Active Management

Tag: fitness industry

  • #JTInTheRaw Show 46: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly Of London Fitness Studios

    #JTInTheRaw Show 46: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly Of London Fitness Studios

    This week I trained in a few different fitness studios in London:

    • Boom Cycle
    • Barrys Bootcamp
    • Psycle
    • Transformation Zone
    • Ministry Does Fitness
    • Bannatyne Health Club

    And my experiences have been varied.

    One consistent message was how important the front desk is in creating the experience.

    Watch this week’s show to learn what I experienced!

    Quote of The Week

    Your front desk team is the life blood to the success of your business!

    Do you want to work one on one with JT?

    Check out all previous shows here: http://www.activemgmt.com.au/category/jt-in-the-raw/

     

  • From Our NPE Friends: Sales Numbers Tanking? Follow These 6 Steps To Get Out Of The Red

    From Our NPE Friends: Sales Numbers Tanking? Follow These 6 Steps To Get Out Of The Red

    By Sean Greeley, NPE CEO & Founder

    You’re looking at your sales numbers for the month, and they’re nowhere near what you’d projected. Not even close.

    You’re not really sure what the problem is. There are people coming through your door, but they don’t seem to stick around. There are the folks who stay for the complimentary session (or free week of group training) but don’t actually sign up…and the ones who enroll in a 30-day challenge but leave as soon as their challenge or trial period is over.

    If things keep going this way, you’re not sure how you’re going to keep paying the rent for your facility… or the bills that are piling up… or pay off your credit cards.

    If you’re struggling with sales, you’re not alone. MANY fitness businesses have that same problem. In today’s post, I’m going to share with you the most important keys to helping more clients commit to their goals (and your programs)– but that’s not the end goal. The end goal is to build strong relationships with each and every new customer and turn them into a happy, long-term committed client… so we’ll take a look at some key retention strategies you might be missing too.

    If used car salesmen are the first thing you think of when you hear the word sales, or you find yourself lacking confidence when it comes time to ask someone for money (you just want to help people, right?) then those are poor beliefs you’ve got to overcome.

    That all begins with your MINDSET.

    Too many great coaches are unable to help people change their lives because they lack the confidence and self-belief to ask for money and charge what they’re worth.

    And here’s the truth… if you don’t believe in yourself, or your own self-worth and the value you give to others… then why should anyone else?

    Get your head right.

    The work you do is changing people’s lives.

    And if you’re delivering that kind of value to your clients, then you should be equally compensated.

    Worried about what other facilities or personal trainers are charging?

    I’m here to tell you that’s much less important than you may think!

    It doesn’t matter what the discount gym is charging, or that your rates are much higher. (A Mercedes Benz doesn’t care how much a Honda costs.)

    When it comes to personal services and fitness… have you ever heard a prospective client say “I want to hire the cheapest personal trainer I can find?” No.

    When it comes to their health and body… people want the best.

    And they don’t expect the best to be cheap… so stop positioning yourself that way. Your price sets the tone for the perceived value of your services to a potential customer.

    Does a coach who charges 200/hr teach a better squat than one who is charging 50/hr?

    Maybe… but maybe not!

    Listen it’s far more sustainable to create value in your fitness business by being the best at what you do, rather than the cheapest.

    It also doesn’t matter if your rates are higher than what YOU would pay for training.

    People’s health, performance, and body image affect every aspect of their lives. That means that they’re willing to put money into their health and fitness if they’re confident that doing so will help them achieve their goals.

    Owning your rates and being confident in the value that you deliver to your clients directly aligns with the perceived value a prospective client will invest into working with you and your team.

    The best way to establish consistency with sales is to use a SYSTEM to ensure you’re having effective conversations. Not only will this turn lost sales into repeatable success, having a system for the way you engage prospective client conversations also means that you can TEACH that system to staff you hire and train, which will allow you to grow beyond doing everything yourself.

    AUTO-CLOSERŽ is the world famous sales system our partner, NPE, has been teaching for over 10 years. It will teach you how to communicate in a way that inspires prospective clients to commit to their goals (and join your programs). Learn more about AUTO-CLOSERŽ at the end of this article.

    Getting clients through the door is great. And signing those clients up as members is even better. But establishing long-term relationships with clients–so they can get the results they want AND help you keep your lights on, is the best of all.

    If you want to build a foundation where clients will never want to leave your fitness business, you’ll need to create such a great experience for them that your business really stands out as something they’ve never experienced before.

    The equation we use to describe vale is V = CE + R + R.

    That stands for Value = Client Experience + Relationship + Results

    Take charge of engineering a great client experience from the beginning by setting reasonable and achievable expectations for your clients in their first month.

    Most people who join a gym fail because they start too hard, too fast, too soon. And all too often clients (or coaches) set the bar too high. Think of the guy who has the goal of losing 20 pounds in their first ten days—or even their first month—which is both unrealistic and unsustainable. He doesn’t achieve this unrealistic goal… and therefore he feels like a failure… and quits.

    As a coach, one of the most powerful things you can do is successfully guide new clients through their first 30 days by helping them set reasonable expectations and goals that’ll help them gain momentum and come out winning. Added bonus: they’ll also build confidence and good habits for success.

    Rapid weight loss should never be the goal if you want to set a deconditioned client up for long- term success. Instead, help them set simple health goals like sleeping an hour more a night, reducing their stress, or just becoming more aware of what they’re eating. New clients may get excited and want to start training six days a week, but committing to moving just a few times a week is a more sustainable goal. Setting reasonable expectations with your client from the beginning will help them find success.

    In addition to helping clients set goals that will help them build momentum, you’ll want to create a formal onboarding plan and then train your staff in it. That way, everyone is engaged in the process of supporting new members.

    In group classes, you can even use a wristband or some other kind of visual marker as a system of internal communication among your team, so that coaches know to support and engage with new clients a little more.

    Here’s an example of what a 30-day onboarding process might look like:

    Week 1: The first week can include a formal orientation and introduction to staff. It’s also a good time to set expectations for the next four weeks, and give clients information on what success would look like. Again, set goals and benchmarks that are easy to achieve for them to work on.

    Week 2: The second week is a good time to help your clients identify their support system (coworkers, spouse, family) outside of the gym to help support their goals so they can succeed through the challenging aspects of making lifestyle changes. It’s also helpful to introduce them to other clients so that they feel like a part of a community and make some friends inside the gym.

    Week 3: By the third week, your clients are starting to settle in a bit and may feel more familiar with and comfortable in your facility. This is the perfect time to over deliver with a small gift, such as a t-shirt or hat or water bottle advertising your gym.

