddy" Ekkekakis, PhD. in Exercise Psychology at Iowa State University joins the show to discuss how fitness professionals can target the inactive segment. He shares insights about whether logic and rational ways of thinking help us reach this population. Are they motivated to exercise? What do we do that encourages them? What do we do that intimidates them? The discussion may surprise you or send you to organize your marketing for the New Year differently!

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Your Number One Source of Word-of-mouth referral is your Facebook page. If you promote you more than you post interesting, funny, and delightful things that make people like, comment and share with their friends, you could miss this free referral engine. With 30 million more people coming to social media over the next few years do you really want to miss this opportunity? No, I didn't think so! Here's a breif holiday how-to before the holiday so you can get yourself in a friendly spot for referrals.

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If ever there was a time to use video marketing it's now. Now as in 2014 and now as in November. It's pre-season foundation building that will get you a head start on soliciting New Year's Resolution makers and haters alike who still come in droves looking for fitness after the first of the year. Yes, your business will be bigger anyway..but will it be as big with more competition for your customer than ever before? Should you wait? Never. But merely doing video and doing it right will make or break the time and energy you put into it.

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You think you're busy? How do you go from personal trainer to entrepenuer with muilitple venues including books, workbooks, blogs, videos, podcast, vodcasts (do I even know what that is?) to seminars and then the ...what's next? Not only does Jonathan Bailor do all of those but he executes the marketing of them with extrodinary detail. Hundreds of endorsements from top doctors, researchers, and professionals were included on the cover of his book months before it went to print. Listen to hear his next project with Weight Watchers. See more at SANEsolutions.com 

You want to Attract More customers, get more Business, and do that you need to Create Content that is uniquely you. We talk marketing and we talk branding all day. Many of us nod and many of us glaze over, knowing its important but not knowing really what's at the heart of it. At the heart of your brand, no matter what you want it to be, is what your customer thinks you are. If you really want to find out what your brand is? Ask complete strangers on the street, eavesdrop on conversations in the lockerroom, and listen as people introduce you to someone new. 

That right now is your brand. You can change it if it isn't what you hoped it is. Then again, if it's working for you, you might simply want to realign with it better on all your marketing materials and choices. The first step is finding out what it is. Join us and join the recent blog posts this month (October 2014) at https://www.voiceforfitness.com/fitproblog for more details on branding that sets you apart. 

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High Productivity Habits For The Fitness Professional include 6 tips for your last quarter of 2014. From getting up earlier to not being politically correct they'll save you time that you can do more with. If you're looking for time and space to write that book, create that new website, develop a new program or marketing campaign, you'll find it by moving things around or out. Share with me what works for you. Early riser? Virtual assistant that's paid off in multiples? We want to hear it and have others inspired by it. www.voiceforfitness.com/fitproblog 

Every industry professional today knows creating a niche is important. Choosing and narrowing scope is scary for some. With Medically-based fitness facilities the qualified personal trainer may have found the way to continuous leads, income security and stable schedules. If you're in it or you're weighing your options hear what Don has to say about his career track. Stay tuned for the reason why you don't wish for insurance coverage of our fitness programming. You can reach Don for more information or consideration of an internship at his Cinncinati-based program at Donald_Gallucci@trihealth.com Any further questions or comments you know where to find us at www.voiceforfitness.com

Professional and personal growth requires forward momentum but its best combined with inner reflection. Using the power of your personality to enhance relationships and awareness of how you impact other people. At any age and phase of career you use personality and others use theirs to influence. When you know what and why and how to use it to your best advantage you become extrodinariy powerful. For more about personality Sally Hogshead's newest book How The World Sees You is a must read. For more information about personality, leadership and influence www.voiceforfitness.com/fitproblogs

We as an industry are not doing a great job reaching 70% of that inactivy market. We are not talking to the right people with the right words. We spent all our time focused on people who are already our customers. We send traffic to our websites or attempt to, but then when they get there what's there for them? Identify five categories of customers that you want to provide content for on your site. Three that you're missing are your greatest opportunity for growth. For more information visit www.voiceforfitness.com/fitproblog July 21 post. 

Registered Dietitian Breeze Brown didn't know it at the time but she perfectly went through the steps that would make her bars appealing to a growing number of people with Celiac Disease and professional athletes. Find out how a purpose and $300 launched her business in 2009 and learn more online at www.breezebars.com

Have you got a product or service you know will help solve a problem for someone?

Public Speaking is the number one way to build rapport with a large audience of potential new customers fast. It's non-intimidating (for them!), it's non-threatening and provides value. Done right you can make a killing on this free marketing and sales vehicle with a "no strings" feel and authentic message that helps people. Learn five steps that make the difference between an invitation from audience members to call them and a polite applause at the end. After hundreds of presentations annually I've had at minimum 25% of audience members say "yes, call me!" and often 40%.

Mark LeBlanc, President of Small Business Success and author of Growing Your Business! And Never Be The Same joins me today. He shares his story of growing as an entrepreneur, like you and I, and of the practical tips he uses as he coaches and consults small business owners who want to grow their business. Mark graciously has shared an ebook copy of Growing Your Own Business! with Voice For Fitness Professionals listeners. You can reach Mark for the book or for more information about how to grow your business at www.smallbusinesssuccess.com or www.Markleblanc.com

When competing with a large organization, corporation or big box is out of the question for your budget it's time to reorganize. Your small business has an attraction that a big organization does not. Finding the blend of personal and professional is key to allowing your customers, your next customers, to get to know you. Shelia Ray, owner of ReformingU joins the podcast today. Sharing her unique history of cancer, motivation to share the cooking movement along with her personal training services she does it from a rural Texas location. Hear what she's found most effective in attracting new customers to her site and how she is marketing and advertising on a low to no budget. 

