If you haven’t wondered how to share a personal challenge with your community or clients, you probably will. Life is full of them and there’s one that’s bound to be one you keep to yourself for a while but that in fact maybe you can’t. It could be physical and impossible to hide if you’re on camera or in photos regularly. No matter what… 

 

There’s a right time and way, so this episode dives into how to share a personal challenge publicly. There are lots of reasons this might come up. You go through a breakup or divorce, especially if you’ve shared content that includes your family. You have a health issue. There’s a tragic death in the family. 

 

The Best Times to Share  

There are things to consider that may help you decide when to share if you have that luxury. (Remember you may not always if it is something physical). 

 

• After you’re healed from the initial personal blow.
• When you need to relay why you’ve been quiet or absent. 
• It will help your audience members going through the same or offer prevention so they won’t have to. 
  

You may recall a recent podcast episode I shared early in 2023 after interviewing one of our Menopause Fitness Specialists, Amy. (Link to both the Flipping 50 and the She Means Fitness Business podcast in the show notes today)

 

Could Sharing a Personal Challenge Backfire?  

Sharing too much could blur your own personal and professional boundaries. It can be a challenge to make the distinction if you are the brand. Is your name in your brand for instance? Then it’s you, right? 

I chose carefully to have a Brand name that was saleable later. Though I’m the brand for now, it has a mission, a message, and a project that are all trademarked.

 

I know a friend who as recently as 2016 was struggling as a divorced, single mother who took her kids camping so she could Airbnb her home to make the mortgage and in 2023 is traveling the world and thriving. To tell her story, revealing her name would be wrong. It’s not my story to tell. It also may be a story she doesn’t tell for another decade because it may be too recent, and may change the way her audience feels about her. 

 

When I was living in a town of 50,000 and everyone knew me because I’d been a fitness professional in private gyms, churches, universities, and corporations, published a weekly column in the newspaper, hosted a radio show… I was very private. My personal life was my personal life and customers were customers. 

 

When I shared my personal story in my TEDx talk, it was years later, I was speaking collectively to the world, not to a small group of next-door neighbors. So context is something to consider. You’ll know when you consider how it will make you and your family feel. 

Other Episodes You Might Like: 

Being Healthy Enough to Beat Breast Cancer: A Trainer’s Story: https://www.flippingfifty.com/beat-breast-cancer/

How to Be Healthy Enough, Profitable and Successful Enough: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/successful-enough/

Resources: 

Marketing to Women Copywriting Course: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/copywriting-course 

Health & Fitness Business Scorecard: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/scorecard

My TEDx Talk: https://www.flippingfifty.com/TEDx/

Whenever you’re looking at adding a product or service to your business or you want to know what your audience really wants so you can deliver, surveying your audience is a great way to do it. 

 

When you post on social media you can do it to connect, to attract, to research, and to sell once you’ve earned the right and then very infrequently. A survey for your audience falls under research. When you ask, you engage if you ask the right questions. 

 

Posting or sending surveys to your audience provides great insight to you but also allows your audience to feel seen and heard. 

 

Tools for Surveying Your Audience: 

• Typeform 
• Survey Monkey
• Questions in Stories 
• Posts in Insta or FB  

 

There is an art to writing questions. As a Senior Lecturer in Kinesiology, I recall writing those first exams, after kicking the pre-empted text-generated questions to the curb. It was painful. 

 

Then over at the testing center when we literally had to walk the bubble sheets over to get results back, there were reams of 8 ½ x 11 sheets of paper lining the walls with articles on how to write better test questions. 

 

Going to work for ACE (American Council on Exercise) as a Subject Matter Expert to write items for the Personal Trainer, Medical Exercise Specialist, and Health Coach certifications, there was always a short course refresher for us on writing the exam questions. 

 

Though you’re not writing for a nationally accredited certification or something that is going to make or break a college degree, you want to be sure you’re really asking a question that gets you the answer you want. 

 

How to Ask Questions: 

• Multiple choice 
• Ranking/rating 
• Round up responses to a specific question 
  

Part of asking is also in WHO you ask. Realize there’s value in asking on social media, but even if you call them yours… they’re not. You have no idea of whether they have ever spent a dime with you or ever would. So don’t put a lot of stock into what you ask or get too detailed… they’ll be over it. 

 

Survey Your Audience with the Right Questions

Sample questions you might ask: 

• Rank the following in order of importance: 
• Rate the quality of the [feature] 
• How important was __________ to your decision to purchase this product? 
• Which of these is the most important to you right now? (pick 3) 

When you survey your email subscribers be sure you weigh the responses of your buyers heavier than that of those who have never purchased anything from you. This kind of segmenting is possible with any CRM (customer relationship management) tool you use. 

 

Just a word about CRMs.I have used several to assist start up trainers, gyms and in rolling through growth myself so if you have questions on: 

• Aweber
• Constant Contact
• MailChimp 
• Infusionsoft 
• Or a custom email provider 
  

I can help you. I’ve used them all and I’ve looked at others. 

 

There are dozens more that you may be interested in. What you do want to know is that you have something that plays well with others. That is, you can integrate with your shopping cart, your website, and potentially plugins that help you automate so many things in your business so that you can focus on your personal magic. 

