The future of the fitness industry is definitely changed forever. The value of health and fitness has increased. Potential fear of public places, shared spaces and equipment may carryover for a long time after.

My Guest

Tom Durkin, CEO of Health Fitness Management, Inc. in Central Iowa joined me for a candid talk about what it’s like to have 300 employees and 4 locations at a time like this. In 40 years of experience managing, owning and operating multiple centers he’s been inside every day, he offered his thoughts at this moment.

When we recorded live March 25th, 2020 projections were made by Trump that he wanted business back open by April 11th or 15th. If that’s even possible it will still have had a major impact on the fitness industry.

The Change That's Coming

It will have a major impact on fitness customers. While older adults were more and more freely entering facilities and seeking trainers in studios and rec centers, will they rethink that after this situation?

Our discussion doesn’t provide any answers. No one has them right now. It may however let you know you’re not alone. No one knows and everyone is in uncharted territory. They don’t have answers.

We may not have seen the worst. We may still be toying with the idea of statewide quarantine or nationwide quarantine. Is it something that will help things resolve sooner and put fewer people at risk? We don’t really know.

Wait or Act?

This is a time to be proactive however. Fitness centers doing repairs, remodeling, cleaning, upgrades will be ready for reopening.

Personal trainers who are improving their skills and knowledge about online business, digital business, improving their email skills and getting live in front of their clients and customers daily will be investing in their future.

We're Not Going Back

Those who don’t will find that personal training as they knew it is gone. The level of customer service, connection, follow up and follow through is now going to have greater expectations.

You are valuable, and you will be compensated for that value. In order to earn it however you’re going to have know exactly who you have to be.

Add your comments and questions to the show notes at fitnessmarketingmasterying.com/future-of-fitness

Please leave a rating in iTunes! It really helps! 

1. Visit Flipping 50 on iTunes
2. Click listen in iTunes
3. Click ratings and reviews
4. Leave your 5 star rating (seriously I’d love it, but your authentic comments are what I need to grow and give you more of what you want and less of what you can leave!)
5. Know how much I appreciate you doing this!

What is really in the way of you having the personal training career you want? I’m unpacking it right now. I encourage you to stay with me all the way through this episode. Above all, don’t let COVID19 be an excuse to hide behind. Let it be a reason to dig in.

Over 35 years ago

The late summer sun felt delicious on my skin. It wasn’t warm enough for a bathing suit any more, but I’d rolled up my sleeves and kicked off my shoes to lie on the lounge chair for a few minutes. I wanted these moments to last. These moments when I was a young adult just beginning to take on responsibilities and still at home for a long weekend feeling cared for, safe, secure. It was predictable. And beyond this was anything but. First job, new apartment new city.

But my mom dropped a bomb on me. I had assumed from some random segment of a conversation I remembered incorrectly that my mom’s marriage to my step-dad was because of me. It was the right thing to do. I very likely had overheard a conversation or had one with my mom and that was where I apparently had left the room.

I carried around guilt or the impression that I had to be good or that my parents had settled to provide security and safety for me.

Can you imagine what that would be like and how you might feel pressure to be perfect, never make a mistake, stay within boundaries? Whatever those things looked like to you?

Your Personal Training Career

Look, we’re in strange times right now. And this may feel like a story for another time. But stay with me here. This is absolutely a story for right now. Because I don’t know about you but I can create stories inside my head and believe them for years- like the example above I believed from the time I was 7 until I was 25 that my parents were married because of me, not love. I made decisions about what I could and couldn’t do, who I could and couldn’t be based on that for a very long time.

We all do make choices based sometimes on false assumptions. We can get messages between 3 and 7 years old that if we don’t revisit why we have these limiting beliefs will hold us back.

So you may be in paralysis right now. COVID19 is doing that to many. Is it you? You kind of want to hole up with a blanket and suck your thumb? Or dig into chips and watch old movies… whatever it is, it’s okay for a while. But if you’re ready to take some control and feel better because of it, then keep listening to this episode.

