PFP November December 2011 by MadMen3

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 | WWW.FIT-PRO.COM

HELPING YOU PROSPER AS A FITNESS PROFESSIONAL

MARKETING STRATEGIES to help you reach new heights SOCIAL SOLUTIONS

How Facebook can help you build your business

JOURNEY TO SUCCESS: Brothers Anthony and Joe Vennare of Hybrid Athlete and Kettlebell Cardio

FOOD FIX

Keep clients accountable for what they eat

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER

2011

MARKETING

Features

16 By Shelby Murphy

Beyond the Workout:

Keep your clients accountable to their eating

By Leanne Ellington

Before-you-market marketing

Simple systems that attract new clients and retain a loyal following

20 By Joshua Carter

Featuring Anthony & Joe Vennare

Endure, Overcome, and Dominate: a Philosophy of Creating your own Success

The new face of marketing

Avoid the common Facebook marketing mistakes most trainers make

Staples

Columns 08 Be Better

The approach By Phil Kaplan

10 Treadmill Talk

Use your marketing to educate By Greg Justice

11 Top-Notch Training

Stop selling fitness; start sharing your passion

ByTammy Polenz

12 Boost Your Business

The most overlooked fitness marketing formula By Bedros Keuilian

12 Supplements A to Z Caffeine and exercise By Chris Mohr

07 Letter from the Editor: A New Definition of Marketing 19 Company Profile: ACE 26 Company Profile: 1&1 MyWebsite 27 Events Calendar 28 Exercise Spotlight: Competition Kettlebells 30 New on the Market

Online Exclusive Benefit from a Functional Training Program By Charles DeFrancesco, Continuing Education Specialist for National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT)

THEPUBLISHER

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lindsay vastola lindsay@rbpub.com MANAGINGEDITOR

mike beacom mike@rbpub.com CONTRIBUTINGWRITERS

joshua carter, leanne ellington, shelby murphy FEATUREDCOLUMNISTS

greg justice, phil kaplan, bedros keuillian, chris mohr, tammy polenz CIRCULATIONMANAGER

rachel spahr rachel@rbpub.com PRODUCTIONDIRECTOR

chad griepentrog chad@rbpub.com GRAPHICDESIGN

kelli cooke

2901 International Lane Madison WI 53704-3128 Phone: 608.241.8777 Fax: 608.241.8666 Email: rbpub@rbpub.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS are free to qualified recipients: $36 per year to all others in the United States. Subscriptions rate for Canada or Mexico is $60 per year, and for elsewhere outside the United States is $80. Back-issue rate is $5. Send subscriptions to: PFP, P.O. Box 259098, Madison WI 53725-9098; or call 608.241.8777; fax 608.241.8666; email rbpub@rbpub.com; or subscribe online at www.fit-pro.com. For high-quality reprints, please contact our exclusive reprint provider. Scoop Reprint Source 800.767.3263 ext. 144 www.scoopreprintsource.com. All material in this magazine is copyrighted ÂŠ 2011 by RB Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Nothing may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. Any correspondence sent to PFP, RB Publishing Inc. or its staff becomes property of RB Publishing Inc. The articles in this magazine represent the views of the authors and not those of RB Publishing Inc. or PFP. RB Publishing Inc. and/or PFP expressly disclaim any liability for the products or services sold or otherwise endorsed by advertisers or authors included in this magazine. PFP (ISSN 1523-780X) [Volume 13, Issue 6] is published six times per year (January/February, March/April, Spring 2011 Buyers Guide, July/August, September/October, November/December) by RB Publishing Inc., 2901 International Lane, Suite 100, Madison WI 53704-3128, 608.241.8777. Periodicals postage paid at Madison WI and additional offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to: PFP | P.O. Box 259098 | Madison WI 53725-9098.

