One of the most powerful ways to market your fitness business is by forming strategic alliances with other successful local businesses. Here’s a step-by-step plan to get you started:
1. Join your local Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber is a great place to start finding other like-minded business owners who serve your target market that are also aggressively looking for ways to grow their businesses.
2. Create your Category List. Identify types of businesses that serve your target market. Here are a few examples:
- Chiropractors
- Spa / Esthetician
- Salon
- Cosmetic Surgeon
- Massage Therapist
- Nutrition Store
- Financial Planner
- Sporting Goods Store
- Dry Cleaner
- Tanning Salon
- Golf Pro
- Tennis Pro
- Pre-School / Child Care Provider
- Accountant
- Physician
- Dentist
3. Pick your Targets. Identify the businesses in each category that would be the best fit to partner with. There will likely be a couple / few in each category that might be a good fit. Rank them and start at the top. Here are some criteria to help you pick potential partners:
- You know the owner or a key employee
- Close proximity to your business
- Already serves some of your clients (you already have an ‘in’)
- Does PPC Advertising (Open to new ideas and might have an email list)
- They have a website
- They advertise in the community – newspaper, radio, TV, direct mail
- They have a good reputation
4. Make Contact. You need to initiate the process by scheduling a meeting with the business owner. If you have a personal relationship with the owner or an employee, reach out immediately. If you don’t, work through your clients or personal network to find someone who does have a relationship and can introduce you. As a last resort, you can initiate contact with a letter followed up by a phone call.
5. The Meeting. It all starts with you giving. Explain to the business owner what you can do for them. Tell the business owner that you’d like to begin referring your clients and your personal network to them. Then identify other ways that you can help one another. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Gift Cards
- Lead Boxes
- Endorsed Mailings or Emails
- Discounts or Freebies for Customers / Clients
- Free Services for them and free / discount services for their staff
- Create a “Your Community’s Best Businesses” network
- Point of Sale Gifts
- Seminars – either joint events or events to each other’s list
- Co-Op mailings
6. Getting Started. While there are all sorts of things you can do with a Strategic Alliance Partner – don’t try to do them all at once. Pick one or two from the list above or something else you have in mind. Put them in place, track the results and set up a time 2-3 weeks from now to meet again and review.
7. Meet and Optimize. Connect again and review how the initial promotions are working. Look for ways to improve the offers and get more conversions. Try new promotions. Keep testing and tweaking until you’ve hit winners that reward both businesses and are a ‘win’ for the clients / customers / patients.
There’s a simple, step-by-step formula to get you rolling with creating your own fitness marketing partnership team. As always, the real key is taking action. Tell me what you think below. Can you do this? More importantly, WILL you do this?
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.
Hey Pat
Thanks for your generous tips. I am very poor at approaching businesses and guess I will have to improve on that for my boot camp to grow further.
Pat, this is a great post. Networking like you have mentioned above has been the key for me but I always love seeing post like this as a reminder to stay in front of people.
One of my new Fitness Pros is all-over the community and has brought in 8-9 new leads in a matter of a few days using tips like you mentioned.
It just works. Thanks Pat.
Donovan Owens
The Boot Camp Godfather
Thanks Pat. I was just mentioning to my wife a couple of days ago in my justification for joining BCBP that I need a “paint by numbers” approach to things. Now I have more justification. You have done it again.
SP
I have been doing this since I opened my business and IT WORKS better than advertising in the local papaer. Networking is a mjor key to increasing business.
TC – See what the comments below you say – it works if you just give it a try. In fact Donovan has built a 200K business primarily through networking.
Re-read this post and then go back and look at the posts he’s made about networking and you’ll have a good handle on exactly what you should do to become a Power Networker.
Big Steve – This is just the beginning – the BCBP’s step-by-step approach will go into even more detail. Welcome aboard!
Steve Payne in the Boot Camp Blueprint…great to see! Apparently becoming a grandfather makes you incredibly wise!
Thats a great post, cheers for that. If all you got was one client each of each professional listed that would be brilliant.
Really awesome post. Well done!
More great advice. This is one that will challenge my comfort zone.
Pat,
These are great tips. Thank you for the constant reminders to keep working to increase our boot camps.
I like these ideas. I’m doing this now in my market and it’s starting to pay off
very inexpensive and effective. thanks again
@Dave Hare – Dave Hare! How’s Dublin treatin’ ya, buddy? Thanks again for showing us around!
Hey Pat
Thanks for your encouragement and work on being a better Power Networker. @Pat – -
@Jim Labadie:
No worries Jim – pleasure, next time your over give me a shout.
Pat , I think another one to add to that list is a Photgrapher , they deal with weddings (who doesnt wan to look better on their wedding day ) and people simply after portrait or nude photography , these people all want to be in the best possible shape and are prime candidates for training services .
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