 

Other Episodes You Might Like: 

2 Goals of Every Communication (Sale or No Sale) that Boost Success: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/every-communication/

5 Hacks to Reduce Fitness Marketing Time Without Losing Traction: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/reduce-fitness-marketing-time/

Develop & Define Your Brand Voice | Fitness Marketing Made Easy: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/define-your-brand-voice/

Resources: 

Health & Fitness Business Scorecard: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/scorecard

The Flipping 50 Cafe:https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

Marketing to Women Copywriting Course: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/copywriting-course 

If you don’t define your brand voice, someone else will. 

 

In this episode I’m going to share a fundamental of distinguishing yourself from others. This is how you stand out instead of blending in. It’s how you overcome the hurdle that one recent trainer said to me, “There are so many of us.” 

 

Spoiler alert: There’s only one you. When you define your brand voice so that you know it, that’s when others will recognize it too. 

 

Working for years in gyms and university exercise clinics, what I know and used to tell fitness instructors, trainers and gym owners is your brand is what they say about you in the locker room. 

 

It may not be the one you want, but that is definitely your current brand. Is there anything that you want said? What is being said? If you asked 15 people who follow you… how would they describe you? 

 

If I think of some of the influencers I watch on social, here’s how I would briefly describe them to someone else: (not by name)

 

That beautiful and sexy midlife fitness woman from Mexico, definitely using her body showing herself in revealing poses that display strength and a lot of skin to promote and draw attention. Behind the scenes, independent, and a little aloof, you never see her educating, communicating with her audience, or creating collaboration with others. 

 

That exerciser-turned-fitness influencer/trainer who shoots a lot of videos in her car relates to women in midlife, and portrays a real how-to approach. 

 

The retired high school counselor turned fitness coach who’s got a bit of a Jersey accent, straight-forward, sharing the same message consistently on repeat. 

 

Who Do You Follow and How Do You Describe Their Brand Voice?

 

Others I follow, and potentially you do too: 

 

Dr. Mark Hyman - always a health-related message about fitness and longevity, revealing what are basics, but not to all people, serving as reminders, not offensive but firm 

Chalene Johnson - a whistle-blower, sharing her personal journey and making it real for other women in midlife going through similar things in several areas. 

 

BettyRocker - she has always been more than anything an advocate for her followers, she’s clear about not being their hero, not motivating them, but having them be their own hero and inspiration. She gives them the tools to value themselves. 

 

Dave Aspry  - Bulletproof Coffee founder is a biohacker and has been and will always be. He calls BS on “health” practices that are harmful, new practices that are not yet mainstream and adopted by many. He’s not looking to be handsome or in style, he’s just who he is sharing why he’s doing things and how you too can improve your health and not fall for tricks leading to worse health. 

 

Can you think of others? Food Babe, Ben Greenfeild… clearly defined brand voices. 

 

You can hear brand voices as you listen to the radio. Commercials for cars, and ice cream - two of which have me changing the station faster than you can imagine - have a clear brand voice for a reason. They stick in your head. They may not be meant to be loved. They’re meant to be remembered. It’s not the same as a jingle, but it’s a similar concept. 

 

You go to that car salesman and you know they are ready to do business, you’re going to get a deal. This is not where you’re going for your luxury drive. You want have something special when the grandkids are coming over, you may reach for the brand of ice cream that made you think of warm-fuzzy family memories. 

When you define your brand voice, you have the thumbprint that is yours and yours alone. 

 

You may have soundbites but they’re not rehearsed. (They’re natural!)

You may use quotes, but you attribute them not borrow as your own. 

You don’t just become interesting, you are interested … interested in using your voice to go against anything you stand against and toward everything you stand for. 

 

Where You Use Your Brand Voice 

 

You’ll need it in writing and speaking and once you find it there won’t be any mistake about who you are, what you stand for, what you stand against, and every message will be congruent. 

 

It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about writing or speaking, finding your voice takes time. 

 

You may be 50 and just beginning to develop a brand of your own, and still be searching for your unique voice. 

 

Who has a voice that you respect? 

 

• Oprah
• Dolly Parton 
• Jane Fonda 

 

Think about each of their messages and also the way they deliver it. They’re uniquely different. They represent different causes and yet each has a unique appeal. Don’t confuse celebrity with voice. They may have reached celebrity status in part because of their voice. 

 

They didn’t do it by becoming one of the pack. They have had ups and downs and yet each maintained the same voice. So it isn’t about rising to the top, getting or even staying at the top. Having a voice is something you develop, fine-tune, and you get known for. 

 

How To and Not to Develop a Brand Voice

 

It’s not a topic that creates a brand voice. It’s not a niche. It’s what you stand for and what you don’t. It’s what you talk about (and how) and what you don’t. 

 

Take Action! Answer these questions to define your brand voice. But once you do, ask your team members to each do the same. You can have them show you or not. But then reveal to them exactly what you’ve written and why and review it with them. (You’re not trying to “grade” them so reviewing their answers is not necessary and might backfire them. It’s enough for them to understand how they can be aware of when they are on or off-brand). 

 

• What does your brand stand for: 

• What do you stand against: 

• What does your brand talk about: 

• What does your brand never talk about: 

• What tone of voice does your brand use:

• What words does your brand use: 

• What are examples of words you’d never use:

• How do you want people who interact with your brand to feel:

 

The Impact If You Define Your Brand Voice 

Your emails sound like they’re from you even if you don’t write them.  

