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YES, a three thousand one hundred and fifty dollar GRAND PRIZE! I am so excited. There will also be a runner up prize for the 2nd best question, and both questions will be answered on air.
All you have to do is post a question in the blog right now, and you are automatically entered to win.
GRAND PRIZE (valued at $3,150):
- a FREE version of my Personal Training Business Software, yours to use for ever.
- the "6 Figure Personal Training Blueprint" report (See picture at bottom of post)
- 30 min private phone coaching session
RUNNER UP PRIZE: (Valued at $150):
- the"6 Figure Personal Training Blueprint" report
In a few hours, @ 5pm EST today, I will be interviewed by Wess Murray on Essentially Fit Talks.
Be sure to tune in by clicking here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/essentiallyfit
Or you can rsvp to the event on facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=127727313922807#!/event.php?eid=127727313922807
Anyway, I have had a lot of questions and interest about the marketing system and personal training business software we will be releasing soon.
Beta test my Personal Training Business Software for free! Post your question in the comments now.
If you have a question about the software, or the business system, please post as a comment on this blog.
But your question must be posted ASAP as I need time to pick a winner by 4pm est today! The show starts at 5pm.
The person who posts the best question regarding the software, the system, or about the fitness business in general, will the GRAND PRIZE, and the next best question will win the RUNNER UP PRIZE.
AND both questions will be answered on air, live!
So post a comment with your most pressing questions and tune in tomorrow to hear your questions answered.
Until next time, keep your business fit.
JF
***P.S. Will be revealing one of my deepest darkest secrets that very few people know about me!!!
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I am having the most difficult time collecting from my clients…it was per/session, but that got difficult with so many clients…so then I went to first of the month…but everyone “forgets”…is there a diplomatic way to remind my clients it’s time to pay up? Is a bulk email rude? Or do I have a sit down with each at the beginning of the month to discuss commitment and schedule?? Thanks Jon…YOU ROCK!
Ok, this has been giving me the worst business migraine that no amount of aspirin can cure…please help!
I am trying to build an online subscriber list(because I want to build an online business) I can’t figure out how to combine my fitness ‘niche’ into one thing.
I’ve put up a wordpress blog targeted to personal trainers because I wanted to help them identify and correct muscle imbalances that are keeping their clients from achieving their fitness goals due to pain and injuries.
I do this by helping identify exercise mistakes, compensation strategies, teaching my method of assessing clients and program design.
The posts I put up are things that personal training certifications aren’t teaching. I go beyond the general info that’ being taught and sometimes completely against conventional training methods…but not because I’m trying to make a statement it’s just that my methods have worked really well.
I love teaching what I know more than training clients…period!
But, I also know I can’t compete with guys like Paul Check & Juan Carlos Santana who have the market cornered on corrective exercise and functional training.
I’m not sure what theme I could base my site around in the area of corrective exercise, functional training or core training to differentiate myself.
The other idea I had is to go completely in another direction to just targeting the general public as I’ve done as a personal trainer.
That would be targeting active individuals age 35-45 who have nagging injuries that they can’t find long-term solutions for.
I have built my reputation in personal training by:
helping my clients overcome nagging injuries to the shoulders, lower back and knees mostly
I have trained mostly clients who are actively involved in recreational activities like running, biking, hiking, golf & tennis
In the process of rehabbing various injuries my clients have also reached certain weight loss goals
age range of clients; 35-50
But, it seems I need to choose 1 market, either runners, golfers, tennis players and 1 specific injury otherwise I’m told I’m trying to be all things to everyone and not specializing enough.
So, my question is what’s my next step in clearly defining what theme my website should be based around. I thought about having a overall related theme (if possible) and then specific pages within the site focused on runners, golfers, tennis players and specific articles related to each.
But, I’m not sure if this is the correct way to go or if there’s a better way I’m not thinking of.
Sorry to lay all this on you but you asked for a question and this one’s a hefty one I know.
If you could help me figure this one out words wouldn’t be able to say how relieved I’d be.
Thanks for listening,
Kevin Yates
http://functionaltrainingcoach.com
Hey Jon, I was wondering if you could give me some advice. I recently started up a personal training/boot camp biz in NYC and I’m having trouble getting my name out. Do you think it’s a good idea to use the coupon sites (groupon, kgbdeals, etc.) and deeply discount my services, or is it better to keep flyering and handing out business cards so I don’t sell myself short? I welcome your expert advice. Thanks!
-Barefoot Benny
Need a simple solution for running a small studio,bootcampsm and online business targeted to both fit pros and consumers….
will this software help integrate both? will it help develope business systems for even the smallest of studios ?
Hi Johnny,
How can I attract clients who have a burning desire to reach their fitness goals AND have complete confidence in my ability to guide them?
Up until this point, I’ve focused all of my energy on educating myself as a trainer and increasing the value of what I offer my clients…trusting that a truly top-notch service will attract truly top-notch clients. But there seems to be a disconnect – my business isn’t growing as fast as I’d like. The more I think about it, the more I realize – if the best clients in the world don’t know about me, how can I expect them to train with me? Do I need to invest less money into continuing education and more into marketing and PR?…..and possibly give up on the idealism that if I provide a great service, word of mouth will simply drop opportunity at my doorstep??
