Marketing and client recruitment strategy is one fundamental difference of working as a commercial gym trainer versus working for yourself as a mobile fitness/in-home fitness trainer. Within the gym setting the trainer’s potential clients are walking around the gym like schools of fish. Since trainers went through a process to get hired by the gym, the gym members tend to see them as prequalified experts. It is obvious that those who joined the gym are striving for physical improvement. Therefore these gym members are prequalified and obtaining clients is almost as easy as shooting fish in a barrel.
In reality, there isn’t one perfect client gathering method for mobile fitness trainers and that is why the process can be perceived as either being fun and challenging or an absolutely daunting and impossible task. You certainly must obtain knowledge, be willing to take action, and utilize several systematic business, marketing, and sales plans and skills in order to succeed as an independent trainer.
The following are (10) rules for the successful Mobile Fitness Trainer’s marketing campaign.
1. First, you must define who your target market is and then formulate a marketing plan to reach out to them. Some people believe that training every type of client is the best business approach, but that is not necessarily the case.
2. Make your client recruitment plans as specific as possible. If possible, use several marketing and promotional strategies simultaneously. How will you find your clients? Where will you go to find your clients?
3. It is usually best to focus on building relationships with other businesses that are different than yours, but cater to the same type of clients. Go where there is a large population of potential clients for you to choose from. Who are you going to contact and visit with during the week?
4. Why are you targeting those businesses and/or people? What role does a specific person have in their company? Are they a decision maker in the company? If not, can they introduce you to a decision maker?
5. Make sure that you write down your plans and break them down into long, medium, and short-term marketing goals. Do not be afraid to amend your goals throughout the year.
6. Your marketing strategies and materials should be thoroughly examined once each quarter (3-Months). Are they working well? If so, keep it up. If not, change things up.
7. Make sure to give each marketing strategy you use a minimum of six weeks to evaluate it’s effectiveness. If you change too soon and too often, you won’t be able to truly evaluate the progress of your strategies.
8. Look over your marketing plan at least once each week. (see what your plans are)
9. Planning/Effort/Persistence (PEP): One must have PEP in order to obtain clients.
10. Even when things are going really well and you have a full client load, make certain to continue with your marketing strategies and campaign. If you are too busy to take on more clients at that time, put them on a waiting list and keep contact with them through emails. Potential clients generally respect and like dealing with those who are most busy. The general thought is that those who are most busy must be good and people will tend to wait until a slot opens up for you.
President and founder of the Home Fitness Professionals Association www.homefitnesspro.org. Has worked within the fitness industry for over 15 years. Jeff received his master’s degree in Sport Behavior and Performance from Miami University and has obtained several fitness certifications including: National Strength and Conditioning Association/Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Etcheberry Performance/Tennis Physical Conditioning Specialist, Institute of Human Performance/Functional Training Specialist, Cooper Institute/Certified Fitness Advisor, International Fitness Professionals Association/Certified Fitness Trainer, and Life Fitness/Gold Certified Specialist.
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