Fit Business Insider

Selling personal training, bootcamps, youth fitness programs or even health club memberships – that’s the foundation of your business.

No sale – no client, camper or member.

But most fitness pros I know hate selling.  But that’s only because they’re not comfortable with it yet.

Here are three tips to change that and make closing sales much, much easier.

Fitness Sales Key #1 – Everything Leads To A Sale

Sometimes I have to remind the trainers we work with that while sending press releases, getting on TV, making blog posts, writing articles, creating product and all the rest are great…they’re all just a means to lead to you selling something.

Read the rest…

I just got back from a few days in Dallas at the Dan Kennedy Super Conference where I got to pick up a few ideas on everything from copywriting to franchising.  I also got to spend some time with fitness industry colleagues Curtis Mock, Chris Bachelor, Craig Ballantyne and Scott Colby.

But some of my most enjoyable time in Dallas was Saturday morning when I got to spend some time with King Hoover.

King is a long time customer and friend that has been part of our original Trainer’s Inner Circle program and is currently a Bootcamp Blueprint & IYCA member.  He’s also one of the most humble and kind gentlemen I’ve met.

King started off our conversation almost apologetically, saying that he was a little upset with himself for not implementing all the great marketing strategies we’ve provided in the Blueprint.

I had to laugh a little.

King’s built a great business in Fort Worth, Texas and he’s had his own syndicated radio show, he’s on TV and he’s about as media friendly as anyone I’ve met.

And he’s probably the best networker I know.

Read the rest…

One of the most common questions I get goes something like this:

“How can I fill up my schedule without spending a fortune on ineffective advertising or direct mail?”

What they really mean is:

I don’t have enough clients.  Can you help?

Well, the better question is what did I NOT do in the past few weeks to cause me not to have as many clients as I want?  I guess what I’m saying is the answer lies in your own actions.  Every day you get to decide whether you’re going to work on your business or just complain about the problems within your business.

So, with that in mind, here are several things you can do ASAP to get things rolling – if you’re willing to take ACTION:

Read the rest…

Recently I was trying to put together a list of all the ways that we’ve tried to generate Clients & Members in our training businesses and health club – and I figured it might be something you’d want to see. I’m not sure I got everything listed, but here’s a pretty comprehensive list of 107 things we’ve personally used in our own businesses.  Hopefully there will be a few ideas you can try…

Read the rest…

Craigslist, lead boxes, direct mail…TV, radio, newspaper…public speaking, door hangers, gift cards.

They all work – and they all fail.

It depends on how you use them.

If you want to get them most from your marketing efforts, here are three tips that will lead you to prosperity.
Read the rest…

9 Steps to Success from Scratch

I get a lot of emails from trainers who are very successful, but have recently moved and need to start all over again from scratch.

Case in point:

“Hi Jim,

Thank YOU for all of your informative emails and great products; Success with Bootcamps, and public speaking…

I wonder if I might be able to ask you a question.

I recently moved to Collingwood, Ontario a small town of 16,000 people to be with my boyfriend and left my successful personal training business in the city behind.

I know it’s going to take some time to start making some good muney again, because not nearly as many people know me here, yet.

I’m wondering what you, Jim, would do in this situation?

I would love to hear from you!”

Happy Holidays!

Sarah

****

My response:

Thanks for the kind words! And congratulations on the move!

It’s a great question, Sarah. Here are some things to do:

1- HUSTLE!

2- Get out to networking events and groups and clubs…everywhere and anywhere your target market is found.

3- Ask around to find out who the most influential people in this small town are and take them to lunch. Pick their brain. What do they think you should do to get the word out?

4- If it’s a small town there might not be too many companies to speak at, but try to find some places to present Lunch and Learns. Speak anywhere and everywhere you can.

5- Get in touch with the local publication(s) and find out how you can contribute articles, etc.

6- If you train women and there are only a couple of places in town where they get their hair done, well, train the most popular stylist in exchange for them promoting the heck out of you to everyone who walks in the door.

7- HUSTLE!

8- As you can see, there’s plenty to do, but something I think everyone needs to be focused on in 2008 is running their business the right way.

- Cutting costs

- Building systems

- Develop consistent marketing

My friend Pat Rigsby cracked me up one day on a Trainer’s Inner Cirlce call when he said most trainers run their business like it’s the lawn-cutting summer business of a teenager!

Hey, it’s freakin’ true.

More than anything else, 2008 is the year to get serious about running a BUSINESS and not just a paid hobby.

So that’s why I highly recommmend you follow step 9.

9- Get Pat Rigsby’s new http://PTWealthBuilder.com program that gives you a 28 Day, Step-by-Step Plan to create a true business.

It’s a comprhensive plan for just $67 if you get it before Friday. Then it goes up $30.

If you like throwing darts and hoping your “business” will one day be on auto-pilot then please don’t listen to a word I say.