If this is a personal trainers business system, please explain to me how the software works synergystially within itself to market to both new and previous clients, retain current clients, help generate refferals, track appointments, auto generate email appointment reminders and any other features that may be built in allowing better time management for both the individual trainer, multiple trainer studio or boot camp / group class instructors?
I also am struggling to collect from my clients. Do you think a debit order kind of way would help (only to those who “forget” or the late payers). My bank is not as lenient to me if there is no money in my account and bank penalty fees are ridiculous! I stay in South Africa and was thinking about online personal training as well to get my name out there but there are thousands of online personal trainers out there, so where do I begin….?
I’ve been out of the personal training game for the last 8 or 9 years working strictly as a collegiate strength & conditioning coach. I was approached by a local “big box” gym to come in and train for them and I figured, “what the heck!”
My wife & I just had our 2nd child so the extra $ would go a long way toward paying for diapers ;-)
I know that I have the skills to be the best trainer in the gym… heck, I’m by far the most experienced in the field and I’ve seen what they do with their clients.
So my biggest questions are:
How do I most efficiently organize my prospects into a follow up sequence (phone, email, txt, etc.) to convert them into clients?
How do I track my clients to figure out who are my most valuable clients so that I am not wasting my time with clients who could be worth more to me?
There is no doubt in my mind that I am the best trainer that the club has, but with the economy still being slow and the typical summer drought in the clubs I need to be as efficient & effective as possible in my client getting strategy so that I’m not wasting my valuable time away from my family with less than optimum training hours!
Thanks,
Dan
I have been a personal trainer since September 2008. I live in West Michigan which is currently experiencing the brunt of the economic downturn. I have had clients, but they have been few and far between. I have done some marketing, but it is on a very limited budget and mostly word of mouth and social media. It sounds like your new software is geared more towards established trainers with many clients in large cities. I want to know how your software and system would be beneficial to someone like me – a small business (with BIG plans) in a small city with limited resources.
I also want to express my gratitude to you for reaching out and offering your fitness business experience and knowledge with the rest of us. Thank you. Monica
I am 42 and have struggled with my weight practically all of my life. My higest recorded weight was 325 pounds. I am now 248 pounds! Can you offer any suggestions on how to stay motivated and focused? Thank you!
Hi Jon,
My business is one on one and i know i need to do group training but i dont know how to start it up.
Also i have no marketing skills and i want to do videos for clients as well as prospects whats the best way to go about this. Do you have a good and easy system for marketing thats understand able in your software?
Thank you Nicole
What would you say is the best way to start out? I am a super new trainer and I want to start out the right way. Not just jumping in head first and then having to back track later on. I know it will take time to become successful, but I want to start out being the most effective, desired, knowledgeable trainer I can be.
Thank you! :)
I was wondering, I want to start my own personal training business,
And to save money I was thinking tse machines and equipment, other then the basic necessities hat maybe there’s no need to have all these machines is this a good approach??
I do not have the finance required to start up a business of my own nor do I have the experience or knowledge of how to operate a successful business.
How does one know it’s time to switch from an employee role to a business owner and what books do you recommend for someone who’s wanting to jump into business?
Many thanks in advance
Hi Johnny-What are the questions that you ask people when they call you about your services? I hear other professionals talk about
‘qualifying questions’ and I’m not sure what questions to ask so that I can make sure that the prospects are serious about becoming a client.
What do you say to the people that say they want to think about it-talk to their husband,check their schedule,check their budget,etc?
Also,what is your policy on free sessions? Do you offer them? Thanks
These are awesome questions Joyce! So good, I am going to write a blog post about the “let me think about it” & “qualifying” questions this week. Stay tuned :-) Regarding free session, I no longer offer them, but instead have an initial consultation that is at a 50% discount! Man, did I hate giving my time away for free, but this is stage only happens once you are really established. For most trainer who are still in a building phase of their business, it is good to offer a complimentary session, but there is a right way and a wrong way. Often the hardest part is just getting them to show up though because they don’t value it! There are lots of clever/sneaky ways to get this problem.
Not sure if you are a personal trainer, but based on your question, I definitely think you should NOT go into business yet! Get the experience and learn the tricks of the trade on someone else’s (a gym’s) dime, then go off and implement on your own. You can switch from an employee role to an owner when 2 things happen: 1) clients seek you out, you are getting leads on your own 2) you have operational systems in place to grow/scale your business. Otherwise, you will be a slave to your business, and your business will own you, instead of you owning your business!!!
I agree. Gradually invest in your business, esp. if you are new, don’t just take out a loan and invest in a huge amount of equipment right away, ESP. if you are new to the industry and your market. Also, see my response above. Either start in working for a gym, or you can start a boot camp and train people in a park for NO start up cost. Then, you save some of your profits and reinvest them into getting equipment (cheaper stuff like bands first, more expensive stuff later) and build your business without all the risk!