    Week 4: As clients transition from onboarding to full-fledged members in the fourth week, help them celebrate their graduation with some type of social proof of that achievement such as a certificate, a t-shirt, a picture on social media, or something else to help them celebrate completing their first month.

    Emphasizing a client’s first 30 days in your onboarding process is no reason to neglect your long-time clients–especially if you want them to stick around! Make sure you’re measuring customer satisfaction even for folks who have been training with you for years.

    How you do this may vary depending on the type of coaching you offer, who your client is (their age, where they are in their fitness journey, etc.) You can send out a quarterly email survey, especially when working with groups. If you’re a personal trainer, you can ask for feedback from clients directly while conducting regular assessments and helping them set new goals. Just make sure to collect feedback and modify your programs accordingly.

    Some people think upselling is about getting more money from people by selling them stuff they don’t need. That’s not how the best businesses do it.

    Here’s a fact:

    Good businesses sell a product or service then deliver it. GREAT businesses are constantly asking themselves how they can better serve their clients in solving their problems and achieving their goals. And often these solutions come in the form of additional products or services.

    In some cases, clients are struggling with nutrition, so offering nutrition services and coaching can be a helpful benefit.

    But here’s the mistake too many coaches and fitness business owners make.

    Don’t give additional services away… charge for them!

    People rarely value that which they don’t pay for.

    The more problems you solve for people, the more they’ll value their relationship with you and your business. Even if you already offer additional products and services, it’s worth revisiting how you can help serve people better and help them solve their problems and achieve their goals faster.

    Selling isn’t a dirty word—it’s about helping more clients commit to their goals. Until they do that, you can’t help them!

    Once they’ve committed, you’ll want to help them set realistic short-term goals so they can build momentum and come out winning. And you’ll want to guide them through a 30-day onboarding process.

    From there, you can continue to provide value through ongoing service delivery, and by offering (and charging) for additional products and services when appropriate.

    Follow the six steps outlined here and you WILL see your client base, revenue, and profits grow QUICKLY.

  • #JTInTheRaw Show 45: Is All About Your Company Culture

    #JTInTheRaw Show 45: Is All About Your Company Culture

    Last week I ran 10k time trial and my legs blew out after 4ks and I just couldn’t hold on at the pace I wanted!  Between the lactic acid pain in my legs – I think that’s what it was – and my very short breathing I got thinking how running a race is like running a business.

    Hang in there and I’ll tell you in a few minutes why and with a new mindset you will change the way you run your business.

    Welcome to JTInTheRaw show 45 where I chew the thin on business.  Thanks for everyone who share last week’s show on building trust in your company.  Here is the link to show 44.

    This week’s show I’m going to share:

    • How running a competitive race can shape how you run your business;
    • The power of culture in your business;
    • Why you don’t want dick heads in your company;
    • The power of optimism

    It is party time around here!!  We have hit 100,000 downloads of the Fitness Business Podcast overnight! Wahoooo!!! 

    It seemed like it took forever to get from 95,000 to 100,000 but we have done it!  Thanks to all the guests, partners and of course Chantal, the amazing host and force behind the show.  First we ticked off 100 shows – 93 more than most podcasts.  Then we ticked off 100,000 downloads.  Next is our 2 birthday – 21 months longer than most podcasts!  There are some great guest lined up this month and for the birthday month, so if you are not listening to The Fitness Business Podcast, head across after #JTInTheRaw to www.FitnessBusinessPodcast.com, you won’t regret it!

    Shout outs this week go to:

    • Andrew from Belgravia
    • Angus from New Zealand
    • Annalee from Hobart Fitness Training
    • Dave from 38X

    For your Filex2017 Insights!  I have enjoyed reading them and I know our blog readers have also loved them.  Thank you for sharing and read them here.

    Shout out to Ben Lucas and the Team from Flow Athletic here in Sydney.  Last night I headed along to a spin class in Home Night Club.  And what an experience!  Here is what I learned:

    • The Matrix bikes we used were very smooth and I really liked them;
    • Every health club needs to have a sound system like a night club, OMG it was amazing!
    • Lights create an amazing atmosphere.

    I have to admit between the sound and the lights I just drifted off.  I enjoyed the humour of the instructor but I couldn’t tell you if he was good, bad or indifferent as an instructor.  It was a sensory experience.

    And finally, a shout out to all the mum’s watching this week in Australia.  I hope you have an amazing Mother’s Day on Sunday and get very spoiled!

    This has been a week of learning for me!

    My week of learning started at 4ks into my 10k race last Saturday.  Here is the lesson: run your own race!

    My trainer wanted me to go hard, so I went hard and forget any strategy!  I was more focussed on the Sydney Striders pacers and the people around me than how I was feeling and my own pace.  In essence, I was more focussed on my competitors and their race than I was on my race.

    The result, with 60% of the race to go I had to come up with a new strategy to finish the race.  It was on the run I had to think what would I do.

    If we use the race as a metaphor for business, you have to run your own race.  When you concentrate on your competitors you lose focus on your own strategy.  You are not following your plan and you are reacting to your competitor’s moves.  Then when you are stressed, worried and unfocussed you are going to make emotional business decision. I can almost guarantee you wouldn’t make that same decision if you were unemotional.

    My suggestion: run the full race.  It’s not about the start, the middle of the end.  It’s about staying focussed on your own strategy.  Just ask Usain Bolt, he doesn’t get rattled but anyone in a race as he supremely confident he will finish first.  I’m not that confident in my running but I am that confident in where Active Management is heading.  We are not worried about the fast multiplying number of consultants as we know we will finish first with our strategy.

    What about you?  Rate yourself out of 10, where 1 is focussed on your competitors and 10 is focussed on your own strategy . . . tell me . . . go!

    Thanks for sharing.

    By the way if you want some help determining your business strategy, reach out to me.

    As I mentioned in last week’s show I had 2 tasks this week: work on my presentation for the Retention Conference and begin my training with Ryan Levesque.

    I’ll tell you more about my learnings from Ryan in coming weeks.

    In my prep for the Retention Conference, I re-discovered a Peter Drucker quote, “Organizational culture eats strategy for breakfast, lunch and dinner.”

    Culture drives expectations and beliefs;

    Expectations and beliefs drive behaviour;

    Behaviour drives habits; and

    Habits create the future.

    It all starts with culture.

    My question for you this morning is how much time are you spending on developing your culture?

    Culture may well be defined or even created from the top down in an organisation but it comes to life from the bottom up.  This means the people who will live your culture must be the right people.  It is not about the skills they bring to your company it is about the attitude.

    A few days before the A League Football Grand Final, I heard an honest interview with Graham Arnold where he said, ““We had a no dick head policy.  We were not interested in the best players, we were interested in the players who wanted to be in the best Team and if that meant them coming from the bench, playing out of position or having a week off, so be it.  I am now raving fan of the no dick head policy in teams if you want success.”

