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

How to Stop Being So Busy So You Can Be Productive

Are you so busy that you can’t take a day off? Yet you’re number one wish is to make more money from personal training? You’re not alone. If you’re a director, manager, or personal trainer, most likely you are doing a lot of things. You wear a lot of hats and you are so busy you may feel like you’re not even loving this career choice any more

Training a Niche?

This episode is brought to you by the Flipping 50 Specialist. It is the first and only hormone balancing fitness training for personal trainers and health coaches specifically focused on working with women in perimenopause, menopause and perimenopause.

As an advanced specialist you get a listing in the trainer directory. The number one question I’m asked after a media appearance or speaking to a women’s group is how do I find trainers who know this.

And the back end of your course is all about how to be productive, position, and package services your customers want so you’re less busy and more productive in that marketing time.

I’ve got you covered. It’s flippingfifty.com/specialist

First 50 for 50% off in 2020. Use certificate50

Getting things done that make you more money from personal training is very different than just being busy. For instance as a personal training director, I was busy doing personal training AND running the program. Until I let go of all but about 10 hours of training a week I wasn't really productive doing the things that grow 2 dozen people's business.

Questions I answer (and ask you) in this episode:

• Are you busy and is it paying off? Or Are you just overwhelmed?

            Busyness is a comfort zone.

• Are you putting in time you have to for it to pay off later?

            When you first begin podcasting, doing Facebook lives, offering free seminars, or free consultations… you do have to pay your dues for a while. You have to build up an audience.

• Are you avoiding the fear and anxiety that sets in when you’re not busy?

            For a lot of us, and I was one, being busy prevents us from feeling that the fear that this isn’t working, that we’re not making enough money, and becomes an obstacle for learning what will work.

But the danger is that you can convince yourself “I’m working so hard. I’ve tried everything.” But truthfully you’ve tried what’s comfortable and doing more of what’s comfortable – it’s a lot like clients who got to you doing a lot of what isn’t working and ended up injured, exhausted, or at least frustrated.

It’s doing the right thing that’s going to get results… not just more of the wrong thing. So you have to really be honest with yourself and look at some concrete evidence that what you’re doing is getting traction. Measure the fans and followers. Measure the email list subscribers. Measure the engagement you’re getting when you discuss certain topics or on specific social media platforms.

• Are you measuring and testing your actions so you can become more productive?

            That is the key. So if you’re busy writing blogs and your audience isn’t even reading blogs, they prefer to listen to podcasts, you may need to switch gears. Maybe that doesn’t mean you go all in and do a podcast but you do a regular Facebook live show or live stream YouTube (or both simultaneously) if they want to listen (and or watch). And then you have to remember that you do not own those platforms! So download those videos and put them on your website.

Connect:

Flippingfifty.com/specialist

Use certificate50 for 50% off if you're one of the first 50 in 2020!

Thanks for leaving a rating in iTunes!

1 visit Voice for Fitness Professionals in iTunes

2 click listen in iTunes

3 leave a star rating and a comment

4 know how much I appreciate it!

For support both creating a lucrative niche who is seeking answers and leveraging marketing that works, the Flipping50 Specialist is a perfect match. You'll find it both on Flippingfifty.com and fitnessmarketingmastery.com because some of the absolute best trainers and health coaches are this population of midlife women themselves. Is that you? 

 

 

 

 

6 Signs Your Menopause Clients may not recognize

...and how to modify training to support natural hormone balance.

Millions of women are in menopause, 46 million according to ACOG, right now. Millions more are entering perimenopause and don't recognize the signs. 

If you don't know it when you see it, you may not realize your usual way to help lose fat and get muscle tone will not only not work, they'll make her worse. 

What happens when she does know? She's wants the support of a hormone balancing specialist. Do you know the signs? Menopause clients alone could fill your schedule for decades. 

Questions I answer in this episode:

• What are six signs you can use as a checklist for your clients in perimenopause?
• What modifications will help rebalance hormones naturally?
• What might you suggest for your clients?
• How can you offer additional service to help her?
• What are the self-sabotaging things she’ll do you can warn her about?
• Where can you gain more information about working with your menopause clients?

Right now if you hurry you can get 50% off ... It's available to the first 50 Flipping50 Specialists. Get on our directory. Whether you’re interested in adding female hormone balancing coach to your current list of credentials or interested in changing careers, if you love working with women in midlife and older, now is a great time.

Use certificate50 if you're one of the first 50 in 2020!

If you're a woman in perimenopause, menopause or post menopause looking for a trainer, reach out, or connect with me about our online programs at Flippingfifty.com. 

Flipping 50 is the first and only exclusively hormone balancing fitness for women in menopause and beyond. Recognized by AARP as a top podcast for 50+ and presented internationally to fitness professionals at some of the largest fitness associations in the world. 

Connect:

Fitnessmarketingmastery.com/programs

Thanks for leaving a rating in iTunes!

1 visit Voice for Fitness Professionals in iTunes

2 click listen in iTunes

3 leave a star rating and a comment

4 know how much I appreciate it!

Tools to Get Clients to Stick With Their Exercise

Clients who stick with their exercise get better results. That’s a no-brainer. We’re clearly not doing well getting that to happen. This episode unpacks things you’ll want to consider to change what happens for your clients, especially those new ones.

Dropout rates are consistent over the past 30 years. Adherence to physical activity in a way that it positively improves health and fitness has not improved.

Let’s set you on a course that helps your clients stick with their exercise – and makes you a rockstar trainer.

My Guest:

Nathalie Lacombe is mover, shaker, and joie de vivre giver! She blends her 25 years of international fitness experience with her degrees in psychology and exercise science to passionately connect with fitness enthusiasts and professionals. 

After a decade as an executive at canfitpro, Canada’s leading fitness education body, she left it all to move closer to family and launch the second half of her career. 

As a fitness instructor, personal trainer, international speaker, and Yoga teacher her purpose is to enhance fitness adherence and increase the number of people who find joy in being active.

Questions we answer in this episode:

• How much do we know about what helps people stick with their exercise program? Why do most people drop out? What can truly make an impact?
• Since exercise is painful and time consuming for most people, is making it enjoyable possible? How do pleasure and sensuality impact our preferences, choices, and behaviors?
• Do auditory vs. visual vs. kinesthetic learners enjoy different types of exercise? 
• How can listeners know which learning style is predominantly theirs? 
• How can listeners choose physical activity that will help them crave workouts? And therefore help them stick with a program?

Connect:

www.nathalielacombe.com

She’s on social:

Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn: NathalieLacombe

Facebook Pro Page: NathalieLacombeFitness

Thanks for leaving a rating in iTunes!

1 visit Voice for Fitness Professionals in iTunes

2 click listen in iTunes

3 leave a star rating and a comment

4 know how much I appreciate it!

Learn how to attract the MOST lucrative market and KEEP THEM! 

Click here to learn more about attracting the #1 most lucrative market now and for decades. 

 8 Tricks to Get Your Clients Through the Holidays Without Gaining Weight

If they fall off your reputation may not. People expect it. But if they win - and even lose weight- your reputation soars. Here's how. 

1) Increase their sessions per week

            As busy as they are if you can do 30-minute sessions with them, getting them in more frequently for short sessions may benefit them most. It’s the success-breeds-success formula. If they’ve got a session with you later in the day they’re going to do well earlier that day. If they have a session with you early they’re going to have better choices the rest of the day.

2) Add a coaching call component to in person sessions

            Whether it’s those same more frequent short sessions in person or it’s this added coaching call, skype, or Facetime with you, checking in regularly is what made Weight Watcher’s famous. Even when people didn’t lose the weight or gained it all back WW got them back because accountability is the #1 thing people say they need and value. So give them what they want.

3) Add an incentive

            Make it monetary, or status, or complimentary services. Let them choose. But if someone meets with you 4 more times during the holidays and you reward them with fifty dollars cash for not gaining weight… you still win and so do they.

4) Add a daily text

Make it personal. Sure you can create a group and send a mass text message. If you’re seeing a large number of people get a professional service and set this up like a real business. Don’t copy everyone in a group so they can see they’re just one of many. If you have 10-20 clients take the time to do this for each. What does it take? Copy and paste your email from your note and address it uniquely to individuals.

Drop in one relevant and easy tip to make it a “healthy day.”

5) Send a daily Personal Video

            You can do this easily and professionally and track the opens with a service like Bombbomb that I love. But you can skip the $500 annual fee and just record and send from your phone. Just a message with your smile and warm voice is enough. Or demonstrate a stress-busting stretch or core exercise.

6) Share a healthy recipe for the hors d’oeuvres they’ll have otherwise

            In your text message, email between sessions, or video share this and the place they can print or download.

7) Start a private Facebook group (pop up)  

Link it to an email list (you can capture their email with certain plugins on Facebook and you just ask for the email as a part of the questions to join the group).

8) Have a weigh in now and the first week of January

            Have everyone interested pay $10 to join the one-horse-open weigh and if they gain weight, they forfeit their $10. If they maintain they’re still in. If they lose, they get a “chance” for every pound the lost. Hold a drawing for the winners of the $ prize as well as some extra gifts so there are plenty of winners. Give away a group program, towel service for a month, a VIP locker for a month, or something else of value (that ideally isn’t a time investment for you).

Thanks for leaving a rating in iTunes!

1 visit Voice for Fitness Professionals in iTunes

2 click listen in iTunes

3 leave a star rating and a comment

4 know how much I appreciate it!

Women’s Fitness, Health, & Hormones | Training Menopause

Are you training women in perimenopause, menopause, or post menopause? Chances are good you are or will. There are 6000 women a day entering menopause. They’re looking for help and they’re educated, interested, and can afford it.

To get them is easy. To keep them is the trick. They know if you do or don’t know your hormones and can help by discussing your role with their functional or western trained doctors.

This episode explores the tremendous opportunity and the possible ways you’re missing it.

In addition to coaching trainers and businesses on how to monetize their social media, I am founder of Flipping 50, where I’ve developed a community of over 150,000 in the past 6 years. Social media works, and women are seeking support online. I’m the creator of the Flipping 50 Specialist, where I share my system with you so you can create a business serving a market that will be a major source of health influencers for decades.

Questions I answer in this episode:

• What is the difference between hormone balancing exercise and conventional exercise prescription?
• How is training menopause clients unique?
• What advantages are there to training menopause clients?
• How can you set yourself up as the authority in training menopause clients?
• Do you have questions about training menopause clients?

Check out both my books for resources or reach out for a consultation to learn whether a certification is optimal for you.

Connect:

Medfitclassroom.org

Medfittour.org Pre-Con Tour

More information on other course & pre-con contents:

https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/pregnancy

https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/young-women

Thanks for leaving a rating in iTunes!

1 visit Voice for Fitness Professionals in iTunes

2 click listen in iTunes

3 leave a star rating and a comment

4 know how much I appreciate it!

Got Client's Who Want Exercise in Pregnancy Experts? 

Be it!

In this second (of three) podcast episodes dedicated to women’s health, fitness, and hormones I’m joined by exercise in pregnancy expert Danielle Spangler. This follows my interview with Dr Michelle Maddux on adolescent female fitness. Next up in this series I’ll round up with insight on training that booming market of women in perimenopause, menopause, and post menopause.

Exercise in pregnancy and after delivery can be a significant part of working with women. As part of a new course being developed by the Medical Fitness Network, pregnancy and post partum are discussed in this episode. The course will launch in 2020. There will be a live pre-conference workshop at the Medfit Tour stop in Irvine in Feb 2020.

Pregnancy and Exercise Expert

Danielle Spangler, creator of CORE MOM (Corrective Obstetrical Related Exercise), is also a nationally known speaker, presenter, and contributing writer for the Medical Fitness Network and Medical Fitness Education Foundation. She’s been researching in the prenatal space since 1995.

She owns her own boutique fitness studio and together with her husband is parenting three children. (She’s been there, done that!) In addition she’s authored prenatal programs for continuing education for the National Academy of Sports Medicine and Fitness Learning Systems.  

1. What are some common mistakes and myths with exercise during pregnancy and after delivery?
2. What are some key benefits of exercise for women and their unborn baby?
3. Why is this Medfit Women’s Health, Fitness, and Hormones course so important to the health and fitness professional?
4. How will this [Medfit] course affect the health of a woman and empower her after childbearing years?
5. Why do you think this course is unique compared to other courses out there?

Connect with Danielle:

Danielle@coremomfitness.com

www.coremomfitness.com

More information:

Medfit Specialist course 

Women’s Health, Fitness, and Hormones pre-conference workshop at Med Fit Tour in SoCal

Thanks for leaving a rating in iTunes!

1. visit Voice for Fitness Professionals in iTunes
2. click listen in iTunes
3. leave a star rating and a comment
4. know how much I appreciate it!

Women's Fitness & Hormone Expert?

 

 

Are you working with adolescents? Find yourself coaching youth sports or being asked by parents to work with their kids? 

This episode will keep you up to date on what to consider and what's important working with this population.

Dr. Michelle Maddux received her Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (SCNM) in Tempe, AZ and her Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. She is the Director of Operations and Product for Toolbox Genomics and the founder of Soaring Phoenix, a consulting firm dedicated to educating clinicians on the fundamentals of integrative and functional medicine. She is passionate about changing the paradigm of medicine and stopping the epidemic of complex chronic disease.

Dr. Maddux focuses on the areas of nutrition, integrative medicine, adolescent medicine and eating disorders. She is a part of a team collaborating on a Women’s Fitness and Hormones Course for MedfitNetwork.

Questions we answered in this episode:

While some trainers love this age group, many wellness professionals – or their bosses - are terrified of working with adolescents, what would you say to change their minds?

Let’s compare for listeners, say what might be the major difference in what a 13-year-old female should be doing in a workout versus a 23-year old?

What are the pros and cons of being a male trainer working with adolescents, specifically females?

How do listeners effectively target these age groups in advertising?

Or do they target the parents of adolescents?

Click here to learn more about the upcoming course:

https://www.medfitclassroom.org

pre-conference workshop at med fit tour in SoCal:
https://www.medicalfitnesstour.org/socal/

Accounting and Bookkeeping don’t come naturally to most fitness professionals. You’ve got so many other hats to wear that it is likely something you only think if you start up and need a loan or investors. If you’re a trainer or coach going solo or online, you may never have needed (or so you thought) additional revenue.

Have computer, open for business may have been your motto. (I get that, it was mine too, until I realized all the courses I needed to invest in and the contractors who I needed to build out what I wanted).

Taxes are No Joke 

If anything is a guarantee in fitness business and life, it’s taxes. Building a sustainable fitness business that’s truly a career not a hobby is not easy. It’s easy to spend hundreds or thousands on tights, music, and equipment and realize you still have no clients. With guaranteed taxes and expenses and no guaranteed revenue you can quickly have a problem. 

Want good news?

There’s a solution to this. Get savvy on the taxes, accounting and bookkeeping structure that can help you now. You’ll sleep better. 

There’s a big difference between someone who offers accounting and bookkeeping services and someone who really cares about your business. A lot of people will just crunch the numbers and tell you how much your taxes are. Someone invested in your success will help you determine whether something is a good or bad decision right now.

 Accounting and Bookkeeping Roles

Your bookkeeper is going to do monthly P&L balance sheets and any kind of special reporting you need.

Your accountant is going to handle big-picture recommendations for your business that include legal changes, legal obligations, vision for the company, corporate tax return and possibly personal tax returns.

In most instances accounting and bookkeeping services are provided by two different people.

Your accountant and attorney might need to talk about what kind of entity you should be. Is LLC right for you or S-corp, or C-corp, for example? Sometimes your decisions are both legal and financial.

Money Mindset

If you’re still in the mind-set of “this is how much I make per hour, earned today, this week or month = this is how much I can spend,” you can get in financial trouble quickly. Likewise, credit cards make it easy to overextend yourself with items you really don’t have an ROI on.

My guest in this episode answers a few questions - specifically about taxes - for you. 

Shannon Weinstein 

Shannon is a CPA and fitness professional based in Connecticut. After working in accounting for over ten years she discovered her passion for fitness, she decided to apply her background into her passion. Shannon provides one on one coaching for fitness professionals and business owners, as well as tax and accounting services. She operates most of her business virtually, serving clients all over the country. 

Questions we cover in today’s podcast:

• 
  Tell me more about how you became interested in the subjects of finance and fitness.  
• What are the common mistakes you see fitness professionals make when it comes to managing money? 
• What should our listeners know if they are moving from being employed to becoming self-employed?
• How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper or accountant and what are the options? 
• How can our listeners get in touch with you to find out more about accounting and bookkeeping services?

Connect with Shannon:

http://bit.ly/fitnancial

https://www.instagram.com/shannonkweinstein/

https://www.facebook.com/fitnancialsolutions/

That bury-your-head-in-the-sand approach really gets worse with time. That desire to just focus on making more money will limit you and the good you can do.

With 6000 women a day entering menopause, not finding the trainers who understand hormone balancing exercise, this investment will pay of with a single client. The Flipping 50 Specialist  Enroll now.

 

 You'll learn how to create programs for hormone balance, coach women based on signs of perimenopause, menopause, and post menopause for natural hormone balance with exercise, interpret labs for exercise changes, suggest questions for your clients' practitioner, and market to a distinctly hormone balancing fitness expert for a population that controls wealth.

How to Write Your Best Fitness Blogs Faster

How would you like your best fitness blogs for the next 6 months done?

Most fitness pros agree they don’t have time to create content. They also say, they can’t have just anyone create blogs for them, because no one knows your customers like they do. I would agree with that 110%.

But let’s be serious. A great blog post – even if you like to write and enjoy it – could easily take 4 hours. Right? Between research, citations, outline, developing thoughts, editing, and adding images, there’s a lot. That’s before key word research, crafting a killer title, and creating a pretty link plus creating social media pieces to promote it.

Okay, you get the idea. Getting to your best fitness blogs faster is almost an impossible promise. Or is it? I’m going to tackle that in the next few minutes.

Get the Cheatsheet by visiting the show notes at fitnessmarketingmastery.com/best-blogs

By the way, there are two essentially, cheat sheets that go with this episode. The 5 Minute Blog Formula and the one other… I’ll unveil in just a minute that you’re going to want to listen and fill out after you’ve listened. I know that everything is electronic today but if you’re really trying to connect with your customer, putting a pen on paper and writing is the best way to do it. So go old school and print those out.

Okay, so there you have it, you’re going to want to go get the cheat sheet I’ve given you for this episode. Then you’ll want the 5-Minute Blog Formula is you don’t already have it. 

Before Your Best Fitness Blogs

There’s even more to it though. You want your promotions calendar done so you know what you should be talking about. That will ensure you’re seeding the desire for your programs.

I’m going to operate on the belief you have your monthly promotions done for this post’s sake. You know what programs are launching every month all year. I’m imagining that right now you know for the next six months what programs you’re going to be starting. The 4-8 weeks prior to a program start is your launch period. Psst! If you don’t know what you’re promoting each month, stop. Do it first. If you need help doing that, I can help.

<And by the way, if your sales red flag is coming waving right now, stop for a second. When I use words like seeding the desire for your program, what’s that feel like for you? Check in with that. Because this is not a sleazy, salesy thing. This is you suggesting that you understand a client’s problem so well that you have the answer to solve it.  

If you’re thoughts go something like this… “Oh, I see what you’re doing, you’re going to be asking for a sale” and you think negatively about that, you’ve really got to do some personal work about what you do, how it helps, and the fact that if you don’t tell someone that you can help and you have a program designed for them you can’t change lives. If you want to make more money but you don’t like asking for money, you’ve got a problem my friend. Don’t you think? I won’t go down this track for now but this is really important.>

Effective Launches Feature Your Best Fitness Blogs

During that launch period you would be using blogs specifically tied to the problem your program solves. It’s how your best students and clients will find you. They’re already looking for answers. You want to have content they love/are grateful for just prior to opening your cart for registration. If your programs are always available to purchase, inevitably you still have times when you offer a special or you have a theme to the training. [Don’t get lost in language of “open cart.” If that’s a new term we can talk about it.]

[FLIP: rethink having your services always available. There are a lot of good reasons why you want to limit availability. I won’t go into that now but if you want to talk about how to do this and explore coaching on restructuring your offers to make them more effective, set up a consult to decide the best way I can help.] 

Be Afraid of General Information

Think about the way you search for information. You get very specific so you get the right answer from Google. Your customer does too. You may think that if you talk to one customer you’ll alienate the rest. More accurately, if you speak to “everyone” you will alienate everyone. 

If you go pick out a book at Amazon for instance, do you just type in “books”? Of course you don’t. You either have a specific title or author you’re looking for or a specific topic, right? No one searches for “fitness.” You would search for “exercise after 50” or “exercise for weight loss,” or “time-effective workouts.” Would those potentially apply to a lot of people? Yes.

So you want to go deeper. What a 65-year old woman should do in a 15-20 minute workout is going to be different than what a 25-year old male should do. Whether a 65-year old woman’s goal is to move without arthritis pain or her goal is a better 10k time she’ll be drawn to a different post and program, right?

So specific is VERY important for your success.  The more information is easily available to consumers the more you should be the one they find when they are searching for how to lose weight after their third baby or how to boost testosterone for a better libido after 50. That’s what they’re looking for (and can find) online. 

Thanks for leaving a rating in iTunes!

1. Visit Voice for Fitness Professionals in iTunes
2. Click listen in iTunes
3. Leave a star rating and a comment
4. Know how much I appreciate it! 

10 Ways to Fill Your Fitness Programs Right Now 

Right now as you read this you’re either in the middle of launching a fitness program, or preparing to launch a next one. You either are super confident you’ll fill it and have a wait list or you wish you had that problem! 

It’s the cycle of fitness promotions. Here’s the truth about these 10 things that I’m sharing with you right now. Those who do them, most if not all, consistently repeatedly, fill more programs.

But I don’t want you to be overwhelmed. So I don’t want you to do them all or even attempt to right now.

First, I want you to pick two or three you’re already doing and do them better. More consistently and consciously. 

Then, pick another one and do that equally as well.

If you hop down to #2 for instance, once you do that – as tedious as it may be if you haven’t done it yet – you will be better prepared next time to tell the people who absolutely want the solution you provide so they can register. 

If you do #9 it’s a one time change out when you’re starting a promotion. You do it, everyone on your team who emails does it, and you’re done. You may need to create a graphic and get a change date on the calendar so it’s up to date and you switch back when the promo is over, but it’s not an ongoing task.

#1. Email More Than You’re Comfortable.

