Eight Marketing Mistakes That Fitness Pros Make
By
Pat Rigsby
We all make mistakes. And when it comes to marketing, most of us make some
really silly ones. Unfortunately, we seem to keep making those same mistakes
over and over again. Even though many of our errors defy commonsense and don’t
get us the results we want, we keep making them anyway. Why? Because sometimes
we get comfortable just doing what’s familiar to us without really thinking
about or analyzing our actions.
Below are the eight big mistakes that fitness professionals tend to make with
their marketing. Read on and see if you’re falling prey to any of these business
blunders.
1. Being unprepared: Successful fitness professionals prepare.
They study long hours, and they get it right. They have a stake in their
clients’ success. And a big reason many would-be fitness professionals don’t
attract clients consistently is that they fumble around with marketing. As a
fitness professional, you should continually work to improve your skills in all
areas of the business. Keep up your reading and the expansion of your knowledge
in all aspects of running a successful business to help set yourself apart from
the pack.
2. Not investing: You spent hundreds, if not thousands, of
hours—not to mention quite a few dollars—to master your training skills, didn’t
you? You may be the best trainer in the world, but you’ve got to learn to
promote yourself as well. Becoming a competent marketer of your services also
demands an investment of time, energy, and money. You won’t become a smart
marketer overnight or by accident. Stop complaining and accept your need to
commit. After all, you won’t be able to maximize your earning potential until
you can do what it takes to attract exactly those clients you can serve best.
3. Undervaluing yourself: The value that true fitness
professionals can provide to their clients is literally unlimited. The
difference a good trainer can make in someone’s life is unbounded, but you’d
never know it by the way many trainers view themselves. I can’t tell you how
often I’ve heard this complaint: “I can’t charge what I’m really worth.”
Unfortunately, this mantra often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The good
news is that believing in yourself can also become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
True self-value eventually adds up to long-term wealth.
4. Neglecting your network: The most powerful marketing strategy
for fitness professionals is, and will always be, building networks of
relationships. You must constantly network to build relationships—not to mention
make new ones. You must join organizations, get to know people, get involved,
keep in touch with people, do what you can to help them, and be visible in your
community. If you don’t master this, you have no real chance of reaching your
true potential. Get out there and starting networking!
5. Avoiding opportunities to write: Successful fitness
professionals write. It’s the master skill of marketing. If you can’t organize
your ideas on paper, clearly and persuasively, you can’t expect prospects to
understand how you can help them. Here’s where to start—as a fitness
professional, you should have good copy that highlights your benefits and moves
people to take action. This inexpensive marketing tool, which can be conveyed on
your website or in a sales letter, is one of the most powerful you have when
written properly. You could also consider writing articles for your local paper,
your own newsletter, or for online publications. You can use the reprints later
to boost your credibility.
6. Avoiding public speaking: Successful fitness professionals
speak. It’s the master skill of selling. If you can speak in front of a group,
confidently and persuasively, selling won’t be a big hurdle for you. If you
don’t master it, selling will always be difficult. Concentrating on this kind of
personal public relations doesn’t take much money, but it pays big dividends.
Speak at your Rotary Club meeting or Chamber of Commerce, at Lunch and Learns,
or anywhere else they’ll have you. You’ll soon find new opportunities coming
your way.
7. Not internally marketing: Great marketing starts at the top.
For you, the top is your current client base. Keeping those clients is far less
expensive than acquiring new ones, and they can be the best and most powerful
source of new business—referrals. Send cards and newsletters frequently to stay
in constant contact and treat them like gold. The payoff will be enormous.
8. Not implementing: If we implemented just a fraction of what we
already knew, we’d be more successful than we could imagine. You need to create
systems, action plans, and timelines and then make things happen. For starters,
you should keep track of both your long- and short-term marketing strategies and
review that list daily. Also, prioritize your strategies and work first on those
that have the highest payoff.
Marketing is the fuel that drives your business so don’t neglect it or fall
prey to these all too common mistakes. Study up, develop a plan, and take
action. You’ll be amazed at how quickly your business—and your income—grow.
Pat Rigsby has helped thousands of fitness professionals build their
businesses through his products and coaching programs. You can instantly
download his free Fitness Profit Package by visiting
http://fitnessmarketingmachine.com.
Elite Fitness Systems strives to be a recognized leader in the strength
training industry by providing the highest quality strength training products
and services while providing the highest level of customer service in the
industry. For the best training equipment, information, and accessories, visit
us at www.EliteFTS.com.
