| Financial FitnessWhat would you say if I told you | | | | to the big gyms or you'll be trodden underfoot by |
| that you have the potential as a personal trainer | | | | the running herd of new members they've just |
| to earn 40, 50 or even in excess of £60,000 | | | | created - at a huge cost.Quite simply, there will |
| per year?If you're thinking 'That's impossible!' then | | | | ALWAYS be someone out there with more |
| you're right, for you the likelihood of reaching | | | | money to spend on marketing than you so you'll |
| anything near these sums is impossible. You may | | | | always be playing 'catch up' to someone with |
| as well stop reading this article right now and save | | | | deeper pockets. Obviously, this isn't a sound way |
| yourself the bother of even contemplating the | | | | to market your business. You'll go broke in no |
| material.If, on the other hand, you think to | | | | time!The answer to creating a memorable, |
| yourself ' Yes, that's for me' then read on and | | | | client-winning marketing message lies within how |
| pay close attention, because what you read over | | | | you present yourself to your target market. You |
| the following pages is GUARANTEED to take you | | | | do have a target market right? If you don't, |
| closer to realising your financial potential - BUT | | | | you're committing the first cardinal sin of |
| ONLY IF YOU ACTUALLY USE THE | | | | marketing; failing to identify the end user of your |
| INFORMATION. You'll get absolutely zero benefit if | | | | service. This is like firing a shotgun from a |
| all you do is read this article.You see, unlike many | | | | hundred yards and still expecting to hit your |
| other 'marketing experts', I'm not going to tell you | | | | target every time. Sure, you may hit the target |
| how to design your business cards, how to write | | | | on occasion but it'll be a haphazard process that |
| press releases or how to 'close the sale' with your | | | | you won't be able to reproduce. Conversely, |
| prospective client. At least, not yet anyway.As | | | | having a specific market to aim your promotions |
| interesting as some of this information may be, I | | | | at is like shooting with a sniper rifle. Every time |
| regard all of it as being of little importance to the | | | | you take a shot you know it'll hit the right target |
| Personal Trainer who is trying to build his/her | | | | and that, my friends is what marketing is all |
| business. Why? Because in order to be able to | | | | about!You see, when you direct your efforts |
| use these marketing tools you need prospects | | | | toward a specific target market you can do so |
| who are receptive to them in the first place! | | | | much more than simply market your services. |
| Therefore, this article (and those that follow) aims | | | | You have a great opportunity to establish |
| to teach you how to develop the marketing skills | | | | yourself as a specialist. An expert. And let's face it |
| to attract clients to your services, keep them | | | | everyone prefers dealing with experts, even |
| long-term and create parallel revenue streams | | | | when the cost is higher. A good example of this is |
| from your business that will bring in money even | | | | seen in the world of medicine. People will pay |
| when you are not working.Understanding your | | | | through the nose to see the top orthopaedic or |
| competitionEvery month I have the great | | | | heart surgeons because they perceive that the |
| pleasure of lecturing to trainee personal trainers | | | | service they receive will be so much better and |
| and sports therapists at one of the UK's top | | | | yield better results.Why then should well-trained |
| training establishments. At the start of the lecture | | | | personal trainers settle for marketing themselves |
| I often ask students 'What makes you so special? | | | | as 'Personal Trainer'? This title tells your prospects |
| What would make me, as a potential client, seek | | | | nothing about who you are, what you do or how |
| out your services?' The answer always makes | | | | you differ from your competition. Instead the well |
| me laugh, not because of its content but because | | | | trained fitness professional needs to capitalise on |
| of the naïveté of the response, 'Well, | | | | their strengths by marketing themselves as an |
| I'm trained as a therapist, personal trainer, I can | | | | expert in one area.For example, if you have an |
| give nutritional advice and rehabilitate injuries. I'm | | | | established clientele of tennis players (or even |
| an all rounder who can deal with almost any client | | | | have a strong background in the sport yourself) |
| that is presented to me'. Sounds good? Sure, but | | | | you could market yourself as a 'Tennis |
| consider this; this person is part of a class of | | | | Conditioning Specialist'. Doing so identifies you to |
| 20-30 individuals, a new class starts every 4-6 | | | | prospects who may have never hired a 'Personal |
| weeks and there are 18 training establishments | | | | Trainer' to help them with their sports preparation. |
| around the country for this one company | | | | See the difference? Who would YOU rather |
| alone!Let's face it; competition for your services is | | | | hire?If Tennis isn't your thing you could just as |