You will attract more ideal customers and have fewer unsubscribes and unfollows. 

Your posts sound like your freebie and that sounds like your emails and everything is a congruent journey. 

 

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Social Media for Fitness Professionals: More Results Less Time: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/social-media-for-fitness-professionals/

Is Passive Revenue Too Good to Be True? Affiliate Marketing: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/passive-revenue/

Resources: 

Health & Fitness Business Scorecard: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/scorecard

Marketing to Women Copywriting Course: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/copywriting-course

How to Create an Irresistible Freebie: https://www.flippingfifty.com/irresistible-freebie-how-to/  

Earn as a Flipping 50 Affiliate: https://www.flippingfifty.com/affiliate-program-join/

See it, believe it, do it. 

Was that Wayne Dyer who said that? 

Well, today it’s often Joe Dispenza saying it based on science. 

Whether you keep replaying things you don’t want to happen, things that you wish were different, things you wish you had done differently OR you think about the future and wonder what is possible, OR you vision what you want and you act AS IF… you will be right.

Based on the proven science (I’ll link to Joe Dispenza’s work) that your brain does not know the difference between an intention tied to a strong emotion and an actual situation happening, you can create and attract exactly what you want.

To illustrate this, consider it for yourself. Are you thinking about needing to make more money, feeling like your business is not as successful as you want it to be? Are you thinking about your own weight gain in menopause, your belly fat, or your feelings of inadequacy in some way or another? 

Do you think about having to work hard all the time to get what you want? Do you think about having to play a role in your family that prevents you from being as successful as you want? Do you think about being limited with opportunities in your current situation? 

• And what is true of your current revenue and business? 
• Does it match? 
• Which came first? 

 

Write your future self a letter. 

Write your future customers, members, or students a letter. 

 

My Letter to Members:

I’ll share a note I recently wrote to my Flipping 50 membership legacy group. That’s those that have been members 3 or more years, and a considerable amount since 2016 when I first opened. 

This was following an outreach specifically to them. I realized in writing it, I’ve been lucky. I’ll share why after I read it. 

Exactly 10 Years ago from a house on UTAH DRIVE in Ames, Iowa at this time I was about to pay the first check to the university my son would begin in August. I had virtually no revenue. I'd quit everything in January to go 100% in. The regular paychecks stopped coming 3 months later after training my replacements... I was in front of my computer 14-16 hours a day learning, building, and feeling VERY much like a beginner after 30 years of establishing expertise. I hadn't done it online.

I had no idea I would be where we are today, having the privilege to meet and work with so many women who INFLUENCE so many lives ... and the health of others. 

I am grateful for you. You were first... and you are still here.

 

I Failed the Future Fitness and Health Coaching Success Strategy!! 

 

Why did I fail? A couple of key statements there!! 

 

“I had no idea I would be where we are today”  is one clue! 

 

I didn’t have a specific vision. Not one I was invested in. About 2015 I attended a conference and considered joining my first mastermind… that scared me to death! It was a huge investment. (By the way, since then I’ve invested over $160,000 in various masterminds alone. That’s not including conferences, retreats, programs, and work to surround myself with people who are doing what I want to be next but am not yet. 

 

Now, it worked out. And there are some who would say, when you jump - and I did - the net will appear. 

 

That’s for those of you who are still playing it safe. No judgment if you LIKE right where you are. But if you’re clinging to your full-time, regular paycheck and benefits thinking you’ll never get there with your own business, it will be absolutely true. 

 

Playing it safe isn’t what entrepreneurs do. You can, however, be a wonderful and valuable coach. Just be sure that you are very comfortable with yourself… no use of the word “JUST” in reference to what you’re doing. Modify your language so you reflect exactly why you do what you do and exactly what success looks like to you!! We women tend to belittle ourselves. 

 

I just want you to be honest. 

 

Do you really want what you have… or do you want more, something different? 

 

Go get it if you do!!

 

Combine Room for MORE with a Vision

 

I may have mentioned this, my son is going to start his own business. That’s a risk. I’m excited for him. I’m not nervous for him in terms of success. Maybe in terms of stress and challenges and personal growth that occurs when you go all in, but that’s also a part of the excitement. He could settle for working the way he’s working…. Or he can take a risk and have potential that is based solely on what he can create. When I brought this up 6 years ago, he resisted. A lot. When I first brought him to a conference for entrepreneurs, he lasted half the day. By lunch, I’d lost him. So as a mom, I’m not going to say I told you so, but hey, I told you so! 

 

Do create a vision. Most usually we need to 10x that vision. Someone else said they started wanting to help 1 million people. Then they did, so they had to raise it to 3…  But that didn’t quite excite me. 

 

So I never did it. Nothing with emotion behind it at least. And if you have an empty affirmation or “goal” … without an emotion so strong that you get tears in your eyes… I have witnessed, it won’t work. 

 

Use both goals/intentions AND room for more. This or better is such a good phrase. Set an intention in a wise way. 

 

I will make more than ….. 

I will enjoy at least # days off a month … while making …… or more 

I will only work ….. Hours a day and make ….. Or more 

 

I will help …. # people and in do it working ….. Hours a week … making …. 

 

You don’t limit yourself with these. You create an opportunity for what you want and can envision and… so much more! 