    Every week your strategy will be tested with challenging circumstances, even excuses why it is not working.  It is your culture that will be the driving force to create:

    • Resilience
    • Toughness
    • Passion
    • And the attitude to keep powering on no matter what is put in front of the team.

    Your culture is what will produce you wins over time.

    I want to encourage you to not just build your culture. I want you to value it, live it, reinforce it, and at times fight for it.

    And while building your culture you need to weed out energy vampires!

    To build a positive contagious Team you need contagious leaders in every role – this should be your goal.  You also should weed out any negativity.  One negative team mate will be an energy vampire in your business!  Negativity will breed and grow, so weed out those energy vampires!

    Turn your Team’s focus from looking for what is wrong to looking for what is right.  Have them focus on gratitude and appreciation to work in an industry they love and with a company they admire and respect.

    Can we talk about optimism for a moment?  You see optimism is a competitive advantage according Duke University studies.  Research shows optimistic people:

    • work harder,
    • get paid more,
    • win more games, and
    • even live longer.

    Being positive is a great thing for all of us!

    I head to the UK on Sunday for next week.  In two and a half days in London I am training at:

    • Boom Cycle
    • Barry’s Bootcamp London
    • Psycle
    • Transition Zone
    • And the brand-new Ministry of Fitness, which I am really keen to see and experience.

    Wednesday I had to Manchester for speaking at The Retention Conference and then the Virtual Roadshow on Friday.  Remember this conference is being streamed, so if you would like a link to the show pop ‘Doug’ in the comments and I’ll send you the link to watch live or get the recordings.

    Friday evening I head back to London and will try and sneak another two workouts in next Saturday!

    This means, #JTInTheRaw will come to you from Manchester next week.  I’ll share insights from the amazing speakers at the Retention Conference.

    I hope you all have an amazing week and thanks for tuning in to show 45.  As always if you know someone who should watch the show, then please tag them in the comments. I’ll be very grateful.

    Quote of The Week

    Research shows optimistic people; work harder, get paid more, win more games, and even live longer. Being positive is a great thing for all of us.

    Do you want to work one on one with JT?

    Check out all previous shows here: http://www.activemgmt.com.au/category/jt-in-the-raw/

     

  • #JTInTheRaw Show 44: How Trust Can Impact Your Business

    #JTInTheRaw Show 44: How Trust Can Impact Your Business

    Building deep trust within your Team will allow you to develop meaningful relationships and cultivate an unspoken mutual understanding.  This means challenging conversations can be had.

    Can your team count on you to do what you say or say what you mean?

    Can you rely on your team to do what they say or say what they mean?

    Welcome to JTInTheRaw show 44 where I chew the thin on business and this week’s show is all about trust in the workplace!

    Last week at Filex, one of the world’s finest fitness business speakers Luke Carlson shared how much he rated Patrick Lencioni and his learnings.  Luke was an incredible guest on show 92 of The Fitness Business Podcast – listen to him here.

    I agree with Luke & Lencioni is awesome! If you haven’t read The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, no matter your role in a business . . . read it!  Click here to get your copy.

    This week, I’m going to tell you why trust is so important in your business and give you some tips to build trust into the DNA of the culture of your business.

    #JTShoutOut

    First a shout out to:

    • Paul Brown from Face to Face,
    • Ben & Emma from Pinnacle Health Clubs,
    • Annalee Brumby from Hobart Fitness Training,
    • Ben Lucas from Flow Athletic and
    • Sean L’Estrange from New Image Personal Conditioning

    These are the first 4 contributors to the blog series Filex2017 Insights on the Active Management website.  Check them all out by clicking here.

    A special shout out to Paul Bedford and Doug Miller.  Thanks to Paul for inviting me to speak at his amazing retention conference in Manchester in 2 weeks – click here to book tickets.  Then just yesterday Doug Miller has a Virtual Roadshow and running a Live Stream conference the next day and I’m speaking there too!  You can attend Doug’s conference anywhere in the world, click here for details!

    And a final shout out to Emmett, Dave and all the Team of MYZONE who last week were announced as the latest partners of the Fitness Business Podcast.  We are very grateful for your support!

    Let’s talk trust . . .

    First up Lencioni says that for Teams to operate well Teams need to have trust.  A deep trust.  A vulnerable trust between them.  This means that difficult conversations can be had within the team and comments are not taken personally.  The Team understand that conversations like this occur because we are trying to make the business better.

    Without trust, then when these difficult conversations occur people take them personally.  They hear one thing and think “You don’t like me.”

    A safe haven of trust allows staff to speak freely and think more creatively, without feeling rejected or embarrassed.

    As the leader, you have the ability to make a significant impact in building trust.

    This week I read in INC Magazine some phrases that will instill trust and confidence within your team.

    1. “What can I do to help?”

    When you are truly committed to helping others, it creates a ripple effect.  When you know the answer to this question, you must follow through or you will erode the hard work.  Building trust also means doing what you say.

    1. “I trust your decision.”

    If your employees feel you trust them to do the right thing, it will boost morale and productivity.

    1. “What can I do differently?”

    Part of your job as a leader is to remove the barriers to success by observing what might be standing in the way of your employees achieving their goals. Ensure you are not a barrier by asking! See if you can help them by doing something they need.

    1. “What do you think is our best course of action?”

    Considerable insight can be gleaned by asking for someone’s opinion plus you will win the hearts of your team members.

    And 4 more little things

    • Say “thank you” more often,
    • Admit when you are wrong,
    • Be open to new ideas,
    • Do what you say

    If you treat your team members with respect and understanding, deep trust between Team members and a sense of security will follow.

    Does this get you thinking?

    If you had to choose one phrase or action to improve trust what do you need to do? Is it

    • What can I do to help?
    • I trust your decision
    • What can I do differently?
    • What do you think is our best course of action?
    • Saying thank you more often
    • Following through with what you said you will do
    • Be open to more new ideas
    • Admit when you’re wrong

    For me . . . it’s What can I do differently?

    If you got any value from discussion around building trust in your organization, I’d be very grateful if you shared the show.

    I have some cool stuff planned starting today.

    Firstly, I will finish today the ebook on on-boarding from last week’s presentation at Filex – watch show 43 here.  For those that watched show 43 and said they want a copy, give us a week at the designers and it will be ready next Friday – so long as I don’t have too many typos!

    This afternoon I also start a new on-line training program called The ASK Method by Ryan Levesque.  I am super excited as I know this will give me plenty of skills I can share with our clients and members of Active Management.