| fierce. In the above example we see that one | | | | easily create a niche for yourself in any of the |
| company alone is producing over 2500 new | | | | following areas:* Corrective exercise* |
| trainers to the industry every year. All with the | | | | Performance enhancement* Kinetic Chain |
| same training as you, same skills as you and | | | | Specialist* Strength Conditioning* Ante/Post natal |
| many living and working in the same area as you. | | | | fitness* Back rehabilitation* Core conditioning* |
| So you see, simply marketing yourself on the | | | | Golf conditioning* Sports conditioning* Or ANY |
| strength of your certifications is a fairly limited | | | | area where you have specialist knowledge or |
| endeavour which is guaranteed to see your | | | | interestNow, I'm not suggesting you simply create |
| marketing material buried amongst that of your | | | | a title and market yourself as an expert in an |
| competitors, leading to frustration for you and | | | | area. Doing so would be unethical and |
| confusion for your prospects.So what should we | | | | unprofessional and besides, you'd soon be found |
| be doing? How do we differentiate ourselves | | | | out by your client (I know of several PT's who |
| from our competitors and create successful | | | | marketed themselves as specialists in various |
| businesses that yield enough income to produce | | | | areas who were later caught out when the |
| the financial freedom we desire? | | | | athletes they took on realised that they didn't |
| The answer lies within you!THE ONE AND ONLY | | | | really understand their sports at all. Not only did |
| YOUYou are unique. This is a proven FACT. It is | | | | they not keep the athletes as clients but they |
| indisputable. Regardless of the training, lifestyle and | | | | also lost many clients when word got out that |
| education that another person receives, they will | | | | they were 'faking it').Instead, try to build upon |
| never be the same as you. They will never have | | | | your existing knowledge by:* Attending |
| your exact philosophies, your drive, your ambition, | | | | workshops, seminars and lectures in your area of |
| your life force.Why then, with this uniqueness do | | | | interest.* Buying books, magazines and periodicals |
| we tend to gravitate toward the grey 'sameness' | | | | to stay at the cutting edge of your field.* Seeking |
| of our industry competitors when it comes to | | | | out those who are already earning a living from |
| marketing ourselves? Why will 9 out of 10 | | | | your chosen specialisation and get them to |
| trainers carry similar business cards, print similar | | | | mentor you. If they won't (they may see you as |
| flyers and write similar websites? Quite frankly, | | | | direct competition) then PAY them for a series of |
| this is marketing suicide!You see, when prospects | | | | appointments and learn from them that way |
| are faced with products that are all similar, the | | | | instead.* Giving small presentations to other |
| tendency is to go either with the cheapest or the | | | | fitness professionals or members of the public. |
| one that looks the best. What does this mean to | | | | This means that you really have to learn your |
| you? Well, your hourly rate had better match (or | | | | stuff to a high degree but it also confirms to |
| be cheaper) than that of your competition or you | | | | others that you are the expert you profess to |
| will need to spend more than your competitors in | | | | be.Make no mistake; creating a unique market |
| order for your materials to look better than | | | | identity (UMI) is one of the most important things |
| theirs.In truth, neither of these strategies is | | | | that any entrepreneur can do to gain marketing |
| acceptable, at least, not in the long term. I mean, | | | | momentum. This simple yet highly effective step |
| who wants to have their hourly rate determined | | | | will assist you in creating specific marketing |
| by their competition? What if they drop their fees | | | | messages that sing out to prospects that are |
| to undercut you? Will you drop yours again to | | | | looking for specific help within a specific area |
| match theirs? As you can see, this strategy is | | | | thereby positioning you as an 'expert' within your |
| flawed and should be avoided at all costs. NEVER | | | | field.And let's face it; when was the last time you |
| let your competition determine your value.What | | | | heard of a poor expert?Dax Moy is a Master |
| about paying for glossier, flashier marketing | | | | Personal Trainer, Corrective and Performance |
| materials? That works right? WRONG! You can | | | | Exercise Specialist and Educator working in |
| have the nicest looking, glossiest, all the 'flashes | | | | London. Voted one of the UK's Top Fitness |
| bangs and whistles' marketing materials and still | | | | Experts in 2002, Dax provides specialist training to |
| never get the client response you desire. Why? | | | | Personal Trainers, Physiotherapists, and |
| Because 'Image marketing' simply doesn't work. | | | | osteopaths.Visit to subscribe to Dax's FREE PT |
| Not on the small scale anyway. Leave this stuff | | | | Success Newsletter. |