It is amazing that physician networking is so infrequently explored by the personal training community. A November 2007 press release from the American Medical Association (AMA) announced the launch of a new initiative called Exercise is Medicine, a program designed to encourage America’s patients to incorporate physical activity and exercise into their daily routine.
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When seeking out a personal trainer, it is necessary for potential clients to feel confident that they will be training with the best fit. Below…
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Email is so prevalent in modern life that it is largely taken for granted, but that doesn’t mean it should be underestimated. Each email you send is a document that represents you and your business.
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I’ve spoken to many personal trainers and many say they jumped into the personal training business for the simple reason that they enjoy fitness. And, they want to share their passion of helping others live healthier lives. In fact, many trainers don’t start off thinking of personal training as a long-range business opportunity.
But, then there could come a time when you become tired of working for someone else – when you see potential in branching out on your own. So, what do you need to do first? Start thinking with a business mind- a marketing mind.
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During my more than 25 years as a professional Trainer I have been approached uncountable times by newbie personal trainers wanting to know how they…
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The day-to-day of building a new client base can be daunting. Chances are you’ve blindly thrown out a few lines hoping to get a bite.…
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I can’t think of a better way for personal trainers to grow their business than by having a strong online presence. Potential clients are out there, and chances are they are active online.
Think about it. When you are looking for something, where do you turn first? The classified section? Probably not. The Yellow Pages? Doubtful. No, you look on the Internet. The same goes for people who are trying to find someone who can motivate them to lose weight, get into shape or simply learn to live a healthier life.
The Internet is where you can find the answers to almost anything…almost. The question: are you the answer potential clients find? If not, you can get there. But first, let’s examine how building a strong online presence can help your business.
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Your professional development as a personal trainer is very important to your success. Maybe there are times when you become content with where you are and with what you have. You have worked so hard to get to this moment. You have a great studio, great trainers on your staff and enough clients to go around. Or maybe you are a trainer working in a big facility and have decided to transition into being an independent trainer (a.k.a. your own boss). Regardless of your working environment or situation – know this – you can’t get comfortable!
At the end of the day, if your main goal is to be able to a.) support yourself and b.) support your family by doing what you love. Don’t settle. Be purposeful in your growth. Never lose touch with what is going on in your industry. Just being a nice guy (or gal) won’t pay the bills (though wouldn’t that be nice?)!
My point: you have to go out there and keep it current; keep your mind sharp. Worry less about the latest piece of techy equipment and think more about your actual craft. If you’re not keeping up with the industry, than the industry will leave you behind. It starts from the top – industry trends, industry players and how both alter the desires of fitness consumers. Stay in the know about how to work with savvier clients, your local economy and local players. Then, finally the almighty question, “What do you have to offer?”
If you’re offering what you did 5, 10, 20 years ago – that just may not be good enough. Sustaining a competitive advantage begins with you looking in the mirror. Don’t let yourself get stagnate and stale – it doesn’t cost much and the time invested is well worth the personal growth and brain stimulation. Showing your current clients that you are a serious trainer with a serious ambition to learn and BE MORE will a.) provide you the acknowledgement you so deserve and b.) prove that you care about learning the best ways to help them reach their goals.
What can you add to your repertoire to make you current, and special; to stand out from the crowd?
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The idea of building a strong online presence for your fitness business is exciting, but the actual task seems intimidating. Don’t worry. This isn’t a sprint- it’s a marathon. If you are training a client for a marathon would you set the treadmill to 26.4 miles on the first day? I hope not. Well, I won’t do that to you either. But, just like when training for a marathon, visualizing the end goal at the beginning helps keep all the little things you do in perspective.
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In February of 1996, I wrote an article in NFPT’s Personal Trainer Magazine about a man who emailed me with a problem he was having. Of all things, he asked me for advice on how to salvage his relationship with his girlfriend. At a glance, my first instinct was to direct him to Ann Landers or to an equally talented counselor. But, I kept on reading and found out – I may be able to help. While, my advice was given to this 1996 love-sick dude, my advice still applies today.
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The first thing you will need to do is purchase a domain name and hosting for your website. There are a plethora of companies out there that offer these two must-haves as a package deal. Shop around and find the one that works best for you.
Here are a few good hosting companies to check out:
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Now, that you’ve created your website and have taken the plunge into the world of social media, you’re ready to take it one step further. You’re ready to start a personal training blog.
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