    Next week I have some coaching sessions with clients.  I chatted with 3 new clients this week and next week 3 more!  I only work with 21 clients at anyone time, so if you would like me to coach you, pop ‘coach’ in the comments and I’ll send you a link to look at my coaching packs.

    Finally, next Thursday night Chantal from the Fitness Business Podcast and I are off to do a spin class in a night club!  Ben & The Team from Flow Athletic have hired a leading Sydney night club and turning the dance floor into a spin studio!  So tune in next Friday and I’ll tell you all about it.

    Finally, a thank you to everyone who tuned in to show 42 which was the most watched JTInTheRaw.  It is now over 1200 views and sits on YouTube.  You can watch show 42 right here & here my rant on personal trainers and multi-level marketing.

    And that ends this week’s show.

    Quote of The Week

    A safe haven of trust allows staff to speak freely and think more creatively, without feeling rejected or embarrassed.

    Do you want to work one on one with JT?

    Check out all previous shows here: http://www.activemgmt.com.au/category/jt-in-the-raw/

     

  • #JTInTheRaw Show 43: Minutes Before #Filex2017 Presentation

    #JTInTheRaw Show 43: Minutes Before #Filex2017 Presentation

    This weeks show was 15 minutes before my session at Filex2017. Watch and enjoy!

     

     

    Do you want to work one on one with JT?

    Check out all previous shows here: http://www.activemgmt.com.au/category/jt-in-the-raw/

     

  • From Our NPE Friends: Advertising Strategies for Fitness Business Owners

    From Our NPE Friends: Advertising Strategies for Fitness Business Owners

    Advertising Strategies

    By Sean Greeley, NPE CEO & Founder

    If you’re not currently advertising to bring new clients in the door… let me tell you why you should be.

    Advertising is awesome. It’s the process of showing off your brand and the value you deliver to the marketplace. And that’s something that YOU as a business owner should take great pride in. In fact, you should fall in love with it.

    Only a few years ago, you needed a large budget to learn how to advertise effectively. And most business owners had to factor on losing a lot of money as they learned how to find good media sources, create a good message and offer, and get things working.

    But thanks to the tremendous growth of digital advertising platforms in the last few years… there is virtually no barrier to entry for EVERYONE to become an effective advertiser.

    You can start with as low as a $10 advertising budget. Test your ad, test your message, test your offer… and you’ll know within hours whether your ad is getting results or not.

    You don’t have to lose money. And if you’re diligent about following the steps I’m going to lay out in this article for you… then you’ll shorten your learning curve fast.

    Why else should you care about this?

    Well here’s the most important reason: While there are dozens of low cost (and no cost) fitness business marketing strategies… advertising is one of the only strategies that you have direct control over (without hoping a partner comes through on promoting you to their database) that holds tremendous opportunity to accelerate your business growth quickly.

    And once you’ve got advertising working for you… you can go as fast as you’re able to keep up with onboarding new clients for your business!

    Alright, let’s dive in…

    The Most Important Question

    There is one question that when answered will allow you to grow your business AT WILL.

    “What can you afford to spend in profitably acquiring a new client for your business AND staying cash flow positive in doing so?”

    Here’s why this changes EVERYTHING in the growth of your business:

    When you can profitably acquire new clients for your business AND stay cash flow positive in doing so… there is virtually nothing holding you back from bringing many new clients in the door and growing to the next level fast.

    You’ll generate revenue that allows you to pay off debts, build your savings, raise your personal income, and make continued investments in staff, equipment, a new facility, and more.

    But with any great power comes great responsibility.

    I DO NOT recommend you flood your business with new clients… UNLESS your business is ready to fully serve those clients and deliver great value to them.

    It’s critical to focus on growing at the pace with which you can still ensure quality in the services your company delivers.

    Clients must be happy in working with you and your business.

    There is no point in growing any faster than that.

    Unhappy clients leaving your business will do much more damage than simply having patience with a more conservative (but steady) growth rate over time.

    I can’t overemphasize this point enough. Please reread the above section again and heed my advice… or be prepared to learn this lesson the hard way.

    Profitable Advertising Starts with Knowing Your Numbers

    Here are three more questions that you need to have a complete understanding of in order to make good advertising decisions:

    1. What’s the average client worth to your business?

    It’s important you know this number because the more a client spends with your business the more you can afford to invest in bringing them in the door.

    Take some time and look at the total clients your business served in the last 12 months.

    Then look at the total revenue generated in the last 12 months.

    Divide the revenue by clients served and this will give you the average annual client value.

    Once you’ve got clarity on that number, it’s time to look at…

    2. How can you increase your average annual client value?
    There are several ways you can increase the value a client delivers to your business. Here are three simple strategies:

    A. You can raise your session rates.When was the last time you raised your rates? If you’re not currently generating at least 60-75% gross profit margin on the services you’re selling… then it’s imperative to raise the rates if you want to continue growing. Only with profits can you afford the reinvestment necessary to continue growing your business.

    And if you don’t know, gross profit margin is the rate at which you sell a session (or class), minus the cost in labor to fulfill it, divided by the rate at which you sell it again.

    Get that number to 60-75%+ if you want your business to make it.

    I can’t tell you how many businesses we’ve seen fail because the business owner tried to out market and sell bad margins. Fix the margins and fix your profits. THEN (and only then) does it make sense to bring more people in the door.

    And even if you are in those ranges but it’s been more than a year since you last raised your rates AND you’re providing great value to your clients… then it may also be time to look at raising your rates.

    B. Sell bigger packages.This one is simple. If you work with the typical overweight adult fitness client, then chances are good it’s going to take them 6-12 months minimum for your client to reach their goals. Yet most fitness professionals focus on selling tiny 10-packs of sessions. Don’t do that. Focus on selling your client what they need and what will truly best serve them in reaching their goals. Most of the time that’s going to be a commitment to the length of time required to achieve their goals, and it’s going to be a while.

    C. Add additional product or service offerings to your business.Now fair warning, I don’t recommend you look at doing this until you are generating at least 10k+/month in revenue for your business. Too many business owners run around trying to create “multiple streams of income” when their energy would be best served focusing on growing their core business. However, when you’ve got a decent client base… then it makes sense to look at other ways you can serve the people in front of you. Nutrition coaching and/or supplementation are great options that can make a big impact on your business quickly.

    3. How can you accelerate cash flow with new clients within the first 30 days? This strategy is one that is very smart to use because it instantly changes the economic model of profitable advertising. Simply adding a joining fee to new client memberships (typically an additional 100-200 one-time fee) gives you more cash to invest in advertising while staying cash flow positive with bringing new clients in the door. The joining fee provides cash that can be invested directly into your advertising budget.