There’s no sense in fearing people will unsubscribe if they weren’t going to be customers anyway.

There’s a system you want to use during a promotion that means you’ll email at least 5 times in four days. If you’re not doing that during specials, you’re leaving money on the table.

#2. Segment Your Lists.

Send the right email to the right people. If you don’t know how to segment lists so you’re emailing the right stuff to the right people get help now. People will either leave those unopened (which will hurt your delivery results anyway) or they will report “spam” if it’s not relevant to the reason they subscribed to you.

#3. Announce on Social Media After….

You give, give, give. If you only post announcements of sales and opportunities to buy you won’t have enough of a following to make it matter. So yes, do change your Facebook cover and do live videos. Just be sure you’re giving tips and take aways ALL year and not just selling all the time. Less than 20% of your time on social should be selling.

#4. Add Banners on Your Website.

Place them on your home page or at least on a special blog post. Don’t keep your promotion a secret. 

#5. Create at least one special content.

Write a special blog post, create a special podcast, or video (live or recorded). Right now as I record it’s bonus time at Flipping 50 Specialist cert. When you enroll in the Advanced Specialist you get 4 bonuses to boost your hormone balancing fitness business. This ad for the promotion is going right here right now. When I do the audit that’s a part of the bonus for you, I’ll be looking at how you can best adapt these 10 promotional actions.

Register for the Flipping 50 Advanced Specialist Right Now to be eligible for 4 Bonuses through Oct 15, 2019. (ends Oct 16, 2019/only Advanced Specialist)

• Master Class: How to Make an Offer & personal coaching call (value $150)
• Master Class: Social Media System & personal coaching call (value $150)
• Client Attraction Worksheet & personal coaching call (value $150)
• Plus: opportunity to do 6 mos. Coaching at 3 mos. rate (value $1500)

 

#6. Gift Some Spots for PR.

During a Social Media giveaway or a live streaming video give away a spot in the program you’re promoting. You then have a chance to describe the program and benefits fully. You can use the giveaway to grow your social media following too.

After you give, announce the winners on all your platforms and via email so you have another reason to promote the program.

#7. Include Nearby Businesses or Affiliates (digital)

No one reaches big success alone. Start asking partners whose customers or audience would benefit from your program.

#8. Create Swag.

T-shirts, water bottles, journals. Everyone loves to get swag for “free” as a part of a program. Start wearing it yourself. Give one to every registrant and tell them if they’re caught wearing them (sending you a selfie) or seen in the club, they’ll be eligible for a prize.

#9. Add Your Program to Your Email Signature.

In every communication be sure you’re using that real estate wisely. If you have a customer service or support ticket service you use like Fresh Desk, for instance, make sure you optimize it.

Sample:

#10. Answer Questions.

Create videos where you answer questions about the program. Discuss the benefits, the logistics, what to expect, what participants need to succeed. Include testimonials. Discuss the format. Close: ask for the sale.

Thanks for leaving a rating in iTunes!

1) visit Voice for Fitness Professionals in iTunes

2) click listen in iTunes

3) leave a star rating and a comment

4) know how much I appreciate it!

23 Social Media Tips for Personal Trainers & Health Coaches

Boost Your Fitness Brand Now

These social media tips are going to come at you rapid fire. Be ready! Choose a few you need and aren't doing. You don't have to do them all! Do decide, do, then measure your progress. These are based on the past three weeks of sitting on two panels, actually emceeing one, and presenting 3 times on social media tips that are working right now. 

 Before you get started Get the Cheat Sheat for this show! 

1. Pick the platform your BEST customer is on and OWN it first before you spread yourself thin elsewhere. Already on “all the sites” let them go dark and post that you’ve posted X to your first priority site (e.g. a new video on YouTube or a live on Facebook) regularly. 

2. 2. Schedule your posts based on when your customer is using a platform.Create the schedule and stick to it. For instance if the majority of your fans are on at 4, 5, and 6pm in your time zone and it’s fairly even but Tuesday and Wednesday are the biggest days that tells you a lot about when to post key material, right?
3. Post organically in real time when possible.It’s showing a bigger reach than scheduled posts across most platforms for influencers. YOU can plan your post and have them cued up and ready to go but have someone or you post in real time. 

4. Use your insights every week.They should dictate what you post, what you don’t, the medium of your post (long text, short text, image and what kind of image, or video) They also tell you if you’re reaching and growing to the audience you’re targeting.
5. There IS a #hashtag strategy and should you use it.On Instagram 11-29 hashtags that are relevant to the post! If you post a recipe your tags should reflect food, healthy food, recipes, etc. If you’re “done” you don’t need more hashtags to do better. Choose the best hashtags and leave it alone.
6. Put hashtags on Instagram posts in the first commentafter you post, not on the post itself. Don’t weave them into your post, which makes it difficult to read. 

7. Research hashtags with low, moderate, and heavy use.You’re going to get lost choosing #fitness #fitnessmotivation with millions and millions of posts. But you may get found and grow if you use #fitnessforwomen #womenwholift #womenwhorun #athomefitness and you can create and use your own. Be sure you tell your audience, hey, use this! The smaller you are the more you use those lesser-used ones. Think of it as a long-tail key word phrase. You’ll get fewer people overall but more of the right people.
8. Don’t forget your content bank.You’ve already created videos and articles. They can become images and lists that become infographics or compilations. Long videos can become multiple teasers for your programs or long content. Are you reinventing the wheel constantly when you post? Go back to the posts that have done well. Don’t only focus on more material like that, but on repurposing that same content. There are new people all the time coming to your site and pages. Show them the same posts they otherwise wouldn’t see. It can be a trip down memory lane for your loyal fans and an introduction to you for your new followers.
9. Introduce yourself regularly.Use a season or an event (e.g. anniversary, threshold of fans) as an excuse to reintroduce yourself on your platforms. Don’t assume they know what you stand for already. Share your mission, your why, and let them get to know you better with a longer description of you. Break it up with emojis and space.
10. Choose your titles wisely.This is definitely true for video content either loaded to Facebook natively or to YouTube. It’s also true of your blogs or podcasts. (as it is your subject lines in emails)!

Get the Cheat Sheat for social media tips 

7. Make more than one unique content-sharing posts. An image of a guest you’ve interviewed for example will do better than the same podcast cover or a logo. It’s new and fresh every time. Once people are used to seeing your cover image they’ll skim over it and miss that it’s new content. As a part of Social 365 system I teach how to create 6 slices of juicy social posts from any one piece of content.
8. Short and long posts, videos, work for different reasons.Short posts work for short attention spans and may grow your following. Short videos are seen for a greater percent of time: important on Facebook and YouTube uploaded videos. Long videos get viewed for more minutes – important on YouTube for showing up in recommended videos to more of the people who watch. Keep doing both. Short ones may gain you ability to reach more people when you’re launching program/product specific content. Long ones will target those really interested or more analytical. 

13. Follow to mimic only those people who have your model of monetizing!That said –you’re mimicking only their strategy, not their brand uniqueness. If someone else is an influencerand make money from advertisers and sponsors, and you want to sell your services, what they do will not be a direct success track for you!

Key: unless you know someone is making money you don’t know that winning the popularity contest online is generating revenue. Is it a hobby, or is it a business and life you want to create? 500 engaged buyers who follow you may be more lucrative than 500 or 50,000 fans who “like” you.

14. Have a back end.You don’t start with social unless you first are just testing and listening and adjusting to find what demand exists for products you’ll create. You start with already knowing what you want them to do next. Ultimately what do you want them to do next? Click to buy (may not be the best first date idea) or click to get a free “quick win” you’ve created to solve their problem or satisfy that greatest desire are options. Answer a question, tag a friend, or scroll are actions. Before you post, know. You want to have some kind of call to action. You’re training them to engage and get rewarded for it.
15. Respect the platform.At the end of the day any platform wants viewers to stay on the platform. Don’t take them off with every post. (Somewhere between 25-75% of the time channels are finding work for them). That’s the rate you include end cards that link to your website. Have viewers like, comment, or share by engaging with them (beyond just askingfor a like, comment, or share). Have them watch another related video or a playlist. Ask for response to a poll. Allow the platform to choose the best for viewer (YouTube). The longer you keep someone on the platform the more the platform may show you some love!
16. Use live video. Video at all is the best way to be seen and shared. Live video on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and LinkedIn (new). Boost your lives, especially those that are lead or sale generating.
17. Use comments when you Live stream on YT, FB, and on IG. Add link to your promotion in the comments not in the text.
18. Post better not more content.Experiment. What used to be true about 10-14 times on Twitter or 4 times a day on Facebook just isn’t any more. It’s overwhelming viewers. Post better quality less often.
19. Partner with othersso you’ve got twice as many audience members to share with. Invite guests to do live FB with you or live streaming on YouTube.
20. Multitask by creating lives across your platforms. Go live everywhere (With a third device you can record for IGTV.) You can create an “I see you everywhere!”response from your customers and fans.
21. Ask your customers. When in doubt about where to be, or at least where to be first, ask you customers. They choose, not you. The advice given is often, “choose one platform and own it first.” It’s your customer that should choose. Do your homework. Who is your target? The one person who represents all those you want, and where do they hang out? Where they are and how they like to consume information should dictate what, where, and when you post.
22. Use tools wisely.TubeBuddy for YouTube supports that platform.You’ll get custom key word strategies, go through systematic ways to take care of all the things that matter and make your videos rise to the top. It’s both a reminder and a research tool.  Not all tools are created equally. You can plan and post ahead of time but it may not always be best. Keep asking about the difference between set-it-and-forget-it and posting in real time.
23. Use Playlists. Add videos to playlists in YouTube which encourages people to view the video they see then roll right into the next, keeping them on the platform, your channel specifically, and increases your view time. Playlists on your Facebook page can help viewers return to content you’ve created and organize it in a way they will continue to engage with too.

Overwhelmed? Need Coaching?

Social media tips without action? Just a time drain. Connect for a Special Coaching offer that will get you in the habit of creating content that you can monetize. You can do or delegate knowing it works.

Stop the madness of posting without a next step or trying to post flyers and schedules, or posting sales that turn platforms against you and alienate fans.

Book a session 

Get the Cheat Sheat for this show! 

Thanks for leaving a rating in iTunes!

1 visit Voice for Fitness Professionals in iTunes

2 click listen in iTunes

3 leave a star rating and a comment

4 know how much I appreciate it!

Speak to sell fitness by creating a presentation that inspires and educates. I’m not talking about your power point. The best presentations to those groups like Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, and corporations don’t use power point. They use heart. I speak to sell fitness opportunity must have the emotional factor. If you don’t touch emotion you won’t be remembered.

40-year Fitness business owner/operator Tom Durkin is here today- not to do a book review – we’ll be back with another book review soon and I’ll link to a few prior episodes here. Tom has been one of the biggest influences of fitness in the state of Iowa with multiple business locations in multiple cities. Uniquely he’s anything but a silent partner he’s operating general manager.

That means during the course of a day he’ll lead management meetings, nursery meetings, hire and train personal trainers, work in the membership office, sign employees paychecks, approve ads, and make public appearances to any number of groups including the chamber of commerce, large corporations, small businesses to grow the membership and help people. He has over 300 employees and thousands of members. He speaks. He sells.

 

• Looking back over 40 years, how valuable has public speaking been in growing your businesses and your “brand” as the fitness guy?
• Lot’s of people get asked to speak, some get asked back, and you’ve been asked back many times, what do you attribute that to? 

• You have over 300 employees – some in the position you were in when you began – but you are asked to give the presentation. Why do you think that is? Why don’t you send your employees?
• How would you describe the kind of presentation you give? 

• How do you prepare and plan? You’ve got to have a beginning, middle, end that includes some kind of offer and we’ll talk about that separately, can you lay out how your presentation might go?
• Story is a huge connector and it has the ability to 1) create an emotional imprint 2) be remarkable – people will retell a story who will never retell the way to build bone density or some esoteric reasons fitness changes lives … now, you’ve got an advantage of 40 years of story collecting… do you remember? When you first started what stories did you tell? 

• How do you structure your offer at the end of a presentation?
• More than one trainer or owner listening may resonate with your message and still be thinking, I could never do that, come on that strong, use those words… what would you say to them?
• You may be thinking, I don’t have 40 years to get good, collect stories, get confident… how can I get started now?

The thing that stops more trainers from speaking to sell fitness is confidence. You have a message, you would like to reach more people. I’ve watched one trainer who trained one-on-one clients at a whisper because she lacked confidence and didn’t want anyone else to hear what she was saying – go from that to loving to speak. It took a couple years… of her following up with calls to clients, doing consultations and asking for the sale.

Here’s the difference: confidence.

Confidence comes doing things out of your comfort zone. So say you’re a basketball player and you’ve traveled all over in college, you started, you were great at it, you always got pretty good grades, did well in most things you tried. You don’t gain confidence from that. Why? Because it came easy. 

In fact, if in your life most things were easy – at least doing them average was easy – you lack confidence when it comes to something new. If you’re not good at it right away chances are you push back. Case in point?

What's Blocking Your Confidence?

Look at your own high school or college athlete stars. Then look at the nerds who weren’t part of the popular group. Usually after high school those nerds blossom. The stars? Many of them played it safe and aren’t in very good shape any more. They go live at home where they can relive that old identity and are more likely to be overweight and out of shape. True story! Life will force you to grow and develop confidence or you’ll coast through without really gaining anything but luck. 

Most of the listeners who started their own fitness business from middle class America had middle class or better grades, and sports, and dated a few people then got engaged and married and it was all pretty easy. Those who didn’t have the ideal childhood, who had to get better, have more confidence and often come on stronger. Can you relate to that?

So getting out of your comfort zone and doing things you don’t ordinarily do is key. Not once, but committing to them for 8 weeks or 3 months.

Speak to Sell Fitness Opportunities:

Speaking today includes podcasts, webinars, live video (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Instagram TV).

I speak 3-4 times a week almost every week even if I don’t get on a stage or in front of a room of people. Create it. Film it. Critique it. Get better.

Take some action. Speak to sell fitness by being interesting, animated, and interested in your audience's goals.

Speaking Resources:

• Toastmasters
• National Speakers Association
• improvisation
• comedy club
• drama class

They can build confidence. And they can make you a more interesting speaker. Who gets “yes” and who gets asked back? Interesting, engaging speakers who are having a good time being authentic. You can, by the way, speak to sell fitness, without being salesy, or sleazy. 

Want help crafting a story that targets emotion and sells without selling? Book a session with me to talk about your speak to sell skills and how to get you booked to speak soon. 

Other Resources:

Link to How to Make an Irresistible Fitness Offer

How to Reach the Most Lucrative Market

Thanks for leaving a rating in iTunes!

1) visit Voice for Fitness Professionals in iTunes

2) click listen in iTunes

3) leave a star rating and a comment

4) know how much I appreciate it!

If you’re making video for fitness marketing (and if you’re not you’re missing out on the fastest way to attract clients) this is your episode.

I had a call with my videographer for my most recent project to get tips to save you money, get a great project, and start searching for people to hire.

Videos for Fitness Marketing: Beyond Your Phone

When you’re ready to move past your phone (and you should be using your phone to create video for fitness marketing) for something, this is what you want to know!

Even if you’re not yet creating video for fitness marketing but you know you need to start, this will get your creative juices flowing about how to plan and what to do. (I’ll share in another podcast how to actually plan and create those videos).

My guest is cinematographer and editor Erik Lasko based in Boulder, CO. No matter where you are his points apply to you. You can walk through the same steps I used to find help making video for fitness marketing or your product. 

Phone Home

The majority of your videos for fitness marketing can (and should) come from your phone. One fitness icon I know has created a million+ dollar business shooting video (and editing) on her phone. For bigger projects she hires but much of her stuff is just done when she’s ready to turn the camera on.

So there really isn’t much reason not to for you. You probably have the same phone in your hand.

Questions we cover in this episode:

• If a fitness pro is hiring a videographer/photographer for the first time and just has no idea/feels vulnerable - what are some questions she should ask to vet out a good candidate? 
• If fitness pros are hiring a videographer what kind of rates should they be looking for? 
• What are the options you as a videographer could offer for someone?
• What's make costs of a project (shoot and or editing) go up?
• What could a fitness pro do to keep rates low if just starting on a budget? 

What are other creative ways a fitness pro can repurpose filmed projects? 

Another repurpose idea:

When you’re doing a project don’t forget the value of “shooting the shoot.” Take pictures of you with the lights in front of the camera. You’ll need a second camera or phone to do it. Even that is a good tease – a reason to tell your audience what you’re working on for them.

How to Hire

I started shopping with a Google search and on Craigslist. You can look at local cinematography schools too. Students often have the equipment, or use of it, and will do a project for less than a pro. It might be good enough for your first project.

For other projects I flew someone in from out of state, he stayed in my guest room and we shot for 2 ½ days straight from a list of video and scripts I had well planned out. He did great work and was by comparison more affordable (including flight, Uber, shooting and editing) than someone I had used for 2 other projects locally.

Erik’s little details to remember:

• Unplug your refrigerator
• Turn off you’re A/C
• Plan ahead for planes and trains 

Remember that noise you don’t even notice in your own environment any more can be a big bummer for viewers. 

On that note, our phone call recording for this episode was not ideal sound quality. Hearing it after, I remember why I no longer use it normally. I vowed to be done with phone interviews. It’s just not worth it the risk it will work. Make sure to test-drive your sound quality. If you listened all the way through, thank you!

Connect with Erik Lasko:

Cinematographer/Editor

El222905@gmail.com

Vimeo channel dynamicmediacolorado

Working with (or want to) women who need a hormone balancing fitness specialist? As part of the Advanced Specialist you get a chance to work for 4 months on your marketing to leverage what you learn and get started.

Is the Fitness Industry Cracking The Obesity Code?

The Obesity Code book review is perhaps one of the most important episode we’ve done. At the least it’s a most important topic. We’ve not cracked this code or solved this problem yet. We’re all still unraveling factors that contribute. As fitness professionals we’re key in supporting individuals with obesity.

The Book:

The Obesity Code by Dr. Jason Fung, a Canadian doctor expert on intermittent fasting and low carb for treating people with type 2 diabetes.

Six parts of the Obesity Code:

Part 1 of the Obesity Code, “The Epidemic,” explores the timeline of the obesity epidemic and the contribution of the patient’s family history, and shows how both shed light on the underlying causes.

Part 2, “The Calorie Deception,” reviews the current caloric theory in depth, including exercise and overfeeding studies. The shortcomings of the current understanding of obesity are highlighted.

Part 3, “A New Model of Obesity,” introduces the hormonal theory of obesity, a robust explanation of obesity as a medical problem. These chapters explain the central role of insulin in regulating body weight and describe the vitally important role of insulin resistance.

The Second Half of the Book

Part 4, “The Social Phenomenon of Obesity,” considers how hormonal obesity theory explains some of the associations of obesity. Why is obesity associated with poverty? What can we do about childhood obesity?

Part 5, “What’s Wrong with Our Diet?,” explores the role of fat, protein and carbohydrates, the three macronutrients, in weight gain. In addition, we examine one of the main culprits in weight gain— fructose— and the effects of artificial sweeteners.

Part 6, “The Solution,” provides guidelines for lasting  treatment of obesity by addressing the hormonal imbalance of high blood insulin. Dietary guidelines for reducing insulin levels include reducing added sugar and refined grains, keeping protein consumption moderate, and adding healthy fat and fiber.

Added points:

Intermittent fasting is an effective way to treat insulin resistance without incurring the negative effects of calorie reduction diets.

Stress management and sleep improvement can reduce cortisol levels and control insulin. 

Three main topics for discussion of this book:

• Proteins – whey/animal/dairy
• Fructose
• Carbohydrates + fat (or sweet fat)

Proteins- especially dairy can stimulate insulin significantly

Whey protein can raise insulin even higher than whole wheat bread

Increasing plant-based proteins can decrease the insulin response

But not completely eliminating…because of the satiety solution to weight control

Increased insulin promotes weight gain

Increased satiety suppresses it

(hormones secreted by protein consumption)

It’s Not “All Animal Protein is Bad”

When you talk only about increased meat consumption you talk about a large number of people reporting… often in a poor economic division of the population you find consumption of poor quality meat to be frequent.

So depending on you and your awareness studies may not reflect your personal risk at all.

Conflicting Information

The insulin spiking effects aside, dairy and meat had differing effects on weight gain though in some studies:

Dairy didn’t cause it..in part because it’s hard to over consume cheese or milk or yogurt (according to Fung) and easier to do so with meat.

Noteworthy

It’s “fattening carbohydrates” consumed with fat = sweet fat in the presence of cortisol that combines with insulin.

Vinegar and fiber add protective features.

Processed foods period should be avoided. It’s not the calories or even the amount as much as the processing of the foods we eat. 

What I liked about the book:

Dr Jason Fung is stating the facts. He’s citing the research. He isn’t advocating for one perfect solution. He isn’t beginning with an argument or persuasive speech wanting the reader to buy into his plan.

It’s validating some of the news you hear and debunking the simplicity of calories alone without consciously addressing the quality of food. It looks at the relationship between hormones influenced by food and the result of fat storage.

The simple message in the book:

• Simply … unprocess your diet. Stop eating out of boxes and plastic wrapped foods. Start eating more vegetables, more plant based protein, more fibrous foods.
• Use animal protein and fruits more sparingly and get the highest quality of them.
• Avoid fructose, particularly sweet fat.
• Manage your stress, and make sleep hygiene a priority for insulin and cortisol control.

Would I recommend it?

Yes, not just for every fitness professional, for every student, and every client. This is a great book club read at your gym. If you want to create more community I highly suggest reading it and bringing people together. Do a panel with local university professors, nutritionists, and obesity experts.

What’s up next in the book review?

The Trillion Dollar Coach

 

9 Lies About Work Fitness Owners Need to Know

This book review may change your beliefs about work, specifically lies about work. If you've been under a spell about how your work life - and maybe even personal life should be, this will open your eyes. You may get insight about yourself or employees. 

The Reviewer:

Tom Durkin, Owner operator Ames Fitness and Fitness World Ankeny in the Midwest.  The CEO of Health & Fitness Management and 40 years experience in fitness industry sales and management. Not a silent partner but someone in buildings every day responding to phone calls, emails, of 315 employees and thousands of customers. He like so many others who have successful track records is a voracious reader and has a personal library of over 2000 books. 

