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