    Setting Advertising Goals

    Alright, now that we’ve worked through those pieces… here are four steps to putting all these numbers together and then making some good decisions about what you can afford to spend.

    1. Once you know what a client is worth to your business, have maximized annual client value, and have taken advantage of opportunities to accelerate cash flow received from a new client in the first 30 days… it’s time to set some advertising goals.

    2. Let’s assume a client is worth on average 2,000 per year to your business, you add a new member-joining fee of 200, and you can reasonably manage onboarding 20 new clients per month.

    20 x 2,000 (average annual value) = 40,000
    20 x 200 (joining fee) = 4,000
    Total = 44,000 in annual revenue
    added to your business each month at a
    growth rate of 20 new clients per month

    3. That means you can afford to invest 4,000 in advertising each month (revenue from joining fee) and still be “cash flow positive” in adding 40,000 of new annual revenue to your business each and every month. Here’s how those numbers play out over time:

    6 months x 44,000 = 264,000 in annual revenue
    12 months x 44,000 = 528,000 in annual revenue

    4. With these assumptions your advertising GOAL is to then bring in 20 new clients for LESS THAN 4,000 in advertising spend. When you’re able to do this, you have achieved the “holy grail” of advertising and business growth with a negative customer acquisition cost each month for your business!

    Efficient Advertising Begins with a Well-Defined Target Market

    The days of “spray and pray” advertising are long gone.

    Thanks to Facebook, Google, and others… you are now able to “micro-target” almost any prospect you want to reach.

    This has forever changed the game in advertising because it reduces wasteful spend.

    Knowing WHOM you want to reach, WHERE they live (or work) and WHY they buy is mission critical for becoming effective with all advertising efforts.

    Why Positioning Matters

    All consumers are trained to be skeptical of advertising claims.

    The market expects you to say nice things about yourself and your business.

    Your job is to stand out from the competition. This process begins by crafting a strong company positioning statement.

    Your company positioning statement defines how you’re different and why your prospect would be a fool to choose working with anyone but you!

    Example #1:

    Since 1999, CrossFit Tri-town has helped over 3,987 Fairfield county athletes smash their performance goals and set new PRs.

    Unlike overcrowded group training facilities with aggressive programming that can leave you broken and injured, our clients say they most love our smaller group sessions that are customized to your specific fitness level and goals.

    Example #2:

    For over 17 years, Method Athletics has been trusted by local Scottsdale residents and over 30 LPGA and PGA tour professionals across the USA for providing complete golf conditioning and performance training that will have you performing at your personal best.

    Unlike CrossFit gyms and large boot camps that put everyone into the same large group and give you “cookie cutter” workout templates, our private sessions are based on your specific fitness level and goals and give you personal attention to ensure you’ll be playing at your best at any age.

    Positioning allows you to stand out in a busy category and this is VERY important.

    The Fun Stuff: Creative

    Advertising creative is made up of several elements, but the three most important are:

    1. The Offer– How are you inviting a prospect to move forward in your marketing lifecycle? Are you making a free or paid offer? How do they need to respond to take advantage of your offer? Do they call you or go to your website?
    2. Copy– Copy represents your brand voice and message. What type of tone do you have when your brand speaks to a prospect? What type of headline format are you using? What does your body copy look like? Do you use the vocabulary of your prospect?
    3. Design and Imaging– Design and imaging are how you “dress up” your ad to go to work… and appearances matter. Make sure your look and feel aligns with your target market and company positioning statement to best showcase your brand.

    Once you’ve got your creative sorted, it’s time to…

    Put Your Money Where Your Mouth is: Media Buying

    Media buying is where you can directly influence the success or failure of all your efforts.

    Spend too much and it’s tough to get a positive return.

    Don’t spend enough and you won’t get your ad in front of the quantity (or quality) of prospects needed to achieve your goals.

    But it’s important you understand there are many differences between online and offline media.

    On digital platforms, you can start with small budgets and prove the success of your ad before increasing your spend.

    Online media advertising includes sources like:

        • Facebook
        • Instagram
        • Twitter
        • Google Adwords
        • Google Display Network
        • Yahoo/Bing Network
        • Banner ads
        • Email list rental
        • And many others…

    With offline advertising, you have one shot to get it right before knowing the results of your efforts.

    Generally this requires a larger initial investment, but many local print media advertisements are still much more effective at reaching older demographic target markets.

    And with the rush to online media by so many advertisers, you can often get print media at a much-reduced cost than just a few years ago.

    Here are a few offline media sources you should test for advertising opportunities:

        • Print newspaper ad
        • Newspaper Inserts
        • Local magazines
        • Local radio
        • Local television
        • List rental and direct mail
        • What else?

    Optimizing Your Results: Track and Review

    Regardless of the media you choose, the BEST advertising results come from consistently tracking, reviewing, and optimizing your advertising over time.

    Reviewing your numbers will show the greatest area of opportunity to improve your advertising results.

    Here are the metrics you should be watching and tracking with all advertising:

    Digital Advertising Metrics:

        • Total invested
        • Total clicks
        • Cost per click
        • Total leads
        • Conversion %
        • Cost per lead
        • Total sales
        • Cost per sale
        • ROI (return on investment)

    Offline Advertising Metrics:

        • Total invested
        • Page views (for driving to web)
        • Total leads
        • Conversion %
        • Cost per lead
        • Total sales
        • Cost per sale
        • ROI (return on investment)

    In addition to tracking, you should also be…

    Testing

    Testing is often where the biggest breakthroughs in your marketing and advertising results will come from.

    What you THINK may work best will often be proven wrong. The ONLY opinion that matters is the market’s opinion.

    Keep testing until you have “won the game” and are generating new clients at a negative acquisition cost.

    Here are the most important elements to test:

        • Offers – How can you vary this in branding, price point, etc.?
        • Media – Once you’ve got a good offer working in one media, test it in another where you can find the same targets.
        • Targeting – Can you narrow your target? Do you need to broaden it? Redefine it?
        • Copy – Does your messaging need to be adjusted?
        • Design and Imaging – Does your imaging represent your brand and connect with your target?

    Summary

    Bringing this all-together… advertising is awesome.

    There is no barrier to entry. Every fitness business owner can (and should) be using advertising for profitably acquiring new clients into their business each month.

    While there are dozens of low cost and no cost fitness business marketing strategies… advertising is one strategy that holds tremendous opportunity to grow your business quickly.

  • #JTInTheRaw Show 42 Was The Most Viewed Show! PT’s And Multi-Level Marketing Plus More

    #JTInTheRaw Show 42 Was The Most Viewed Show! PT’s And Multi-Level Marketing Plus More

    If this is your first #JTInTheRaw welcome as I chew the thin on business.  What I share is relevant in any size or type of business.  The shows have irregular segments like Shout outs; what cheeses me off, #AskJT and as I have this week a JTRant.

