The First P: Protect. Protect your business. Protect your clients. Protect yourself. Now, let’s move to the next, The Second P: Promote. Whether you are just starting out as a personal trainer or you have a dozen years under your belt, never forget the power of promotion!
So, let’s put those 4P’s of Marketing to good use. Identify your selling points; identify at least one thing that sets you apart from the rest. To find your niche, ask yourself these questions:
- What is unique about the service that you offer? (Product)
- How do your rates compare to other local trainers? (Price)
- Where can your potential clients find you? (Place)
- How do you get the word out? (Promotion)
Maybe your selling point is a combination. For example, you decide to bring your “place” to the client, which would also be what is unique about your “product.” Sometimes, the hardest part of identifying your strengths is recognizing what you do well, because, to you, it’s just the way you’ve always done things. We tend to overlook what others may see as the most obvious of our strengths. It can be those most obvious that are your biggest selling points. Recognize what you do differently!
Once you have identified your selling point (what makes you different), you’re ready to start promoting your training services.
Promote with the Right Purpose
Promoting yourself can be easier than you think. If your intentions are purposeful, pure and passionate in your personal training business – the promotion will come in the form of the changes your clients experience. Your work and your purpose will speak for itself. When your clients experience long-term results and their friends and acquaintances can’t help but see the dramatic changes in their appearances and their attitudes – well, that’s the surest kind of promotion of yourself and your services! I don’t know many trainers who wouldn’t agree how important word of mouth referrals are to their business. Maybe consider something outside of the box that speaks to the importance of this kind of promotion. Try a “Bring-a-Buddy to Your Workout” week!
Promote the Right Angle
Sometimes, trainers spread their efforts too thin by attempting to compete with what I refer to as “second phase competitors.” Identify your direct competition first; don’t try to play with the big guys until you’ve made a place for yourself in your own realm. If you’re a small business owner than make your services about being “small” (not in the sense of self or service, of course), but make it personal and don’t try to compete with your local big name clubs. Think of competition not as a battlefield where you fight to take away clients from the guy down the street; look at it as an opportunity to capture people’s attention as the result of the uniqueness that you have to offer.
Promote in the Right Area
Use the resources available to you locally. Try a B2B networking group, local events and social networking channels. And, remember, social media isn’t just about how often you’re on facebook. It’s about establishing real relationships! Word of mouth marketing is still the best kind of genuine promotion. Flashy advertising and cool catch phrases are effective in the short-term, but your goal is long-term success because you’re in the business of long-term relationships.
Be an entrepreneurial thinker and have a thoughtful marketing plan. For more promotional tips, visit our Marketing Mondays section.
And, to find out the Third P of the Personal Training Business, check back next Wednesday for the continuation of this precisely produced posting! (This blog post was brought to you by the Letter P. Never too old for a Sesame Street reference!)