The Book:

9 Lies About Work by Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall

The 9 Lies:

1. People care which company they work for
2. The best plan wins
3. The best companies cascade goals
4. The best people are well-rounded
5. People need feedback
6. People can reliably rate other people
7. People have potential
8. Work-life balance matters most
9. Leadership is a thing

We dive into three of these 9 lies about work more in depth to give you an inside look at the content.

The three lies we selected:

People care about which company they work for

Reality is that people like you and I want to be valued.

Work-life balance matters most.

And don’t miss the biggest question, would you recommend it?

Lies About Workis a look at the myths that can create unease or dissatisfaction in your life. When your view of life is all should, ought-tos, and comparison of your life with potentially no real life, it’s hard to be happy.

Leave a rating in iTunes !

1. Visit the show in iTunes
2. Click view in iTunes
3. Click leave a rating and review
4. Leave your star rating and comment

Got a Growth Mindset? or Hurting Your Business Unknowingly?

This month on the book review we’re … well, we’re playing a big game of catch up!

We’re picking up right back where we left off after a review of Dark Horse and Good to Great. I’ll link to that podcast in case you missed it and you’re looking for intriguing summer reads (or audio books).

 How Do You "READ"?

And I’m curious, I’d love to hear from you about how you consume books in 2019. Do you read or do you listen? Just respond either below the show notes at fitnessmarketingmastery.com/growth-mindset or in the social media post where you saw this.

The Book:

Mindset by Carol S. Dweck

The Reviewer:

Tom Durkin, Owner operator Ames Fitness and Fitness World Ankeny in the Midwest.  The CEO of Health & Fitness Management and 40 years experience in fitness industry sales and management. Not a silent partner but someone in buildings every day responding to phone calls, emails, of 315 employees and thousands of customers. He like so many others who have successful track records is a voracious reader and has a personal library of over 2000 books.

If you’re new to fitness, meaning just 10 or 15 years of experience, you may not understand how longevity is rare. There are not a lot of independent owners of fitness who have created profitable sustainable businesses that influenced thousands of lives for 40 years. That’s someone’s book recommendation you want to take seriously. 

The Fixed vs. Growth Mindset 

The entire book is based on the Fixed vs. Growth mindset. It’s intended for parents, coaches, and leaders of any kind. The purpose is to help those in charge cultivate a growth mindset. So whether you are in charge of others or have children, or you want to take charge of your own mindset, this is for you.

In work, sports, relationships mindset matters. Sports is potentially most applicable to listeners though all are relevant.

Sample Mindset Differences

Fixed mindset says... I'm a natural… good or bad 

Growth mindset says... I don't really know how good I could be because I haven't put in a lot of effort at it 

Fixed mindset says... I'm not comfortable with that

Growth mindset says... I've never done that, I can't wait to learn, this will be an interesting challenge

Fixed mindset says.... I don't want to do that I'm not good at it

Growth mindset says.... I am determined to get better at this, I love learning what the steps are, it stimulates me 

Fixed mindset says.... If I don't win I fail

Growth mindset says.... this was a great learning experience! 

There are always going to be “no” responses in fitness sales. We discussed the growth mindset in praising and rewarding effort. 

Is this book a must-read? Yes!

Other books coming up in our books fitness professionals should-read series:

• The Obesity Code
• 9 of the Worst Mistakes You Can Ever Make At Work
• Trillion Dollar Coach
• Peak by Mark Bubbs

Book mentioned:

Talent Is Overrated by Geoff Colvin

Check out the other book review episodes: 

Dark Horse and Good to Great

2 Must-Reads for Fitness Professionals

The Positive Power of Negative Customer Feedback

In this post I’m sharing negative customer feedback. It’s all about how you can increase your business, and improve your customer satisfaction by attending to the customers who aren’t satisfied!

People are not used to nice. Let’s just get that out there. They’re used to being taken advantage of and automated responses where you click 1 if, and 2 if… and you never get to a real person.

The Advantage of Small

If you’re a small or medium business (or a large one for that matter with a dedicated responder) you can win with this kind of customer service. Look, none of us is going to please all the people all the time. But you can learn from them and create an ally by handling sticky situations right. 

I’m going to start sharing 3 steps to dealing with negative customer feedback. Then I’ll give you 3 very practical ways to do it when you do so you are set up for success. 

3 Response Requirements for Negative Customer Feedback

1. Reach out to get it

Instead of “no” here’s our refund policy

When someone quits, asks for a refund, or cancels a subscription – always a phone call.

2. Listen without being defensive

Explore the options

Understand what you wanted when you purchased/registered

Find an alternative that is a good fit

3. Be transparent

Look, I don’t want to refund you, it hurts! Is there another way I can serve you that is a better fit? Let’s look at that. And if not, I don’t want you in the wrong place for you.

What I’d like to learn what attracted you, what disappointed you, and where potentially we can do a better job messaging the membership program in the future. I’d really value your feedback, if you have a few minutes.

Sometimes the things you want to avoid become the things you learn the most from.

3 Tips for Making These Kinds of Calls

1) Make sure your customer service front line people know how to positively – and quickly - respond.

Give them scripts, and text snippets to use. Don’t assume they know what you’re thinking. If you have complaints, keep those emails, and transcribe those phone calls to use to create responses.

One of my customer service team members recently responded with a “here’s our refund policy” and it was a little cold. If I had been on the receiving end, I wouldn’t have liked it either.

You know the way to deliver a sandwich of constructive criticism. This is similar.

=>Express empathy: I’m sorry that happened. Let’s see if we can resolve this for you.

=>Deliver the bad news/refund policy: Here’s a reminder of our refund policy.

=>End with a positive: However, every situation is unique and we want to understand what’s happening for you and fix it. Debra would like to talk personally to you. What’s the best phone to reach you and what days and times are good for you?

2) Do it at a time you’re upbeat and ready.

For me that’s morning after coffee and maybe a dog walk!

It’s the first thing I do in the morning (or the second, right after something I know will be positive!) – if of course that fits with the individual’s time.

Even if it’s not though, I will use something like Bombbomb to create a video response or a simple audio message to them via text or email … so if their schedule and mine aren’t aligned for a direct connection right away, I still am reaching out. They hear my voice and or see my face so they know I’m authentically trying to understand them before anything else.

In that message I don’t allude to anything more than exploring options, desire to understand what’s happening and request more feedback about her experience. It’s less than a minute. But it gives hope for a neutral not negative conversation.

3) Set your mind: be willing to do the right thing.

I will refund if someone is in the wrong seat on the bus. You don’t want an unhappy customer. That can spoil the goodness you have going. It’s draining for you. In the case of a program – say that’s $200, it’s just not worth it when there’s 10 people who ARE right for it.

It’s a good opportunity to review:

• Your refund policy
• Where that refund policy lives and whether they see it right before they click to purchase
• What you say on your sales page and product pages about “who this is for” and “who this is not for”

My Recent Brush with Negative Customer Feedback

The customer I just talked to yesterday happens to be a Physical Therapist. She bought the program for herself. By creating a positive problem-solving experience for her, I may have increased the likelihood that she refers the women in my demographic she’s working with in her practice to me. When you can exchange one for many? Yes.

You can save a customer who gives negative feedback. You can often create a raving fan in them. Whether they buy or stay or not, they will be impressed if not shocked that you took time to listen. 

My book recommendations if you’re setting up a system for Negative Customer Feedback:

The Power of Small

The Power of Nice

Both above by Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval

Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles

Show notes at fitnessmarketingmastery.com/negative-feedback 

 

SEO for Fitness: Can Customers Find You?

SEO is not a sexy topic compared to fat burning, health coaching, and suspension training. Without it though you will be missed by those customers who want your services. Why waste time thinking about your logo, colors, and the words on your pages if you don’t optimize your “findability” factor. This episode is all about how to make you the one they find when they’re looking for answers.

And they are looking. There’s proof everywhere that SEO can be powerful if it’s done right. There’s good news in this episode. You’ll like the path to better SEO for fitness businesses.

My guest is Alec Gorjestani, an engineer who has been writing all kinds of software for 16 years. From automated vehicles to mobile to web software, he likes to build things. His wife is a Zumba instructor so he’s got an inside glimpse at what fitness pros do like to focus on.

Alec runs a business and understands the unfun tasks that are required to run a business and help people find wellness options they’re looking for. He’s committed to helping you do just that.

We dive into what Fitness Pros Need to Know About SEO. 

Questions we cover in this episode:

Is S.E.O. dead?

What is it?

How can you organically increase SEO?

How are many websites overlooking simple things they can do to support SEO?

What are the next level steps in SEO for fitness businesses?

What questions should a business owner be asking developers or tech staff? (that they don't know to ask) – Alec gave three tips! Don’t miss those!

Where should you be looking to know how well you're doing with SEO for fitness?

Google Search Console

How long does it take, given the SEO for fitness tips are implemented, to see a boost in SEO? 

 

Connect with Alec:

Offeringtree.com/debra

My guest today is Karla from Arizona and a shout out to FitnessFest events where we ran into each other.

Karla asked a couple great questions that I have a hunch may be of interest to you too.

Whether you’re got a business you want to grow, you’re itching to leave working for a boss and interested in launching a fitness business  or somewhere between this live coaching call can help you too. 

BACKGROUND:

I teach yoga for community andemployeesin the school district in which I work. I use a school within the district to teach my classes.  I run the classes via the “Academic Support Systems” department. So, it’s kind of my own thing, but yet runs through the school district.  I don’t have much support getting the school district to “advertise” for me with social media, as I don’t think they like the word “yoga” and it’s connotations; all I get is a paper flyer that is sent out via e-mail to the school secretaries to post/display by teacher mailboxes.  

QUESTION:

Is there a way to use social media on my own to promote my classes? Can I set up my own webpage or Facebook page for this?  What other types of social media can I use?  I am not very techie and have very little experience with social media…I’m 58 years old and just getting started understanding how it all works.

ANSWER:

YES! By all means! The School should love that you do it. Does the school have a page? If so tag them. Start posting regularly.

Share an article that is supportive of the purpose of the classes you teach. Who pays you? What is the mission of the agency paying you or hosting you? What can you share in alignment with that mission?

While they may not see value in promoting or hosting. They will see great value if they start getting positive PR from what you do.

QUESTION:

I am also working on my Health & Wellness Coach certification (will be done in Sept/Oct.). I already am certified with the following:  ACE Group Fitness, RYT 500 Yoga, Cycling, NCSF Personal Training.  I would like to start my own LLC, but not sure how to start out getting clients.  What are the most powerful ways to start using social media to get going?

ANSWER:

First, you don’t need an LLC to start getting clients. Launching a fitness business involves testing the concept first. You need a website.

Then if you’re using social media you’re using it to drive people to a website. You have zero control over social media. It’s here but you have nothing to show for anything you do there unless you have a way for them to come off social media onto your website and an EMAIL list. You must begin building an email list. Use Constant Contact, Mail Chimp or Aweber for free or $5 until you have more subscribers but get it. And a way for people to sign up on your website so you can then communicate with them.

The best use of social media is video. Video.video. Live, recorded, shared.

QUESTION:

I also am trying to narrow down my focus (target audience) as you had mentioned in your presentation at FitnessFest.It’s hard because there are so many aspects of fitness that I love and want to share!  Here are a few of my ideas:

• Beginners to exercise…people who are hesitant to get started…easy, practical, fun and “do-able” ways to get moving and be healthy
• Yoga for beginners
• Health/Wellness Coaching (in person and on-line)

ANSWER:

I think you can easily combine these. When launching a fitness business you do want to focus but these overlap. Your market may not know they’re looking for yoga. They know they’re beginners. They also may not know they’re looking for health & wellness coaching (it’s intangible) but they know they should be exercising. You can start there. But that’s not still a niche. Is this a beginner who’s 20 or who’s 50? Or 70?

Is it a male? Or a female?

Is it a married or single person?

Someone budget minded or with money to burn?

Why aren’t they exercising now? What have they tried? What do they hate about exercise and personal trainers?

When you're launching a fitness business the biggest mistake trainers or business owners make is thinking they know what the customer is really thinking.

QUESTION:

Bottom line… I am scared…I have worked FOR a school district (stable job/money, insurance, etc.) my whole life. I have had the “itch” to do something in the health/wellness area for 25+ years!  I have always taught fitness classes as a “second career”, but I want to try something maybe part-time to transition.  Not sure if I should just jump in and do it full-time or do it little by little.  I know there’s no easy answer for that!  Any thoughts or words of wisdomJ?

 ANSWER:

START.. keep your job, but do a side hustle. Launching a fitness business has to have deadlines but you want a safety net. Get some steady income coming in. Start with who you know. Are there teachers not exercising that want to? You’ve got a pool of clients. Who possibly want the same time slot. So begin a group and optimize your time.

Thanks for leave a rating in iTunes! 

Here’s How:

1. visit the podcast in iTunes
2. Click “listen in iTunes”
3. Click ratings and reviews
4. Leave your 5-star rating (and a comment)
5. Know I appreciate it so much!!

Fitness marketing to midlife women, that works

Five years ago she was ignored.

Today she’s not ignored but she’s stereotyped.

Midlife woman trying too hard to look younger, a face frozen and plumped with Botox, wearing clothes she can share (but look slightly “off”) with her daughter.

A midlife woman who’s operating on the 1980s metabolism science she learned. Relies on calories, steps, heart rate, and data, that ignore the state of her hormones. 

A midlife woman who enjoys at least a glass and maybe three of wine most days, starts with coffee and flirts with fasting but has no idea what a “healthy diet” is for her today.

A midlife woman who thinks exercise is about burning… calories, off fat… so she can “fix” what she doesn’t love about her body.

She’s all these and more.

If she gets a compliment it’s veiled in a disclaimer.

You look great for your age.  

Body shape motives are not the only thing that gets her going.

Promoting weight loss may be detrimental to her participation.

Don’t forget the women who don’t need to lose weight but who have experienced a relocation of body weight, those with disease risk factors, who want more energy, want to be proactive in aging, or gain bone density.

Women control an incredible amount of buying power.

Even before women were in the workplace equally they influenced 80% of household decisions. They still do now that they are in the workplace.

They are diverse.

Even marketing to the niche of women post menopause is unique.

ICAA categorizes them as “athletic” if they regularly exercise 3 or more times a week.

For some this is running, biking, lifting and swimming, but for others it’s a walk or yoga.

So, clearly you can’t treat them all the same.

Naturally, though, it’s easy to think you know her. You may be her. Your mom, aunts, or prior clients are her. Therearecommon denominators.

But the things that make them unique are what make their program and the way you attract them and serve them unique. 

If you miss them, you’ll lose her.

Barriers to marketing to midlife women:

 

“For active, athletic, middle-aged women there is just nothing.

A 22-year old doesn’t get it and I’m not in wheel chair, there isn’t much for us between.”

Even if you offer something between the gap described above by a Flipping 50 program participant, you may not be getting the message across.

You want to reach her:

1) Where she is

2) With a message created for her

2) In a way she hears it

3) Without offending her

The Biggest Mistakes Fitness Marketers Make (and we’re all fitness marketers)

Thinking they are all the same:

How do you think of them?

Do you imagine they’re frail, stiff, in pain, lack energy, did aerobics with Jane Fonda or Jackie Sorensen, are empty-nesters, have grandchildren, have belly fat, cellulite, want weight loss, want belly fat loss…

Did you know?

Some of them are doing their first triathlons, learning to swim so they don’t drown in open water, going to training camps to ride bikes in mountains, skiing downhill at 50 miles an hour, wearing bikinis, learning to weight lifts and have kindergarteners?

And starting their entire lives over by themselves or with someone new, starting businesses… so they’re not afraid of a little grind. 

Thinking you know their goal:

If the title of your program isn’t a coffee table book you’d happily display at your home, rethink it. No 50-something, 60-something, and there’s a strong chance 70-something wants to “own” needing a fall risk reduction class.

She doesn’t want to buy the fear she wants to buy the transformation.
Don’t think you know what she wants. Don’t put it into words what she needs with your titles. Describe what she wants. 

It might be performance – golf, running, starting triathlon, (or anything else after retirement).

It might be to avoid cognitive decline, depression, anxiety, or muscle or bone density losses.

More positively though, it is hope.

 This year, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of her controversial debut, Switzer ran the Boston Marathon again with the same bib number she wore in her first. "People still treat older people the way they treated us women 50 years ago, which is, 'Be careful! You might hurt yourself!' when in fact the opposite is the case," Switzer told Prevention. "The more you do, the more you can do! There are lots of women who have run marathons at 70, 80, even 90. I was only eighth in my age group at Boston [in 2017], for heaven's sake!"

Prevention Magazine, Nov. 2017 

Examples of Michele Obama, Ernestine Shepherd, Madonna Buder -The Iron Nun, and a growing number of aging iconic fitness professionals are showing the world a new way to age.

But it’s not normal yet.

Because even she will say, “I think I look pretty good for my age.”She’ll say, “I’m getting so old.” She’ll say that even while she doesn’t want to be treated as “old” or invisible.

She feels invisible.

Environment is everything. Have you noticed how people are flocking to sites where exercise over 50 or aging is included in the title? If positive things happen there, people will gather. Be one of them. Be positive.

Be correct, but be positive.

Growing Bolder is one of the most well-know sites for older adults. Why? It positively portrays aging. It defies traditional treatment of aging. It makes fun on occasion of older adults. But it does so in a playful, not condescending way.

The Aging Triathlete and Thriving Not Surviving are two Facebook pages by midlife and older women describing their own journeys from inactive, or in need of a health intervention, to triathlon training. 

Did you know?

Age-related decline in triathlon (swim, run, and bike) starts earlier in swimming than in cycling or running. Isn’t that bizarre since you and I would both probably recommend swimming more and more as someone got more limited with joint issues.  

Not Acknowledging Their Barriers

Not knowing how far and wide fitness benefits take them

Not having had good examples

Having old habits and thoughts about exercise

Time (perceived need)

Fear of getting hurt

Lack of trust for fitness “professionals” 

Relate to Her and Overcome Objections

You might be thinking…is a golden phrase to use when you’re working on this type of copy.

Create a Better Offer:

Solve a real problem

They know they have

They are actively seeking a solution for

They have some urgency for

So you can…

Relate to Her. You must:
Be Vulnerable

Tell a Rags-to-Riches story

Reveal your real life vs. Cinderella life

Tell your story…

Start with, when I was…

Know What She Wants, What She REALLY Wants

• It’s not weight loss.
• It’s not dumbbells.
• It’s not a scale or tape measure.
• It’s not a salad. 

What is your WHY?

• Your Why
• Your Business Why
• Why she should do it right now

Get testimonials for marketing to midlife women from midlife women.

How do you get a perfect testimonial?

This question:

What almost stopped you from registering/getting started?

Audit your images:

Are you showing HER?

Are you showing the dream? 

She doubts:

Your program will work

For her

She doubts her. 

Universal Truths of Marketing to Midlife Women

She thinks she’s unique.

She thinks she’s flawed.

She thinks she’s uniquely flawed.

It’s not a good time.

Just because you’ve always done something or thought a certain way doesn’t mean you can’t change it.

She has free will.

She’s failed before.

This is not her first rodeo.

Success dulls the knife. Failure sharpens it.

Failure is data. She doesn’t know that yet or think it yet.

She blames failure on a lack of willpower, discipline, or motivation.

She’s a prove-it-to-me girl.

Make sure you know what you’re talking about.

• Facts and what she calls herself.
• 70-year olds don’t call themselves “seniors.”
• 50-year olds resent getting the AARP card in the mail.
• She doesn’t recognize herself in the mirror sometimes.

Write copy like you ARE your ideal customer. Get a copywriter that is your ideal customer. If you have a 20-something writing copy or on social media make sure they give you examples of their work. Get a focus group together and get their thoughts. Listen to them. Don’t object or defend. Let your current customer tell you what they would have wanted to hear. 

Interview.

Have a Third Party interview your ideal customer.

Create 5-6 questions. Use these as examples:

• If you could wave a magic wand what would you like to change about your fitness right now?
• How long have you felt this way?
• What have you tried?
• What do you hate about _______?
• What would you love to see change?
• Is there anything else you’d like to add?

She likes to give and she’ll support businesses that do more than profit or provide a service.

• Partner with a charity (shoes, mittens, winter coat drive, food pantry)
• Percent of proceeds donated
• Employ underprivileged
• Support water in the world
• Scholarship youth into your programs
• Host community events

Change your approach

What if you mocked your own product and service?

Explain how it works instead of catchy titles.

All the things that midlife women hate and turn them off…

• Baby Gap shirts on muscle bound men
• Made-up women working out in LuLulemons
• Chicken breast and egg whites
• Walking into the male dominated weight room

Pink Dumbbells are Your Enemy!

Women respond to colors of the sunset.

She IS working. She may have the corner office.

She IS overwhelmed.

She DOES think a lot about her family and juggle responsibilities.

She is willing to spend. She’s not finding good choices.

She wants someone who understands her kinesiology, physiology, endocrine system, and her socialization.

She’s got some unlearning to do.

She may decide to do a marathon or a triathlon in a decade or so.

She’s not done.

But she does need to get started.

These and more are the way to fix mistakes you’re making in marketing to midlife women, make yourself the best choice, and once you get her, help her and keep her loving life… and the role you play in it. 

Isn’t that what it’s all about?

If you’d like some help. But you’re not sure where to start. Yet the idea of being a coach with a business you love helping women love their lives sounds like exactly what you want to do… and you want to stop having a hobby and start having a business – with a life – then set up a time to talk about how to make that happen.

I’ll give you my input on what you need to have a business model that works. You may choose not to pursue it but you’ll know.

BOOK a Consultation

 

4 Easy Marketing Steps That Will Grow Your Fitness Business

If your first thought is "easy marketing" is a myth, you're not alone. Truth is that marketing isn't hard, but getting distracted by shiny objects is easy. 

When you want to buckle down, focus on how to get leads, clients, and recurring revenue though you have to ignore shiny objects and do the one thing hardest of all.

You have to trust someone else. 

Unless you're a marketer, a website developer, an SEO expert, a Facebook ads manager or know how to write copy (ALL of which you should know SOMETHING ABOUT, by the way) you have to eventually turn it over. Someone else will get far better results in far less time and your time is better spent. 

So my guest in this show is my trusted resource. 

Jonathan Kraft is a digital strategist who has contributed well over 1,000 how-to videos to YouTube since 2006.  

His videos have had more than 10 million views.

He and his wife spent 2 years traveling the world from 2009-2011 on income earned solely from affiliate marketing.

He's traveled to more than 40 countries and speaks German and Spanish in addition to English.