We're all in it to win it. Fitness is going to get bigger and your budget of time as a personal trainer or an owner and manager is going to get smaller. You can't afford to offer one-time wonders but need sustainable, profitable programs that you will market as revenue streams for years to come. If it doesn't pass the litmus test of time, it probably shouldn't earn a way into your calendar. Ten quick programs that have proven successful that you can match to your services, tweak current or add to your menu for expanding profit.

Guest marketing speaker and marketing strategist David Newman joins us today. If you want to attract, engage and win more clients, you'll be on the edge of your seat listening to David and I discuss marketing as it applies to our fitness industry. All you have to do today is talk to your customer, their wants, needs, and goals. If you hate marketing and selling, according to David, you're doing it wrong. Listen as he shares nuggets you can start doing right now that change the way you think about and DO client attraction.

With the same amount of hours in the day as anyone else how can you get more done? Productivity science sheds some light on how to optimize your schedule that goes beyond delegating and doing groups instead of privates training. Using every minute to your advantage requires knowing a few things in three key areas that can help you make time count.

Chelsea O'Brien of www.techdivamedia.com joins Voice for Fitness Professionals today to share her secrets as a media coach for every industry professional you can imagine. From real estate to chiropractic to binge eating...if Chelsea can grow an audience for those you can bet there are take aways for your fitness business marketing. Find out where they are, what they want, how to connect and how often to pitch your own product from Chelsea.

Marty Wolff and now wife Amy met on the Biggest Loser back in 2006. They now run a health club that caters to helping people of size recover from food addiciton and find a place to fit in. Learn more about their marketing and attraction at www.Square1club.com. Understand the unique and special way they've used the words of their customers and gained insights to customer's thoughts to be welcoming to their target like few have done. 

Get answers to these questions: 

How do you gain the trust of the market you want to reach if you aren't one of them?

How do you change language, images, and titles or logos to reflect what the customer will love hearing?

How do you develop a marketing message that connects to your audience so strongly they will line up to share emotional messages with you?

An unforgettable and don't-miss episode.

* with a slight technical glitch- we dropped a minute or two of phone connection but come back to finish! Hang in there!

Tom Durkin, owner and operating manager of seven fitness centers in Iowa joins the podcast today. Before fitness was the popular thing to do, in a state that isn't even on the top 25 of 50 fittest states, Tom Durkin invested it all in the fitness industry. In the doors every single day since, acting as membership sales manager, general manager, personal training director for the majority of his clubs...he's got knowledge from experience to share.

What did he see 35 years ago? What came true and what surprised him? What does he see for the future and how would he recommend personal trainers or personal training directors prepare for a successful future?

Few fitness club owners have been in business for 35 years. Hear this unique voice in the fitness industy.

How do you hire? It's a skill set we often don't come to the fitness profession with. If you've grown up through the ranks of fitness trainer to having a business of your own it's a guessing game that can cost you. 

If your business is dependant on customer care and liability is a concern, the right person is key. 

What works? What mistakes should you avoid? 

Guest Debi Pillarella has 30 years fitness industry experience. With 80 employees and an 80% retention rate at Community Hospital's Fitness Pointe in Indiana she's learned the ropes. Hear what she has to say, whether your interviewing or the interviewee. 

The resources she mentions include: Match, Top Grading, and Ask The Right Questions Hire The Right Person

Contact Debi at 219-924-5348 or dpillarela@comhs.org 

See a written transcript of this podcast at www.voiceforfitness.com by using the fitness professionals tab and The Dollars and Sense of Selling Exercise blog. 

Email marketing is the best way to get information to your customer base for pennies. It's fast, simple and provides almost immediate feedback about your effectiveness. You can't pay thousands and get that!

There are gaps in most fitness pros' approach though. I share here my own mistakes and how I fixed them with the step-by-step thought process to buiding a relationship with your customers. It's all about transitions. Bridge the gap between where they are now and where you want them...as new members and clients!

Find details in writing at www.voiceforfitness.com and the Fitness Professionals tab. The Dollars and Sense of Selling Exercise blog "The Right Words At The Right Time" is what you're looking for!

Go From Good to Great this spring. Check off this list and make sure you're doing all you can to set your programs on the path to profitability. Six simple steps will help make all the difference. Number one matters most. If you're in need of a first quarter revival, this is your time to focus. Slow down to speed up. 

Every year about this time everyone else sets New Year's Resolutions. The busy-ness sets in and you are left in the dust. Creating a year that reaches goals professionally is just as much about creating goals that get you the actionable steps and the tracking measures to get there.

If you create a system that you commit to on a daily basis, with goals and tasks you intend to complete before the day is done, you're 100% in charge of your day, week, month and year accomplishments. If you get the calls made, the sessions booked, you go home. If not you stay until you do what you said you were going to do. 

Look back, look at how and look ahead. It's never too late to learn from it, appreciate it or plan for it.