It’s a grey Tuesday morning and I’m sitting at my computer sipping my coffee and thinking about how to help my business coaching clients through some of their business struggles. I’ve discovered that there are some common issues facing most trainers when running their business and they are;
1) Finding clients
2) Making money
3) Managing the business
These issues are all interconnected. You need to find more clients in order to make money while still having time to run the business. Finding a balance can be tricky and it’s not easy. If there was an equation that represents this best it would probably look like this.
Business success = More clients X more money
Time to work on the business
Finding clients requires having a good idea of your target market and a solid marketing plan. You don’t have to spend copious amounts of money marketing and branding your business to be successful. Don’t make the costly mistake of dumping hundreds even thousands of dollars into advertising unless you can commit to it for a minimum of a year. Many trainers fall into this trap and think that a few ads in the paper is the magic bullet to attract clients. It isn’t. It’s only one strategy in a long list of strategies that are needed.
I suggest you read my article on the 12 pillars of marketing and request a FREE copy of my marketing calendar to kick start your plan. Then DO THE WORK necessary to make things happen and create business momentum. If you can get through these exercises then you will be well on your way to success. If you can’t, then you might want to consider hiring a business coach to help you through the steps.
It’s possible to attract clients, earn a good living as a trainer and still have time to work on your business, socialize, spend time with family and enjoy success. But these things don’t happen by waving a magic wand or wishful thinking. It takes time, energy, focus, determination, discipline and structure. Do you have what it takes? If not, then reach out and ask for help. Otherwise you may continue to struggle in your business and get caught in what could turn in to be a vicious cycle. Constantly needing more clients to make more money and not having the time to focus on it.
Owning a fitness business is no walk in the park but just maybe your dog can teach you something about how you can improve your business. If you’re a dog owner you’re probably curious about how taking your dog for a walk can improve your business. If you don’t own a dog you might want to consider taking a friends dog for a walk and see what I mean.
My dog Bailey and I walk almost every day and each walk is a little different. There are days when Bailey decides he needs to smell everything and stops and starts the whole way. Other times he power walks with me and is focused and determined to keep up. Sometimes Bailey enjoys doing agility training where on command he jumps logs, hops up onto stumps or walks along fallen trees. He does this with a sense of adventure and exploration. He’ll jump onto tree stumps that are really high and does it effortlessly. Other times he struggles but makes it after a few attempts.
It was on such a walk that I began to think about how walking Bailey was similar to running a small business. There are certainly times when you have a project or task to complete but you procrastinate. Starting and stopping without really ever achieving anything. This can be extremely frustrating and even paralyzing when you are trying to get something done. These are your stop and sniff walks.
In order to create business momentum you must achieve clarity and focus in your business. This is when you can effectively work on your goals and start to make things happen. You move at a quickened pace, put in a lot of effort, time and sweat and start to see results. This is the power walk.
There are times when ideas flow naturally and even quickly to you. You feel energized and invigorated which allows your creativity to surge. You come up with new ways to do business or see things from a different prospective which allows you to be innovative and cutting-edge in your business. This is your adventure and exploration walk.
In reality we need all these elements in our business. Some in larger quantities then others but it’s good to recognize that running a small business means being very flexible, diversified and adaptable to the ebbs and flows of business, especially when owning a fitness business as it sometimes can feel like feast or famine.
What I’ve learned from my walks with Bailey is that you just have to go with the flow and take on life challenges as they come. Sometimes we need to stop and sniff and other times we need to power through and be adventurous. But there is one thing that is certain, you must take the lead and guide the walk otherwise your business may not be as successful as you hope.
I would like to welcome you all to join the 2010 Business Soirees.
The Soirees are about discovering valuable information to enhance your business. It’s also a great opportunity to network with other fitness and wellness professionals and share common struggles, successes and stories. Topics range from marketing, increasing revenues, planning, time management and execution. The soiree runs from 6:00-8:30pm.
You receive 2.5 BCRPA credits for attending. Investment $15.00 plus gst
Location: 901 West 3rd St. North Vancouver, BC (Cross Street Hanes)
The schedule and topics for 2010 are as follows:
Thursday, May 27th - How to attract clients through your website.
Thursday, June 24th - Successful direct marketing methods
Thursday, September 25th - Special Guest Speaker – TBA
Thursday, November 18th – 2011 Business Planning Session
Stop Selling! Learn how to sell without selling
Get the edge, discover what it takes to help the customer to buy.
Do you cringe when you are asked “what do you charge?” Are you uncomfortable talking about your rates? Do you have people saying they will think about it and never call you back? Why spend time and money marketing your fitness business only to have a prospect not call you back. If you currently don’t feel comfortable thinking of yourself as a salesperson, you will have a major shift in how you view the sales process after this course. This course is about connecting to people, something you already do as a personal trainer. I’m just going to show you how to tweak your skills and make you feel more comfortable recommending your services, guaranteed!
This course has been approved for 3 BCRPA continuing education credits
| Stop Selling! |
Get the edge by uncovering what sets you apart from the rest.
What is it that you provide that is different from what every other trainer has to offer? If you answered that you develop customized programs or change up the exercises every session then you desperately need this workshop. Every trainer says the same thing. Finding your essence and your only statement is the only way you can break away from the pack and start to really differentiate yourself and your business. In doing this you will create a niche market, attract new business and increase your profits.
This course has been approved for 3 BCRPA continuing education credits
Get the edge and a leg up on your competition.
Personal trainers offer similar services to their clients. We train them one-on-one, offer small or large group training and customize their programs. What’s really going to set you a part from the rest is the customer service you provide. A good customer service culture cannot be duplicated. Stay ahead of your competition and learn what you can do right now to improve your service and increase your profits.
This course has been approved for 3 BCRPA continuing education credits
Get the edge by learning how you can create a waiting list of clients.
The personal training business cycle ebbs and flows. Some months are very profitable while others are slow. How would you like to stabilize your income, have clients waiting to train with you and create a frenzy of interest for your services? Well you can and it’s a lot simpler then you think. Get the edge and learn how you can create a DEMAND for your personal training services.
This course has been approved for 3 BCRPA continuing education credits