 

If you have a goal and intention, make it BIGGER. 

 

BUT.. you need to have a strong emotion around it! 

 

My son not too long ago gave me one. Knowing that he saw me like that was possibly one of the greatest gifts he will ever give me. 

 

Your Future Fitness and Health Coaching Success Action Items:

• Write yourself a letter as if it’s 10 years from now
• Write your members and students a letter as if it’s 10 years from now. 

Resources: 

Health & Fitness Business Scorecard: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/scorecard

Marketing to Women Copywriting Course: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/copywriting-course 

Sunlighten Saunas: https://www.flippingfifty.com/sauna

Other Episodes You Might Like: 

A New Fitness Business Model for Your Virtual Fitness Business:

https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/virtual-fitness-business/

Social Media for Fitness Professionals: More Results Less Time: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/social-media-for-fitness-professionals/

 

Injury risk is still a fear for many older adults. They already feel vulnerable, aches and pains due to diet or lifestyle more than aging itself. Have you ever considered injury risk could be your niche? 

That there are enough adults who fear injury risk or who’ve been injured that you could develop an entire - profitable and sustainable business - on that very demographic? 

 

About My Guest:

Are you aware that 87% of all exercisers get injured while exercising? 

That alone may scare you from wanting to train clients. Or maybe you believe that you create exercise without risk. My guest Robbie Stahl is also The Fitness Doctor. 

When you listen to his confident bio you’ll understand the difference between passion and conviction, going all in on what you do and know and how you help, unapologetically. You’ll hear Robbie’s full bio at the podcast I’ll link to and for our behind the curtain interview with Robbie here, we’ll share Robbie’s story after 20 years of training and extensive research and experimentation he mastered the science of healing and bulletproofing the body through the power of exercise. 

One of Robbie’s claim to fame is a 100% success rate for fixing shoulder function in his clients who were told surgery was the only answer. A rumor like that alone is enough to fill your personal training schedule. 

But Robbie started like anyone else, without clients, without education or certification. I’ll ask him how he got where he is now.

 

Questions We Answer in This Episode: 

• How did injury risk or injury prevention become your focus? 
• What mistakes did you make? 
• Who else is a part of your team and operations? 
• What advice would you give to the inexperienced you? 
• You run a 5-day fix. What can trainers and health coaches learn from attending?

 

Connect for the Full Body Fix: 

https://www.flippingfifty.com/fullbodyfix

Robbie On Social: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fullbodyfixchallenge

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tfitnessdoctor

 

Other Episodes You Might Like: 

Common Injuries After 40 (and How to Fix Common Injuries): 
 https://www.flippingfifty.com/how-to-fix-common-injuries/

20 Tips to More Midlife Fitness Clients Post Pandemic | #319: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/more-midlife-clients/

Resource: 

Sunlighten Saunas: https://www.flippingfifty.com/sauna

Health & Fitness Business Scorecard:

https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/scorecard

Are you using lab tests for menopause clients to guide your exercise prescription? I hope so! If you’ve got some confusion, it’s time to get clear.

Listening to this, you very likely are a woman in midlife herself and may also still be new to menopause symptoms, treatment, and lifestyle options, so this episode will serve as an overview. 

 

Lab tests for menopause clients is something we go into more deeply so that you understand what’s out there, why Western labs don’t tell the whole story and the difference between norms and optimal levels are so very different. Our specialists have a better understanding of how to support clients as they work collaboratively with their practitioners about what to ask and why they may want to seek answers to questions tied to their ability to get results from exercise and dietary changes. 

 

More information on the Flipping 50 Menopause Fitness Specialist here. 

Let’s explore options, insights, and how the results can help you if clients already have them. 

Functional vs Western-Trained Lab Testing (root cause vs illness detection) 

What to do with your Western-trained doc 

What to do with a functional doc (because you may HAVE to and because only they’ve been trained to interpret)

Complete Blood Panel

Thyroid 

Micronutrients 

Cortisol saliva 

Stool test 

Dutch 

Lab Tests Menopause Clients May Want, When & Why : 

Complete Blood Panel if not in last year 

Inflammatory markers: A1C, CRP

Fasting Blood Glucose (still may not be conclusive) 

Saliva Cortisol 

Micronutrients 

Stool Testing 

Hormones and… 

Thyroid 

TPO

Antibodies (these can be a clue to Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis)

T3

T4

Reverse T3

Not all Functional Docs need or favor Dutch (blood tests can also pinpoint for you)

Estrogen (3) 

Progesterone 

Testosterone 

DHEA

Resources: 

Health & Fitness Business Scorecard: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/scorecard

Menopause Fitness Specialist Program:

https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/menopause-fitness-specialist/

My Lab for Self-Directed Labs: YourLabwork.com/flipping-50 Use Code: Flipping50 for $25 off your first order 

Other Episodes You Might Like: 

Using Lab Tests and Nutrition Coaching to Get Better Outcomes, Legally: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/using-lab-tests-nutrition-coaching/

3 Reasons (and fixes) Your Female Fitness Client Isn’t Getting Results:

 https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/female-fitness-client/

It happens to everyone. Sales stink sometimes. You haven’t gotten traction yet, your message isn’t resonating, or you haven’t found your deep niche. Or you have, and the economy changed, the market made what used to work ineffective (take gym memberships for the biggest example in the history of gyms). But it can also be that you took a risk and tried something and it did not work.