    In show 42 I am going to share:

    • What are the tell-tale signs you are about to lose a staff member?
    • Success tips for a leader – pssst everyone is a leader.
    • And finally, a #JTRant on personal trainers and multilevel or network marketing.

    This week I was catching up on some reading and an article struck a chord with me.

    At my last Personal Trainers Industry Leaders Roundtable Adam said he knew one of his staff was looking for another job when he saw the browsing history on the work computer!

    Fairly obvious sign!  What I wanted to research was: are there signs staff are looking at leaving before they start browsing the web?

    How Do You Know If Your Staff Are Going To Leave?

    I found some research in the Harvard Business Review that held up to scientific scrutiny. There appears to be 13 signs where the staff member has either decreased or are working at less than their usual standards:

    1. Their work productivity has decreased.
    2. They act less like a team player.
    3. They are doing the minimum amount of work more frequently.
    4. They are less interested in pleasing their manager.
    5. They are less willing to commit to long-term timelines.
    6. They have exhibited a negative change in attitude.
    7. They have shown less effort and work motivation.
    8. They have less focus on job-related matters.
    9. They have expressed dissatisfaction with their job more frequently.
    10. They have expressed dissatisfaction with their supervisor.
    11. They leave early from work more frequently.
    12. They have lost enthusiasm for the mission of the organization.
    13. They have shown less interest in working with customers.

    Each of these behaviours are an indication that your staff member is starting to disengage with the job.  They are less invested in their performance, colleagues, and most probably the customers – none of which is good for your business.

    If you see your staff‘s behaviour trending this way, science can now confirm, you really do have cause for concern.  It’s time to decide – implement a plan to keep them or implement a plan to replace them. 

    Five Tips For Success As A Business Leader

    Today I am in Perth and heading off to work with a group on leading teams and maximising performance.  I thought I’d share with you my final closing remarks for them – because you all cannot be here!

    These are my Five Success Tips:

    1. Know your numbers! Gut feel is one thing but statistics do not lie. You can think you’ve done a good job but numbers will confirm your feelings. Get close to your numbers if you are business owner, leader or a team member and understand what they are and how they are impacted – ie what behaviours will impact those numbers.
    2. Self-evaluate.  The best sports people, business people, lovers and parents all self-evaluate their performances. For me this is the difference between a good sales person and a great sale person.  A great one will self-evaluate every sale to identify what they did well and what they can improve on.  This means they know where to hone their skills.
    3. Plan. I’m suggesting you plan your year, quarter, month, week and day.  For some of you, you may go micro and plan your hours.  In order to be successful, there are steps we all need to take, so plan these steps and you’ll have a faster journey to success.
    4. Connect and stay connected. If you’re leading a team or selling to a prospect you need to connect with them.  This connection will lead to trust which will enhance the working environment or lead to more sales or a higher yield sale.  The real challenge is to then remain connected – this is my weakness. We all get busy and sometimes, not intentionally, just forget to stay connected with that staff member or that new client. For success, make the effort to stay connected.  It will benefit you and the business.
    5. Be real.  Staff and customers will know when you are faking it.  If your head is not in the game, then don’t enter the game!  You need to be you for success.

    If you think anyone could benefit from my 5 tips for success, please tag them in the comments below.

    #JTRant

    Last weekend was Easter and we had a constant flow of guests coming over.  The most consistent thread of conversation was “What’s with my PT trying to flog me network marketing shit?”

    Which I found particularly interesting as the week prior I had a PT ask me if I know anyone in China as a product he sells now has the rights to sell in China and if I can introduce any Chinese colleagues to this PT, I can “have a slice of the pie.”

    WTF!

    Here is what I am hearing and seeing, personal trainers are now enlisting clients into a network-marketing scheme under the guise of either:

    • Saving money on the product they “need”; or
    • Building a passive income with a home based business.

    First things first, I believe there is no such thing as passive income!  All income involves work.  I have sat through numerous presentations from multiple pyramid schemes and they all involve me doing work. So a passive income is just a blatant lie that is perpetuated by the scripts that multi-level marketers teach their “sales people.”

    The real issue and the essence of my rant is not whether PTs should be prescribing or recommending “supplements” to their clients.  My rant is them trying to sell their clients into a scheme.

    I just don’t think it is cool.  Indeed appropriate for a PT to be “getting clients involved” in a pyramid scheme.  I see it as a breach of trust.

    Clients came to you for exercise based results.  Your focus must be getting them the results they came to you for.  Don’t cloud the relationship by then selling into a scheme that helps you make money.

    I believe it’s unethical.

    My accountant wouldn’t try and sell me into Tupperware, when he sees me bringing lunch in a plastic bag.  My Doctor would not recommend USANA or Herbalife or Isagenix vitamins when he knows I am deficient in vitamins.

    If you want to be treated as a professional personal trainer then act as a professional personal trainer and service your clients on why they came to you.

    While on my high horse, it would be remiss of me not to mention in my rant my thoughts on PT’s prescribing ingestables – ie stuff people take!

    I am not saying PT’s cannot suggest supplementation.

    I believe as a professional you need to do lots of research into anything you recommend a person ingests.

    I believe that the majority of PTs do not have the knowledge to recommend something a person should ingest.

    I believe without the research and the knowledge, this prescription is negligent and be rest assured I’d be suing the arse off my PT if he told me what to take and it made me ill.

    In fact, I am sure there was a case in the US where a PT innocently and for the best results outcome for their client recommended a certain type of supplement.  The problem was that supplement contained something that conflicted with the heart medication the client was on.  The results achieved were one sued PT; one dead client; and one very unhappy family.

    The majority of PT’s are good technicians who know very little about nutrition or life skills.  So as my mum would say “Stick to your knitting!”

    Seriously personal trainers if you want to have any credibility, just do what you are trained to do and do it better than anyone else and you’ll be super successful!

    These are my opinions that I know will piss people off and perhaps open a can of worms or start a conversation, so my feed is yours, tell me what you think?

    Tell me if you think it is OK for PT’s to sell clients into a pyramid scheme.

    This week is Filex!  It’s like Christmas for the fitness industry!

    I’ll be at a Fitness Australia soiree on Wednesday night, the Business Summit on Thursday and am presenting on Friday.  I’ll be around all weekend, so if you see me and you’re a #JTInTheRaw fan or hater, grab me and say “Hi”

    Remember this Friday at 6am is the Fitness Business Podcast #FBPfamily meet up.  If you’re at Filex, we’d love to see you for a networking walk around Darling Harbour!

