Fitness Marketing: Initial Contact is Key

Guest Post by Kaiser Serajuddin, Creator of a powerful marketing system for health professionals, called the Top Level Trainer program.

Once you’re on your own, going solo for the first time as a trainer, getting those first clients in the door until you get to a critical mass for profitability is a scary proposition.  Sadly, most trainers and physical therapists under utilize their potential and don’t see the volume or quality of clients they are capable of.

I think it’s because as health pros, for a long time we’re focused on only building the quality of our service through education or gaining experience.

That’s an important phase for sure – but in that time something bad happens – our inner salesman falls asleep.

We need to wake that little guy up if we want to start filling up a practice to a high-level of profitability, and outstanding growth and wealth.

That salesmanship we’re talking about extends deeper than any marketing strategy or tactic you employ – it starts with the service itself.

With your service, you must position and describe it as new, original, and benefit-oriented in the eyes of the consumer you’re targeting.

And you must not just target one particular type of consumer – make a clear delineation about what you’re offering from everything else out there.  When some people learn about the services you are offering, they will say the program is not for them…that is okay.  What you should focus on are the people that hear about you and say “wow, that’s exactly what I’ve been looking for!”. That’s precisely the reaction you want.

That’s what I did when I opened my first bootcamp – I looked at the general, cookie cutter bootcamps out there in my area, and positioned myself as the opposite.  I let it be known that my camp is the highest end camp and probably the hardest thing you’ll ever take part in – it will force you to get results.  I immediately filled it up with 30 members the day it opened.

I’ve got to mention that there’s more than one way to market any business – with my training business I do the opposite.  I set up a velvet rope policy around it, where I don’t give out free sessions, and try-out every client before I take them on long-term (that’s another story).

But with most programs, especially if you’re running a proper business, you want people in the door and you don’t want to be shy about it.

So you also have to put strong bait on the hook – this is going to sound harsh, but you want anyone that thinks that they could benefit from the program to feel like they would have to be an idiot not to take part in it right now – a complete idiot.

How does a free two week trial, with a full evaluation and partying gifts sound?  A lot of trainers are doing this these days – how about adding a $50 cash back guarantee if they’re not happy with the trial?  Now we’re talking (I’ve never tried this yet, but can’t wait to put it into action!).

Of course, once people are in the door, training quality, referrals, and client retention will take over.  That’s what your long-term viability is based on.

But to get them in that door the first time, you’ve got to let your inner salesman take over – anyone here of Sham-WoW?!?!  Sometimes, we can all take a lesson or two from that over-caffeinated guy in the commercials!

Kaiser Serajuddin is the owner and head trainer of GoHard Fitness, a Personal Training Company in Queens, New York providing training services to private luxury residences. He also runs the popular Personal Training blog Super-Trainer (http://super-trainer.com) devoted to giving trainers the tools to become independent and earn higher incomes.

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Tags: fitness marketing, marketing your fitness business