Self-doubt Now and Before

Self-doubt may actually be leftover from your youth. Some message you got, even if it was WRONG could be influencing you still today. Between the ages of 3 and 7 your foundations are laid. Did you know you could be operating on a set of beliefs that are only that, but they’re so powerful they are the basis of how you make decisions, choices, and take action or avoid action.

• What happened the year you were 3?
• What happened the year you were 4?
• What happened the year you were 5?
• What happened the year you were 6?
• What happened the year you were 7?

PS - there's no couch and I'm not a therapist. However, if you want something, and what you have to do to get it is something you're in conflict with, it's absolutely worth exploring this. 

The Real Questions

(1) Are you operating on the wrong belief?

 Do you really know WHAT it is to do now? Do you know how to really find what people need and want and will buy right now? Or at least in the future when we’re through the worst? Do you believe that people aren’t spending money? Stop. Last week a client I had talked to for 10 minutes sent me a check for $7500. When she said “the check’s in the mail” on Friday, I did what most of us do. I smiled. Monday? There it was. Not all people are not spending money.

Not all people are unwilling to train online. If you don’t do it, offer, get sessions booked on Skype and Facetime for them, they’ll find someone else who is doing it.

- it’s changed from what you believe – it’s not dieting, it’s not eating less, it’s not that if you “love food” or “love to eat” you can’t be healthy – the two actually are both required and need to co-exist

foods you learned to eat as “healthy” no longer are a one-healthy-foods-list-fits-all

exercise you learned to do is no longer the best way to attain energy, optimal hormone balance

the calorie deficit alone you thought was required is not the answer to any long term success

(2) Are you not doing it once you DO know what to do?

When no one is looking? Are you doing the right things repeatedly? You would ask your clients this wouldn’t you? When I’m not with you, are you doing the workouts? Are you reaching fatigue? Are you lifting heavy enough? Are you doing it the way I instructed you?

I’m going to come back to this in a short while because you really need to know WHAT to be doing right now. If you’ve convinced yourself there isn’t anything? You’re wrong. You can be proactive and those that are ready when this is over, or who in fact are creating something that people want and need right now, may begin to grow their businesses DURING COVID19.

What Will Stop You From Getting a Personal Training Career You Want

You can’t simply train clients at some low rate you’re comfortable charging and work hard day after day doing that and make a fantastic living. That won’t work. You can raise your rate if you get good and you’re in demand – AND gain the confidence to do it. There’s a problem in that too.

The myth making more money will solve your problems

At some point your lifestyle will also increase. As your revenue grows you’ll want a better car, house, or you’ll have children and college and your expenditures will increase as fast.

So what’s the answer? Some type of scalable business model where you have not only revenue from one-on-one sessions whether in person or online, but information products (courses, programs), or actual products(supplements, clothing, affiliate products) clients also want and need to be more successful that you sell as a compliment to your services. In fitness, this is the way personal training started.

Member-Retention Model

For some gyms this is the model still: Members join and those who personal train stay longer and get better results so they are more satisfied customers. So the revenue margin is very small on purpose. For some gyms personal training is a revenue stream, for others it is not because of the square footage and equipment, marketing, and expense invested in personal training. It in fact may not be a loss and a marketing expense similar to group fitness programs. The service is an amenity that brings people through the door where they become members in order to have access to those programs.

And now?

A more contemporary model is that personal training is the service, a membership is secondary. A membership is the continuity factor after a personal training or coaching transaction occurs. If you train with clients in person you then may have an app or an online membership full of videos and streaming workouts that they use between your sessions or after they’ve completed your sessions. You may offer nutrition support or educational resources within. In the Flipping 50 virtual membership I offer all of those. Members are invited to join after completing a program or coaching.

Whether you have a hybrid business or a 100% online fitness training business, digital programming is a key to your future success and financial freedom.

If you believe that by personal training one-on-one or even in pairs or small groups daily you’ll grow your revenue and relax into a flow of revenue easily, you’re wrong.