    Then after the walk will be #JTInTheRaw show 43!  I’ll be LIVE just 30 minutes before I deliver my on-boarding presentation.  I should be pumped up!

    Thanks for tuning in today and I hope I have helped you identify if you have a staff member thinking of quitting; identify some success behaviours you can improve and also opened the dialogue around enlisting clients into multi-level marketing schemes.

    You can subscribe to #JTInTheRaw on You Tube by clicking here, where you will see ALL episodes of the show.

    Quote of The Week

    Focus on what you can do good & be darn great at it.

    Do you want to work one on one with JT?

    Check out all previous shows here: http://www.activemgmt.com.au/category/jt-in-the-raw/

     

  • Press Release: Wexer Introduces Embedded People Counting System

    Press Release: Wexer Introduces Embedded People Counting System

    Wexer Count

    Wexer, a global leader in fitness technology today announced the launch of Wexer Count, a bespoke people counting solution for both live and virtual group exercise classes. The new product is available to integrate with Wexer products, including the Wexer Virtual Player.

    Wexer Count provides data that will enable Fitness Directors and Group Exercise Managers to better understand their group exercise offering and maximise studio usage during off-peak times. By counting and reporting the number of people entering a studio, fitness operators can quantify member behaviours and patterns relating to group exercise classes; both live and virtual.

    “Wexer is excited to be the first to launch an embedded people counting system into a virtual fitness player,” says Paul Bowman, CEO for Wexer. Wexer Count is an ideal product for both small and large group exercise studios, providing an accurate solution to leverage data for member engagement and satisfaction.”

    “Wexer Count was launched so that our partners can accurately measure how many members participate in group exercise classes, while Wexer focuses on delivering the most advanced fitness technology,” says Bowman. “Wexer Count does this by providing real-time business intelligence.”

    The embedded people counting system is a robust sensor that wirelessly connects to a receiver where data is transmitted to Wexer Admin; an online portal where fitness operators can view attendance across each group exercise class.

    Wexer Count is available to purchase now. For more information contact:

    About Wexer

    Wexer is a leading provider of fitness technology, connecting operators with consumers in evermore meaningful ways, inside and outside the four walls of the gym. Their customisable and intuitive technology complements the member experience, ensuring operators remain relevant.

  • #JTInTheRaw Show 41: Real Strategies to Reactivate Former Members & Clients

    #JTInTheRaw Show 41: Real Strategies to Reactivate Former Members & Clients

    How hard do you work to re-activate former members, clients and customers?  Today’s show I will share REAL ideas and thoughts on re-activating former clients.  Grab a pen and paper you’ll need it. 

    Today I want to get down and dirty.  I want to get into the trenches and help you. 

    Way back in show 4, I explained why we should focus on winning back our former clients and why they are a perfect market for us.  If you missed show 4, click here to watch. 

    We all know it is more cost effective to get an old customer back than trying to get new customers, so lets go through a few strategies . . .  

    Please understand these can work for ex-members of a gym, former clients of a PT business – regardless of where that business operates from; and even former participants in challenges you run. 

    I believe that once you opted to connect with my business, it is then up to you opt out.  Let me explain . . 

    When you “joined” with me I gained your personal details: name, address, email and birthdate.  I am saying use this information until your former clients say “don’t contact me.”

    I would hope you also collected other personal information about your client like what are their goals?  And why they are important.  PLUS you have saved this information! 

    If we know the results that someone wanted from their gym membership, their PT or their transformation challenge then we can have a qualified and quality conversation.   

    The data you collect on your members has a massive impact when on-boarding a client – check out show 39 here where I explain about on-boarding for loyalty – it also has a monumental impact in a re-starting conversation with the former client.

    Imagine this for a moment this phone call . . . “Hi Fiona, it’s Justin from Active Fitness Centre here and I just wanted to follow up on how you are going in regard to keeping off the weight you wanted to lose for your daughter’s wedding last year?  As part of our service here, do you mind if ask you once simple question? Are you 100% happy with your weight now?” 

    If we have personal information on our former members, we can re-enter the sale from an emotional perspective. 

    My first tip or is it my second tip, because I have already said record information, is to call every former member within 4 to 6 months after they cancelled their membership or their PT using the script I just shared.

    When else should we contact former members?

    I would leave them in any closed Facebook groups.  The community may just help them return.

    I would every year send a hand written birthday card.  No offer or call to action just a branded birthday card that says “you care.”

    I would email members and especially former clients when a new PT joins the team.  The email would include a video of the PT introducing themselves and explaining why people should train with them.

    Here is the key, this email ONLY goes to people this trainer can help i.e. based on the results the former member wants and what the trainer’s expertise is.  Don’t clog up in-boxes of former member with information that won’t help them.  They’ll see this as junk email and unsubscribe!

    Further, I would have the new PT call them within 3 days of them receiving the email.  And if there is no email, I’d use snail mail and follow up with a call.

    When we launch a new program, change the time table, buy new equipment, change the opening hours or anything else we do “new”, it gives me a reason to contact former members.

    Email is easiest and cheapest and more importantly allows you to add value to the relationship.  You have more substance and depth in an email rather than text.

    Let me explain . . .

    When we segment our former members into ‘buckets’ based on the results they want or services they used, we can tailor the emails notifying them of our new services or programs and most importantly HOW this will help them.  The email can have education included, hence the value.  It won’t come across as a pushy offer.  You are educating them, positioning yourself as the expert and showing you still genuinely care.

    Can you see now why collecting and then recording member information is so critical?

    And my final suggestion, when the member comes into cancel their membership or their PT, I would give them 5 free visits to the gym and a free PT session with no expiry date.  Just so they walk away feeling good about the brand.

    Once you have a system in your business to “bucket” members, you will reap the benefits!  Segmenting prospects, current and former members or clients is now integral to your marketing plan.

    If you got value from these tips, let me know with some Facebook love and if you know anyone who could benefit then please tag them in the comments.

    I am sure after watching this week’s show you will have questions. Please pop questions in the comments below or PM me – whatever you like.  Lets just start maximising the opportunity with people who once loved us enough to join.

    I need to ask a favour of everyone watching today.  Can you please head across to The Fitness Business Podcast on iTunes or www.FitnessBusinessPodcast.com and download two of your fav shows!  I spoke with Chantal and she tells me this month we are aiming for the target of 100,000 downloads!  We have 2 weeks to get there, so head across!  In fact this week is a great interview with Sue B Zimmerman who is the Instagram Queen.  Check it out www.FitnessBusinessPodcast.com

    Next week

    Remember, next week I return to Fridays and I can feel a rant coming on! So tune in next week for a little rant . . .

    Quote of The Week

    When we have personal information on our former members, we can re-enter the sale from an emotional perspective.