He is best known for helping small businesses who have something going online already to become medium sized businesses.

He does this by helping them improve their branding, marketing, site structure, search presence, and business strategy. 

He has worked with online businesses across industries, from professional speakers to investment firms, and from health clinics to online retailers, including a few mentioned below:

• FlippingFifty.com
• MattressInsider.com (Custom Mattresses)
• MobileSleepComponents.com (Wholesale Mattresses for RV and Boat Dealers)
• AnnmarieGianni.com (Skincare)
• ChrisBeatCancer.com (Health/wellness)
• TheEducationDoctor.com (Education)
• ReviveCenters.com (Health Clinic)
• DezThornton.com (Professional speaker coach)
• MistiBurmeister.com (Corporate Performance Trainer and Speaker)
• ConcussionRepairManual.com (Health care)
• LaraAdler.com (Environmental Toxins Expert)
• SolutionsInLowVision.com (vision screening and aid for the blind and visually impaired)

 

That's an impressive list. 

Questions about easy marketing steps we cover in this episode:

Overall when you jump into a business as the man behind the curtains… where is it that people need the most help when they hire you?

And what is it you see that might be a different need?

What are the biggest errors you see regarding websites?

How important is S.E.O.?

What would fix S.E.O. fast?

What are the biggest errors you see in funnels and marketing?

Questions I'm going to ask Jonathan in a future episode: 

Which system have you had the most experience with for and prefer:

• Customer relationship management
• Host
• Webinar host
• Shopping cart

Of all the businesses you’ve worked with, grown, among those who’ve been most successful in monetizing their website, marketing, social reach what has been the biggest ONE THING or common denominator? assuming there’s demand for the product and there’s a big enough target market for the product)

 

The 4 Easy Marketing Steps we discussed:

1. Audit your website for user friendliness
2. Audit your customer’s journey
3. Be wise about S.E.O. (use Google)
4. Commit to regular content on your site

….and bonus (not included in the episode) is how you KNOW these easy marketing steps work:

Use your Google analytics! Find out how much traffic, which pages, what blog content people enter on, and if they come from social or direct traffic. Do you get organic traffic? Known now and then track as you implement the easy marketing steps from todays post.

Pssst. From SCWfit.com to ICAA to Athletic Business to Fitness Fest, I can share that less than 50% of business owners or social media managers use Google Analytics. WHAT? 

It's the only way to find out if your marketing is making headway. You'll learn what pages people come to and how they get there. You'll learn if they're coming from social media, direct to your URL, or from referral.

You've got to know your numbers. It makes easy marketing more realistic. You've got to have a goal! You've got to  have a benchmark to measure against. Yes, ultimately revenue. But if you don't know where and why it's coming to you? It's random and a roller coaster. 

Thanks for listening. Questions about behind the scenes strategies on your website that could help create positive, easy marketing changes for you? 

Add them to the comments! 

Free Advertising | How to Get Booked for Interviews

Who doesn’t want free advertising? Interviews and media appearances are an amazing way to create credibility. It’s free advertising opportunity you can create over and over again. If you know what you need to get booked and deliver an interview that get you clients and asked back: gold.

In the last episode I shared how to interview like a pro (and get clients). If you missed it I highly recommend you go back and listen to that one. You have a little homework to do before you grab the free advertising from get booked or create ways to be interviewed on your own- which is what this episode is all about.

I’ll link to it that episode here. 

Get free advertising from media interviews

How do you pitch the media? First, you have to know this: they do not care about YOU. They care about their listener, audience, viewer. And ratings, if this is a TV station or a radio station. They need listenership and viewer numbers. So if you don’t pitch something relevant to their listeners you won’t get booked. Do your research.

If you want to be on a certain show know who watches it. Target that audience and make it clear to the producer or host that you get them and what they are trying to do. Make sure they have a health, fitness segment open to guests.

Most likely they do! There’s a lot of airtime to fill!

A pitch is one sheet of an idea for a segment with:

• A catchy title – Make it controversial so it peaks interest. Think magazine cover titles.
• A simple teachable method or system
• Clear, concise talking points
• How to contact you
• Some points of credibility so they know why you’re a credible source of information
• Something unique and distinct
• Why this is relevant now, to their audience, and it’s news

It’s not a Press Release.

It’s attention-getting and juicy not dry. 

Free advertising from podcasts, online summits, panelists

Find opportunities in podcasts. If you’re a fitness professional you’re likely in groups and forums. You know the importance of networking. You have something unique. Ask if anyone in your professional network has a podcast or reach out to those you listen to and offer yourself as a guest.

If you’ve got a Go Red for Women’s event near you, at the fundraising luncheons there is often a panel of experts. Offer to attend and be a guest. Make it clear why you. 

Seek out other events happening at your local hospital or national level if that’s where you are, and create them yourself!

Free advertising by hosting free public events

Use any of these ideas to create an event yourself.  

Think about “national days” of the year or weeks or months. Do something for breast cancer awareness or stress awareness.

Think seasonal topics. Offer a workshop on spring training without injuries or winter ski conditioning, or avoiding falls on ice by improving balance.

Send a pitch to local media about this event. If they need someone or something to fill a slot that day and the target is their audience you’ll have a great chance of getting booked and they may even cover the event live. 

Partner with local businesses who target the same group. A grocery store might sponsor by providing snacks. A massage therapist might offer a discount to attendees. A sporting goods store might offer a special rate on a related product. Then they too get exposure as the sponsor and will share the event to increase free advertising for you. It works for you both.

Please leave a rating in iTunes! 

Here's How: 

1. visit the podcast in iTunes
2. Click "listen in iTunes"
3. Click ratings and reviews
4. Leave your 5-star rating (and a comment)
5. Know I appreciate it so much!!

How to Interview Like A Pro (and Get Clients)

Have you wondered how to interview so you can maximize the opportunity? If you haven’t been asked or asked for an interview, I’ll say this: you will and you should!

Let me define “interview” before we go to far. Anytime someone else is asking questions can be an interview opportunity. And that is, a chance to share expertise, answer questions based on your knowledge or experience – after all, there is a reason you’re being asked to do the presentation or interview – or people showed up to ask you questions.

So whether you:

• sit on a panel at an event
• make an appearance at a local media station or the Today Show – think big
• host an event and have a Q and A afterward
• guest on a podcast

Any of those, and many more qualify and you want to know how to interview so you get results and you get asked back!

Do you know there are people – lots of people – who appeared on Oprah, the holy grail of interviews and free publicity. Yet they weren’t ready to monetize the traffic that came afterward and no one has ever heard about them again. 

When you know how to interview so you stay on track with your key points and make your host look good (so you have fun and get asked back) you’ll win the audience over and make the station love you. 

How to prepare for your interview

• Identify your teachable points: a method or step process
• Know what sets you apart
• Know what your customers hate
• Create a pitch that’s news and that lets you feature your product or service

Example: Recently I did a segment about an upcoming event – a workshop for older adult fitness. I pulled the three key reasons I was doing the workshop and one demonstration for each.

I demonstrated how to do an important strength training exercise – that could be done at home – and how to make it effective if an adult wanted to use lighter weight. I cued it in detail pointing out where to feel it, put weight on feet, head position, etc. Then I did two more parts of the workshop.

I covered the three big areas I was going to discuss at the workshop – strength, balance, and interval training. I pulled one juicy tip from each to get the point across how important it was. I didn’t gloss over it I backed it up with research, how it would prevent falls (fear) and enhance aging (desire). I focused on mistakes most adults make (no one wants to be wasting time).

That kind of thinking should go into any presentation and you can make it fit yours no matter what it is.

How to plan for different length interviews

• Go through all the homework mentioned earlier
• Create an outline that includes the bullet points, a demonstration, and an expanded explanation or story
• Ask in advance how long the segment is (a 3 minute segment live segment, a 15 minute summit interview, a 30 minute podcast)
• Rehearse and time it!

Example:In the example I gave you earlier, I’ve delivered that content in a 90-minute workshop, on a 30-minute podcast, a 9-minute news segment, and the hardest by far a 2-minute segment. So be ready. Rehearse for shortest segments the most. You have to make every word and second count. 

When you have a workshop (or a book for that matter) there’s a reason you created it. Those reasons are likely your bullet points. Hopefully, you created it based on demand not because you wanted to but because your customers tell you that’s why they come to you and that’s what they want most. The other things they’d tried and hate are a part of your talking about it. The outcomes they want are a part of talking about it.

If you know how to interview, you also know how to create marketing copy, and vice versa. 

As painful as it might be, record your rehearsal. Whether its’ audio or it’s video, record and play it back. Do you have energy? Are you fun? The interviewer is going to be lively, strong and fun. Can you match that energy? If you’ve got passion about what you’re doing you can but in front of a microphone or camera if feels different so you’ve got to practice! 

How to interview when you’re asked a question you aren’t prepared for

            Always come right back to your notes, why this is so important, why you’re doing what you’re doing (event, service, product, workshop)

How to interview so you make your host look good

When you get booked sometimes you’re going to be working with a producer or an assistant. Sometimes that’s one and the same. You want to make THEM look good too. Their job is to make the host or anchor or reporter look good so that is also what you want to do. I’ve been asked back to do segments on the same show several times. That only happens if you are easy to work with and everyone loves you. 

Give her/him all the details in advance – are you going to do exercise demos? Will she be in a dress and heels? Bring models if necessary.

            Give her/him all the questions. You can list questions on your pitch or list the answers on the pitch. Often you’ll be asked to provide 3-5 questions you’d like to be asked. Make these good. Specifically, they should set you up to respond with your key talking points.

Just Because You Get the Interview Doesn’t Mean You’re Good

I’ve interviewed hundreds of people in the last 6 years for two podcasts. Some have been amazing and some have not in fact they’ve been uncomfortable. The guest didn’t have key points and didn’t have a strong opinion. They rambled with answers.

Don’t let that be you. You won’t get asked back. Unless it’s a live segment, you may not get published even after the recording. No one is going to release what they feel is a weak interview.

The Getting the Biggest Benefit

A big part of doing a killer interview – even if it’s two minutes long – is knowing what you want to happen afterwards. That involves two parts:

First, what you do with the opportunity matters.

            Use that video clip from the news. Share the segment from a podcast interview while you tag your host. Take a selfie of yourself in the front of the room with the audience behind you to share on social and email. But above all have a call to action while you’re in the interview. Because you will always, always be asked where someone can learn more about you.

Second, knowing what action you want the viewer or listener or reader to take is key if you want to get clients or customers.

And you do… even if you don’t yet know what you’re going to sell them yet to support them. You want to start a conversation with them so when you do have a product or service you’ve got an audience just waiting for it.

You need to have a very clear next step for them to take when they go to your website. Are you giving away a free book or a cheat sheet with the exercises you’ve just demonstrated? Is there an invitation to your free event? 

Are you really ready?

Do an audit of your website before you ever have an appearance. If you’re in front of a group of older women does your website look like some advertising for Monster energy drinks? If it’s black and neon with white font on a dark background… or has images of a sixpack of abs … that’s not going to build your business. Decide who you serve and dedicate time and energy to making sure your image clearly relays that.

Know that someone who gets to your website is interested enough to spend maybe a little more than 7 seconds that’s the typical attention span. But not much. Tell her exactly what to do when she gets there. Is there an immediate ask for her email address in exchange for a juicy freebie that she can’t say no to?

Be ready to capture emails and deliver that gift. Make it simple and clear. Don’t send them to a page on a website with 5 choices and 20 pages of rabbit holes they can fall down. Send them to a very specific page where there’s one action to take. That’s called a landing page to do the ONE relevant thing that is a logical next step for them.

P.S.

If you don’t have or know what a landing page is, get your marketing team up to speed on why this is crucial, get a new marketing coach who can help you. Building a landing page takes less than five minutes if you do it right and you’re in charge of your own website. It’s not time consuming and it’s not expensive. But it will cost you if you don’t have it.

This is such a big part of learning how to interview so that you get clients and customers (or maybe interns and employees) from your public appearances – all of them!

All these steps are steps I’ve talked about many times in podcasts and blogs here at fitnessmarketingmastery.com. But if you want help with specific steps you need to take and the accountability to get them done you’ve got two options:

1.) Request a consultation about private business coaching

2.) If you serve women in midlife and becoming a Flipping 50 specialist is also a good fit for you, you can get that AND 4 months of a mastermind group for LESS than the cost of private coaching. You’ll save over $500 on the combination.

Don’t Miss the Next Episode

Next episode as I teased earlier I’m going to talk about how to get booked for interviews. I did this how to interview episode first because you’ve got to be ready. You actually don’t want to get stuck in an interview and give a weak interview – you’ve got a message and you want to deliver it strong! (You also don’t want to wait until it’s perfect or you’d never do anything!)

But once you really do the homework and know how to interview you want to start getting those opportunities for free advertising.

Will you leave a rating in iTunes?

1. Visit iTunes
2. Click Listen in iTunes
3. Click Ratings and Reviews
4. Leave your 5-star rating and a comment
5. Know that I appreciate it so much! 

Ever question your client relationships? Or see an employee or colleague that makes you wonder about how best to handle client relationships and boundaries?

If you want to support your client’s strong foundation to make self care changes but stay within scope of practice, tune in.

Eighteen year-old Stanley Padgett married his seventeen-year-old high school sweetheart in what easily could have been another divorce statistic. Another couple who naively wed too young and couldn't make it work.

While they enjoyed each other, they were tested early and often. They raised their first child while working their way through college. Their second wasn't any easier as Stan was attending Duke Law School at the time.

He graduated from Duke University School of Law in 1982 and has been a business trial lawyer in Tampa since then.

His book, “UnVeiled: Secrets of a Marriage that Lasts Forever” and his course “The Diamond Relationship Formula” are the result of a lifetime of work and research.

Unlike most "relationship experts," what Stan teaches does not come from a book or from a classroom. It comes from a life well lived and a marriage that endured and improved through good times and bad, in sickness and in health. Their marriage has been cut and polished into a Diamond Marriage.

How important is a stable relationship in anchoring a foundation for self care in health and fitness? 

How can a trainer support positive client relationships for his/her clients in order to gain greater compliance and improve client outcomes?

Boundaries and scope of practice are a challenge due to the nature of personal training. Do you have suggestions for curbing conversations that could come back to bite a trainer?

It can be heady, or flattering, to be treated as a confidante – how to be aware of that?

Starting early, going late, potentially struggling with finances – can weight heavy on relationships, how can you as a trainer take care of your own relationship foundation?

Learn More: www.relationshipmagicacademy.com

Connect with Stan:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/relationshipmagicacademy/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RelationshipMagicAcademy/?ref=bookmarks

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/relationshipmagicacademy/

RMA Website - http://www.relationshipmagicacademy.com/

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE70toYDYQ0

Social Media for Fitness Professionals: More Results Less Time

Social media for fitness professionals is unique. For any service oriented professional who IS the business, or thinking they are the business, as well as the marketing director, the salesperson, the customer service rep, and the programming director, there’s too much to do and limited time to do it in.

That’s not news. What is good news is this: if you’re big or small it doesn’t matter. In fact, if you’re a fitness pro who can pivot quickly and change your message, post what you approve of, as a small business owner you have an advantage over big corporations that need approval or have to limit posts to small sets of parameters.

Before I dive into social media for fitness professionals in this episode I have a secret! I recorded this from my sauna. Using one? Whether for relaxation, or for detoxing naturally, here’s mine. It fits in small spaces – you can pick it up and move it easily.

SCW and Club Industry

I mentioned SCW events on this episode. They are a great source of content for business, for practical workout ideas to expand your programming. Partnering with Club Industry Sara Kooperman has been able to offer a special track for business development – and the networking- that happens during those events that reduces the isolation you may feel when you’re in the trenches.

If you’re marketing to women in midlife you’re going to want a social media marketing system that reaches them specifically with a relationship that doesn’t take you all day.

If you need social media for fitness professionals that gets results without taking all day … especially if you serve women in midlife, you’ll love this.

Take $100 off the Advanced Specialist certification today with code: cert10 

Then get 4 months of mastermind inside a private Facebook group.

How do you do social media without it taking your life? Let’s get real first. Every business at this point needs a marketing person. Someone dedicated to marketing across all platforms, planning the strategy to keep the leads coming in so you can follow up, nurture and sell those customers so you can help them!

If that marketing person is YOU, then you do have to make time. You can’t bury your head in the sand. Without constant marketing a business dies. Get leads. Get clients. Keep clients. Get referrals. Repeat on constant once you create a system that works. You’ll need to continually update your system. The consumer gets smarter. She can and will Google anything. Right or not she can find it.

Your marketing message to start your funnel has to be answering those questions she’s asking better than anyone else. They have to be easy to find with key words, with video. Then you have to have a clear next step. 

Given 9/10 fitness businesses do in fact die still today – 30 years after the fitness “boom” began, you have to be proactive. Regularly getting clients in and taking great care of them will lead to “full” consistently and referrals from happy customers.

Create systems that work. Just like you have with your fitness clients. You test them, assess them, educate them, and you progressively advance their programs. 

You will do that too with a formula for social media for fitness professionals. 

For more on this topic, join me at FitnessFest in Mesa Arizona later this month!

Or for a book you can hold in your hands, check out the Social Media Book for Health Coaches and Personal Trainers (Healthy Learning).

 

Are you great or desire to be? Do you have a conventional education or not? Questions we answer with our book review today.

My cohost Tom Durkin

Owner operator Ames Fitness and Fitness World Ankeny in Midwest, CEO of Health & Fitness Management, 40 years in fitness industry sales and management. He has over 2000 books in his personal library. He manages over 315 employees daily at multiple facilities. 

Questions we answer in todays episode: 

• What book (or books) are we talking about today and who are the authors?

Great by Choice– Jim Collins

Dark Horse-Todd Rose

• How influenced are you - or should others be - on "best seller lists" ? If they're simply popularity contests based on the best marketing and promotion campaigns, there are likely some bombs on those lists and some "sleepers" out there that no one else knows about until a review like this.
• What's been the best and most reliable source of what-to-read-next for you? 
• How much does the author's background, credentials, and experience matter to you in your selection of what to read next? 
• What made these books review-worthy?
• What are the biggest take-aways from Great by Choice?

Are you living up to your potential?

Who are you competing against? Are you great compared to them?

Are you fulfilled and full according to your goal?

Am I taking the steps to do it? 

• What steps can you take to be great by choice?

1. Talk to people to create rapport, offer a session, use a script, ask for a sale
2. Have a list of leads
3. Book speeches, presentations, creating podcasts articles
4. Be prepared, planned for the customers you have
5. Measure how many times you’ve done each of these steps regularly (daily, weekly)

“People who are great by choice have clear performance markers.”

- Tom Durkin, 40-year fitness industry owner & manager 

• What are three take-aways from Dark Horse? 

Everybody has talent. There are many pathways to success and fulfillment. A non-traditional approach doesn’t necessarily put you at a disadvantage. 

• Could a non-traditional approach be an asset? In fitness, not having a degree or starting late in life, for example might be an asset.
• What do you think of the statement “Being Different, is Better than Being Better”?

Another book this is reminiscent of - Outliers, by Malcom Gladwell. (not on our review list right now)

If you had to recommend a top 10 books to read on habits of successful people... would either or both make the cut? 

No to Great By Choice

No to Dark Horse

Up next in our book club review:

Mindset– by Carol Dweck

Have you read Great by Choice or Dark Horse?

Taking Your Fitness Passion to a Living You Love

You’re passionate about fitness. You love it. You love what it’s done for you. You like helping people. You like teaching.

Do you have a limiting belief about how much you can earn or how much you have to work to do it?

Do you believe if you’re going to make a living as a fitness professional that it would all be able selling?

Do you change your voice and turn into someone else when you have to ask for money? 

Today’s guest is going to help unpack some of that baggage.

PHIL KAPLAN

Phil Kaplan is a 30-year veteran of the fitness field and a pioneer in the realm of Personal Training.  The first Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient from Personal Fitness Professional, he’s appeared on over 1000 TV and radio shows sharing “the Fitness Truth.” Through seminars, articles, appearances, and programs, Phil paved the way for personal trainers setting a model for Professional Excellence and establishing oft-imitated paradigms for “selling fitness” in health club, corporate, and studio settings.

With extensive experience as a health club owner, media personality, author, and international speaker, he’s gained rare insights into the elements of mind, body, and spirit that integrate to manifest positive physical change and has created programs with unprecedented levels of outcome and compliance including TRANSFORM (over 75,000 copies sold) and The ANSWER.

• starting with the belief that a lucrative career and loving a career are not mutually exclusive
• You do some mindset work – exercises without sweat - with clients (and I’m putting you on the spot here) can we do a little of that right here with trainers listening?
• Trainers often copy, follow, do what everyone is doing… and if making a career out of fitness is a problem, and most trainers do struggle, then that’s going to be a problem. A trainer today really has to be Different, How can a trainer listening take steps to break out and finding a unique voice?
• Being contrarian, breaking rules and not being afraid to stand out get uncomfortable. They go against that desire trainers have to be liked
• You recently – a little bird told me this – had a group of trainers you’re mentoring raise their rates by $4 a session. Share the reaction you got when you instructed them to do that? And what happened when they came back?
• “Scale or fail” is a commonly spoken mantra these days… and for trainers the truth is, you’re going to run out of hours. You can raise rates to an extent but scaling a fitness business may require other revenue streams. What suggestions do you have for that trainer who has raised rates, is still full, is finding that as she increases rates she gets push back… what’s next?

Resources:

The Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge

“Creative Tension” the gap between you now and where you want to be 

Phil is instrumental part of promotion of MedFitNetwork, a place for medical fitness professionals to gather, for consumers to find them, and to improve lives with quality education and service based on the belief exercise and nutrition can both be medicine used correctly. 

Find Phil Kaplan:

Medfitnetwork.org

Fix Your Copy to Attract More Clients

You want fitness sales without being salesy.

Yet if you try so hard to be nonchalant you can actually send business away!

You share video after video of exercises.

Blog after blog with no call to action.

You write for the local paper but don’t put a link in your bio with a call to action. 

These are all ways you lose amazing opportunities to use your awesome content to do the talking for you. There is always going to be a sentence or two that makes the difference between “that’s nice, thanks” and “where do I sign up?” 

1) Meet your reader/your viewer where she is.

Not where you want her to be!

Mistake: Our brand new program starts next week! Here’s the link for details.

Fix Your Copy:

2) Make your reader feel understood.

Mistake: Here’s who we are and how we can help

Fix Your Copy: You’re probably thinking….

