#JTInTheRaw Show 57: The Fitness Industry Is Failing The Human Race!

I am taking aim today at the following people in a #JTRant: 

• What a s#*t job the fitness industry is doing; 
• What the f#*k are government’s doing? And 
• What the hell are we doing to support our friends! 

Why are they in my sights?  In 2008 9% of deaths around the world were caused by complications arising from inactivity.  In 2013 alone, the direct and indirect health care costs associated with inactivity totalled $67.5B.

Stay tuned as I tee off on the fitness industry, our governments and us! 

Welcome to #JTInTheRaw show 57 where I chew the thin on business! I am JT and have been working in and with small businesses since 1979 when I first started letter boxing flyers for my mum’s real estate business.  I think I was paid $10 for 1000 flyers! 

What was your first job . . . tell me in the comments below! Go…

In fact, I put flyers out for my mum for most of the time I was at school.  I think by the time I got to high school I may have reached 25 bucks a 1000!  But that was OK I also wanted to do a flyer drop to the home units not houses!

What was your first job – whether you are watching live or on replay – pop in the comments your first job. Go…

While talking about flyers, we had an interesting chat with a client this week.  They told us in the last few weeks they had gained 3 or 4 new clients from a letterbox drop we recommended in their marketing plan.   

Now I know 99.9% of marketers are saying that flyer drops are done, dusted and a waste of money but go with me here: 

1. Not everyone is on Facebook.  Perhaps the avatar or the broader demographic you want is not on-line, so the only way you can speak to them is with direct mail. 
2. There are so many businesses that are not using flyers now, that when you do use a flyer you are now only 1 or 2 pieces of paper in the letterbox rather than 50! 
3. There is something about a tangible marketing piece that makes it just “stick.” 

Flyers have always had a low return: 0.5% up to maybe 2%.  But with a specifically designed direct mail piece with a target avatar, printed on a heavier than usual stock and delivered when the timing is right you may just top up your leads!  

FYI – In the past 7 marketing plans I have designed for clients, I always include a 100-2000 flyer drop every month. #JustSaying! 

There’s a little marketing tip for you!  If you want to talk marketing, then contact me: +612 9484 5501 or email me. 

And remember today’s question of the day . . . what was your first job?  Pop that in the comments. 

This week, I am super stoked as I finished my next ebook called The Hottest Tips for Video Live Streaming.  There is no jargon, no technical bull shit just the facts on: 

• Why would you do a live video? 
• What are the live video platforms? 
• What are the types of live video? 
• Live video strategies 
• Creating flow in your show 
• After you go live 

You can now pre-order the e-book and save 75%.  It will be for sale at the end of August for 99 bucks but you can pre-order it now for just 24.99 by clicking here. 

To give you a hint of what is included, here is a 9 point checklist for your live video stream that I include on the last page as a summary: 

1. Compelling title written in the status bar before you start your broadcast. 
2. Phone on landscape or wide view. 
3. Hook in the first 10 seconds to grab attention. 
4. Establish your authority: who you are, what you do & why people should listen. 
5. Encourage engagement with calls to comment. 
6. Your content adds value, is strong and is actionable. 
7. Call to action at the end: what you want them to do after watching the live stream. 
8. Add captions. 
9. Repurpose strategy.

You can pre-order a copy of this ebook now and save 75%!  

And if you know anyone who you think should read it, tag them in the comments below and I’ll send you both a link to grab a copy!  Thanks in advance of sharing! 

I know I teased you up front about a #JTRant today, well here it comes so sit down and just listen!  Then I challenge you to do something because 1 in 10 people in your community will die if you don’t do something! And I am dead fucking serious 1 in 10 people will have their heart stop beating and die! 

“Physical inactivity is the 4th leading risk factor for global mortality, placing it as a significant contributor to early death alongside smoking and obesity – according to the World Health Organisation in 2010! 