 

Good for you! Celebrate! Taking a risk is a big deal. 

 

This episode is all about …

 

How to Pivot When Sales Stink 

 

So let’s just do one thing first, and that talks about when and why it will happen if you’re going to grow and scale a business! 

 

In order to grow you will go backward sometimes. There are so many instances of this. 

You’ll hire contractors or employees for the first time and gulp, realize your monthly expenses have gone way up… but your revenue has not gone up immediately. Long-term is that necessary? Yes, it absolutely is! 

 

If you begin selling some products…. A journal, supplements, merchandise of any kind and you have to buy the inventory first, then pay to have it distributed when your customer purchases, there’s a somewhat hefty bill you’re going to have to pay ahead of the actual revenue which ideally includes a profit margin but it’s a one step forward two steps back game for a while. 

 

Let’s dive in … with no special intro… let me ask: 

 

What do you think would motivate someone to take a first step with you? 

 

How well you answer that question will tell me if you can find out something very important: do you know your customer’s motivation? 

 

Notice I didn’t say your motivation level. But instead, something very different, it’s their motive. What moves them to do something different, reach for different content or information? 

 

What was YOUR motive for listening to this episode? What did you hope or think you would get out of it? Did you listen just because it was up next and you listen to them as they come out? Or did you return to this one, skip ahead to this one, or have it pop up when you were searching for answers? 

 

Now, potentially, I know your motive for making a decision at the end of this conversation. Do you understand? 

 

If you want more sales, you may be perfect for the Marketing to Women Copywriting course.

Or you may find that you’re here knowing I build my business from 0 to 6-figure months in about 4 years and you want to know more about working with midlife women and getting them results. 

 

Next, What do you do? 

 

How you answer that question may tell us a lot about why sales stink.
Is what you say something anyone can say? Is it what a lot of coaches or trainers with the same qualifications as you say? 

Then you’re not getting anyone’s interest. And you have to have it. 

 

If no one is really finding you interesting such that they have interest in learning more… a sale isn’t too likely. 

 

Do You Surprise Them? 

Michael Bernoff would call this intrigue. Interest of course we discussed. But intrigue is when you go a little further. 

 

Let me give you an analogy. Or two.

First, when you want to get media experience and you’re green reaching out to people, fitness pros often reach out with I have this degree, that degree, am an elite so and so… and no one cares. 

A producer wants ratings. A producer wants to know you understand that an audience loving your content gets ratings up. When audiences tune in more often due to great content and because you share you’re going to be on, were on - these things matter. It’s not about you talking about “your passion.” 

 

It’s not about a potential podcast guest reaching out to me saying So and So’s book xxx is coming out and they’d love to talk about it on your show. 

 

That’s lovely for them. That’s them winning from exposure on my real estate with my audience. But what’s in it for my audience? 

 

“The mistake people often make is that I do this because I’m passionate about fitness and love to exercise. The truth is, I love seeing clients get results and change their entire lives because of starting with a few simple lifestyle changes we make step-by-step.” 

 

What just happened there? 

First of all, if that’s not you, you may not be in the right place. Because I’ve heard thousands of college students, personal trainers, and fitness instructors tell me “this is my passion.” And what they mean is they love working out, looking good, and to some extent showing off. When some trainers are injured or struggling with menopause themselves, they’re no longer as excited about their passion. 

 

It can’t be about you. It can’t be about selling. 

 

It has to be about helping someone get what they want instead of settling for what they have. 

(Michael Berhnoff states this too regularly - I have to give due credit) 

Marketing to Women Copywriting Course: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/copywriting-course

To summarize: 

Do you intrigue? Surprise them? And know exactly what motivates them? 

 

If you don’t, sales will continue to be a struggle and customers who do start may not feel taken care of. 

When you turn this around though, you will love what you do, not feel like you’re selling, and bring more clients into your programs. 

 

This may feel like it’s not an immediate fix. It can be. If you change the way you speak and what you say, every meeting, every email you send, and every post… targets and communicates more clearly why you are different and you are the solution to their problem.

When you ask… and you listen better… you tap into how your customer is making decisions. If you don’t know that, you can’t get a sale. No matter how much what you have can help someone…you have to know what motivates them to a yes. 

 

Using the right science, the right words about your step-by-step, and how you uniquely approach menopause fitness based on proven methods strengthens your sales so that you can strengthen clients’ health and your business. 

 

Miss our recent open enrollment period? Reach our support team at support@flippingfifty.com 

Resources: 

Health & Fitness Business Scorecard: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/scorecard

Menopause Fitness Specialist Program:

https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/menopause-fitness-specialist/
Sunlighten Saunas: https://www.flippingfifty.com/sauna

Other Episodes You Might Like:

6 More Ways to Increase Your Fitness Sales This Season #293: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/6-more-ways/

11 More Ways to Boost Personal Training Leads, Sales, and Revenue: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/11-ways-boost-personal-training-leads-sales-revenue/

If you’ve attended a fitness conference recently, this may or may not resonate. Online fitness conferences in the past few years have been different. Back in real person, we’re all a bit hungry for the community and excitement that bringing people together offers. But have you experienced this? A drained feeling, a definite adrenal rush potentially, but also a superficial show of persona as opposed to real connections? This may resonate with you if so. 