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Letter from the Editor

EDITOR - Lindsay Vastola lindsay@rbpub.com

A New Definition of Marketing A           , it is fitting that as fitness professionals, we savor the successes we’ve achieved over the last year and begin to set new goals and strategies for the coming year. In this issue of PFP, we focus on the theme of marketing. Some may be jaded by the seemingly all-encompassing term; to others, it may be a concept that is daunting and overwhelming. Marketing, as it relates to our industry, covers a myriad of definitions – advertising, sales strategy, social media, business collateral, networking, websites, personal brands, videos, logos and giveaways, testimonials… the list goes on and to each fitness professional and fitness business, “marketing” can have a very different meaning. But what is marketing? One of my mentors recently defined the term “marketing” as I had never heard it and I had a very simple, yet impactful mindset shift: “Marketing is simply the way in which you communicate your passion” You will see throughout this issue how our contributors will give you tools so that you can communicate passionately to grow your business, serve your clients, and help you feel more fulfilled as a fitness professional. This issue features marketing through new lenses; how more effective Facebook posts will grow your business and serve your clients; tactics for holding your clients accountable to their diet and meal plan programs; and how to incorporate business systems to save you time so you can focus on truly serving your clients and expanding your reach. Be sure to read and be inspired by our Journey to Success feature about two brothers who continue to communicate their passions to grow their business with their empowering philosophy of success. So as we close out another successful year, I challenge you: “How will you communicate your passion in 2012?” I look forward to hearing more about what you’re doing in 2012 in our industry on Facebook @Personal Fitness Professional and on Twitter: @PFP_FitPro Cheers to communicating our passion,

Publisher’s Note: The U.S. Postal Service requires the following statement be published for Personal Fitness Professional Periodicals Class mailings only. Personal Fitness Professional has had a Periodicals Class permit since January 2001.

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Publication Title .............................................................PFP Publication No. ..............................................................1523-780X Filing Date .....................................................................September 26, 2011 Issue Frequency...............................................................Jan-Feb, Mar-Apr, Spring, May-June (Digital only), July-Aug, Sep-Oct, Nov-Dec 5. No. of Issues Published Annually...................................6 6. Annual Subscription Price .............................................Free 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication (Not Printer) 2901 International Lane, Suite 100, Madison, Dane County, WI 53704-3128 Contact Person ...............................................................Rachel Spahr, (608) 241-8777x5082 8. Complete Mailing Address of the Headquarters of General Business Offices of the Publisher (Not Printer) ...........2901 International Lane, Suite 100, Madison WI 53704-3128 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Address of Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor Publisher ............................................. ...........................Josh Vogt, RB Publishing Inc., 2901 International Lane, Suite 100, Madison WI 53704-3128 Editor .................................................. ...........................Lindsay Vastola, RB Publishing Inc., 2901 International Lane, Suite 100, Madison WI 53704-3128 Managing Editor............................................................Mike Beacom, RB Publishing Inc., 2901 International Lane, Suite 100, Madison WI 53704-3128 10. Owner (If the publication is owned by a corporation, give the name and address of

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(Full Name) (Complete Mailing Address) Ronald Brent ......................................................... RB Publishing Inc., 2901 International Lane, Ste. 100, Madison WI 53704-3128 Marll Thiede .......................................................... RB Publishing Inc., 2901 International Lane, Ste. 100, Madison WI 53704-3128 Gregory Rice .......................................................... RB Publishing Inc., 2901 International Lane, Ste. 200, Madison WI 53704-3128 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees and other Security Holders Owning or Holding one

Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities .........None 12. Tax Status...............................................................The purpose, function and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes has NOT changed during preceding 12 months. 13. Publication .....................................................................PFP 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data......................................July/August 2011 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation ..................................B2B - Controlled a. Total No. Copies (Net Press Run) .......................... 18,383 ........................ 20,550 b. Paid and/or Requested Distribution 1. Paid/Requested Outside-County Mail Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541. (Including advertiser’s proof and exchange copies)17,498..................... 19,991 2. Copies requested by employers for distribution to employees by name or positions ......0 ................................ 0 3. Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales and Other Non-USPS Paid Distribution.................0 ................................ 0 4. Other Classes Mailed Through the USPS ...............0 ................................ 0 c. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation [Sum of 15b (1, 2, 3, and 4)] .................................... 17,498 ........................ 19,991 d. Nonrequested Distribution (Samples, Complimentary and Other Free) 1. Outside-County as Stated on Form 3541 ..............292 ............................ 302 2. In-County as Stated on Form 3541 .........................0 ................................ 0 3. Other Classes Mailed Through the USPS ...............9 ................................ 8 4. Distributed Outside the Mail ..... . ..........................467 ............................ 149 e. Total Nonrequested Distribution ..............................768 ............................ 459 f. Total Distribution (Sum of 15c and 15e)................. 18,266 ........................ 20,450 g. Copies Not Distributed ..............................................117 ............................ 100 h. Total (Sum of 15f and 15g) ..................................... 18,383 ........................ 20,550 i. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation (15c/fx100) ...............................................................95.8% ........................ 97.8% 16. Publication of Statement of Ownership for a Requester Publication is required and will be printed in the November-December 2011 issue of this publication. 17. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager or Owner: Rachel Spahr, Circulation Manager / September 26, 2010 I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties).

