Fit Business Insider

The other day I made a post about what was working for some of the top fitness business owners in the industry based on some of the things they shared at Bootcamp Bootcamp.

I decided to take it a step further and have some of our Elite Mastermind members offer up 3 things that are currently having a big impact on their businesses.  Here you go:

B.J. & Kori Bliffert

1. Implementing a scripted new member orientation before our two-week tryout, rather than winging it.  Every member gets the same message at every orientation: they learn all the rules, what’s expected of them and the cost of the camp should they be invited.

2. Systematized and scripted closing process.  Again, no more winging it, same close every time = a predictable outcome.

3. 1-1 Scripted goal setting meetings after closing the new member.  Though we’re still working on this one to get more Prograde sales, it has created personal relationships and a stronger sense of "we want you to succeed as much as you do" attitude with our members.

BJ & Kori Bliffert own Full Throttle Fitness Systems, a warehouse gym in Frisco, TX specializing in Fitness Boot Camps, Kettlebell Training and Small Group Team Training.

Wil Fleming

1. Incentivizing referrals. By simply adding the gift of a free t-shirt we have successfully turned every one new client into at least 4-5 new leads. No longer do we have to hit the pavement for new athletes we just had to hand out shirts! The only caveat to this is to make sure you ask for all the info you need to capitalize on the referral. For athletes – that needs to include parents’ names, home phone, and sports played. This is significantly different than what is needed for adults.

2. Focus on high return activities. When doing assessments, consults or conducting sessions is what pays the bills – why spend time on activities like updating your Facebook with your "killer" workout of the day? Does it really bring in clients? 

3. Be involved and be seen. As a coach of athletes it is of the highest importance to be out in the community at athletic events supporting Athletic Revolution athletes. Be seen and interact with parents everywhere you go. Offer to do fundraisers for the local youth teams and high schools. Oh, and don’t be a dope and forget to collect contact info anyplace you can!  

Wil Fleming is the owner and director of performance at Athletic Revolution Bloomington / Force Fitness and Performance in Bloomington, IN. Wil is a member and contributor to the IYCA. He has trained over 25 division I athletes in the last calendar year alone and his Athletic Revolution works with nearly 200 athletes on a weekly basis.

Ryan Ketchum

1. Creating the best atmosphere and experience possible.  At Force Fitness/Athletic Revolution Bloomington our goal is to make our clients, athletes, and campers feel like the best part of their day or week is when they are at our facility.  We go above and beyond to get to know each of our clients.  Retention of our current clients is far easier for us than attaining new clients.  

2. Special low barrier to entry programs.  We have run the same basic program with nutritional information, training system and other incentives over three times under a different name with great success.  The cost to join the program is very low and it has been a great boost to our business.  We brought in over 50 new boot campers in one month using this tactic.  You may not keep every single participant but many will continue with your programs.  It is also a nice little boost in revenue if you need some extra cash flow for the month.  We run these programs once every 3-4 months during different key parts of the year (Spring Break, Summer, Holidays, New Year, etc). 

3. Leveraging your current network for referrals and opportunities.  We recently pulled up our data base and had over 700 contacts that we came up with that might be able to help us grow our business in some way.  A lot of the time all you have to do is ask and offer to help them out in some way as well.  There are at least 2 or 3 goldmine contacts in everyone’s network, the trick is figuring out who they are and how they can help. 

Ryan Ketchum is the co-owner of Force Fitness and Performance and Athletic Revolution Bloomington.  Force Fitness/Athletic Revolution Bloomington focus on semi private training, athletic performance, youth programs and boot camps.   

Steve Krebs

1. Enhancing clients experience by doing monthly member appreciation events like nights out, get pampered day. Also having an awards and recognition day at the end of each camp.

2. Barter system! The biggest lead generators for my biz are my FREE radio spots! I trade with the owner of the most popular radio station in my area. Every month I get 2 weeks of boot camp ads for free! I developed this trade by leveraging my relationships. I also have a trade with the local NBC affiliate. I’m now on the news once a week for the rest of the summer. I always send thank you gifts to both!

3. Track your numbers. As soon as I started tracking all of my numbers my biz skyrockted! I track of member, lead generation, reactivation, clients lost, life time value, monthly income, monthly expenses, and my sweat equity.

Steve Krebs owns and operates Next Level Athletic Performance and Steve Krebs Fitness Boot Camps in Central NY. Steve is also creator and "star" of the Steve Krebs Show.