Fix Your Copy: Does this sound familiar? 

3) Make a clear and logical next step your call to action.

Mistake: All of our personal trainers are ready to support your next step.

Fix Your Copy: Share your biggest question about choosing your fitness routine here.

Fix Your Copy: Join our free master class to get all of your fitness questions answered. 

Tell the one person you really want to help exactly what to do next.

Mistake: Check out all of our group programs starting soon!

Fix Your Copy: Click here now to save your spot

Or

Click here now to download 5 recipes to get started now.

4) Be direct.

Mistake: I hope you liked this! Will you share it?

Fix Your Copy: Tag three friends who would love this for a free xyz!

Mistake: You’ll find other podcasts and blogs at www.Imawesome.com

Fix Your Copy: Link here to the resource mentioned in today’s podcast. 

If you really believe you have something that can solve a problem tell her! Tell her exactly what to do next and why what she’s doing now won’t help.

Fitnessmarketingmastery.com/fix-your-copy

 

How Fitness Videos Can Grow Your Business

You know fitness videos get more views, traction, and cost less than other forms of marketing. You may not know how to stay consistent and make time to do it.

Here’s how to create fitness videos that make a difference in your business.

Batch your fitness videos

Batch every step along the way.

Research before you record. Choose a single topic and stick with it to create 5-6 videos that fall into that topic.

Think about the why behind you’re creating video. Are you creating fitness videos that attract more customers and clients? What specific client do you want to attract? Do you have a program launch coming up? What content would surprise, shock, and make a viewer want to know more? What content would give a viewer hope and a quick win?

Create a list of the videos you want to create. Create a list of the titles for those videos. Do a search of other popular content on that topic. Search key words you want in the title.

Create the videos knowing what action you want the viewer to take so you can ask for it. You’ll be able to include a teaser for the previous video and the next video, getting a viewer to stay on your channel consuming more videos.

Be concise.

Get right to the point. Break large concepts into short segments of 1-3 minutes. The shorter a video – as long as it’s engaging – the more likely a viewer will watch 100% of your video and that ‘s a big plus for your organic recommendations and growth.

Be concise with your start too. Get right to what you promise in your title. Then quickly introduce yourself and get right back to it.

Know what you want them to do next.

Choose one thing, not 2 or 5, that you want a viewer to do after they watch your video. Tell them to subscribe, or go to the link below (or on your screen). Suggest they go back to the previous video in the playlist. 

Release Fitness Videos Natively.

Upload your video to Facebook, to LinkedIn, and to YouTube each directly from your phone. Don’t depend on uploads to YouTube and then share to the other platforms. Natively uploaded video is edging out shared from YouTube across platforms.

Stagger your release.

It’s tempting to share it all right away. However, this is one instance where batching won’t help as much as staggering your video share. Wait a bit to share the same video to Facebook and LinkedIn as you just posted to YouTube.

Keep the traffic coming to your website by spreading it out.

Plan your fitness video production.

From conceptualizing to recording if you don’t have the time set in your calendar it’s not going to happen. Start. Even if you feel like you’re terrible at it in the beginning, it’s not about you. It’s about how much you’re helping the viewer. If you believe you’ve got a message they need, then you need to be there!

See the show notes here: Fitnessmarketingmastery.com/videos

Need support growing your fans and followers so you can increase subscribers and sell more services?

Book a chat here: http://www.scheduleyou.in/ZzFwszm

 

Got Your Continuing Education Credits Planned for 2019?

No matter when you’re listening to this episode, continuing education and rejuvenation is always timely. As we record at the beginning of February though it’s a time when fitness pros are looking at annual con-ed budgets and live conferences, continuing education, combining get-aways with business building and that brings me to my guest today.

Before we dive in.. today’s episode is brought to you by the Flipping 50 Specialist program, training fitness pros and health coaches to be experts at hormone balancing exercise prescription especially for women in peri-menopause, menopause, and long after menopause.

Janice Jaicks is the founder and creator of FitnessFest Conference and Expo, AquaCon, Spring Cleaning for the Soul Retreat, and Desert Swim School. Janice has been teaching swim lessons and water fitness since 1985. She has trained hundreds of instructors in the field of water exercise all over the country. 

FitnessFest is a continuing education conference for fitness professionals and has been serving fitness and health pros with events in the Southwest since 1998. In 2018, FitnessFest added four new cities to its schedule (in conjunction with TheFitExpo). FitnessFest has worked with several Native American communities and their diabetes prevention and treatment projects for the past six years. 

 Mover and Shaker in Fitness Continuing Education

This woman is on the move as a leader in the fitness industry. Like a handful of other amazing female fitness leaders identifying a need and then taking it on as a personal responsibility… I brought her in because I’m involved as a presenter at FitnessFest in April.

This event is truly a jewel. It’s big, the offerings and sessions (we dive into here) and the customer service is big… but the feel is small… they know me, and I think you too will love it and so without further delay… Janice Jaicks!

Questions I asked Janice:

• Why do you do this? You’ve added 4 new cities… when many others might be looking to retire, you’re recharging! (which is the FLIPPING 50 Philosophy) …what’s lighting your fire?
• How old are you?
• What sets FitnessFest apart from other conferences?
• What are the dates and location and what do you have lined up for this April's event?
• What are the most popular continuing education workshops at your event? 
• Are there also pre-cons?
• Are there tracks to deep dive as well as the option to get a broader experience?

Learn more or request a brochure:

www.fitnessfest.org/arizona

Rates increase Feb 28

Host Hotel: Sheraton Mesa – Save your room now!

Get your continuing education live and get rejuvenated too! 

 

Must Read Books for Fitness Trainers & Fitness Entrepreneurs 

Tuesday morning this week I was staying in a hotel in Dallas. I went down to the “fitness room” where there was a treadmill, a bike, and an elliptical along with some dumbbells.

It was small, dark, low ceilings. I thought… I’ll go outside and run. I stepped out unprepared for the temps and decided this would be a short one. I rounded the block and saw LA Fitness. I promptly went in and used… a treadmill, bike, and elliptical.

Seriously? I laughed at myself as I walked out realizing what I’d done. I tell you this because it relates to our episode today. The environment made it easier to get a harder, slightly longer workout.

Environment matters.

Welcome to the Book reviews episode. This is the place to be if you’re looking for must read books - to read or listen to - that will build you up, grow your influence, expand your understanding… whether you want our cliff notes or you want to pick up the book yourself… we’ve got you covered.

My co-reviewer on this podcast and for future book reviews: Tom Durkin

Owner operator Ames Fitness and Fitness World Ankeny both in Iowa and the CEO of Health & Fitness Management. He has 40 years in fitness industry sales, management, and ownership. Considering this is in a conservative Midwestern market, take away is if he can so can you. He's got 2000 books in his personal library(and growing), 200 and 300 to begin with and last year 900K visits, 58,000 personal training sessions, 315 employees at present.

Questions we cover in this episode:

• What must read books are we talking about today and who are the authors? 

Willpower Doesn’t Work–Benjamin Hardy

The Power of Habit: Why we do what we do in life and business- Charles Duhigg

• How influenced are you - or should others be - on "best seller lists"?
  
  
• How much does the author's background, credentials, and experience matter to you in your selection of what to read next? 
  
• What made these titles must read books?
• 
  What are three take-aways from each book? 
• What stands out from Willpower?
• What struck you about Habits?
• What if anything missed the mark on this/these books? 
• If you had to recommend a top 10 must read books to on habits of successful people... would either or both make the cut? 

The people you surround yourself with influence your habits, your ability to examine your habits, and ability to change your habits. 

Our next must read books:

Dark Horse – the guy that doesn’t do the standard education or path

Great By Choice– by Jim Collins 

Got another book YOU would recommend? Love to hear it and we'll consider reading (if we haven't) for a future must read books review or invite you on to talk about it! 

Boost Productivity and Creativity and Earn More

Motivate adults to take more activity breaks for reasons other than fat loss, looking good, sleeping better.  You may be able to leverage your business clients – and swing some corporate coaching gigs because activity supports creativity and productivity. 

No one is encouraged to take vacations, personal days, rest, or get a massage. At least not without a little teasing or guilt.  Accomplishments and work is rewarded far more today than vacation, rest, rejuvenation.

But there’s a wealth of information available proving that the breaks you take from the grind are where your breakthroughs will happen.

Albert Einstein’s breakthrough insights on relativity came not while at his desk but while riding his bicycle outside.

A creativity moment is not uncommon among exercisers. It’s no surprise that many writers tend to also be runners – or is it runners tend to be writers ?

Following exercise brain waves enter an alpha state associated with a reflective, clearheaded state of mind that is ripe for new ideas.

Could that be sabotaged by constant listening to podcasts or conducting phone calls while you’re working out? My guess is that the typical millennial (and my apologies to Millenials who don’t) who is scrolling through emails, Instagram, and Twitter between sets is not getting any creative breakthroughs.

Exercise is a Game Changer

Exercise could be a game changer – not just for longevity, and disease prevention, or fat reduction, getting into those back-of-the-closet clothes, but for reaching career goals. For men and women in midlife stressed, pushed, crunched for time, the break could mean avoiding breakdown and having breakthrough energy.

It’s longstanding knowledge that exercise decreases stress. This is so very related. Exercise is often the very thing we humans may not do while we’re in the middle of a final or important project because of the need to finish it. 

There we are never realizing, or acknowledging that the longer we stare at a computer screen, sit in the stacks of library studying, pull together lesson plans for the semester, we could be avoiding the very thing that will help increase the quality and decrease the time it takes to finish the task.

Similar to the rest between fitness sessions being where the body actually gains the fitness… it’s not the actual doing of the research, the pulling together of the presentation or the notes for the report, but in the breaks for physical activity (and of course proper sleep and food) that the ideas happen. The right passage for this chapter or activity to bring learning to life, or the slogan for an ad campaign come to life not because of pushing hard but because of allowing that work foundation to then flourish when you’re away from it. 

Most important to remember is fitness won’t happen in the presence of overtraining. So too could productivity and creativity suffer in the presence of overwork. Major projects aren’t born out of pushing through as much as planning, working, rejuvenating, and reworking with better ideas. 

Intuitively we know this. You write an email or an article. You don’t send it. You come back later proof read, edit and then send. The time away is what lets you get it right.

Google is known for establishing campuses for employees that supposedly encourage them to stay longer. Yet, Google creates playful environments, and bike shops within it’s buildings where employees can tinker on bikes, they feel encouraged and supported to be active not in small ways but big ones.

Dedicated space and tools are provided for bikers in the active bike community of Boulder. Showers are on site so employees can ride to work or take midday rides to free creativity. Why does Google do it? They know it will boost creativity and productivity. 

A 2014 study by scientists at Stanford University showed that walking significantly improves certain types of cognitive efforts involved in creativity, specifically convergent thinking, such as the ability to come up with solutions to a problem, and divergent thinking, which involves conceiving open-ended, original ideas.  

Chronic stress in the presence of overwhelming schedules, projects, responsibilities, real or assumed, results in HPA axis activation constantly. HPA being the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal axis I discuss related to adrenal fatigue and true not just feelings of burnout but physical burnout. Before that physical tipping point however is where a lot of clients – particularly midlife clients – exist.

It actually reduces cognitive performance, reduces thyroid function, creates blood sugar imbalance, disrupts sleep, and lowers immune function (along with many more physical changes).

I’m highlighting the cognitive and mental changes that really occur in spite of the tendency to state there’s not time for exercising because there’s too much to do. As if spending more time on projects will actually get more done. It seems that the opposite is true. Taking time away from constant focus for short mental and physical breaks- or mental while physical breaks – is proven to be more effective. 

Chronic Stress and Fight or Flight

With stress and unwillingness or inability to apply better health habits, you can easily create your own threats in your mind where none actually exist. By telling ourselves we can’t exercise because of a big project or crisis at home… or maybe this is you working on a new program, writing your 26 New Year’s clients workouts for the week. We actually create the health issues that create the inability to focus, concentrate and do our best (and fastest) work.

That spirals into thoughts of losing clients, losing jobs/getting fired, or failing school. Recently, a client had committed to strength training twice for about 30 minutes each and going to bed at a specific time as her homework. When she checked in at her session she’d done no strength training and she’d blown anywhere past bedtime by 90 minutes to 4 hours.

She got adamant about making herself miserable for the next 4 months of her teaching were going to be hell. No suggestions were helpful. There was a reason each of them wouldn’t work for her and her situation was different.

The Opportunity

I encourage you to offer a challenge or invite clients to a study. Find a company you can work with on creativity and productivity related to exercise adherence. Create a simple assessment tool – a quiz from managers or from employees or both. Find out starting ratings on the quality and quantity of work and stress levels, perceived creativity and productivity. Then have them exercise regularly regardless of schedules and see what the change is after a period of time.   

Additional Resources include:

https://news.stanford.edu/2014/04/24/walking-vs-sitting-042414/

“When I’m still the mind can race. When you race – or run or swim – the mind can watch and be still.”

 It's during that stillness the seeds you've planted through research and study that the breakthroughs happen. 

 

Have you ever wondered about coaching for personal trainers so you could accelerate your business?

Similar to coaching your fitness clients, coaching for personal trainers is an investment in faster growth than you can make on your own with a plan that accidental success won’t give you.

What’s accidental success? The handful of clients that find you, the clients you’re given because someone else left or stopped training and you just happened to be in the right spot at the right time – that’s accidental success. Unless you make something of it and renew, get referrals, and begin to attract on your own, you have no business model that is sustainable. 

You need the answer to this question:

Where will your next fitness client come from?

You have to have a predictable way to attract a predictable number of leads, that you can predict a specific percentage will become customers. If you don’t have a lead-generating vehicle in your business, you may not have a business. You may have a hobby that ebbs and flows without predictable revenue. That my friend, is not a business. Try it with your light company, mortgage, or kid’s pediatrician or college education. You are going to have to pay them on time. 

So this episode is all about coaching for personal trainers, the very very basics of who you need to be in order to attract clients. You’ve got to have behind-the-scenes pieces in place. If you don’t know who you are and “why you” you surely aren’t going to convince a client of that.

My Guest is Personal Trainer and Health Coach, Carrie Leonardini. Carrie graciously offered herself up for live coaching for personal trainers and health coaches we do here from time to time. 

We began with remodeling Carrie’s introduction. The bio she sent me needed polish! Carrie is articulate, experienced, and confident  - all qualities that her target clients would find attractive. She also likes to have fun and use humor.

This introduction she gave me failed to tell her audience anything like that.

As she has gotten older she has delved deeper into learning and growing in the knowledge of what it means to be healthy and fit and she loves seeing not only the transformation in herself but in her clients as well.

As a Personal Trainer and Heath Coach, Carrie is passionate about educating and encouraging women to take back their strength, health and empowerment. She has a whole body approach that encompasses mindset, fitness and foundational health. She’s a mom of 2 and currently resides in Northern California and is working to reach as many women as she can to help them achieve a life of health, wellness and vitality.

So…

#1 thing I would love to unpack with Carrie… is how to write an amazing BIO. (for introductions, website, social media)

Something that attracts your audience -  your ideal customer – we refer to as your avatar.

Don’t use words that don’t mean anything. “older” “what it means to be healthy and fit”

Don’t waste a word.

Build credibility –

• Years with experience 12 years
• Certified Personal Trainer
• Health Coach

Build authority –

• Published on women’s

Build rapport – use the power of three

• Have a quirky sense of humor
• Snorts she doesn’t laugh
• Sense of fun
• Reading personal development
• Being outdoors
• Learning

If working with moms between 34 and 50 years old is your target then be sure you’re talking to them like you’d talk to a girlfriend on the phone.

Describe them as if you were describing your best friend. You should know them better than anyone.

Committed, Dedicated, Receptive

Mobility, Weight Loss, Feeling

How do they want to feel?

How do they feel now? Frustrated, fearful, discouraged, ready for change

Make yourself distinct not generic. Make someone listening know in seconds if they would want to have coffee with you or not.

Say something! (Say everything in a way no else can say it).

SHOW DON’T TELL

Tell me if you have a sense of humor by showing it. Don’t say “I have a sense of humor” show me in a humorous introduction that makes me smile!

Tell me if you’re a geeky science girl.

Tell me if you are in the boat rowing with me.

Tell me you have personal method or step-by-step program.

For instance…. I’m a triathlete. But that might alienate me from women I want to help. So I tell a triathlon training story about having snot from ear-to-ear and being allergic to the chlorine in the pool I swim in and more. I laugh at myself and paint an anything-but-glamorous or sexy image of myself. I use an introduction that says I now swim in paperwork, ride the desk, and run my own business for the last five years far more than I do any endurance training. So all those women sitting behind a computer all day know I get them and I am not exercising all day. 

Top 3 Questions Carrie asked me for this coaching for personal trainers session:

1. How to reach potential clients the best when you work independently and don’t have a brick and mortar place to hang your hat?

That’s an opportunity not something holding you back.

Everyone is looking on line FIRST.

Get content out there – videos and blogs.

Know what problems you overcome for clients that a brick and mortar business can’t.

2. Which in your experience has been your best avenue to generate clients? Video, blog, in person, networking, podcasting….and where should someone who is only a year or two into their business start?

ASK.

Literally ASK for the business. Think of three people you need to contact and do it. Today.

Passive marketing that’s always there is something you have to do… but it’s not going to bring you business.

Pick up the phone and call at least one person you know you can help every single day.  

3. Knowing what to focus on each day in your business that moves the needle forward so over time you have the domino affect from your consistent habits/practices.

ASKING a prospect to become a client every day.

Get out of discomfort.

Fill yourself up to the point you can work on more passive streams of revenue right now. So gradually you can create a lifestyle and work schedule you want. 

Look for speaking gigs every day.

Carrie also added this to me in our correspondence before we recorded this episode:

Writing is not my gift

Here’s the coaching for personal trainers tips I have for you if you’re thinking the same. Stop saying it.

You have to write.

You have to stop telling yourself anything negative about writing.

• Talk it and transcribe it if you don’t write well.
• Read Stephen King’s book on writing.
• Start getting better. 

Connect with Carrie:

Facebook.com/takeyoursheback

Interested in coaching for personal trainers or health coaches for yourself?

Connect with Debra via:

Fitnessmarketingmastery.com

 

Looking to attract women between 45-65? The Flipping 50 Specialist offers a certificate program PLUS templates and tools for your business and support marketing and positioning you as the expert. Coaching for personal trainers and health coaches is a significant part of the Advanced Specialist program.

Personal training clients don’t tell you everything. But if they could, this podcast might describe it best.

Allan Misner was your client. At one time he topped the scales at 250. He’d tried and failed many times. Today, he is a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Certified Personal Trainer and a Functional Aging Institute (FAI) Certified Functional Aging Specialist. He is the creator of the thriving 40+ Fitness Community, providing one-on-one and group fitness coaching, nutritional guidance, and personal training for clients over the age of 40.

I asked Allan for insight only someone who has been that client and now creates solutions for them could know.

Insights from this episode:

1. Know that: Anyone asking for help is being incredibly vulnerable and you want to respect that. You haven’t heard it before from that client even if you’ve heard it before.
2. Learn their language and use it.

If they use slang, you use slang. If they’re more proper, you be more proper. Your personal training clients are each different. You may have a method but it only works if you can relate to them.

3. Be able to justify every exercise that you recommend.

You should have  a reason why they do every move that is tied to their ultimate goal. Why are you having them sit or stand? Why are you having them do it on a machine or using free weights? Why standing on an unstable surface?

4. Get them in an area where they are comfortable.

When they’re feeling vulnerable they aren’t feeling safe with you. Who wants to return to a place they don’t feel safe over and over again? Your personal training clients give you their trust, for a short time, and you can earn it for longer. 

5. Explain why they’re doing the things they’re doing.

They (as well as you) need to know. When they can connect the dots between where they are and where they want to go and the steps you’re giving them being the solution to closing the gap your personal training clients will keep coming back and stay motivated. 

6. Be interested AND interesting.

Show interest in them. You are a part of their lives. For you it may seem like one of dozens of clients. But for them you are their only personal trainer. They want a connection with you that feels like a friend or family. It’s possible to do that without breaching professional boundaries.

“Conversational is the new professional.”

7. Be one of the five people they most want in their lives.

Be one of them that lifts them up. In your personal training clients lives you are in a unique place of influence. Where else can you leave every single customer feeling better when they walk out the door than when they walk in.

8. Have fun.

When you’re having fun your personal training clients have fun. That’s something we all want to rinse and repeat.

Allan’s new book: The Wellness Roadmap

Available at Amazon in hardbound, paperback, ebook, or audiobook. 

40plusfitnesspodcast.com/flipping

Social Media: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/40plusfitnesspodcast/

Twitter: @40plusFitnessPodcast

A lucrative fitness career is not based on a degree (or another one) or a certification (or six more). It's not about luck. 

It’s about risk. 

About 35 years ago I told my parents I was changing my major from graphic design (they understood) to physical education (no one really understood yet).

About 30 years ago my step dad asked me, “just what is it you’re majoring in?” while I was in grad school, studying exercise and sport psychology. Again, he hadn’t a clue about what I was doing in school or about how it was going to help me once out of school (and off the payroll)!

I talked recently with Sara Kooperman of Sara’s City Workout. She mentioned what it was like - around the same time - telling her parents she was going to open a gym and teach aerobics … with a law degree. 

That’s a risk.

It was then for sure! There weren’t fitness businesses on every block or hundreds of thousands online yet. It wasn’t common knowledge that we all need to exercise. Today if you’re a high school student who wants to be a personal trainer no one looks at you like you just said you want to work long hours and be broke. If you’re 50 or 60 and decide you want to switch careers and be a health coach or trainer people will think it’s cool not that you’ve lost it!

Still it might feel risky. A lucrative fitness career doesn’t just come automatically with a degree or a certification or because you personally look fit.

Creating every new project elevates the game so the nervous feelings or insecurities you feel are a part of your success not signs of failure. 

Random Conversations

Someone just two days ago said hello to me in the women’s locker room at Rally sport where I personal train and train personally. She recognized me and asked me to remind her my name. We were literally 10 feet from the steam room where we met the very first Saturday I was at Rally. Exactly 16 hours after I drove into Boulder.

She said, “you made it.”

I said excuse me?

She said, I wouldn’t want to be moving into Boulder in these times. It’s a tough town. It’s expensive.

I was quiet. I didn’t know what to say.

But I was thinking.

There wasn’t a choice. I didn’t have a choice. I never thought it wasn’t going to work out. It hadn’t crossed my mind there was another option but to do it. 