Now here come the stats that will shock you – in fact if they shock you, regardless of whether you are watching live or on replay don’t hit the ‘thumbs up’ hit the “WOW Face”. Ready to press … 

• Globally 31% of adults do not meet the minimum recommended physical activity levels; 
• In 2008, 9% of world wide deaths were caused by complications arising from inactivity; 
• In 2013 alone, the health care costs of inactivity was 67.5B 
• 44.5% – that is a fucking scary figure – of Aussie adults do not meet the daily-recommended physical activity levels. 
• Inactivity contributed to 10% of deaths in 2008 in Australia. 
• And the health care costs of inactivity in Australia is $805M in 2013.

As a society what the fuck are we doing!!!! Let me tee off on 3 stakeholders: 

Firstly, the fitness industry!  What the hell are we doing?????  There are now more fitness service offerings on the planet than ever before!  And yet our population is fatter, less active and unhealthier than ever before.  Can someone please explain why? 

I want you to imagine walking down your street, assuming 2 adults live in each house and based on current figures, every 5th house one of those 2 adults will die from inactivity.  That’s a sobering thought!!! 

Whatever the fitness industry is doing we are aren’t making what to do impact enough people!  Forget about telling people to join our gyms, buy personal training for weight loss – and we’re not that good at that either – maybe the message is join our gyms to live! 

In 2014, the Australian Physiotherapy Association released an impactful ad to encourage people to move.  It was called the Biggest Killer Campaign and the TV commercial was awesome!  If you haven’t seen it, pop APA in the comments and I will share it with you. 

But what as an industry are we doing?  We need to reposition that any movement is great for people!  We need to show exercise is not painful or a chore.  If you have not read Michelle Segar’s book No Sweat, read it and use many of her strategies to get the inactive active in your community – you may just save lives! 

To get Michelle’s book, click here! 

Let’s move to the government now.  What are they doing to promote activity in adults?  Nothing!!! In essence, the government are letting one of their 10 constituents die with no thought or care.  Surely they must know these statistics and they are doing nothing about changing them . . . maybe we charge them with murder!  Perhaps that may get them to act! 

And then finally, you and me!  We are just as useless as the fitness industry and governments.  We all know one person – at least – who is inactive and what are we doing to help them.  Generally … NOTHING! 

If we give a shit about our friends and loved ones we have to change how they view exercise and we need to get them moving.  For their health’s sake, their family and to save money in our own communities!   

Just imagine in Australia, if we could reduce the health costs of inactivity by 50%.  We do this by simply having more people move!  What could we do with $402M!  What could we do with that money!!!  

It makes me angry we have to spend so much money to keep people alive when they just need to move.  

It breaks my heart that people do not see joy in moving.   

And it kills me knowing that people are dyeing because they don’t move enough! 

Lets do something!  I am not sure what other than raising awareness, changing the perception of what happens in gyms, pressuring our politicians and loving our friends.  Let’s turn these numbers around! Are you with me? 

I challenge you to message, text or call ONE friend who you know is not active enough and go for a 30-minute walk with them on the weekend!  Are you up for the challenge?  

And that’s #JTRant over! 

WOW!  That was pretty deep today wasn’t it? 

Thanks so much for tuning in!   

We talked about: 

Our first ever jobs – if you haven’t yet, pop in the comments what your first ever job was!   

• I shared why I think there is still a place for flyers and direct mail in your marketing plans.   
• I told you about my new e-book: The Hottest Tips for Video Live Streaming – pre-order your copy now and save75% by clicking here!   
• And finally, I shared the gut wrenching statistics of inactivity in our world today and left you with a challenge: message, text or call ONE friend who you know is not active enough and go for a 30 minute walk with them. 

If you enjoyed the show, please tell me in the comments below, I’d really appreciate it!  If you didn’t, I’m sorry I wasted your time!   

If you know anyone who should watch the show, just tag them in the comments below – I’d be grateful for any sharing! 

Thanks for tuning in to #JTInTheRaw show 57.   

You can see all previous 56 shows on the #JTInTheRaw YouTube channel. 

Quote of the Week

Let’s all move more, more often and with a smile on our face.  Exercise is a true gift for life!