It's Continuous

There will always be a need to launch. A launch is not announcing something for sale. It's giving value again and again before you ask for the sale. At the start of a new program you have to go and get clients again. You will always need to be marketing to customers with education and value so that you stay fresh and current and support them. You won’t be able to continue the same programming without freshening up your offers. Consistence and persistence doing the right actions is what successful profitable businesses do.

Have You Heard of McDonald’s? Indulge me in telling this story

I watched the Ray Croc story the other night. I didn’t care for him very much and I realize that his persona could very much reinforce the negative impression so many people already have about successful business owners. Yet, rarely do people make judgments truly knowing someone. We make judgments based on knowing ourselves and the beliefs we acquired growing up.

At McDonald’s the success was built on systems. The "speedy system" changed everything and initiated “fast food.” The steps were written and clear and documented and repeated for a hamburger that was the same no matter what McDonald’s in the world you went to. To be successful your business has to be built on some kind of similar system.

Can you Systematize or Create a Single Method?

I know every client is different. You can still have a system for working with them. You build a smoothie the same way. Add greens, fruit, protein, fiber and fats, and a liquid every time. But they’re different every time. You have to consistently, persistently create a method or system that can be repeated again and again.

There are common denominators in your clients’ journey no matter if you’re working with athletes, pregnant women, or cancer patients – and anyone in between. If you repeat the same steps your most successful clients go through again and again you’ll find that you already have one. You just may not have stuck to it each time. Maybe you get bored or your client wants to jump in ahead and you cave.

You've Put a System to Work

When you know what works and you can relay that to customers, you’ll gain their respect and you will be distinctly different from any other trainer who is also certified, also passionate, also serves the same clients you do.

The question you need to ask and answer honestly is, knowing this are you willing to do that work? Do the work to discover your system. AND do the work daily to share that system with others.

The Daily Work

That means:

• Making the daily phone calls to prospective clients
• Making daily or weekly outreach calls to media
• Making time to plan, create, and implement information products
• Following up with value-added extras with clients between sessions

Even When No One Is Watching

Are you doing the right thing when no one else is watching? Like right now, no boss or employer is hovering over your shoulder. No one is going to ask you at that staff meeting on Monday what you did in the last 7 days. Are you still doing what you need to do? That’s the difference between fitness professionals that will succeed and those that are waiting and wishing for this to blow over and go back to the way things were.

It is never going to go back to the way it was before my friends.

You will decide if you want to be a part of the change in fitness and be there or if you wait for someone else to change it.

All of those things – those steps I mentioned above (phone calls, content planning and creating) collectively fill you now and fill you for the future.

Not taking action right now because you are scared is the wrong thing to do. Taking action – the right action – will put you in control of your future.

If You Don’t Want To

No is not a negative answer. In fact, it will save you a lot of heartache and frustration. If you would rather find a job where you can work as a trainer for an hourly rate and only want to serve clients, you know that now.

If You Do, Then What?

If you answered yes, then the most important thing you can do is determine what the steps really are and research them thoroughly before you go into action. Most personal trainers begin training, and think that just getting clients and “getting through this” is the best way to start. What often happens is they are still in that mode of getting through it a year or three or five later. It always feels unstable or if it doesn’t, it’s a bit of a myth, because someone else is learning more, creating another service or product that clients may get an itch to try something new if you’ve become complacent at all.

If you’re not connecting between sessions, or providing additional content and support, if you’re not 100% attentive and if you forget that this session is about the customer from start to end. If you forget that you have rapport with them not friendship with them, and you blur the lines of a professional relationship, you can’t forget that your client always has choices.

Your Personal Training Career is Built on Habits 

Right now, between sessions may be a long time. Anyone who is serving right now, without asking for money and making constant offers, will be serving a community who will remember it later. You aren’t getting paid. What are you though? Are you really passionate and educated with something to share?

How can you support your community now? What do they need? Can you cultivate relationships and resources if you don’t feel you have the knowledge or background to provide it yourself? Who is an expert who can speak to supplements? Who is a sleep expert? Who is an exercise and immune-boosting expert? You can either take the lead in interviewing or in providing directly. But sitting quietly and watching will not help your audience, nor will it help your business.

