Be a Successful Personal Trainer by Creating Walking Advertisements
pesronal trainers, fitness marketing
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Today I actually read a few blog entries that were unrelated to fitness, half because a FitConnect member recommended it to me and half because I need a break from reading about the 50 billion different ways to get 6 pack abs and burn fat. So I read up on some of Steve Pavlina's Personal Development for Smart People.
Now I'm not a fan of reading long articles (Stevie likes to ramble) but I somehow got hooked and read one or two of his posts to completion. If you decide to read one of his posts I recommend printing it out first, my eyes are a little sore as I write this - but some of his advice stood out to me, and I wanted to relate and recommend it to all you personal trainers and fitness professionals out there.
Steve was insistent upon letting everyone know that he's wealthy - which made me look down on his personality - but then, he threw in some words that caused me to pull a 180 on my judgement.
He said that "money is only a means to an end, not an end in itself. Making a positive contribution to the world is a lot more important to me than money. Money can be useful in achieving this objective, but human relationships are far more important. The funny thing is that the less I rely on money, the more of it I seem to have.”
Of course, I think most people would agree (although their behaviors probably don't support this notion) that making a positive contribution to society is a much more lasting reward than a monetary one. I agree as well - to an extent. I have to admit that if you sent me $1,000 that would probably put more of a smile on my face than saying "nice post."
Don't worry, "nice post" is still the socially acceptable method of tipping your blogger, don't feel pressured.
So how does any of this relate to Personal Training? Because personal training is a business with a strong emphasis on building relationships and helping people - yes, helping people. Bet you forgot that was an objective as you've been broadcasting your prices per session to the world on facebook and craigslist? Think about how foolish that is. You're trying to convince people to use your service by advertising what THEY can give YOU.
To give you some background about Steve Pavlina, he is a well known personal development writer who makes a lot of money simply by blogging. His competitive edge is that he connects with his readers and actually helps them. He often boasts how he ignores "marketing strategies" and sticks to one thing - providing a good product and helping people. As long as your good at what you do, the money will come. And you're the best, right?
How long are your typical sessions with your clients? More importantly, should they even have a rigid time limit? I understand that most personal trainers and fitness professionals have a schedule to stick to, which is understandable, but why not try focusing on results for your clients rather than being so time oriented. Part of the reason you became a personal trainer is because you believe in what you do and think you can make more money performing rather than living by the clock at a desk job.
Think about it. If you take one person and help them lose weight, or tighten up their stomach, or whatever their goal is – they are a walking "advertisement" for life. But you have your own advertisements don't you? I'm sure you post your many certifications and achievements, which is something you should definitely be proud of, don't get me wrong. But, you're competing with every other personal trainer that has their multi-lettered certifications that non-personal trainers have no idea what it means. I bet a lot of people in the market for a personal trainer don't even read that jargon.
Real Life Scenario
Now imagine I have a “used-to-be overweight” friend from high school that I see out at the bar after not seeing them for a year or two. And of course, I compliment them on how they lost so much weight and asked how they did it. Imagine them explaining to me that YOU gave them advice, pushed them to work harder, and coached them into their new body? Actually, I'm not the only person that talks to them, imagine they told 5 - 10 people about how you helped them. Now, let's assume those 5 - 10 people each know 3 people who are overweight and looking to slim down. You probably think I'm over exaggerating the scenario, which I admit - the real world is never as perfect as scenarios. But I insist that this certain scenario is not as far fetched as you might believe. Doesn't the news always report how the entire world is overweight? Isn't the dietary supplement industry a multi-billion dollar money maker? People are willing to spend the money on slimming down (you can stop advertising your $10 off deals), they just want to be sure they'll get results.
So if the point of this post was to explain why you shouldn't be money oriented, then why do I keep rambling on about money? Well, because as rewarding as a sense of accomplishment is, it doesn't pay the bills. And I could explain the joys of non-monetary achievements for hours, but at the end of the day I think we're all saying "where my money at?" So my final point for all you money hungry personal trainers out there is similar to that old adage “if you love something, let it go” – If you want to make money, let go of that desire and focus on helping people, and the money will come.
“The funny thing is that the less I rely on money, the more of it I seem to have." - Steve Pavlina
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on 6/17/2008
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