By the time this fitness coach came to me for help, he was ready to give up on his business altogether.
Let’s call him “Dave.”
Somehow, Dave had managed to make just about every business mistake in the book when he first got started, and his business was suffering accordingly: he had trouble getting clients, difficultly retaining the clients he did get, and absolutely zero success marketing his business online.
Luckily, nearly all of Dave’s mistakes were reversible. Here’s what not to do if you want to succeed as a sought-after fitness coach:
Be All Things to All People
Dave didn’t have too many clients as a fitness coach, but what he did have was a desire to be everyone’s fitness coach.
When he came to me, he was trying to attract Baby Boomers, college athletes, expectant mothers, and everyone in between.
Big mistake! Because Dave tried to be all things to all people, he ended up disappearing in the midst of the competition. Think about it – if you’re a Baby Boomer, would you prefer to work with a fitness coach who specializes in Boomer fitness, or one who kinda, sorta helps everyone and anyone?
Solution: Don’t be afraid to niche down and proudly declare your specific target market. You’ll still attract clients from other demographics, but taking a clear stand makes it much easier for clients to find and connect with you. If they don’t understand who you are and who you serve, they’ll gravitate toward a coach with a clearer message.
Sell, Sell, Sell!
Dave’s second ginormous mistake was an aggressive selling technique that was turning off potential clients left and right.
Here’s what it looked like: every Facebook post asked people if they’d like to sign up for fitness coaching with Dave. Every email blast was a sales email. Dave would even go for the jugular in person, rushing the prospective client into a sales decision before they were ready.
No wonder people were running for the hills!
Solution: I explained to Dave that getting the sale (winning a new client) was the result of that client being ushered through a sales funnel. Fitness coaching is very personal, and is not the kind of buying decision people make by being pressured.
Here is how Dave’s changes manifested in his business:
- When speaking to prospective clients in person, he learned to LISTEN more than he TALKED. He learned to ask about client problems and concerns, then present his services as solutions to those concerns. It became less about the money and more about truly helping clients achieve their fitness goals.
- When posting on Facebook, Dave learned to provide valuable content that his fans would find useful and interesting – content that usually had nothing to do with winning new clients directly. His fans soon learned to trust Dave as a health and fitness resource, and that trust led many of them to seek Dave out as their coach.
- When Dave sent an email to his list, he followed a similar strategy to the one he used for social media. He focused on providing benefits and answers to his subscribers based on their needs and interests, and only mentioned his services as a fitness coach about 50% of the time.
Sacrifice Coaching Quality
Dave was so worried and obsessed with getting new clients that he was losing the clients he did have.
I almost fell over when I observed Dave interrupt a coaching session with a client to answer multiple phone calls from prospective clients. Needless to say, that client didn’t stick around long, nor should they have.
Solution: I explained to Dave that his current clients were the kings and queens of his business, and that they needed to be treated accordingly. It’s much more cost-effective to nurture a client you already have than to scramble around trying to find new people.
He fought me on this for a bit, but finally Dave gave in and made sure he never had his phone turned on during a session. He focused all of his energy and expertise on the present moment and the present client in front of him.
The impact was astounding: soon, his clients began sticking around. Next, they started referring their friends to Dave. Before he knew it, Dave didn’t have to spend much time looking for new clients because his tribe had become ambassadors for his brand.
Don’t be like Dave! Remember to…
- Niche down and focus on a specific target market.
- Make sure your online communications provide value to your audience and aren’t just selling them over and over again.
- Focus the majority of your time, energy, and attention on providing outstanding service to the clients you have right now.
Are you ready to take your fitness coaching business upward, increase profits and become a wildly successful fitness coach? Get instant access to my FREE video training course by clicking here now.
Andy says
excellent read and tips! thanks John
John Parr says
Doesn’t this break your rule no 2 sell sell sell?
JSE says
When you see EVERYTHING I produce, you’ll see I give about 12:1.