Right now make three choices:

1. you want to do nothing or you’re going to take action
2. you want to do it alone or you want to get support
3. you want support from me right now. Book a call if you want to talk about coaching right now for the moment we’re in. By the time we’re done we will together decide if we are well-matched for working together and what your options are.

IF you are ready to take action in your business and grow it now and or be ready when more people do once again more freely invest in their health, then book a session with me to discuss your options.

I want you to fill out the questionnaire you’ll see a link to when you book and return it to me before our session.

 

 

 

What are experienced fitness professionals doing to help clients and customers and their own coping with COVID19?

Alex has been in the human performance industry for over two and a half decades. She is the founder of Vitalé Studio, a holistic lifestyle coaching model where she guides clients  how to amplify their healthy, become fully engaged with life and define their  practices of happiness. Alex passion is to help people at the work force to sustain high performance while maintaining vibrant health, energy and happiness. 

Alex has been coaching high performance for almost 25 years. Her clients include entrepreneurs and team/business leaders who want to increase mental, emotional and physical fitness in order to cope with the great challenges that leading a work force can bring. 

Alex’s philosophy is that by creating habits to restore and recover the body/mind, anyone can perform at their highest levels with a healthy lifestyle. She shares sound and simple psychological and physiological tools that take people from surviving in stress to thriving in stress. 

How can you connect and get in front of customers and clients?

What are hearing is hardest for people right now and what they need. What's working for you to connect with people and support them?

Can you connect via Skype, Facetime and or zoom calls (Zoom is waiving fees I believe for new users right now during this to make it easier on businesses that otherwise see clients/patients live). 

Could you be doing news broadcasts and being helpful solutions for media that share real, and valuable vs inflammatory negative information?

Could you be creating YouTube or membership site videos giving access to the public not just members for now?

Are you going live on Facebook regularly? Are you choosing times when people might be most likely to be on - and feeling isolated or alone?

What other ideas do you have?

What are you doing right now to take care of yourself to show up for your clients and customers?

How can listeners connect with you and follow you further even watch over your shoulder on Facebook?

https://www.Vitalestudio.com

https://www.facebook.com/alexgil

https://facebook.com/masteryourenergy

 

 

 

3 Steps to Productivity for Personal Trainers in Times of Uncertainty

I’m tackling the topic of productivity for personal trainers in this episode. The uncertainty can be stifling. You can easily lose a day by not giving yourself every opportunity to take control. One look at the news or social media can rob you of a productive day you feel good about.

You may be wondering, productivity for personal trainers? Are you kidding?? I have no clients, no gym to train in, and no income.

I get it. We’re all nervous. We’re not all ready for weeks or months without what was our income. What do we do?

I’ve got three steps that are a must.

1. Create a Routine
   1. Write it out – an hourly schedule will not just give you more productivity it will improve your health
   2. Include everything – when you wake, eat, exercise, shower, work, take care of your kids/pets, look at the news, connect with your colleagues/friends/family/clients, food prep, get fresh air, sleep
   3. Stick to it – like you’re still working and getting paid for it

2. Choose 3 Tasks to focus on
   1. The same project finished is much more valuable than three projects half done. You can create something that you can monetize in three days or you can work on three things in three days that you still can’t do anything with.
   2. You can get a better idea of something you can work on now that will help you in the near future by completing step #3 – so come back to this when you have done ALL the homework there

3. Identify the Answer You Are
   1. Who do you want to serve
   2. What is the #1 problem they need help with now
   3. What is your skill set
   4. What skills do you still need (do this last: focus on the what, without worrying about the how)

The biggest action you can take is work on your mindset. Do that throughout. Start first thing in the morning and finish last thing before your close your eyes.

Mindset Shift

If you’ve got limiting beliefs you’ve got to remember that you may be going down road that isn’t there. You’ve just imagined it. If you’re not careful with mindset, none of this productivity for personal trainers tip sheet is going to help you. You will create your reality based on the thoughts that you have. You’ve got to lose these:

• Not everyone is not spending money.
• Not everyone is stopping services and subscriptions.