PS Form 3526-R, September 2007

Be Better

The ApproAch MY

daughter is playing in the pool with two friends on a beautiful Florida day and I’m seizing the opportunity to catch up on some work. The scene playing out in front of me is prompting a spark, or nausea, or both. In earshot, a personal trainer is training a client, a resident of the community. “One more lap” (walking lunges around the perimeter of the very large lagoon pool). “Ugh.” Sweat is rolling down the forehead of the client and her face says submission, but the trainer pushes on. “Slower steps. Butt tight. Muscle, not momentum.” I’m all for aggressive exercise intervention, but I’m having trouble witnessing this client being beaten to a sweaty pulp. The client stops to catch her breath and the trainer, suffering from Drill Sergeant Complex (a pseudo psychological term I just coined) threatens, “If you don’t start in 10 seconds, drop and give me 10.” Her body language “defeated,” the client reluctantly starts lunging again. Her arms struggle to reach with the medicine ball between her hands. Is it my place to say something? Am I witnessing abuse or inspiration? I’m not 100% sure. She’s rounding the last turn and heading for the spot where her towel and water bottle sit. It reminds me of one of those video clips where the marathon runner stumbles over the line only to collapse. “Six more steps, Janet. Six more. C’mon, you can do it.” Janet drops to the ground about two steps short. She’s conscious, but appears to have just run out of glycogen. Her ATP reserves have been exhausted. I’m ready to leap to my feet, but remain at my keyboard accessing my own “ready” state. End of scene: The client survives, the trainer gets paid. Should I have asked the trainer for his credentials? That’s inappropriate. Isn’t it? Should I trust that this trainer knows this client and trains her within her known capacity? These difficult questions are rarely addressed and I’d guess, most personal trainers see opportunities for “approach” that they let pass by. More examples …

WHEN THE WOMAN AT THE NEXT TABLE ORDERS A SALAD She confidently pushes away the menu after a single glance. “I’ll have the spinach salad,” she announces with pride. Her tableside friend quips, “You always eat so healthy, it’s a wonder you’re not thin.” Ouch. You, sitting at the next table, glance at the menu and note that the spinach salad has gorgonzola cheese, glazed walnuts, bacon, croutons, and a creamy roasted pepper dressing. Do you tell her that her salad likely has over 1,500 calories, three times as much as the grilled chicken platter?

WHEN THE MOM IN THE GROCERY STORE PICKS UP ORGANIC POP TARTS Based on the toddler in the cart, it’s clear she isn’t buying the Pop Tarts for a late night adult snack. She believes she’s making a “healthy” choice, prompted by the word “organic.” Dare you approach and share what should be obvious . . . until

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you see a Pop Tart tree, the label is deceptive and a glance at her cart reveals she’s feeding her kids excesses of hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup?

WHEN AN OLDER MAN IN THE GYM DOES PULLDOWNS BEHIND HIS NECK WITH ATTROCIOIUS FORM He grunts like a frenzied farm animal as he rocks back and forth, yanking the bar down behind his head, clearly practicing destructive external rotation at the shoulder joint. You know he’s a textbook example of injury waiting to happen, yet he’s a regular and attacks each set with a vengeance. Is it in your (or his) best interest to begin your sentence with “excuse me, Sir . . . ?” or do you just leave the nutty guy alone? Are there guidelines as to what would be appropriate for a competent personal trainer? All I have right now are opinions, but I invite you to contribute yours. Go to www.bebetteracademy.com/steppingin and share your thoughts (to be revealed in a future article).

For now, here are my perspectives:  Never embarrass another individual unless you feel there is a genuine risk beyond what is ordinary or expected. Opportunities may emerge to confront and question situations in private.  The grocery store is an open forum for tactful rescue. If our mission involves helping people, the grocery store offers a chance to correct destructive behaviors that people aren’t aware they’re engaging in.  Whenever you hear of someone about to begin what you believe to be a flawed program, share your professional opinion and follow it with research or documented fact, but never reprimand anyone for making a bad fitness decision. Guidance through the process of eradicating long-held false beliefs may be the greatest gift you can offer, especially when an open mind shows up.  Finally, there’s the familiar issue of “correcting” form. I’ve heard it said that “can I show you a different way,” is a sound approach, but we’ve all met the wall of “I know what I’m doing, I’ve been doing it this way for years.” After years of meeting this man (always with a different face and name but clearly the same guy), I’d have to say, incorrect form warrants approach. If direction is refused, let it go. Future conversations that appear social in nature may knock down the “I know what I’m doing” monster and perhaps open the door for a long term client. I look forward to YOUR opinions! (post them at www.bebetteracademy. com/steppingin) Phil Kaplan, a 30-year veteran personal fitness trainer, operates Be Better Academy for Fitness Professionals. His newest program, ASPIRE, has drawn a new connection between fitness and medicine and he conducts webinars and seminars to share insights and innovations. Visit http://bebetteracademy.com