 

Sometimes you just know that you’ve landed. Whether it’s because you find your people, or you have also found yourself and you’re comfortable in your own skin. 

 

The soul-sucking information pathway that social media has become for me was taking a toll. I was definitely not looking forward to this trip. I could think of a million reasons not to go! We’re launching a new cohort of the Flipping50 Menopause Fitness Specialists and it was the last 4 days we’re open. I had just opened our recent launch of our 12-week consumer course-plus-coaching offer. I had a mastermind meeting to prepare for. And every once in a while, I can take for granted where I’m at and what I’m doing and wonder if I’m offering any new insight in my talk. 

 

Definitely my thoughts before the fitness conference. Of course, in the process of presenting, and answering questions, and having people thank me and ask follow-up questions, I realize that I... I am the biggest benefactor of presenting because in doing so I remind myself that from 0 to 6-figure months is nothing to take for granted. I realize that sharing that story was crucial for me to have the reminder of what I am capable of doing… again.  

 

Time to Attend a Real Fitness Conference

I was long overdue to attend a fitness conference that wasn’t full of superficial “awesome” high-fives and selfies and find some source of peace and collective goal-seekers.

 

Mission accomplished. 

 

I’ve known the hosts of this conference for a decade I guess. I don’t know at all. Cody Sipe was first on my radar I believe as a presenter and award-winning fitness pro with ACE (American Council on Exercise). 

 

He and partner Dan Ritchie formed Functional Aging Institute. They hosted a first event in 2015 and I was invited. It’s a small world, where I’ve met other guests that will be familiar to you if you’ve attended the What, When & Why to Women’s Exercise Summit: https://www.flippingfifty.com/womensexercise

Dr. Emily Splichal – who is your go-to for all things feet issues that may limit your clients and for improving balance, stability and continued activity for life.

 

Bedros Keuilian – who is a renowned fitness marketing mastery expert and who has evolved as so many fitness and health pros do, to mindset and personal growth. Fitness Marketing Secrets.

 

Sister team Kymberly Williams-Evans and Alexandra Williams of funandfit.org co-wrote a guest-contribution to You Still Got It, Girl! (published by Healthy Learning in 2015). 

 

Dan and Cody also contributed to the same book’s chapter on strength training. And Dan was a guest speaker on The What, When & Why to Women’s Exercise Summit.

 

And here’s why. 

 

The Health & Fitness Professional Experience

 

When you meet good people, hold onto good people. I’ve had many “lunches” with fitness pros over the past few decades. But many of them were networking from the beginning, felt like networking, and I couldn’t wait to recover after. 

 

Others, like lunch I had with Dan a couple years ago, and the lunch I enjoyed with Lindsay Vastola (you may recognize as prior editor of PFP magazine for 10 years) and a few others, this weekend were rich in real connections and laughter. 

 

It’s not fair I suppose to compare pre-pandemic to post but I do believe there’s more to it. It’s also not fair to compare an early career or tendency to wear imposture syndrome, with seasoned career and an attitude of I just don’t care what people think, I’m doing the right thing.

 

I’ve seen too much about the inside of fitness conferences and about who and how they are chosen to speak, and what they’re reality is behind the scenes. I don’t suggest that we don’t all have things we may regret, but if you knew about industry award-winners, who and how promotions occur, and the very flimsy “influencer” market you are playing in if you decide to post based on what you see others with large audiences post, you’re headed for a reality check faster than you might know. 

 

What glitters, and is botoxed, does not shine so much in real life. 

 

The Reality of Fitness Conferences

 

I usually go home from fitness conferences exhausted. Not because of living a 1980s or even early 90s fitness conference reality where it was workout session after workout session. But because of the vibe. The junior-high-like cliques, ego-driven exchanges, the near-elevation of presenters to celebrity status that makes it less a learning environment than a day at a fitness bootcamp to see who holds up the longest, has the newest apparel and still parties through the evening. 

 

But this conference was different. Connections were real. Instead of ducking out to my room to recharge I stayed the day watching it all before and between my sessions. Speakers were around and making connections with each other as well as attendees. 

 

A panel of three female fitness leaders I was on had such great synergy not only with each other but with the audience. It was as rich an experience for each of us participating I think as it was for those in the room attending beginning to grow their own businesses. Lindsay, I and Alexis Perkins whom I’d never met had a great time co-hosting the panel. 

 

If you want to see and know what’s possible, consider that Alexis Perkins has founded Chair One Fitness [Link to learn more https://chaironefitness.com/]. She’s 30. She’s got contagious enthusiasm. She’s figured out it’s figuroutable. Don’t look at her and say, I wish I’d started then, look at her and say that it’s possible for any one of us. She’s a young woman of color, serving an older market both in the older adult caregiving arena and in the fitness professionals she trains. What do you need to overcome? Why not you? She’s doing it and she’s a breath of fresh air.  

 

Conference Locations, Sessions & Keynotes

The keynotes were not “look at me” but a real connection with audience through personal story and industry facts and overcoming challenges. 

 

Seek out conferences where you not only get knowledge poured into you, but you get filled up like this. 

 

Recently in our customer support I was asked about fitness conferences in Salt Lake City. This comes the same weekend I’m IN SLC for this conference. Does that feel a little too like AI or Alexa listening in? I can’t answer questions like that unfortunately, Google is your best GPS for that. 