That may be your limited thinking.

In fact, the value of health, wellness, and fitness are higher at this moment.

The value of community and connection are higher.

Many people are more acutely aware of their health than ever. This will forever change the way people think about fitness and health. It will forever change the way they value their gyms or that they realize online fitness is convenient and just as valuable.

Some people are investing in home exercise equipment. They’ve got a home gym and they need help optimizing it.

They know what they’ve always done but they don’t know how to optimize it for immunity.

Digitally Thoughtful

You’re watching fitness professionals try to take their business online quickly. Maybe that’s you. You’re seeing to many randomly throw workouts up online (literally vomit, in my opinion).  There’s no custom-designed, personal, training. It’s a trainer personality-based random exercise. Facebook right now has become a YouTube. There’s no progression, there’s no assessing where a client is, or focus on one “avatar.” (define your customer: it’s not everybody, or all women, or people with special conditions: get specific)

There is evidence trainers are panicking and reverting to what they know best. They’ve gone into exercise mode. Let me do a workout with them. Let me show them how good they can look.

Yet, trainers are not really there. Those who show up, who are with their clients and customers and help by listening by creating a sense of community will win. The regular and consistent, and right now frequent sense of stability that you bring to people is important right now. Be with them. You’ve been a staple in their lives through divorce, through children’s milestones, through family tragedy and celebrations. Be with them now. Yes, stay in your lane AND add value. Provide resources.

If you understand parasympathetic stimulation, talk about it. If you understand gut health and the relationship to immunity, talk about it. If you don’t, talk about the resources you’re using to learn more and that you’ll be sharing and ask them to share.

There is always something to say. It is not about what core exercise to do or how to throw a kettle bell around. Not right now.

This is the time to tap into your own life. What have you loved and hated about it? What have you wished was different? How did you want it different? You have the opportunity right now to create it. Rather than wish it all back where it was a couple weeks ago, will a new opportunity into reality.

You’ll be doing something right now. You’ll be thinking something right now. You’ll experience time passing right now. Will you be smarter, more prepared, have a changed business that you’re excited about when this is passed?

Trainers who pivot, collaborate, connect, and communicate well during this will be the trainers who thrive, potentially during this and, after this.

You can start that right now. Now is not time to pull back. Now is time to lead. Leaders lead.

My guest is Erin Carson, co-owner and Operating Manager at RallySport Boulder, and trainer to some of the world’s greatest endurance athletes if not America’s athlete sweethearts. She is also a world class age-group athlete herself. She's a leader in so many ways and I tapped into her knowledge and gut feelings about the future of fitness and the fitness industry in this special episode. 

1) What’s the Corona fitness climate in Boulder right now?

What are you doing online now to connect with your customers now? How are you serving them differently?

2) You and Melissa your co-owner and partner sent out a special email yesterday about how you’re supporting your salaried staff and your customers right now – share a bit of that

You wanted to add to the conversation about taking care of your people?

3) I’ve seen you – very early on – be one of the first and potentially only individual/business owner/fitness professional offer to help get groceries, run errands and just basically serve… those with compromised immune systems. How can others focus on who they are that will impact the future of fitness?

4) You also made a statement and PSA about being careful right now with workouts…

With so many choices given all fitness pros are jumping online and offering workouts and plans ….It was a word of caution – let’s talk about that because it was great advice.

5) What about the integrity issue you’re seeing either emerge?

6) How are you personally buffing up your immune system?

7) I’m going to ask you to speculate on the future of fitness which is dangerous and yet I think by doing it we may help any trainers listening… What do you think this period in history will do for the fitness industry? We’ll all be changed from this – how do you think the fitness industry – and let’s bring it down to individual personal trainers… how will trainers be impacted by this? And in the end… how will this effect consumers?

Clearly this is the first week of real impact of the Corona virus. Stay tuned for more as we explore how each of our businesses is changing. 

