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