Don’t think I didn’t consider other things, but for other reasons. There were other opportunities, not alternatives because of a dead end.

Had I not HAD to take risks and make things happen I don’t know what would have happened. 

I think… less. Just less.

I would have been comfortable. I would have been FINE. And by that I do mean the acronym. Fucked Up Insecure Neurotic and Emotionally disturbed. 

I would have gotten resentful and small instead of growing so much more. I would have missed moments that changed my life and others around me forever.

There were hard things. Incredibly hard things. But nothing about my life will be the same because of them no small things will matter the way they once did. I see people better. 

Weasel words that get in the way of a lucrative fitness career

If you’re giving yourself an out, a possibility that it won’t work here’s how that shows up: 

You say,“try it.”

You’re going to try it.

As opposed to you’re going to do it.

You won’t come up with the best answer right away. You may have to try different things… different headlines, different images in your marketing, different sales scripts even different exercises in a session, but that should feel like a strategic testing process. 

That’s just part of the steps anyone goes through to define the right answer to a new problem.

You don’t have to.

You have a spouse who’s really the breadwinner. You are just doing this because you love it. You’d do it even if no one paid you.

You may think these are good things, even be proud of them. Yet, they hold you back.

Invest in something (yourself for one). Take a risk. You’re not really reaching potential until you create something. Be an answer to a problem.

I didn’t have a choice. I sure didn’t imagine putting my house on the market, moving two states away, living in a relative’s lower level bedroom, and folding towels at the front desk as life goals for my 50th year on the planet.

Do You Give Yourself an Out?
But the alternative was non-existent. I didn’t want to have a “job” or stay in the same small (-minded or otherwise) business or town. Taking a risk was far better than the safe alternatives that were making me nauseas. 

You need to get there. 

If you’re not uncomfortable you’re not growing, not much.

If you’re lying to anyone else you’re really lying to yourself. 

You can have a lucrative fitness career that isn’t just a “job” or a hobby you do when you’re not doing what’s really important, or safe, for you.

You do have to take a risk to get there.

I encourage you to ask some tough questions of yourself. How safe is your current fitness career status right now? How much risk are you taking?

Ask the Hard Questions
Do you love where you are or do you wish you had a more lucrative fitness career that was also more fulfilling?

What are you going to do about it?

If you’re just starting out, how willing are you to take a risk? Are you looking for that safe position working for someone else with insurance so you’re fed clients? But might be also tempted to complain that they’re taking all the profits? How ironic that the business willing to take the risks should also take the biggest profits? 

It’s not an accident. No one is really out to take advantage of you. Even you don’t believe that. Businesses that stay in business take care of everyone. There is opportunity for you to do well and have a lucrative fitness career. There’s never been a better time to be in fitness. But the competition is growing. You want to be better and heard above the noise. 

You don’t want to be another choice. You want to be the choice. 

Want to talk?

P.S. If you're thinking, I don't want a lucrative fitness career, I just want to help people. That's noble. But nothing will enable you to help more people than having a lucrative fitness career. They're not mutually exclusive. They actually have to co-exist. 

Links to resources: 

Fitness Careers You Haven't Considered

Is it time for you to write a fitness book?

How would you like to charge more for services?

Or get more media exposure?

And have an easy NOT sleazy way to attract customers who really want your services? 

My guest today has the answers to how to do all three of those.

Oh, and by the way, there are way more than three reasons to write your fitness book. Bonus!

If you’ve already got a book don’t click away just yet. Are you promoting it in a way that gets you crazy good results? Has it really elevated your business? When you write a book that’s what you want, right? If you published it but it’s not working like a little soldier bringing you business every day effortlessly, this is for you too!

Melanie launched owned and operated 2 independent TV stations in Houston and Dallas Texas and has a background in Media, Marketing, Public Relations and Advertising. In addition, to creating and developing successful businesses she has created award winner advertising campaigns.

Here are the questions we answer on today’s episode:

1. Ask about my background and went from TV to publishing
2. Why should every business owner/ speaker/consultant have a fitness book
3. Best ways to write a fitness book
4. Most important things to include in your book. 
5. How long does it take to write a book?

We also talked about obstacles to writing:

• I have no time to write a fitness book!
• I’m not a good writer

Don’t miss the 10x10x3 Formula:

• 10 Most FAQs
• 10 SAQs
• 3 stories to each question

Awesome Tools: OTTER will transcribe your book if you record it.

Your book:

The one asset that can work harder for you than anything else you can do.

Fastest Way to Credibility

Why you want to write a fitness book:

• Credibility
• Raise rates (you’re now the expert)
• Foot in the door when you otherwise can’t get a response

Good Book covers:

• Contrast
• Keep it simple
• Bold colors
• Font is legible
• Be clear not clever
• Key word loaded

Connect with Melanie:

www.EliteOnlinePublishing.com 

amazon.com/author/melaniejohnson 

Thanks for leaving a rating in iTunes!

1. Click here
2. Click to view in iTunes
3. Click on ratings and reviews
4. Leave your 5-star rating and comment
5. Know that I SO appreciate it!

Note: this how to hire the right person podcast was originally posted October 5. Technology somehow through a wrench in the audio. This is a must-listen - thanks for your patience as we resurrected the audio file.

How can you hire the right person every time?

If you’ve ever hired the wrong person, or struggled to even find a few solid candidates to interview, then this is your episode. If you’re going it solo, a part of a team, you’re on Main street, deliver services, or you’re online definitely take a listen to this podcast.

I recently had this conversation with my best friend who has more than 35 years of experience hiring and between the two of us we’ve been hiring, training, firing or being quit for a hundred years! Yikes!

We both agreed this is still one of the hardest things to get right.

So if you want to earn from our mistakes and from my guest today… pop your ear buds in or turn it up because you are going to need a team if you’re going to grow and make a difference. No one does it alone.

My guest today is Claire Garrigan.

She was among the top 3% nationwide for membership and personal training sales year after year, Claire now helps small-to-medium sized fitness facilities increase their revenue by teaching owners and staff how to sell consistently and effectively. Her sales training program, The Selling Fitness Blueprint, has been used in membership-based gyms and by personal trainers throughout North America and Europe to help fitness professionals not only increase revenue but to get them confident and comfortable with selling-without feeling like a used car salesman!

Download the cheat sheet for this podcast right now to help you get the most out of this podcast. You’ll hire the right person with a plan and you can create it right now.

1) For a fitness facility hiring membership sales staff OR a digital trainer hiring his or her first team members what are some of the key traits they should be looking for in a potential hire?

2) What are some of the mistakes facilities make when hiring their staff, sales staff or otherwise?

3.) Before you even get to an interview what are some ways you can screen to filter out the best clients and repel those candidates who would hate the job and make you both frustrated?

4.) What steps do you like to have candidates do to weed themselves out?

5.) What’s are some questions we should be asking during an interview to find out if our potential hire would be a good fit for our facility and truly are the right person?

6) Once you hire the right person, how do you set them up for success?

Connect with Claire:

http://www.whyilovemondays.com

https://www.instagram.com/whyilovemondays/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-garrigan-a5153b90/

Additional Podcasts You Might Like:

Career Truths podcast with Erin Carson

Personal Training Job Skills with Tom Durkin

 

4 Ways to More Fitness Clients Faster

Even during the holidays

1. Know who’s already looking for help.

This is what we call the low-hanging fruit for sure. When you want fast clients to fill your week you need to target those people who want it now. The fast track to more fitness clients is fitness seekers not couch potatoes.  You can always add those who need more education or more time to make decisions but they don’t help you grow fast.

2. Meet them where they are.

They are on line. Know you’re demographic (please, don’t say everybody). Then find out where they get their recipes, find workout ideas, where they connect with friends, or if they love to binge watch IGTV. 

3. Give them a quick win right now.

You get more fitness clients by giving more fitness tips they love. They will come back for more. To do this you have to know your audience. Is your ideal client fed up with every WOD featuring burpees she can’t do or hates? Is she in constant knee pain and wants to exercise and feel better but limited by painful movement? When you nail your ideal customer’s problem you know what she’s asking Google or YouTube and you can create an answer.

What you can’t give in this moment is your philosophy. No one wants to tune in to read a blog that’s preaching at her. If you aren’t thinking about ONE customer you are talking to then you’re talking to no one when you write a blog or create a video.

To get more fitness clients you’ve got to be empathizing, using words she uses and making a connection.

4. Tell them what to do next.

When you’ve done all the first three steps don’t leave them hanging! Once you’ve created 3 alternatives to burpees or 4 ways to relieve arthritis pain and move comfortably, then be sure you tell them what to do next! That’s called call-to-action and you think it’s silly but people need to be told exactly, don’t mince words, what to do.

Click here for my next video

Enter your best email here for my five inflammation reducing foods list

Be specific and tell them what to expect. How will it be delivered? How soon will it arrive?

 

 

Fitness careers are so attractive. What other environment could be as positive? Every day clients come to you and leave in a BETTER mood! 

Yet, fitness careers like any other profession can wear on you.

Motivation for consistently doing the things other people won't do (a simple secret to getting ahead) at times when other people won't do them can wain if you can't see how some of those less than "fun" tasks directly reward you or your business. 

Social media is such a black hole! It's a perfect example of where we may need to drag ourselves out of bed in the morning to do a task that feels potentially useless! And if you're lost in the weeds knowing how posting is helping you attract leads that become customers, it's easy to get discouraged! 

Fitness careers, whether personal training, owning or managing a business (or all of the above), are so like exercise for our clients and members. If you don't clearly see how what you do is helping you get where you want to go...it's hard to be "motivated" or even committed (which is much more important). 

The answer for us in the fitness industry has been in part measuring, followed by communicating the WHY of steps you give a client. We measure body composition, flexibility, strength for them.

What are you measuring to help you connect your actions to results? 

When I share social media strategy with fitness professionals, I don't go too deep into the social media weeds. We don't have to. The most valuable thing you can do is establish a system and do it consistently. From that you can directly measure the success of your actions. 

You can then adjust a variable and try it again. Each time you get better and your strategy improves. 

Fitness careers require wearing a lot of hats. Yesteryear they were giving tours, answering phones, education, booking literally in real time and space. They haven't changed so much as we've moved into digital space options. You may still be doing the marketing yourself. It's important that you know what numbers are the ideal numbers to track! 

Hint: It's NOT your number of fans and followers. It's not even likes on posts. There are more important numbers. 

When you can see how you monetize your actions, you'll be so much more committed to doing those actions. 

Fitness careers are rewarding. They also require components that are work and are not always things you love. While you're doing them, before you hire and delegate, create a system of actions - tracking - assessing - tweaking and testing new actions. 

Https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com 

Resource: 

(Also available at Amazon)

Do your clients suffer from emotional eating?

Do they cancel or seem non-compliant and fail to get results?

Do you think they just lack willpower or discipline? And… do you wish you had tools to help them??

You’re in the right place today. My guest and weight loss expert Tricia Nelson lost fifty pounds by identifying and healing the underlying causes of her emotional eating.

Tricia has spent nearly thirty years researching the hidden causes of the addictive personality. Tricia is an Emotional Eating Expert and author of the #1 bestselling book, Heal Your Hunger, 7 Simple Steps to End Emotional EatingNow. She is also the host of the popular podcast, The Heal Your Hunger Show. A highly regarded speaker and coach, Tricia has been featured on NBC, CBS, KTLA, FOX and Discovery Health.

Questions we cover about emotional eating in this episode:

1. What is your journey with emotional eating and how did it lead you to start Heal Your Hunger?
2. How do you know if your client is an emotional eater or a food addict?
3. Why do you think it is that 98% of all diet fail?
4. What causes emotional eating and binge eating behavior?
5. Is there more to emotional eating than eating too much and eating for emotional reasons? (I will describe the Anatomy of the Emotional Eater).
6. Do you have any tips to help clients differentiate between emotional and physical hunger?
7. What are three things you recommend a person do to end emotional eating now?

You will learn in this episode: 

• Why “comfort foods” are so comforting
• Why 98% of all diets fails
• How to help your clients differentiate between physical and emotional hunger
• 3 Hidden causes of emotional eating and how to heal them
• How to stop obsessive food thoughts
• The #1 weight loss mistake clients should never make
• How to manage stress before it drives your clients to the kitchen

Get Tricia’s Free NOW!

5 Things Your Weight Loss Clients Are Afraid to Tell You and

Why It’s Costing You Business

Deciding what your next fitness conference is going to be can be one of two things: incredibly overwhelming or random. There are so many educational opportunities available both online and offline that it’s mindboggling. Though you may decide online is it so you can skip logistics, travel and the additional time onsite education takes, there’s a missing component for personal trainers gathering information that way.

The interaction and networking of an onsite even provides a motivation and energy that no online program can regardless of how good.

If you agree with that, there’s still much to consider about the reason you’re going and the kind of conference you’re going to attend. Do you need marketing and sales training? Do you need a depth of information in a specific programming area to set you apart as a credible expert?

This episode is all about a conference that is the latter. If medical fitness is your area your next fitness conference should be for and about medical fitness. We know the world is aging and the number of 50 and over clients is increasing. They’re educated, experienced, and they’re looking for trainers who are the same. In this episode I share highlights of the recent medical fitness tour – a special in depth fitness conference for those fitness professionals who want to serve those between medicine and standard fitness prescriptions that no longer fit.

My guest

Tony Berlant is a consultant, a published researcher, an author coach, and a veteran of the health and fitness industry with more than 20 years of leadership experience. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in Psychology, and his Master of Science degree in Exercise and Movement Science (focusing on Exercise and Sport Psychology) from University of Oregon. He has served as a certified personal trainer (NASM-CPT), a multi-club regional fitness manager, and a corporate-level Director for some of the most well-known companies in the industry.

He is currently acting as the Director of Education and Programs for the Medical Fitness Education Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and delivering education and practical application for fitness professionals and other allied healthcare practitioners in the areas of chronic disease and other medical conditions. He consults for the organization, assists in the production conferences called the Medical Fitness Tour, and is involved in all areas of operations.

Questions we discussed in this episode:

How did your career with the Medical Fitness Education Foundation begin?

What is Medfit's mission?

How is Medfit's mission important to you?

New projects include Medfit TV, webinars, and the Tour- when was the tour "born?"

What makes the MedFit Tour a different kind of fitness conferece?

What cities are on the Tour?

• Phoenix
• New Jersey
• San Francisco
• Chicago (in conjunction with Club Industry) 

What’s the presenter and topic selection process for Medfit events? 

Our virtual fitness conference recap

Tony and I did a recount of the recent Medfit Tour in San Francisco and talk about highlights of topics and speakers offering medical fitness education during the 3-day event including:

Phil Kaplan

We have a broken, “I am…”

~Phil Kaplan

Andrea Leonard

Dr. Joel Fuhrman

“Exercise is the only way to speed metabolism without accelerating aging.”

~Dr. Joel Fuhrman 

Dr. Tonya Butler, (Functional Biomechanics in Special Populations) TriggerPoint Performance Therapy

Dr. Evan Osar, Co-founder, The Institute for Integrative Health and Fitness Education

“Every single medication has side effects.”

~Dr. Evan Osar 

Dr. Kevin Steele, President PTonthenet, and PTAglobal

Dr. Jessica Knurick, Toolbox Genomics (DNA Testing)

Danielle Spangler, Founder of Coremoms

Dr. Christian Thompson, Dept. of Kinesiology, U of SF

Is this your next fitness conference?

Learn more about the Medical Fitness Education Foundation and ways to access medical fitness education online or live:

Your FIRST next step:

MedFit Network  | medfitnetwork.org

MedFit Education Foundation | medfited.org

ATTEND:

Medical Fitness Tour | medfittour.org

Colin Milner is CEO of the International Council on Active Aging and founder of the active-aging industry in North America. Milner is also a leading authority on the health and well-being of the older adult, and has been recognized by the World Economic Forum as one of "the most innovative and influential minds" in the world on aging-related topics. 

In 2010, CanFitPro Association awarded Milner with its Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the Canadian fitness industry. His efforts have many seeking his insights. Among these are: CNN, BBC, ABC, Newsweek, Wall Street Journal, NY Times.

Colin started at $4 an hour as a fitness instructor.

• Before ICAA what were you doing?  What was the trigger for you? The, I’m both feet in, I’m jumping, someone’s got to do it and it has to be me… moment?
• How has your work changed? How has it evolved?
• Is this what you imagined when you started it? 
• What do you expect to change - decline and/or grow in the future?
• What kind of sessions will trainers and health coaches find the upcoming ICAA events to help them expand their skills?

We tease some of the content and speakers at the upcoming ICAA conference.

 

Key Points:

• Definition is changing and it’s less about absence of disease and more about improvement of function
• The most necessary shift: Your own thinking
• The need for personalization is a key priority.
• Genetic testing, wearables and monitoring devices, artificial intelligence.
• Keeping them healthy so they don’t have to see the doctor for illness.
• What skills do you need as a trainer
• Understand the tools you’re using
• Integrate with other experts better for epigenetics, genetic testing
• How to get better results and prove the results.
• Former surgeon general Ken Smith talking about wearables 3.0 looking at what’s happening inside of your body  
• The active aging market isn't a special population but they are special: 

  ½ people in US are over 50

  50% of consumer spending

  spend $400 billion more than any other age cohort

  increased disposable income from 50 to 70%

  They are one of THE populations

Active Aging Week theme: “Inspiring Wellness”

1. increasing awareness
2. bringing in more people
3. connecting

Activeagingweek.com

Register as a host site

It’s all Free!! 

Get creative with activities that you can host, support, whether in wellness, fitness, or nutrition.

Upcoming Annual International Council on Active Aging Conference:

Long Beach CA

18-20thof October

17thpreconference: Falls/Fall reduction, Nutrition/protein and healthy aging/ID nutritional risk/malnutrition

Link to the conference details:

http://www.icaa.cc/conferenceandevents/overview.htm

Get Registered!

http://www.icaa.cc/conferenceandevents/rates.htm

This special episode brings two fitness professionals who’ve essentially made their careers helping other fitness professionals. They both work for the American Council on Exercise. 

Rachel Eidel is the Certification Program Manager for ACE’s Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor programs. She was born and raised in Colorado and now lives in San Diego with her husband and 2 young daughters. She’s been with ACE on/off since 2010.

Alex Link is the Certification Program Manager for ACE’s Health Coach and Medical Exercise Specialist Programs. She’s been with ACE for 7 years. In her free time she loves to volunteer and travel.

What I asked Rachel and Alex during our interview:

What is your role at the American Council on Exercise and what you do

What educational background did you have before working for ACE? 

Any other jobs you held prior to what you're doing now (elsewhere or at ACE)

Was this a position you'd aspired to or was it something that evolved? 

What was your career goal - heading off to school or changing majors.. what did you see for yourself?

What's it like to work at the American Council on Exercise? 

What has changed in the time you've worked there - biggest changes in the industry or how your job has change based on demand or growth in certain areas?

What do you love about your position?

What's exciting about the future of health and fitness? 

What would you tell emerging trainers who are seeking jobs or internships? How can they prepare themselves best for a career today?

Is there anything you'd have done differently?

Behind the Certification Scene with American Council on Exercise with Rachel and Alex: 

All American Council on Exercise certifications require:

1. 18 years or older
2. HS or GED equivalent
3. CPR-AED

The two advanced certifications for ACE, Health Coach and Medical Exercise Specialist, both have additional pre-requisites.

Health Coach is Required to have 1 of 4 pre-requisites:

1. NCCA PT certification
2. 2 year degree in Exercise Science or related
3. ICHWC transition program
4. Work experience

The Medical Exercise Specialist must have:

1. 4-year degree in exercise science or related field
2. 500 or more hours of training documented

*To learn more on American Council on Exercise requirements visit www.acefitness.org 

If you have questions for Alex and Rachel, connect with them:

credentialing@acefitness.org

If you’re working in medical fitness or want to this episode and the information about the Medfit Network is a must listen. If you’re wondering how to leverage your knowledge, how to connect with physicians and get referrals, and be found more easily, listen here. 

Lisa graduated from the University of California, Irvine’s Fitness Instructor Program, and went on to get her Certified Personal Trainer through the American Council on Exercise. She has many specialty certifications to work with those with medical conditions, post-surgical/rehab as well as pre-& postpartum fitness.  

Lisa founded the MedFit Network, an online national registry of fitness & allied healthcare professionals who have education and provide services for those with chronic disease, medical conditions, disabilities, and women’s health issues. 

She established the MedFit Education Foundation in 2017 to facilitate education for professionals to keep up-to-date with the latest information on prevention, treatment and preserving the quality of life for those with medical conditions, chronic disease, etc via, webinars and a national traveling conference.

Lisa launched MedFit TV this year, a collection of educational videos, webinars, and interviews with leading experts in their related fields.  It is free to the public and MedFit Network professional members and subscriber-based for all other professionals.

Lisa has been recognized as a fitness leader several times including Personal Fitness Professional Magazine and the Huffington Post. She was also acknowledged by the White House as a Champion of Change finalist in 2016.

Lisa and I discussed these things during the podcast:

How she you started personal training

The fact that “special pops” is now most of everyone we train

When Lisa began there was no education or easy access to continuing education. What was that like?

Lisa’s real purpose now is going to make a remarkable impact on the personal training industry and she shares how she’s doing it on this episode. 

Questions we answer on this episode:

• How can you be a part of Medfit Network?
• What are the requirements or screening? 
• How do trainers become a part? 
• What's the mission for MFN?
• How is MFN getting the word out there?
• How can trainers benefit from MFN?

Lisa’s tips for leveraging your medical fitness expertise:

1. Strong website – keyword-rich articles
2. Create a Network
3. Use, refer, and get referrals
4. Write for others and establish credibility from a third party

Resources Lisa mentioned:

The E-myth Michael Gerber

Connect to learn more:

If you are a a fitness or allied health professional and would like to join MedFit Network:  www.MedFitNetwork.Org

If you’d like to learn more attending, speaking at or being a sponsor at the MedFit Tour: www.MedFitTour.Org 

If you’d like check out webinars, videos and interviews visit:  www.MedFitTV.Org

Listen to the other episodes in this series:

7 Successful Fitness Biz Pros Share Tips

Email Marketing for Fitness Professionals

How to Get More Personal Training Clients

How to Find the Right Business Coach

Get Hired and Stay Full

Simple Secret to Longevity as a Personal Trainer

Careers in Fitness you haven't considered

Download the worksheet to get all the notes from our guests.