Connect:

Instagram @Ecfitboulder

for a discount code for an Oura ring

Connect with Erin:

ecfitboulder.com https://ecfitstrength.com/

Find the show notes at:

https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/future-of-fitness

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fitness Trainers Thriving in Corona Virus Mayhem

It’s scary. Clients cancelled. Gyms closed. Universities are going online – some until 2021 at least. So no one knows how long this will last.

Yet if we all do our part, stay home, distance now, we can shorten the life of this thing and give hospitals and healthcare a fighting chance. Much better that this be a few weeks than months. I encourage you to do your part.

I also empathize with what you’re experiencing right now. So in this moment that feels out of control and unstable without a predictable future, make a plan. You can offer your expertise, tap into your education, and serve your community. 

When the world needs leaders most, leaders emerge. This is why you’re here.

Those trainers and coaches who can pivot and show up for clients and customers may not just survive, but thrive. In fact, if you work for a corporation, or a business that can’t pivot quickly, that has too little foresight or leadership, or too many politics to go through, as a solo trainer you can contribute on a big scale a much-needed positive message.

You can turn on your phone right now and reach millions. You may not do it the first time out. But you can do it. You have to start somewhere. Start by giving some small pieces of advice. Give short workouts. Ask your clients or members to share by tagging friend. Ask them to help build community with those who are staying #coronastrong.

Let Them Guide You

Ask your community what they need right now. Show up. Don’t go quiet. Avoid contributing to junk news that isn’t helpful. Be fresh. Show up for your audience when they don’t otherwise have something positive to share.

Right now people are hungry for human connection. You have it, live on social media and you can interact live with them on other channels too. Special webinars or use of platforms like Zoom that let them see others can be helpful for you.

Collaborate with other fitness businesses. Host local medical and health authorities to share tips for your older clients or those with compromised immune systems. Do an interview with your local grocers.

If you’re online, you can still interview experts in the health field no matter where you are. Avoid the empty projections of how long this will last. Give day-to-day how to make choices and cook a healthy dinner, avoid stress. Show yourself cooking a simple meal. Have your program director show how she’s keeping the kids active and engaged while at home.

People want to see you dealing with the same thing they are and feel connected. Even if you don’t have all the answers, go on and connect. Email with video clips. Send people links to the social media platforms where you will do workouts or the link to the workouts you have done.

Was It Going to Happen Anyway?

What may happen here in a very short amount of time could reflect what was going to happen over time anyway. Just brick-and-mortar shops can’t match the convenience demanded. Online pros are opening physical spaces too.

So if you haven’t heeded advice to combine online with your offline business, you may be left behind.

What will happen if your members and clients get free access to those serving them online with home exercise options and they like them? Better?

Sure some want the experience of the live experience, the environment without distractions, community, and social stimulation. But convenience and solving a time stress problem everyone has today could change the fitness scene forever.

Thriving in Corona Virus Mayhem

I predict apps will do well. Trainers who can communicate, articulate, and build rapport will win – as they should. While those who simply love to workout themselves, and have never been best at developing relationships will suffer.

If you’ve been afraid to bring your personal story, your personality to work, now is the time to change that.

It doesn’t matter much what age you cater too. Only the oldest of the old have limited technology skills. Every baby boomer has a cell phone. They can use an app or login to your membership site. They’re now 75. There may be a limited number who are not tech savvy. But if you’re tech is user-friendly it shouldn’t be a problem.

Right now, your members and clients need to hear from you.

Exercise is one of the uplifting things they’ve got to focus on. It not only helps the immune system but it decreases anxiety and depression and distracts in a much more positive way than Netflix and chips.

Feel free to comment on what you’re doing for your clients and customers. Collaboration is the name of the game right now. Givers will win. Selfish, concern about who will win with your great idea will hurt you. Success breeds success. It takes a village.

You and I know that if more people observed good health habits all the time we’d be less at risk for this type of pandemic chaos. But it is a wake-up call. It may be a pivotal point not just for your business but for the public awareness of good habits.

Reach out if you have a unique perspective and you’d like to do a podcast in the next week or so. If you’ve got solutions or you’ve got concerns, let’s dive into them and communicate with our fitness business community.

Fitnessmarketingmastery.com/corona-virus