    Do you want to work one on one with JT?

    Check out all previous shows here: http://www.activemgmt.com.au/category/jt-in-the-raw/

     

  • #JTInTheRaw Show 40: Q & A On The Fitness Industry

    #JTInTheRaw Show 40: Q & A On The Fitness Industry

    Questions … Questions … Questions … Today’s show is all about viewers questions! Stay tuned as I answer questions on retention strategies, employing people, cross promotions and Facebook Live!

    This week I have been writing.  I have just finished an ebook on what are 2017 consumer trends.  This book is not about exercise trends it is what your current and future customers want from you as a brand.  You will love the ebook and will keep you ahead of the industry curve.  This will be for sale in 2 weeks on the Active Management website for 99 bucks or become a Silver Active Management Member and we are giving it you for FREE!

    If you want to information on becoming a member pop SILVER click here!

    #JTShoutOuts

    First up a MASSIVE shout and congratulations to Chantal and the Fitness Business Podcast.  Last month, was a record month of downloads.  There was a 25% increase in downloads to hit just over 8000.  This is huge for the podcast and as a sponsor it makes me very happy!  You may like to check shows 96 and 97 as Chantal and I talk about the good, bad and the ugly of LA fitness studios.

    A second shout out to Lisa Simone Richards who invited me to be part of her Audience Attraction Formula FREE on-line summit.  There are 12 awesome speakers and it all online and free.  Click here to find out more – Audience Attraction Formula

    #AskJT

    First question comes from Haytham who asked: “Can you please give me 3 tips to tell my staff in the meeting of things we can do for retention through April?” 

    I find retention figures are a lag effect.  What I mean by this is members don’t just think “I’m cancelling my membership.”  They probably have been thinking about it for at least a month and I would guess at least 3 months and it’s just they finally got around to it March.

    If my theory is right, then what we were doing in January and February was impacting our cancellations in March.

    So my 3 tips:

    • It is not one person’s responsibility to contact a member that hasn’t been in for awhile, it everyone’s.  So if one of your gym instructors or group fitness team members hasn’t seen a member on the floor or in a class for 10 days, they can and should make the call to the member.
    • I would extract from your software the average length of a cancelled membership.  That is, how long have they been a member before cancelling on average in months.  Then call EVERY member 2 months before the average length hits.  If the average length of a cancelled membership is 7 months, you call every member on their 5 month membership anniversary with your sole aim: get them into the club for a chat with someone and refocus them on their goals.
    • Connect and engage with EVERY member on every visit.  This means a wave, a high five, a smile or a conversation when every members comes in.  We fall into the habit of speaking with just the people we know.  Every member is critical, so treat them as such and make them feel part of your gym community.

    Chris asks under what tax rule do gyms operate under to allow them not to pay super to their instructors? 

    And what a can of worms you have opened with this question Chris.  First up I am not a legal expert, so whether you are an employer or employee professional legal advice is my advice.

    If you are an employer I recommend Employsure who are simply AWESOME with their advice and representation for employers.  Their suite of products is comprehensive and will save you time, money and energy.  For how Employsure can help you contact Chris at [email protected] and tell him JT sent you!

    What I think is a bigger red flag for the industry as whole, is examining the back story to Chris’s question.  He employs people and places the rules he has to follow on the employer of his partner.  Almost every employee or contractor in the industry will have a friend who is an employment expert – legally or a backyard expert.  If you are as an employee do not have all your employment policies and documents checked by a legal expert, you are living on the edge.  And saying you didn’t know will not wash.

    Question 3 this week comes from Fiona who asked about cross promotions.  I want to offer up to 15 local business in the area the chance to have their business displayed on our TV screens in return for promoting our club to their clients? 

    First things first Fiona make sure you put a value on the advertising on your screen because:

    1. If anyone asks, you can tell them how much it costs.
    1. When you go to the local businesses you can say “This would normally cost you $X but if you help us, we’ll let you advertise for free.”

    I have no idea what you’d charge in your club but how about 270 a month worked out by:

    • 3 ads per day (every 8 hours)
    • 90 ads per month
    • $3 an ad
    • $270 + GST
    • PLUS you will include handing every new member a flyer form their business in your welcome pack

    Now for no money changing hands, in return for their ad you are seeking:

    • 1 solo email blast to their customers – you supply the copy and images
    • A weekly post on their Facebook page for 2 weeks – you supply artwork
    • A flyer handed to every customer 2 weeks
    • A poster in the shop window for 2 weeks

    The people you want to partner with have to have a database OR a strong social media presence (Facebook fans; Insta followers) or both (ideally).

    And the last question has come from multiple people around Facebook Live.  The commonality of the questions, is how do you do it? 

    From my experience the two hardest parts of doing Facebook Live is starting and dropping the need for your video being perfect.

    First up let’s address starting.  Plan your video.  What do you want to say?  Pop some bullet points down and then just do it!  I was shit scared, nervous and worried when I started #JTInTheRaw and you will too but the more you do the more you’ll be comfortable in front of the camera.

    In regard to perfection, check out #JTInTheRaw shows 1, 10, 20, 30 and even today I am far from perfect!  I would like to think the shows have got better but they are raw.  And research on Facebook Live is that consumers prefer this type of raw video as it shows greater authenticity.

    Facebook Live is an amazing way to promote your business.  You can go live from your Facebook page and your fans will be notified that you are live.  It is a great way to communicate with your clients and members and have them share.

    The more you know about Facebook Live the more you can do cool shit, like repurposing your material, spreading the show virally and even having guests on your show.

    I am a huge fan and can see SO many benefits for any business!

    I am excited to share that over the next 90 days I’m going to put together a step by step guide for you doing Facebook Live and so much more.

    Plus stay tuned from June with a new cool innovation with Active Management and Facebook Live!

    I hope this wets your appetite to try Facebook Live!  Let me know how you go!

    And that ends this week’s #AskJT show.  Thanks everyone for shooting through your questions.  I am happy to answer your questions in the show, so feel free to send any questions.

    Next week

    I will be putting the finishing touches to my Filex promotion.  I’m super excited as it is really good!

    I also need to work on the results of a survey for a panel discussion on the Business Summit.  I have 10 questions that we are asking gym members about why they are gym members.  Could you share the survey link please – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9Q6VFBZ

    So before I head off to the NSW PT Industry Leaders Roundtable where we are unpacking each business’s sales figures for the first quarter – I expect some tears today – it’s time for quote of the week.  And this week it is simple:

    Quote of The Week

    “If you wait for perfection, you’ll never start.”

    Do you want to work one on one with JT?

     

    Check out all previous shows here: http://www.activemgmt.com.au/category/jt-in-the-raw/