Osteoarthritis is prevalent in the two largest segments of the population – baby boomers and seniors – there is an increasing need for qualified health and fitness professionals like you to work with individuals experiencing degenerative joint conditions of the spine, hips, and knees. [These are individuals, who often have a sense of urgency and more disposable income- who are activity looking for you].

During this interview, my guest osteoarthritis expert Dr. Osar will share with you the three keys to developing and designing a safe and effective program for individuals diagnosed with spine, hip and/or knee osteoarthritis. If you’re already training clients with osteoarthritis you’ll love this.

Additionally, Dr. Osar will share how to attract and develop a business model that successfully serves the needs of this rapidly growing population. If you wish you were training clients with osteoporosis, this will help you position yourself as a credible expert among doctors with patients they’d love to refer.

Questions We Answered During This Episode:

1. What are the 2-3 differences between training the older adult population with spine, hip, and/or knee osteoarthritis and the younger apparently healthy population?
2. What are key things that need modification and/or you want to avoid in training the older adult population with spine, hip, and/or knee osteoarthritis?
3. How can fit pros best position themselves as experts in working with the actively aging adult population with osteoarthritis?

Even if you’re already training clients with osteoarthritis (it’s hard not to!) you’ll pick up some tips to boost your confidence and reinforce the value you’re giving so you can position yourself better.

Connect with Dr. Osar

1. Learn more about the continuing education: IIHFE.com
2. See Dr. Osar at the MedFit Conference in San Franciscowhere he’s presenting on training clients with Osteoarthritis.

Details about the Medfit even in San Francisco: Main conference registration (Saturday & Sunday) include: + Nine educational sessions (with CEUs for fitness professionals) + Two 90-minute lunch & learn discussion groups + Networking and Expo + Saturday evening mixer with drinks, appetizers, and music + Complimentary 1-year professional MedFit Network Membership ($169 value!). Four optional half-day pre-conference workshops will be available on Friday, September 7 before the main conference. This 3-day event is for you if you want to start or enhance your career in medical fitness.

https://medicalfitnesstour.org/event/sf/ 

See you in San Francisco!

 

 

Simple skills build personal training careers. In an iconic fitness and health environment my guest has built her own career and launched the career of many others. She has seen and shares the simple habits that build sustainable personal training careers.

Erin Carson is co-owner and operator of RallySport in Boulder, Colorado since 1991 – present.  In addition to the leadership duties associated with running a successful training facility and health club, Erin runs ECFit Boulder, a strength program designed for those seeking to perform at their very best.  Her clients include world champions and olympians as well as everyday athletes seeking excellence.

Erin is the strength coach for many current and former world championship athletes including Mirinda Carfrae – 3x Ironman World Champion, Flora Duffy – 2x ITU World Champion, and Timothy O’Donnell – Long Course Triathlon World Champion – just to drop a few names.

Erin’s commitment to continuing education plus her proven track record of success with professional athletes has made her one of the most knowledgeable and accessible strength coaches in the world. 

Questions I ask Erin in this episode:

1. What are the most important qualities Erin is looking for when interviewing Personal Training Candidates?
2. What are the key behaviors that dictate early success for a trainer?
3. What are the biggest mistakes you see for trainers who truly struggle to make this profession work for them?

Three Key Take-Aways for the audience 

1. This truly is PRODUCT YOU!
2. Who you are is just as important (if not MORE IMPORTANT) than what you know
3. Pay attention and learn from the feedback coming your way.  Recognize that not all feedback is verbal.

The most successful personal training careers are not about accumulating degrees, and certifications. They're not even about selling yourself. Erin reveals the importance of what has to both come before the education, and before sales, and is the sustaining part of the most prosperous and rewarding personal training careers. 

Connect with Erin:

Ecfitboulder.com

Listen to the other episodes in this series:

7 Successful Fitness Biz Pros Share Tips

Email Marketing for Fitness Professionals

How to Get More Personal Training Clients

How to Find the Right Business Coach

Get Hired and Stay Full

Download the worksheet to get all the notes from our guests.

Have you explored fitness career options outside of the usual personal trainer and fitness instructor culprits? Do you aspire to do something other than own or manage a fitness center? My guest today has some experience with unique fitness careers and he's going to open some new doors for yours.

Barry Ennis is a 31-year old fitness professional from Los Angeles. For years he struggled with standing out from literally hundreds of other instructors just like him and letting his unique voice and message be heard. In such a competitive industry, he felt like he wasn’t able to have the impact that he knew he could have.

Berry hosts a podcast called Fitness Career Mastery where he interviews fitness professionals and gets them to share how they have worked through their struggles, how they’ve achieved incredible success, and how they use their voice to change people’s lives for the better.

That intro didn’t do justice for you ..let’s do a where-in-the world is Barry Ennis right now?  And what are you doing?

This episode  explores unique fitness career options to be sure you – listener aren’t missing something you were meant to do… but haven’t yet realized is even an option.

How many unique fitness career options are there ?

Find a problem that needs to be solved. Helping fitness professionals navigate through their career.

As opposed to produce content for the sake of producing content.

Quote of the day:

“Comparison kills joy.”

“Real artists don’t copy they steal.” ~ Barry Ennis  They’re inspired by something else but they turn it into their own.

How did you start? What was your first gig? Doing the consulting?

A second yoga teacher certification  led to moving to India to study yoga indepth and got a job from someone he met. Job in Dubai so many more opportunities emerge.

• International fitness consulting
• Fitness model on videos
• Virtual personal training or nutrition consultation

QuestionsI asked Bart in this episode:

• How did you find your way to where you are now?
• What tips do you have for finding your niche?
• What are some examples of unconventional careers in fitness?
• Which niches may have a longer path?
• Future predictions about fitness careers

Take-Aways:

1. Questions to help discover your passion and best fitness career options
2. Action step towards what you want to do (sending an email, doing some research)

For early access to Barry’s fit pro resource:

Send an email to be@barryennis.com

URL: http://fitnesscareermastery.com/

Personal training job skills, the kind that get you hired and keep you successful, are the focus on this episode with my guest, Tom Durkin, operating manager of Ames Racquet & Fitness Center and Fitness World locations in Iowa… in business for 39 inside 6 buildings every day and at least 5 staff meetings weekly with 350 employees shares ideal personal training job skills from the perspective of a business owner and operating manager.

As a personal trainer you’re going to be interviewed when you apply for a job unless you go into business for yourself. Even if you do take on the business world yourself, you will find the conversation I had with Tom Durkin who’s been interviewing, hiring, training, and firing fitness staff for 39 years valuable.

When you have the opportunity to take advice from someone who has consistently and successfully been in business for 39 years, do it. Tom and I discuss the personal training skills that have made trainers successfully create both a career and a life they love.

Listen to this episode for ways you can round out your academic education, and enhance your personal training skills so you are uniquely attractive to your employer and your clients. The real skill is learning how to say it, write it, and sell it.

What we cover on this episode:

The importance of personal training in business revenue generation:

#1 membership

#2 personal training

Tom shared the Personal training traits that make a trainer attractive when he’s interviewing:

• Education
• Marketing
• Sales
• Promotion

The importance these personal training job skills:

• Willingness to market yourself
• Separate yourself from other trainers
• Follow up

We discussed payment options and expectations in personal training past, present, and future:

Hourly vs. Commission

Books Tom recommended:

The Brand Called You 

Shoe Dog 

Resources mentioned:

Dave Smith’s interview- How to Get More Clients

Other episodes in this series:

7 professional secrets of personal training success

Email marketing for personal fitness business 

How can you find the Right Fitness Business Coach to accelerate your business success? What are you looking for and how do you know you're a good fit? 

If you've ever had a tutor, a trainer, or a sports coach of any kind, you know the value of getting it right by getting feedback and staying on track. If your fitness business could use a boost or you could use a mentor this is your episode. 

Canadian fit pro Shawna Kaminski has been a fitness professional in the industry for over 30 years. She has a Bachelor of Kinesiology and Bachelor of Education and too many certifications to count. She is a teacher at heart, having taught school for 20 years.

Shawna is the #1 best selling author of ‘Lose Your Menopause Belly’ available on Amazon.During her career she’s owned a small group training studio and multiple fitness boot camps and helps thousands of online fitness clients worldwide with her fitness and coaching programs.

 She’s appeared on national TV as a fitness expert, authored articles in numerous publications and created curriculum for international fitness businesses.

Shawna’s response to what she would differently if she were starting all over again was all about getting a mentor, and recruiting some one – a coach -  to accelerate her progress, spare her of mistakes, and eliminate the need to re-invent the wheel. I loved that answer – so I’ve got a question when she got started 30 years ago  how she did it. The fitness industry looked entirely different. Shawna talked about her start and a pivotal decision she made about attending a conference.

“I know how to help people, I need to know how to make a business out of helping people.”

Sound familiar? If you’ve ever said or thought that, listen to the fitnessmarketingmastery.com podcast interview with Shawna Kaminski today and then listen to the rest of the series (three episodes before this one and three following). 

Shawna points out you want to vet coaches, and especially choose those who have done it, are doing it, and walking the talk.

Questions we covered in this episode:

• Who was your first coach?
• How did you come to the conclusion a business coach is what you needed?
• How did Shawna find the right fitness business coach?
• Tips for finding a perfect coaching relationship
• Do you coach other personal trainers and owners?

We can buy speed:

Shoes.

Bikes.

Business Coaches.

4 Steps to find the right fitness business coach:

1. Consume free content online.
2. Confirm their level of success. Look for social proof. Check those people out.
3. Make sure they resonate with you.
4. Reach out to them. Is it a fit?

Connect with Shawna:

Website: Shawnak.com

Facebook: Shawna.kaminski

Instagram: @shawnakaminski

 

How to get more personal training clients using simple strategies with today's guest. Dave Smith is a professional fitness and weight-loss coach who was chosen as “Canada’s Top Fitness Professional” in 2013. He also founded the Online Trainers Federation, which helps fitness professionals start and scale their online businesses. 

The number one question by almost any trainer is how to get personal training clients. Until that's not the question trainers struggle to make a living doing what they want to do, and what can change lives. You can get more personal training clients easier than you think.

Essentially, Dave is teaching his secret sauce to other trainers. And today, he’s giving it up for you. In our time together I have two questions for Dave:

1. How do I get clients?
2. How do I get more clients?

Dave delivers on how to get more personal training clients. Dave and I have had podcast play dates together before. The spoiler alert is this: we have a good time. I think that’s so important… because I think it means that you will take more away from this episode because of it. 

Pretend you're brand new. You've trained your roommates, your parents, and your best friends. Maybe you've designed a program for your sister-in-law to get her body back after baby. Now what?

How do I get paid to train and attract those kind of clients?

Then… how do I attract more clients? 

TAKEAWAYS from today's episode:

• How to get more personal training clients 
• Why you don’t need a big following to have a big business
• The motivator
• What 1000 “true fans” means
• How to know what to create digitally
• Identify your "counter-trend" product/service offering
• Create your "no brainer" program
• Batch test your offer until it clicks

Resources:

Link to Facebook split testing tutorial

Connect with Dave at onlinetrainersfederation.com

 

Dan Ritchie said he wished he'd know email marketing was a big part of personal training success. Are you using email marketing correctly? Is it at least a third of your business? 

I asked Dan, the question I most often hear: There's a fear that if you send an email people will unsubscribe, what do you say to that?

If your email marketing skills need polishing, if you hate it, if you want to love it and reap the rewards from it, you'll love this interview with Dan Ritchie. 

Dan's a fitness professional and an educator at heart. If he can embrace the power of email marketing to help his business of helping people grow so can you. 

Email marketing strategies using resources like AWeber, Constant Contact, Mail Chimp, Office Autopilot, and Infusionsoft are becoming the norm. Once you have them though the real work begins. What will the customer journey be? Which emails will you automate and what will go out from you in updates and broadcasts? 

When you start exploring email marketing there's a lot to consider and Dan and I did. 

 

 

Questions we answer in this episode with Dan Ritchie:

• How often do you mail your list? What do you recommend?
• What is segmenting an email list
• How to segment a list
• Has deliverability and open rate changed?
• How to send hundreds of emails a day without any effort
• Email services for beginning and growing into
• What's a good "first" email platform you recommend for trainers? and why? 
• Subject lines that suck vs. get your email opened
• The book Dan recommends
• How easy is it to make money online

Book Dan mentioned:

The Hour a Day Entrepreneur by Henry J. Evans

Connect with Dan:

functionalfitnesssolution.com

vibrantfitnessforwomen.com

https://functionalaginginstitute.com for a Free Starter Kit

Let us hear from you! Is email marketing something you've avoided or thought you didn't need? Is it something you're paying more attention to in 2018? 

Does it help to hear that a higher range of email frequency achieves  greater success in passive sales? 

Personal training success is dependent on a mixture of fitness education, communication skills, and business intelligence. This episode is a round up of six influential fitness professionals. 

I’m introducing the career planning optimization series and I’m hosting influential fitness professionals about the business. Each is either a master trainer, or fitness owner, or industry leader in some way who has enjoyed longevity of successful and profitable business. They share their response to "What do you wish you'd known before you got into personal training?"

This episode previews the series of full episodes with each and every one of them where they share their tips for your personal training success. 

Earn from their mistakes by applying their tips to invest in your education, coaching, mentoring or hire better for staff members who can cover the bases you can't or don't want to do!

Inside this episode you'll hear from:

Dan Ritchie of Functional Aging Institute, FAI, about the importance of email marketing in personal training success. 

Dave Smith, founder of an online fitness professional's organization about the importance of influencing fewer people in a bigger way for personal training success. 

Shawna Kaminski, influential Canadian business owner - midlife women's fitness specialist, and coach for fitness professionals, shares her 4-step process of vetting a coach and the the value of coaches and mentors.

Forty-year business owner Tom Durkin shares the disappointing reality he faced after adding personal training to his programs and services. It provides insight for personal training success skills you want in order to stand out. 

Lisa Dougherty, Medfit Network founder, talks about what she wished she'd known about the population's changing needs.

Barry Ennis, who has an international presence and career that will inspire you, discusses his biggest tip for personal training success and a career bigger than you might imagine right now. 

Erin Carson, owner and manager of Rallysport in Boulder and ECfitBoulder online training for triathletes and anyone who wants balanced fitness shares her golden secret for personal training success. It's not another degree, another certification, and it's available to potentially any trainer.

Leave your comments below the show at http://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com 

Leave a rating in iTunes (and subscribe to get the shows right to your phone). 

PTonthenet is an online education portal for health and fitness industry professionals worldwide. Since it merged with PTA Global, the two are a powerhouse of education, business tools, and convenience for a busy personal trainer or business owner who regularly onboard staff members. 

Kevin Steele, PhD President of PTAglobal/Ptonthenet is my guest on this episode. I talked with Kevin about his career and the mission of both companies. We dive into specifically special populations and medical exercise growth. His unique perspective and ability to look at the need and the demand for education in specific areas provides clues to the growing needs for the aging population. 

We answer not only questions about Ptonthenet and PTA Global, we covered these questions in this episode: 

• What have you noticed since PTonthenet was "born" in terms of popularity in special populations
• How has the demand for special population Ptonthenet content changed over time 
• What specific areas of special population content are growing more rapidly
• Is there a demand in one area that stands out
• How you can access ptonthenet for continuing education and business support
• How business owners can employ ptonthenet tools for a team of trainers or other staff members
• How you can contribute to PTonthenet (as an author)

We also discussed the new relationship between PTonthenet and the Medical Fitness Network. (Founder Lisa Dougherty will be an upcoming podcast series right here). 

The MedFit Education Foundation is working with PTA Global/PT on the Net to launch 12 medical fitness courses that include a donation to the foundation & a one-year membership to the MedFit Network registryfor course participants so the public can locate professionals like you who are qualified and ready to help them. 

Are you a medical exercise specialist or want to be?

The Medfit tour includes a two-day conference in San Francisco September 8 and 9. Main conference registration (Saturday & Sunday) include: + Nine educational sessions (with CEUs for fitness professionals) + Two 90-minute lunch & learn discussion groups + Networking and Expo + Saturday evening mixer with drinks, appetizers, and music + Complimentary 1-year professional MedFit Network Membership ($169 value!).

See details and Register here: https://medicalfitnesstour.org/event/sf/ 

Early Bird Registration through June 30th - save $100. This 3-day event will offer fitness & allied health professionals an opportunity to grow their knowledge in the field of medical fitness. Four optional half-day pre-conference workshops will be available on Friday, September 7 before the main conference.

Small group training is profitable and popular. Are you doing it?

In today’s world of fitness where working smarter not harder is so very possible today’s topic is exactly what you want to hear if you’re training coast to coast and wondering how to grow stable revenue you can count on.

Today we’re tackling small group training with my guest Steven Trotter. Steven's experience ranges from fitness program management in university rec programs on large campuses to facility design and organizational leadership. 

On this episode you'll hear:

• How Steven defines small group training
• The don’t-miss his analogy of the Super Shuttle vs. a private Limo
• Two big reasons you should consider offering small group training as a part of programming (or reinforce your growth of SMG!)
• How to Price and value position your SGT: how additions like nutrition- counseling or a promo week factor in 
• The specific % above break-even price for a minimum of 3
• How a participant’s involvement in an SGT program impacts adherence and attrition rate
• Tips for building rapport in small group training
• Screening tools/marketing tips to make sure that you get the right people in your small groups
• The difference between Small Group Training and group fitness: How to distinguish your paid program from free group fitness

4 Keys for success with small group training:

1. Have fun with it: If you're having fun with it your customers will too. Make sure you have the right butts in the seats teaching groups!
2. Make it memorable with tiny things: themes, names, and small expected surprises can make a difference. 
3. Celebrate small wins: most customers are terrible at doing this for themselves, so help them acknowledge it and the value of being in a group.
4. Control your product: Make yourself distinctly different and unique from any other option for you and your customer. You can't be just another group going on next door to a free program.

You can learn more about Steven and his work at www.globetrotterwellness.com

Books/Resources Steven mentioned:

Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown

The Power of Vulnerability by Brene Brown

Thanks for your rating in iTunes.

Look for Steven Trotter (and I) at Athletic Business Conference 2018.  

Are you coaching clients with food addiction who want to lose weight? Are you frustrated with a lack of success, and lack of compliance?

Today’s episode is all about tips for coaching clients based on the successful life-changing transformation of one man who has become a coach. He walked the talk first. He researched his own journey. Michael Leppo shares what he learned as he researched his own midlife transformation.

This episode will remind you (and your coaching clients) that it’s never too late. After decades of food addition, weight issues, and conditions caused by them, anyone can make changes.

Coaching clients is an integrated approach involving the science of exercise and nutrition, along with the motives, cues and triggers for behavior. Michael’s story is a perfect example of where coaching the physical process can often miss the underlying root cause of the problem. 

This episode is all about coaching clients who have started and stopped and still want to lose weight but can’t break a cycle and don’t know why. You can be the bridge to a new pattern of thought, action, and permanent behavior change.

 Michael shares valuable insight you can use with your coaching clients:

• Two things that triggered his change
• His age when he decided to change
• 3 Ways to motive coaching clients
• Why coaching clients have a hard time breaking a habit
• What’s going on in the brain based on the food your coaching clients eat

We discussed:

• The “bliss point” of processed foods
• Why the term “food washed” can help you understand your coaching clients
• Coaching clients through behavior change by better brain chemistry 

Michael offered suggestions to avoid these common mistakes working with coaching clients:

• Focusing on what you want to say next instead of listening to what’s being said or not said (why the common acronym WIFM is a priceless coaching tool)
• Asking closed-questions or leading questions (what to do instead)

Connect with Michael Leppo:

www.positivedailyfuel.com

Email: positivedailyfuel@gmail.com

Twitter: positivedailyfuel.com

Do you have a money mindset holding you back? Could you be earning more if you had a better relationship with money? 

Deborah J. Fryer, PhD is a catalyst for change and a transformational coach and speaker. She works with creative, spiritual, high-achieving entrepreneurs to help them tap into greater confidence, creativity, productivity, prosperity and inner peace. 

She Tells Her Money Mindset Story:

Yes. Headlines are I quit my life as a filmmaker in my 40s to go to medical school. When I was 49 I lost everything. Lost 1/3 of our house to the flood, my dad dropped dead 2 weeks later, and the next day I was working in the Anatomy Lab and it was my job to take a human heart out of the body. That changed everything for me. I realized I already had everything I needed within me and I started teaching what I already knew. Holding a heart in hands was one of the most powerful experiences of my life an it informs everything I do, teach and live - expand/contract, receive/let go, inhale/exhale, work hard/rest hard, etc.  

Deborah’s Money Mindset concepts:

You have hidden in your body a specific blueprint that dictates exactly how much money you feel comfortable earning, spending, saving and contributing. This secret subconscious programming runs like an inner financial thermostat that keeps you comfortable within a VERY narrow range. When you decide you want to grow – you want to work less and make more money, be your own boss and have more free time, have more authority and contribute more generously – your nervous system goes haywire.  

You have a money storyand Deborah has news for you. 
Your money story is not YOURS.
It’s not YOUR money.  

And it’s just a STORY that you can rewrite it when you decide you want to.

Questions Deborah answers in this podcast:

1. What is the role of the subconscious mind anyway? 
2. How does your subconscious programming affect your life? 
3. How do limiting beliefs affect our ability to achieve goals we have never done before? 
4. How does a listener change her money mindset or money story?
5. What does anatomy have to do with our money story? 

Quotes from this episode:

• Money shame
• Running your business backwards
• The way you do anything is the way you do everything
• Shift one thing you shift everything.

Amazing guests will join Deborah on the Money Mindset summit. One of my all-time favorite speakers, Dr. Sue Morter and 26 other doctors, thought leaders.

Energy, consciousness, neuroscience, your inner pharmacy,

Register Here for Master Your Money Mindset:

https://aq360.isrefer.com/go/MYMM2.0/a82

Connect with Deborah:

https://www.facebook.com/deborahfryer
https://twitter.com/djfryer
https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahfryer/

Is your fitness brand clear? Defining your brand in a way it's distinct and immediately recognizable is a must if you want to stand out. If you're spread thin, juggling social platforms, email, and your clients I'm willing to bet that you're social media platforms and your website don't all have a cohesive fitness brand. 

I know because I've been there. I am there. It's one thing that is going to require a constant monitoring. Things move rapidly and you may reinvent but you don't want to lose your fitness brand. 