Tyler English

1. Look around you! Leverage your current network for hidden marketing opportunities. Each and every member of Tyler English Fitness knows someone who can benefit from our services. In turn we have been able to expand our network to include regular television, radio, and local business contacts that have lead to continued television coverage, radio promotions, joint ventures and print coverage. It is because of this new extended network that Farmington Valley Fitness Boot Camps were voted "2010 Best Weight Loss Center" in the Hartford Advocate and our programs have continued to be featured on NBC Connecticut, FOX 61 and WTNH Channel 8. The kickback from this alone has allowed our referral network to expand rapidly! All of this was made possible by a current member within our facility’s walls and at absolutely no cost to us.

2. Dare to be different! Create a unique, energetic, one of a kind experience. My brother and I pride ourselves on the energy and atmosphere within our gym. If you walk into any gym or health club they all do the same thing. They are boring and they take in everyone!

   So only work with those who YOU want to work with and are willing to do what it takes to be your client! Do you see what everyone in your area is doing? Now go do the opposite of every facility in your area!

   Make your program exclusive and special to those who are lucky enough to work with you. Our clients know that they cannot get this unique experience anywhere else! Their time with us is far and away the best part of their day! It is reasons like this I am able to tell people I love what I do and I work with people who I want to work with.

3. Get them results and fast! I always like to say, "you don’t get sh*t in this world, you work for it!" So why not make it so easy or "Barney Style," as my bro and I say, and make it impossible for your clients to not achieve results! You should have a systematic approach to everything your client’s do. From nutrition, to exercise, to when they are not with you! Guide them along. From the time they walk in the door, to the time they attend your boot camp orientation or initial consultation, to the exact moment they hand over their credit card. Give them the tools to become your next walking talking billboard so they can show future clients what is expected of them.

   Not only will your job become easier, but also everyone will be talking about "that boot camp."

Tyler English is Connecticut’s leading Fitness Professional and Fat Loss Expert. He is the owner of Connecticut’s #1 Hardcore Warehouse Gym, Tyler English Fitness, and the founder of Connecticut’s Most Elite Fitness Program, Farmington Valley Fitness Boot Camp.

Jeff & Tiffany Larson

1. Free Trial: The one thing that works really, really well for us is our 2 week free trial.  Before we joined BCBP we didn’t believe in giving anything away for free and therefore we didn’t.  I think in these times if people are going to make a monthly investment into a boot camp which is a higher price than a gym membership they want to be sure of what they are going to get so you have to show them your stuff.

   Since we started the 2 week free trial we get anywhere from 20 to 35 new campers try our program each month and we usually convert about 75% of those people.  But the point is, it is hard to convert people if you don’t have them and before the trial we didn’t have them coming in like that and the trial has been huge in taking our boot camp from
   60 campers to consistently over 200 campers per month and increasing our income by easily $20k per month.

2. Reward Referrals:  We generously reward referrals and make sure all of our campers know it.  If one of my campers refers someone that joins my camp and that person is going to spend $561 to $1740 or more with me…. I should nicely reward that person form helping me make that much money.  We give $50 to $100 for each referral plus other goodies like Prograde, t-shirts and special classes.  We do not do ANY print advertising and almost all of our new campers come from a referral.

3. Treat Them Right:  It really doesn’t matter how you get campers into your camp, if you don’t treat them right, get them results, and make have an excellent experience then they won’t stick around.  We provide lots of added value to all of our campers including, nutrition talks, measurements, travel workouts, free Saturday classes once a month, money for referrals, birthday gift cards, recognition, appreciation parties, group activities like hikes, beach workouts and canoe trips and more.  We also, provide a great program that is well thought out not just thrown together the night before, we make special time before and after class, we make special time for people who need extra help and reach out for it and we treat our campers like friends.  Our campers appreciate our attention to detail and know they can’t get it anywhere else.

Jeff and Tiffany Larson owners of Napa / Sonoma / St. Helena Adventure Boot Camp.  Fitness boot camp and kettlebell training focusing on fat loss and putting safety and quality first.

18 great business building tips from some of the best fitness pros I know.  Now your job is to pick a couple and start integrating them into your business.

Dedicated to your success,

Pat Rigsby

Pat Rigsby is a Co-Owner of the International Youth Conditioning Association & the youth fitness franchise Athletic Revolution as well as a fitness industry consultant serving thousands of personal trainers and fitness entrepreneurs. Sign up for his fitness business free newsletter to discover proven marketing, sales and business strategies, along with blog updates, news, and more! While you’re at it, follow him on Twitter.