Comments on: Do This, Not That: The Personal Trainer Survival Guide – Part 1

By: Do This, Not That - Part 2 | Fit Business Insider

Do This, Not That - Part 2 | Fit Business Insider — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 03:15:05 +0000

[...] Part 1 we covered offering 3, 6 and 12 Month Programs, using EFT Billing and having Multiple Streams Of [...]

By: Do You Have At Least 5 Of These? | Fit Business Insider

Do You Have At Least 5 Of These? | Fit Business Insider — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 03:45:28 +0000

[...] Fitness Coaching Programs (link to Fitness Coaching Post) [...]

By: Heath Herrera

Heath Herrera — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:25:14 +0000

Pat,
Thank you!
Adding EFT has gotten ride of a constant headache. I am no longer a bill collector. Changing from 6-week offerings to the month-month, 3 month, and 12 month has increased my ability to sign memberships.

These two are helping me move to additional offerings for my clients.

Heath

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:10:16 +0000

Pat,
Brilliant as usual.
Your tips are very helpful and given me more brainstorming ideas!

thanks

By: Melissa Walker

Melissa Walker — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:53:35 +0000

My husband and I always say we could write a book on what not to do your first year of business, so I can easily add to this post. It may seem obvious to some, but when renting space, don’t be impressed by how much foot traffic and visibility your location has. Save your income and rent a cheaper location (warehouse type, or maybe even sub-lease). You’ll generate more business by referalls, public speaking events, etc. than you will from foot traffic!

By: Justin Yule

Justin Yule — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:31:29 +0000

DO: Join the Boot Camp Blue Print Program
DON’T: Be a moron and try to build your business alone

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 19:06:15 +0000

Thanks for all the help and advice!

mark

By: Callie Durbrow

Callie Durbrow — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:59:06 +0000

Great advice here Pat! I am up and running with my EFT program (courtesy of Volo) and it’s going really great. Also switching from 1 on 1 to group training last spring made a HUGE difference. I have a lot more time to work on my business. I’m looking forward to more of your tips in this area as I’m finding the hardest part is “letting go” and focusing on only the big things that move my business.

By: Dave Chex

Dave Chex — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:45:26 +0000

@mark: Hi Mark, EFT stands for Electronic Funds Transfer, and its one of the best things you can implement in your training business. You simply ask your clients to provide a credit card number and then bill them monthly on autodraft.

By: Kieran Igwe

Kieran Igwe — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:37:10 +0000

Mark, EFT stands for Electronic Funds Transfer. When you’ve set this up an agreed amount is wired automatically to your account from your clients, usually on a monthly basis.

You’d agree a set period of time for this to run with a client; for 3, 6 or 12 months if you follow Pat’s good advice ; – ) with the option to renew at the end.

EFT doesn’t guarantee you’ll get all the money from all your clients, but if you use a third party billing and collection company you’ll increase the likelyhood of collecting all your payments.

Thomas Plummer’s book, The Business of Fitness helped me understand EFT, along with outsourcing the billing and collections part of the business.

It means you can focus more on the training and less on being the debt collector!