Hmmm, interesting question, although a little general. I would say set aside 10-15 hours a week to learn exercise science (BOTH by reading books & mentoring with an experience trainer), and spend at least 5 hours a week exercising, getting in great shape, and putting into practice what you are learning. Then do some research on what the best certification is for your needs (and what gyms/boot camp owners are in the area that you would like to work for), and go from there. (Be sure to see our blog post about the “best” personal training certification here: http://www.personaltrainingbusiness.com/blog/what-is-the-best-personal-trainer-certification/ ) Remember, you need to know your stuff, but PERSONALITY is the key to landing a great fitness job.
Thanks for the comment Nicole. NO, you do not NEED to do group training! Just because everyone is saying it does NOT make it true Nicole, you know that. That being said, you can still give it a shot if you would like. One way is to have a client bring in a friend for a workout (at a discount!) so you can get used to training more than 1 person at a time. (This is also a great prospecting technique and can lead to getting more clients when done correctly.) The software IS a marketing system for your business, although we do not focus on video marketing because online marketing is NOT NEARLY AS EFFECTIVE as word of mouth marketing. (another thing that most people have mistaken.) I would start with uploading video testimonials of your clients & their workouts to youtube and facebook. Here is a video on uploading to youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsXeCJTny2A Let me know if you have more questions! Thanks Nicole
Congratulations on your success! That is amazing. The best way to stay motivated is to find your biggest reason why, and your biggest fear? Why do you want to lose more weight? What would you do differently, how would your life be different? How would the lives of your loved ones be different? Now what is your biggest fear, what would happen if you didn’t lose the weight, and how would it impact your loved ones? NOW THE KEY: Write down your answers, make them as accurate, emotional, and genuine as possible, think about it! Then save the document, print it, and post it somewhere you see it every day! I would also post a picture of you at 325lbs somewhere you see it everyday, so you can celebrate your success and how far you have come! let me know how it is going, thanks!
Monica, thank you so much for your excellent question and kind words.
I am glad you are focused on word of mouth, that is critical. The software is GREAT for trainers who are just starting out, it will help you automate some key aspects of your business, help you develop GREAT habits from the get go, and free up time by helping you stay organized.
I am wondering how much exposure you are getting for your business? Find a group of people in the community you really want to help, and then start training them. Even if it is at a very steep discount initially, just to get more exposure. (Make sure they know they are getting a great discount, and maybe there is a public park you can do a free bootcamp once a week on a saturday to get even more exposure, esp. when it is nice weather.) Promote the hell out of your free bootcamp both online and offline, send people special invites, get as much exposure as possible. This will work FAST.
Dan, thanks allot for the comment and question! Honestly, the SOFTWARE is all about organizing your business, evaluating your clients, follow up with leads/prospects, and leveraging your client relationships for maximum success/profit/results! Stay tuned. A great litmus test is your reaction to your next client when they walk in the door. Are you excited? Or do you take a deep breath and think “here we do again”. Lol. If it is the latter, you are in trouble. The software breaks down client relationships into *5 Critical Categories*, more on that later…
Congrats on winning the runner up prize! Collect $ is all about confidence, the system is secondary to that. Did you here the answer I gave on the show live? If not, you can still listen to it, click the link in the post bove :-)
Congratulations Jason! Our grand prize winner! You will get to see exactly how the software helps you generate referrals, track clients, and help you automate your business! YES, it helps both individual trainer, and group class/bootcamp instructors. It is not ideal for multiple trainer studios, unless each trainer has their own version.
Rob, this is an awesome question, and 99 times out of a hundred, i would say “More education” but your situation is a little different because you REALLY know your stuff and have invested more $ in education in the last 2 years than 90% of trainers do in 10 years time. For that reason, I would say you should actually work on your marketing BUT NOT BY PAYING EXPENSIVE PR! Trust me, this is not the most bang for the buck, but it can be part of the plan, and you can find someone who will work on a results based payment structure for PR AND be willing to barter, but again this is not the main crux of what I would do if I were you. So what would I do? Service is not just about exercise science, but showing the client you REALLY care, and making them fiercely loyal (you know that). That way you get unsolicited referrals. Your book fills. Your rates go up. You confidence goes WAY up. And then you will 1) Identify who EXACTLY would be a superstar client for your business and then 2) Create a really cool & slick way to get them as a client. Let’s set up a time to discuss, it’s more advanced stuff and easiest to talk about in person. Thanks for the question.
This take time, but remember the 2 things. 1) You attract whatever you are. 2) Whatever you focus on magnifies. So be sure to focus on helping people as much as possible, as being the best that you can be. The confidence takes time, it is gradual, you build confidence like you build loyalty with your clients, day by day. Stay tuned for the blog post coming up this week about prospecting, which will help you weed out clients who are not serious so you do not waste your time giving them a complimentary training session!
This software is GREAT for small studios, although each trainer will need to have their own account initially. The software is A business system that can be used by small studios, boot camp owners, personal trainers etc, the only kind of place it is not ideal for is a BIG gym with 30 plus trainers….
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