But if you want to actually make your life easier and take the guesswork out of things then get Pat’s new program. It’s 100% guaranteed and it’s $67.

No brainer.

Who loves ya?

Yours in prosperity,

Jim Labadie
http://PTWealthBuilder.com

PS- I know Pat very well and I’ll tell you what: He’s a really, really smart guy.

http://PTWealthBuilder.com

How to Profit from Walking Billboards
Brought to you by: http://www.howtogeneratereferrals.com

There’s no such thing as a ‘slam dunk’ when it comes to selling your fitness services.

You may have noticed when people seem like they want nothing more than to hand over their checkbook they suddenly have a few questions they’d like answered first.

However, if there’s any type of prospective client who is close to being a ‘slam dunk’ it is a referral.

And while I strongly suggest you go through the formal sales process, it should not take much more than you staying out of your own way and letting them sell themselves to close the deal. If the person who referred them to you held up their end of the bargain then they are, for the most part, pre-sold.

As a fitness professional you’ve probably already discovered your best form of marketing is the walking billboards you create.

What else can possibly compare?

Nothing, really.

So what steps are you taking to make sure these living testimonials are spreading the word about you?

Are you being pro-active and making sure your clients know the types of referrals you are seeking?

Are you educating your clients and constantly reminding them of the benefits they have received from your services?

Too often trainers take a reactive approach to their business. They wait for good things to happen instead of making them happen.

Oftentimes I hear of fitness professionals who don’t like the idea of bothering their clients by asking for referrals.

If that sounds like you then I’ve got a simple cure. Sit down with your client at the end of a session and ask them how it is they feel you have helped them. Ask them to paint you a vivid picture of the way they felt and lived their life before meeting you.

Of course you then ask how they now feel after having worked with you. If you’ve done your job they should be going on and on about you and how you’ve changed their life for the better.

Don’t you think they want their friends and family to experience the same joy and well-being?

Next ask them who they know who is in a similar position to how they were before meeting with you. Remind them of the vivid details they just expressed to you. Allow their minds to wander as they search for the perfect referral for you.

Something you need to understand is if you don’t teach your clients exactly what you are looking for in a referral they will never know. And don’t let yourself fall back into a reactive mode. If they know someone who would make a terrific client then be sure to get the prospect’s contact information. Don’t just wait for them to call you, you call them.

If you think that’s too pushy then look at it a different way. You are a fitness professional. You have a moral obligation to reach your hand out and try and help this person. They may or may not become a client, but it will not be for a lack of effort on your part.

Yours in prosperity,
Jim Labadie
http://www.howtogeneratereferrals.com

PS- What can ONE referral lead to?

‘Jim,
I had to tell you, this stuff is awesome! Literally days after implementing some of this stuff from the Ultimate Referral Kit I had prospects calling me.

Just today I got a call from a guy who was referred to me, and not only does he want me to train him, but his whole rugby team as well!

The coaching with Joe Stankowski was easily worth the price of the whole kit alone. He has been an awesome help, telling me some strategies and ideas that will save me much time and money.

Thanks for your great product!’

Zach Hunt
Spokane, WA

http://www.howtogeneratereferrals.com

Back again with some great publicity opportunities for you. 1- I did a 1/2 interview with Brian Grasso to learn how he has taken his Anti-Steroid platform to dizzying heights. We discussed his message and how he was able to easily take part in a seminar packed with over 400 hundred people and tons of media attention. You’ll learn a TON. Check it out at:

http://www.youthandsteroids.org

2- Ever heard of OverTime magazine? Well, if you haven’t you should know that it is read by thousands and thousands of pro athletes! Landing yourself a media hit in it would be a serious score. Find out more about it at:

http://www.pbfn.org/

If you work with athetes be sure to get a copy of the mag and their writer’s guidelines.

3- McDonald’s is making news by providing nutritional content on their wrappers come 2006.
What are your thoughts on the matter? Don’t tell me. Tell the media! Go here for the scoop:

http://tampatrib.com/businessnews/MGBDO7RY8FE.html

4- Stay tuned for my next Fitness Goldmine Report where I’ll be explaining some of the things
I’ll be doing to promote the upcoming seminar I’ll be doing with Alwyn Cosgrove and Ryan
Lee – The Fitness Outlaws! – to the media in the Phoenix area. That’s our first stop on our tour.

5- If you haven’t already picked up a copy of the Velvet Rope yet do so as soon as you can. When you combine the marketing and positioning techniques in the DVD with the publicity info you’re now armed with…well, you’ll be about unstoppable!

http://www.velvetropefitnessmarketing.com

Happy promoting!
Jim Labadie
http://www.velvetropefitnessmarketing.com

PS- If you want 3 hours of hard hitting, no-nonsense business building info get it today at:
http://www.velvetropefitnessmarketing.com