 

But if you do have questions about what and where to gain education virtually or in person in a way you not only get knowledge, but gain community, reach out to us. We’ll help and we’ll host. We have educational events for health & fitness coaches in conjunction with our Flipping 50 retreats. So if you’re up for a weekend of hiking to put your fitness to work and your mind at ease and then also fill up your cup with business support, let us know you’re interested. 

 

We’re putting together some challenging destination hiking opportunities as well as other slightly milder but high-volume outdoor adventures combined with Menopause Fitness & Coaching Strategies for you.

 

Other Episodes You Might Like: 

Fitness Marketing Secrets to Recession-Proof with Bedros Keuilian: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/fitness-marketing-secrets/

Business Partnerships and Collaborations | Amazing Health & Fitness Growth: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/business-partnerships/

Resources: 

Health & Fitness Business Scorecard: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/scorecard

Sunlighten Saunas: https://www.flippingfifty.com/sauna

 

We all come up against this at some point. Then, later, we’ll come up against it again as long as we keep growing. This came up as a question on a female fitness business entrepreneurs panel I was part of at a recent conference. A young woman asked a question but let’s be clear, you could ask the same question in your 50s if you were new to fitness. Let’s say you’re a fitness pro and pitching a group of doctors or businessmen, do you think the same hasn’t happened before to women of any age? 

 

So no matter if you are young or older, or in fact, if this is helpful to a young woman in any industry, feel free to share it. We need to have each other’s backs and the way to do it is by sharing things you’ve already been through.

 

This too is the value of a coach or a mastermind so you can surround yourself in a safe place with people you can confide in and know they’ve been there or will have something to offer. 

In this episode on Being Taken Seriously at Work:

 

• The real truth that may be the reason this bothers you
• What this is and other ways it shows up
• How to handle a gap between you and your customer (age, gender, experience level, economic or social circles) 
• What to do to create authority with rapport 

Last Tip on Being Taken Seriously in Your Health & Fitness Coaching Job

I’ll leave you with this last thought regarding the feeling that you can’t get someone to take you seriously. Think about the people who don’t are the 20% who really matter that you can gain 80% of your business from or they are the 80% of people who are hard to deal with, hard to serve, the most needy and demanding, but least profitable and not committed to getting your help as much as you are to helping. 

 

Something I wish I knew sooner was that dropping so many of the things that kept me “busy” would have freed me up to work on the things that truly resulted in higher revenue with more ease. I spent a lot of years running from this to that. For too long fitness professionals were led to believe that’s how fitness worked. You should be doing 5 jobs. It was in fact what limited us all. Do we need part-time trainers in the industry? Yes, absolutely. But if a career is your objective, one that creates a sustainable life you love and a revenue that is consistent and either predictable or only limited by your ability to create it, you can’t play the game. A job done in tights, sneakers, or barefoot that changes lives is no less important than one done in a business suit. 

It’s just that too many fitness professionals believe that it is and tell you so, even making it sound glamorous because they get a little “hit” of dopamine every time they are wanted and featured as an instructor. Being asked to speak at conferences for free in exchange for the “prestige” and exposure? Really? Women in the fitness industry asking for this of other women (and men) are unrealistic and keeps this industry in the dark ages. 

 

The reality is trainers and instructors can spend as much time traveling between jobs as at jobs, turning the rate of pay into not that much more than minimum wage. The pandemic was a grateful game-changer for many, yet it was right there all along. 

 

As soon as you stop playing someone else’s game, you can start winning at your own. If there’s a problem enough customers have and you solve it, you have a business. 

 

Challenge yourself to look at problems from different angles, to ask and talk it out with someone who has been there. You will grow so much faster and feel so much lighter instead of carrying it around wishing, hoping, and then watching… as someone else does it first. 

 

We don’t see ourselves like others do and an outside voice will accelerate your growth. 

 

How to Take Your Business Seriously to the Next Level 

 

Take this Action: If an intimate group business-building coaching with like-minded women for an influx of paying customers sounds amazing consider this. Whether your dream is to sell high-ticket, high-touch or to sell a low-ticket app to many - if this sounds like a perfect fit for you, just let us know you’re interested. We’re putting together a small group and an intimate opportunity for female fitness & health coaches. Building your business from the first idea to the detailed leadership, products, marketing, sales, and financial blueprint so you AND your business can thrive is not an easy task. 

 

If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together. - African Proverb

I’m kicking off a 6-month training with a weekend adventure near the Grand Canyon. You’ll be a part of a challenging day of hiking, trusting, and getting to know each other in the midst of a weekend of training, business evaluation, and planning. No matter where you are - a dream and idea, or a plateaued business, to a new revenue stream or a complete business remodel you want - let us know. I’ll connect to learn more and find out if this group is right for you and let you know the details. Email support@flippingfifty.com and I’ll reach out to you personally. 

Our first cohort will occur fall of 2023. The second in spring 2024 with leadership opportunities for those in the first group. 

 

Other Episodes You Might Like: 

 Five Fitness Speaking Steps That Makes Free Pay Off:

https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/five-fitness-speaking-steps-that-makes-free-pay-off/

Talk to Customers You Want Most | 5-Minute Marketing Tips:

https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/talk-to-customers/

 

Resources: 

Sunlighten Saunas: https://www.flippingfifty.com/sauna

Health & Fitness Business Scorecard: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/scorecard

 

Business partnerships and collaborations are great opportunities. 