Here's the five I discussed on this episode: 

• Make every profile image across your social media sites the same
• Make every social account reflect the same URL if possible
• Give every signature product/service distinction. 
• Do use your brand colors but don’t be afraid to mute them or dial up intensity to change a season, re-introduce or refresh an offer.
• Make sure every page of your website has a thread of your brand running through it. 

You can buff your fitness brand in as little as 10 minutes with one of these steps. Spend time doing each of them for the most powerful brand. 

Every social media platform has it's own rules and way to engage. Your products and services all have a uniqueness. Your webpages hold a blog, a schedule, rate schedules, and more. But there's still only one fitness brand that should be clear across all of them,

Like you have a personality, so does your business. Define your personality. Colors, fonts, and logos are just a start. What filters, how close, what backgrounds, and what mood describe your fitness brand? Is it what you say or what your customers say? 

When you merge your intention and your customers whispers in the locker room you've really defined your fitness brand.  

Thanks for leaving a rating in iTunes. 

Planning the launch of programs throughout the year is only as effective as the content you have finished that goes out during that launch. 

If you're an entrepreneur you're so busy doing day-to-day tasks and reacting to email, phone calls and life that you may never have the time to really create a plan.

Todays episode is all about the importance of it and the encouragement to do it this one time so that you have it in place all year. If you have evergreen programs you launch several times a year, or even monthly, taking time to create blogs or videos that will help relaunch and fill that next session. You can do it without scrambling, praying, or running a class that's not full and not the best use of your time. 

You'll need to carve out some time - probably that you have dedicated to something else right now - maybe your weekly blog or article has to be a rerun for once, or you let someone else guest-post instead to buy you some time. This is going to make your hard work you've put in on creating a program pay off so it's going to be worth it. 

You have the day to day things: the clients, meetings, classes, and returning calls and emails.

You have the long term programs you know you'll run. 

But if you don't have the promotion for those programs they may not be as full as they should be. They can't help as many people and they can't bring you continued revenue in the way you need them to either. Without promotion of the courses, workshops, or classes you've created it's like a vehicle without wheels. It's not going anywhere. The only way people will see it is if they come to you. But if you were out driving it around more people would become aware of it. 

So if people are aware they have a problem or they want some change, they have to also be aware of you and that you have the solution. They need to get why you're the right one for them. 

That all takes content that connects with them. 

http://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com 

Are you creating fitness blogs, videos, and or podcasts? You wouldn't start with "hey, you!" when someone walked in the door, but it may feel like you're doing that to your customer. It may feel to them like you aren't even talking to them. 

Have you ever been in a room and felt like the speaker or teacher was talking and that everyone else in the room was an insider but you didn't know what she was saying? 

When you say talk to "everyone" or "all of you" you suddenly alienate the one single person readying your content right now. 

That's the message landing context but the problem begins with the way you're thinking. By writing "everyone" or "all of you" I would guess that you're trying to be inclusive, all-inclusive. You're trying to cast a wide net. But it doesn't help you when you're all-inclusive. 

A line of exercise machines is fit to an average body type, right? If you've been in the fitness industry for even 5 minutes you know that no body has an average body. So it is when you try to build a newsletter, blog, or other content piece that is for some "average anybody." 

If you talk to one individual you'll have a much better chance of connecting. You talk to one person at a time more often (at least most of us) than you ever talk one to many. When there's a group of people sitting in a room at least if "all of you" is spoken they look around and understand collectively that includes them. But alone in a room it's just falls flat. 

The problem though you may be thinking, really? are you going on and on about this little thing?... it is a problem, is that there's a disconnect. Everyone doesn't buy your product. One person at a time reaches into their wallet and buys your program. 

Next, the small thing you're overlooking is follow up with people who just aren't ready and low hanging fruit. That 85% of people who has to think about it a lot longer (I've recently had two women in my group program this month tell me..."I've followed you for over a year and it took this long to reach out for her." So what if I hadn't continued providing free blogs and videos that solved problems and asked for her to take the next step? Either she wouldn't have gotten ready or she may have been asked by someone else. 

Eighty-five percent is an awful lot of people. I'd want to keep them. Don't you? 

http://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com 

 

Nutrition coaching... is it for you? Can you legally do it and be within scope of practice? A personal trainer who wants to be authoritative, credible, and stand out among the noise of health coaches and trainers today wants to have knowledge and tools beyond the norm. A degree and certification are not enough. If lab tests about nutrient sufficiency, hormone balance, blood sugar response, and food sensitivities are getting your attention, you'll want to listen and pay attention to this episode. 

This is the future of personal training that results in not only functional movements but functional protocols that balance hormones. It's not a doctor-only world any more. You can identify and use the right labs with the right customer needs and support change that changes lives. Nutrition coaching that is informative and supportive of change is not necessarily out of scope of practice for a personal trainer. Know what is and isn't an option for you. 

Reed Davis is a Certified Nutritional Therapist, received honors for his postgraduate work at The University of San Diego School of Law, and is the Founder of the Functional Diagnostic Nutrition® (FDN) Certification Course. Reed is known as one of the most successful and experienced clinicians in the world today, having provided functional assessments to over 10,000 clients for hormone levels, bone density testing, adrenal function, digestive problems, immune system and detoxification issues as well as testing for pathogens, food sensitivities and many related health problems.

Reed has served as Health Director and Case Manager at The Better Health & Wellness Center in Poway, California for over 15 years and now teaches a course in functional medicine with over 2500 trainees or graduates in 50 countries. He is also a Clinical Advisor at BioHealth Laboratory where he helps doctors interpret lab test results and develops natural protocols to restore function instead of just treating the symptoms. Reed lives in Southern California teaching the FDN Certification Course and helping his graduates to build robust, private-pay practices.

Get more information and make 2018 YOUR YEAR:

https://ua175.isrefer.com/go/Cert/V4Fitness/

Discount Code for $500 off the course (exclusive to our listeners): GOTIT500

Debra's Favorite Quotes from this episode:

“healing opportunities"

“treat nothing specifically, everything non-specifically”

“poop on insurance”

“No guarantee, [instead] responsible expectations”

“D.R.E.S.S. for health success”

“repair, rebuild, restore, rebalance”

Connect and Follow Reed and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition:

https://www.facebook.com/FunctionalDiagnosticNutrition/

https://www.pinterest.com/FDNTraining/

https://www.instagram.com/fdntraining/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7xDnEKCe9gKeWZ2vbE3C8w

https://twitter.com/FDNtraining

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+Functionaldiagnosticnutrition

https://www.linkedin.com/company/498977/

Prepare your fitness business for the best next year by planning with three things in mind. This super short episode I share three levels of planning for the new year's launches, promoting your best selling programs, and the promotions themselves. 

Join the webinar Saturday, December 9 for making the most of social media marketing that can strategically set your promotions in place for months ahead with a minimum of content creation. 

If you know what your bestselling programs are you can assess what you're doing to promote them. 

If you know what gives you the most energy and what drains you in your business you can consider what to drop, delegate, or develop. 

If you know what your overarching fitness business goals are then you can focus on how to get there and plan it so all you have to do is go into action.

Register for the Social 365 webinar

Once you've registered, I'll send you the link to the webinar. If you can't make it live you'll get the recording within 24 hours. Set your annual goal in action with promotions that are strategically planned. 

Stand out in the noise and volume of social media and electronic messages. It's not about more and more content. It's about better content and messages that your customers want. If you know them well by asking the right questions and listening to the answers, you're emails will be opened. Your posts will be read and shared. You'll be having a conversation instead of talking to them. 

Identify what questions to ask and how to ask them.

Create a file with copy that you can go back to again and again to connect with customers. The right customers, that is. 

If everyone loves you, you're doing something wrong. If at least 5-12% of people don't like you, that's about right. Your goal is to attract the right people and repel the wrong ones. 

What matters isn't whether they love you, it's whether you love them. Do you care enough to know them inside and out, to do the research instead of guessing that you know what they want and need? Do you stereotype after having a couple dozen sessions or a couple hundred consultations? 

Did you know it takes 10,000 repetitions to become an expert? How close are you? Even then, a study of one isn't really a study is it? So taking only your opinion of your reaction to customers is not as valuable as interviewing the customers to gather a diverse and bigger pool of responses. 

There's such a difference between journalism. english literature, and marketing copy yet too few trainers got into training because of a love for marketing. If you love people and want to help, you're the perfect marketer. 

Get the worksheet I created for you to take your copy further in the next year. 

Get phrases that will help you prepare your prospective customers for a purchase.

Get the resource mentioned in this episode:

Copy That Converts More Fitness Customers 

 

 

The #1 way to increase sales from fitness consultations, or bookings (if you do them) has nothing to do with your degree, certification, experience, or the type of body fat analyzer that you use.

Whether you spent $10,000 on an Inbody or $60 on an Omron or something else, has nothing to do with the buyer's perception of you during your session.

And that is all that matters.

What does make a difference in your sales from fitness consultations? 

Your attire can increase sales from fitness consultations or make it harder to sell.

Your competence can increase sales from fitness consultations. Your customer perceives your competence from your name tag (does it say "intern"?), the proficiency of putting on the blood pressure cuff, and informing them what's going to happen next. Are your hands shaking? Are you sweating or hesitating? Are you distracted? Do you seem to be trying to remember what comes next? It all matters.

Too tight of clothing and too baggy clothing both hurt your ability to increase sales from fitness consultations. Buyers, primarily women, were asked about their perceptions. They perceived both revealing, tight clothing and layers of baggy clothes as a clue the trainer was less competent, unprofessional, and less successful. 

We all want to work with someone more successful. 

Eye contact, rate of speech, and warmth with a customer matter. A weak handshake could reduce your ability to sell while a strong voice and handshake or touch at just the right time can increase sales from fitness consultations. 

Not doing fitness consultations? Your first meeting is your first impression no matter when or how that happens. A fitness consultation in itself is a sign of confidence. No one is wearing blinders today. We all are aware that free service is usually followed by an offer to take the next step. Few of us want to do a free consultation unless we're confident in our ability to help a customer, to interpret how we can help them, and ask for the sale.

Increase sales from fitness consultations by practicing now. If you're listening at the end of the year when it was recorded, nail this before the start of the New Year!

for a complimentary consult about the language and process you use (and a potential offer to take the next step, wink, wink) contact

http://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com 

 

Social media strategies are still a mysterious marketing tool for many fitness professionals. Getting into the work of creating programs, delivering services, responding to inquiries and just keeping up with day-to-day activities makes social media seeming less important.

It's not. 

It's not going away. 

Social media strategies can make social media a source of steady, streaming traffic that creates the first impression with your next clients and then shortens the time to you actually being able to help them.

You go through a series of steps with every new prospect. There are common questions that most prospects have and new customers ask after that. All of those can be partially answered even before someone begins with you. 

With social media strategies you can overcome objections of new customers before they get in the way. 

The social media strategies you employ for your fitness marketing campaigns can shorten the dating phase of your relationship and move you right into a longer term committed relationship. 

The reality of marketing's importance in the scheme of fitness business success is known to every successful and every failed fitness business. Relationships and community whether virtual or literal are increasingly important in our world.

People disconnected due to technology and phones, working virtually, traveling, isolated at home, or due to distance learning, want to belong to something greater and feel less alone. 

Watch and follow Flipping 50's community on Facebook. Though you can't see the private groups created you can see the way women interact with gratitude. Define your niche, create the space dedicated to your demographic. Talk to them and listen to them. 

For successful social media strategies you must connect the parts of your whole campaign. From your programs and services built based on your listening to clients and customers wants, to your website where they live, and the content where you attract customers by offering solutions, the social media is the legs for your content. 

If you've been beginning your strategy with social media as the beginning, go back and reroute. It will be well worth it. 

Connect with me for a strategy session: 

http://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com 

 

Getting prospective customers aware they have a problem, and you have a solution is the first step. If you're getting low rates on email opens, lower click throughs, and small engagement on social media, it's clear that getting busy prospects to engage is becoming harder. 

Here's how to get more opens, more clicks, more views on social media and get your message to more people in a way it will be seen. For free. 

fitnessmarketingmastery.com 

How do you launch? What is a launch? What are the first steps to a successful launch? Amber Spears is an experienced sales professional, entrepreneur, and Internet marketing expert who specializes in helping companies develop and implement sales and online marketing strategies.

Learn how much you should Earn Per Click, Earn Per Lead, (or what those are if you're not there yet!) and how to truly nurture relationships that will reward both you and your partners. 

Find Amber at:

www.mimosamastermind.com

www.east5thavenue.com

It's personal training program planning time. Profitable, full, programs don't just happen. Planning, programming, setting fees and then launching content for at least 8 weeks is what successful programs do. Here's how to take advantage of your summer blues. 

www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com 

Build a profitable fitness career with the business hindsight and predictions from one of the midwest's longest standing fitness business success. Opening a fitness business today is much less risky than it was 40 years ago. There was no personal training. There was a need to educate customers on the importance of exercise before they bought.

Today's guest may have helped more people with a fitness journey and more employees get started with a fitness career than any other privately owned business in the midwest. 

As he prepares to open two newly designed fitness centers in the next six weeks, hear what he has to say about the future for fitness businesses, and personal trainers. 

Leaver your questions below the show notes. With 7 business locations he's in daily working with 320+ employees, he's a little busy! I'll be sure we get the answer to your questions and post them here. 

http://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/the-voice-for-fitness-professionals-podcast/

Cracking the code on what works with your content marketing. Are you blogging, podcasting, and writing articles for your website? If you're thinking you're "done" when you've done it, that's like your client seeing you once a week. If they did no other workout, stayed up all night, stopped for dinner at the drive-through, you can guess what results they'd get right? Here's a simple explanation to make it simple and easy to gain traction with things you've already created. 

Leave a comment below. What is your question? Has this been helpful? 

http://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com 100

 

Avoid costly mistakes that take your time, energy, and money and miss the connection with your target market. What's new and working now. What's old and over. 

New Website! www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com 

 

Get your website right and you have the beginning of a relationship with customers that will buy more and stay longer. Get it wrong and they won't take a next step and you'll be scrambling to understand why you can't attract new clients when you know you have skills that will help. Avoid the mistakes that are most common and use your website to make a simple path to what a customer wants. 

Visit Facebook.com/fitnessmarketingbiz

or www.voiceforfitness.com/fitprosolutions (we're moving soon!) 

You went into business for more freedom, flexibility, and to be in control. You're serving others and running yourself into the ground. If you've built your business and customers up and feel like you're tearing yourself down and working more, this is for you. Dr Tony Rump shares his story and the reasons his summit evolved. Struggling to find time to work out yourself? This is your next stop. 

Keep up to date on the summit beginning in May here: 

www.docrump.com

and comment if you agree this is a needed topic. 

Moving from a brick-and-mortar business serving clients face-to-face daily to a digital business has growing pains. Today's guest Meredith Shirk shares her experience rapidly growing in the fitness industry from in person to online. 

Learn more about her business at: 

Sveltetraining.com

 

Once you have the mindset of growth, a plan for marketing, you can create systems that make it much easier to track content, repurpose content, spread the content across your social media sites, and then measure results. Clear, simple steps and actions instead of insane scrambling for "good" content with no objective in sight  gets results and customers. Third in a 3-part series.

www.voiceforfitness.com/fitprosolutions

Marketing without a plan feels out of control and keeps you busy without results. If you're not reverse engineering all your marketing to link directly to the action you want a customer to take, you'll attract fewer clients than if you're just sharing information. Create the why before you create the what. Identify the value of content and how it as a first step works only with the follow up to platforms. Second in a series of 3 short podcasts

www.voiceforfitness.com/fitprosolutions

Marketing is essential to personal training growth. The right mindset about marketing makes the marketing strategies available to you work. In this episode the difference between how you market as actions vs marketing strategies that have a destination, measurable tracking and truly help you grow more quickly with less effort. 

www.voiceforfitness.com/fitprosolutions

Program titles, promotional event titles, and headlines and subject lines are the only way some of your customers will ever know about your great program. Let's assume (dangerous) that you have a program built on what the customer wants and your only roadblock is your title because no one knows it's for them. Here's how to get specific and clear to fill every program every time. 

www.voiceforfitness.com/fitprosolutions

Statistics don't lie. If you are tracking your shares and comments you know without a doubt that the real estate and the time you're using for blogs and articles are working or not. Here are a few things to consider to make your blog best and serve your customers better. You'll lead them right to your program

www.voiceforfitness.com/fitprosolutions

Reach more people. Develop more credibility and authority on a platform your customers are able to access much more freely than your blog or article. Network with people you otherwise wouldn't be able to reach, and cross promote your business. What could be better than a podcast? Josh Nielson, founder of Zencastr.com   joins me today to share his story not of zencastr.com but of relating to your fear of not being ready, failing, and doing it anyway. 

Reach Josh at any of the addresses below: 

josh@zencastr.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/zencastr (@zencastr)

https://zencastr.com

Grow your authority, credibility, and your reach to potential clients with a podcast. It could be one of the easiest ways you increase your social media platforms success and one of the least tapped resources by fitness professionals. There's room for you. Listen to this dive into the creative process of starting your podcast and the reason it's such a smart decision.

www.voiceforfitness.com/fitprosolutions

You want both profit and you want to offer value for your personal training programs. Pricing is never easy for a service-oriented business. It doesn't matter if it's fitness or any other industry. How do you decide if the value you're offering matches the rate you're charging? If you need to hear that you should be charging more and raise your rates, you want to listen to this! 

voiceforfitness.com/fitprosolutions

Social media doesn't work! That's what I hear. If you're starting with social media posts, tweets, pins and stopping there, you are so right! If you're putting time, energy, and money into social without results, this is for you! 

www.voiceforfitness.com/fitprosolutions

Promote, advertise, or connect on social media with your prospects? All of the above are viable since unpaid posts are not. Distinguish the relationship you have with fans and followers before you begin posting and spending money on ads so you have clear objectives and understand the path that's working. 

www.voiceforfitness.com/fitprosolutions

Video marketing strategies will get you found faster than articles, blogs, podcasts and your website. How do you create content and format that works? How do you leverage your video to find local or global business? Dive into your best strategy for fitness marketing in 2017 right now. 

www.voiceforfitness.com

Health coaching is trending upward. The level of strategy, communication skills, and underlying methodology you use in your coaching with clients can distinguish you from the competition. Today I visit with found of the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, Sandra Scheinbaum. 

Resources: viacharacter.org

Resources: www.functionalmedicinecoaching.org

 

As always, leave a comment below and continue the conversation on Facebook.com/fitnessmarketingbiz

This is the last 11 of 51 ways to boost your revenue. If you're in the last quarter (or any) of the year and slipping away from your goals, the time to take action is now. More of what works is what you need and here it is. Daily actions in some proven ways to reach your target customer will win. They always do. 

connect with me at www.voiceforfitness.com/fitprosolutions

You won't believe the simplicity, nor the way you've ignored these because you're too "busy." You're never too busy to market! Make it your mantra. It's much too important to next week and next month.

www.voiceforfitness.com/fitprosolutions

Find there's so much competition that you wonder why or whether you can really be successful in the fitness business? That kind of resistance hits everyone. There's a few things to keep in mind to stay on the right track heading toward your goals. There's never been a better time to be in fitness if you keep them in mind. 

www.voiceforfitness.com/fitprosolutions

This is 21-30 out of 50 ways to fitness marketing on and off social in a series that will boost your bottom line. These are marketing things that are working now. Delivered two years ago at an IDEA personal training institute and polished with the recent changes and updates to social media. These practices are working.

www.voiceforfitness.com/fitprosolutions

Fitness marketing opportunities are often missed due to putting out daily fires. The magic in marketing is not in finding the one magic bullet but doing marketing consistently, frequently and religiously in order for it to work. Random acts of marketing get random results. Here's 10 more ways to integrate your marketing for systematic results. 

www.voiceforfitness.com/fitprosolutions

This is 10 fitness marketing steps in a series that includes 50 ways to boost your bottom line. These are marketing things that are working now. Delivered two years ago at an IDEA personal training institute and polished with the recent changes and updates to social media. These practices are working.

 

www.voiceforfitness.com/fitprosolutions

If you're settling for a paycheck without growth, or finding you're slipping backwards instead of moving forward these 5 reasons will get you off the plateau. 

Subscribe to the YT channel for new videos

Https://www.youtube.com/voiceforfitness

For more fitness professionals marketing and selling without selling tips:

https://www.voiceforfitness.com/fitprosolutions

 

We’re social

www.fb.com/voiceforfitnessbiz

www.twitter.com/fitnessvoice

Five marketing strategies that make or break your customer reach. You may be talking but if they're not listening it's wasting time, energy, and money. Here's out to connect with your customer better. Speak better, answer their questions, give them what they want not what you know they need, and consistently do research.

 

www.voiceforfitness.com/fitproblog

Today's guestJanice Jaicks Shares Her Journey from Instructor to Presenter to Conference Planner and beyond. She's now a conference planning consultant. You never know where your career will take you! You'll catch Janice's enthusiasm! You can catch it live and in person this April 28-May with a promo code Leap2016 and save $30 just for being here! For more information about FitnessFest go to FitnessFest.org or reach Janice Jaicks at:

480-461-3888

janice@fitnessfest.org

To connect with Debra:

www.voiceforfitness.com/fitprosolutions

You've got them. You need to keep them. They aren't all 100% motivated. How do you become the fitness whisperer? Get it in this short segment. 

Connect:

www.voiceforfitness.com

Find the Fitness Professional's Blog there and get insider information on the subscriber side. 

The simple, easy, fun way to becoming a fitness expert that no one is doing. #fitnessmarketingmastery

It's more simple than you think. You can do it. Anyone could. Anyone won't. The question is, knowing what it is, will you? 

Connect:

www.voiceforfitness.com

Find the Fitness Professional's Blog there and get insider information on the subscriber side.

If you're putting off implementing because it isn't quite perfect or isn't the right time, this is for you. The value of most things comes from getting 80% of the work done. If you have something out there, a product or a service you're offering it is at least going to make money (if in fact it is a good idea). If it's not out there at all it will make nothing except weight on your mind that prevents creativity. Get ___ done. 

Connect:

www.voiceforfitness.com/fitprosolutions

www.voiceforfitness.com/mastermind

 

 

We all think someone else has an army of a staff behind their success. Or we think it's easier for them. We think they're a natural at it. The truth is no. Anyone starting out is the staff, the boss, the janitor. So how do you keep up with it all. These 25 tools make life much easier and make your marketing look much more professional. Anyone can do it. 

www.voiceforfitness.com/fitprosolutions