As a personal trainer, you already know that you can't get anywhere without taking the bull by the horns. You can't build a better body through wishful thinking; you have to lift those dumbbells all by yourself.
The same goes for your business. All your fitness expertise amounts to nothing if you don't let people know about it. If you want amazing success, you need amazing marketing.
So what do you need to do? Read on to find out.
Focus your expertise.
You're not Superman; it's impossible to be a master at everything and remain either sane or effective. Accepting anyone and everyone who comes to your door sounds heroic, but in the end, it's self-defeating: "good intentions" can't make up for the brutal truth that you have neither the capacity nor the expertise to tend to everyone's needs. You'll be a mediocre trainer for the masses, instead of a masterful trainer for the few.
Picking a niche is the only way you can become a top fitness professional. If you narrow down your prospects to the elderly, for instance, you can focus specifically on the services a senior citizen would want. Osteoporosis prevention through weight training? Check. Gentle yoga for flexibility? Check. Weight loss and heart-healthy nutrition to combat disease? Huge check.
Once you've honed your focus, you can explore the depths of your niche, expanding your reputation and your client base as you go.
The best things in life are free - and the same goes for marketing.
Some personal trainers drain their bank accounts chasing cold leads and hunting for prospects, thinking the more money they pour into marketing, the greater their returns will be.
This is what they call the sunk cost fallacy - "throwing good money after bad" - and it will send you to the poorhouse.
There's nothing heroic about willingly riding a sinking ship to the bottom. And if you don't want your business to become synonymous with the Titanic (i.e. a huge, ill-fated investment), you'll take heed of the power of low- to no-cost marketing options. In fact, free strategies - such as word-of-mouth referrals and Craigslist ads - are known to drive more prospects to your door than radio commercials, newspaper advertisements, and other expensive means of promoting yourself.
Become your clients' one-stop shop for health and wellness.
Forget what you've got printed on your business.educationeasy.net business card: you're not just a personal trainer. You're an authority on health. You should be the first person your clients ask when they have a question about supplements, diet fads, protein powder, workout clothes, or whether Ben & Jerry's will make them fat.
If your clients have questions to ask, answer them. If they don't, tell them what they should know. If you can provide everything that your clients could want in a health professional, you won't be just a personal trainer to them: you'll be someone they can trust, and they'll be more than happy to refer you to their friends and family.
Use special offers to bring in long-term business.
Some professional trainers are afraid of offering discounts, free services, and special rates because these seem like surefire ways to lose money. This is true, as far as immediate income is concerned. But if you give a free training session to a prospect who ends up sticking with you for five years, how many times will you regain that initial loss? I'll let you do the math.
When it comes to marketing, never lose sight of the big picture. A client who pays for a month of discount sessions is worth far more than a client who pays pays for a single full-price session and then vanishes.
Lifelong clients are also likely to come back to you for other services. Never underestimate the power of freebies to bring in business.
Make every client feel special.
Speaking of long-term customers: you need to give them a reason to stick around.
Your clients live in their own personal hell, a depressing little pocket of existence shared by many others, who one and all seem to live only to crush what little self-worth they maintain out of them. As crazy as it sounds, you may be one of the only people in your clients' lives who makes them feel truly appreciated.
Strike while the iron is hot. Welcome your clients with excitement and enthusiasm. Show interest in their lives. Congratulate them on their progress and thank them for their hard work. Add a personal touch by sending them special birthday gift certificates. The ways you can earn the gratitude of your clients are limited only by your imagination.
And if your clients can think of you as a loyal, trustworthy friend, just think of what they'll tell others about you! Happy clients means more referrals: now that's math you can take to the bank.
Casey Kaldal is a leading expert in helping Personal Trainers build their business, attract more customers, and earn more money in less time.
He has one of the leading adviceforpersonaltrainers.com/fitness-marketing-essential-tips-personal-trainers fitness marketing blogs dedicated to the success of Personal Trainers looking to improve their skills and knowledge.
Casey also teaches fitness instructors how to become fitness Rockstars and snag incredible hubpages.com/profile/casey+kaldal Personal Trainer Jobs.
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