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – African Proverb

 

Got a business partner or thinking about it? There’s less risk, there’s more minds, more eyes… and there are more opinions about everything, so getting an agreement in place regarding the business venture you’re starting before you do it, or now if you’ve not done it, is a good idea.

Invest a little time and money into making it legal, making sure everyone signs and understands.

 

Whether you partner to host a podcast, or you partner in a full-fledged business, with your sister, your spouse, or friend, you want it in writing. Whether there’s two of you or 10 of you, how will you determine the role of the individuals involved? 

 

These are things you don’t want to leave to chance.

 

In this episode I’ll open with ideas about how you may already be partnering and not even realize it, options you may consider having a business partner for first in your business and give you a few things to consider before you get legal advice and invest in making it official. 

 

Think of this as your introduction into partnerships if you’re not doing them (but like I said, you may be and not realize it), or a great reminder to review what you have in place to keep partnerships running smoothly.

 

Considering a Business Partnership? 

One thing I would suggest is clear. It rang true for all the people I talked with whether they were in a business that was currently making money or that on the flip side, was hurting and not making money. Whenever there is money involved there is emotion. Someone can too easily feel taken advantage of. So, while you’re thinking about it, or in early stages and just beginning to look at how you monetize your podcast business partnership for example, it’s a very good time for all parties to consider “what if.” 

 

Honestly, this could have been the name or this episode. What if… This is a very good place to start. 

 

Business Partnerships and Collaborations | Amazing Health & Fitness Growth

I’m going to throw out a couple scenarios for you to consider here: 

If you have investors, someone who helped you with a startup, do they have any decision-making power? 

If so, what? How much? Who has the bottom-line veto power? 

 

Say someone approaches one of you and wants to do business with you but not your partner. They want you to do something on the side. Is there any agreement about partners ability to have a “side hustle” that is related to the same business? 

What if one of you feels strongly about hiring or firing someone? About the training methods and who is responsible for it? 

 

How do you split revenue? Is it down the middle after expenses? Or is it split differently based on tasks and responsibilities? 

 

Are you taking commission and paying yourselves a base salary commensurate with what you’d pay someone else doing the same tasks if you were to hire them? Or are you only taking distributions after expenses? 

 

That already is a lot. But let’s look at a situation where you and a partner might start a business that includes fitness programs, nutrition programs and social media posting and podcasting. The day-to-day decisions alone are numerous! Who posts? How often and when? How do you determine the posts? That’s a time-consuming task  right there, but if you not only do it, but you have to run it by a second party, there’s a lot of time involved times two. Or is one of you in charge? Or one of you in charge of overseeing your VA who is doing it for you and tracking and reporting the stats for partner decisions to be made at regular meetings. 

 

Other Fitness & Health Business Partnership Decisions

Then there are pricing decisions, branding decisions, cost of goods sold, services you hire for branding, photos, videography or editing. Or if one of you does this, is that paid hourly or on salary to do it, then again business profits are handled through distributions paid out to each of you in an even split? The platforms you use have a certain cost and as you grow there will be more of them. Who decides or does the research? Who monitors expenses like this? 

 

Someone has to be responsible for accounting, bookkeeping, monitoring P & L statements to know if this is really working and what parts of the business are working and which are not. 

 

Let’s look at one of the early business collabs you might do which is co-hosting a podcast. How fun, right? To host a podcast with a friend, what could be better? You get to have chats regularly and have twice the reach with your personal accounts plus your business account, and twice the people you meet and want to engage with. 

 

And then say, you start having people want to sponsor your show or have you promote them and all of a sudden you’re monetizing that podcast. Or you might start promoting affiliate products or services you love to your audience and that starts generating revenue. Is there a business account where that’s going? Is that revenue equally split? Is there any reason one of you will feel like you deserve more because you enlisted them, suggested it and created more of the promotions? 

 

What if one of you has a business that she monetizes – a weight loss coaching business. The other one doesn’t really have a coaching or fitness service but is the more journalistic and media personality behind you starting and getting in front of people. 

 

What if one of you is a doctor and the other a fitness professional? One of you sees patients and builds a business based on medical services. The other a fitness professional may refer to the doc and doc may refer to the fitness programs, but it isn’t clear exactly the benefit to each of you. What if the relationship dissolves? Who “owns the podcast” and the listenership and ability to market via social to the established list? 

 

Business Partnerships Next Steps: 

List all the partnerships you have now 

Consider ones you are thinking about 

Make a list of possible situations (responsibilities, exit strategy, decision-making, distributions) 

Ask your partner(s) to make a list too

Have a meeting (or a series of them) 

Have an agreement made up about the partnership and legal rights of each and how decisions, or board meetings, and reporting are handled. 

  

Other Episodes You May Like: 

Grow Your Fitness Business in 2023 | Personal Trainers and Health Coaches: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/fitness-business-in-2023/

A New Fitness Business Model for Your Virtual Fitness Business: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/virtual-fitness-business/

Resources:

Health & Fitness Business Scorecard: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/scorecard

Menopause Fitness Specialist Program:

https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/menopause-fitness-specialist/