Treadmill Talk

USE YOUR MARKETING

TO EDUCATE “The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself.” -Peter F. Drucker As we all know, marketing can help you get new clients. But did you know that marketing can help you build a better relationship with the clients you already have? And that it can make them more committed to sticking with you and your training program? Education-Based Marketing is the right type of marketing to help you achieve significant results. This type of marketing is based on educating your customer base on the best way to choose the products and services that meet their needs. Every client has something to learn about your business, such as how training works with nutrition, basic anatomy and physiology, how to tell if your trainer is getting the results you want, etc. When you educate your clients, you are adding value to your services. Also, because you’re teaching them objectively, you will quickly build a strong foundation of trust since providing information isn’t a sales pitch. They will see you as both a trainer and a reliable source of information, and this will keep them coming back. Educating your clients will make them loyal, satisfied, and more compliant. The key to success with this type of marketing is that you provide up-to-date, relevant, and accurate information. You need to be seen as an expert in your field, and your clients need to feel sure that they can come to you with questions and get better answers than they can find on the internet. You need to create a plan for accomplishing these goals, as you would with any other type of marketing strategy. “A clear vision, backed by definite plans, gives you a tremendous feeling of confidence and personal power.” - Brian Tracy Begin by asking yourself questions about how you can achieve credibility, accurate information aggregation, and position yourself as an expert. You need to think about the types of clients you have, what kind of information is most helpful to them and what they are most likely to ask, and then you need to create a detailed plan for accumulating this information and easily acquiring the results of new studies and breakthroughs in training. It helps to use reliable sources, both within your industry and outside it, so that your clients can verify your information if they wish. Providing your clients with complex and intricate information will exponentially increase your credibility and the extra value that your clients believe they are getting. Choose your own reliable sources of information, create a plan to stay updated (such as RSS feeds and regularly scheduled email marketing), and remember that data and statistics pack a serious punch. And make sure you don’t forget your ultimate goal –to deliver exactly what your clients want, and a little more. Greg Justice, MA, CPT, is the founder of AYC Health & Fitness (www.aycfit.com) and the Corporate Boot Camp System (www.corporatebootcampsystem.com). He has been actively involved in the fitness industry for more than a quarter century as a club manager, owner, personal trainer and corporate wellness supervisor.

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Top-Notch Training

STOP SELLING FITNESS; START SHARING YOUR

PASSION

know what you’re thinking, how can I NOT sell personal training or other fitness-related services and actually make money? We all know how the fitness industry operates. Whether you work for a health club or own one, your biggest concern is hitting your sales numbers. Why are the sales numbers so important? Either your supervisor is telling you to sell to keep your job or because you need to pay your operational costs. Although the truth is quite the opposite: if you want to succeed in the fitness industry then you have to stop selling fitness and start sharing your passion. According to Dictionary.com the term “sell” means “to exchange goods for services and to persuade someone to buy something.” The problem with this approach is that when you “sell” someone fitness you spend your time and energy persuading them into believing that the service you are offering is necessary. This approach may be successful with some people, but not with most. Maya Angelou says it best in this quote: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Understanding this concept is the greatest lesson anyone can learn in this business and in life. To be successful in any field you will need to stop “selling” and start speaking your passion. If you are anything like most people in the fitness industry, then no one has to “sell” you on the benefits of living fit, eating right and exercising. You know it, you feel it, you live it, you breathe it, and it’s your passion. I have never sold personal training a day in my life, but I have shared my passion with each and every person I come across. As soon as I start speaking my passion, my eyes light up, the words just flow and my excitement for what I’m speaking about revitalizes every cell in my body. The result is that the individual I’m chatting with feels my excitement, passion, enthusiasm and energy. It’s a natural process for human beings to mirror and internalize the emotions of those with whom we are engaging. If you do this, and share your passion, clients will be lining up to buy whatever it is you are selling without you ever having to ask them. Tammy Polenz, CPT, has been actively involved in the fitness industry since 1991 as a personal trainer, club manager, corporate wellness consultant, and gym owner and designer. She is the author of Think Fit 2 Be Fit, founder of Vedas Fitness in Cleveland, and Wellness Director for Cleveland Hopkins Airport and has been featured in numerous fitness magazines and media. Learn more about Tammy at www.vedasfitness.com.

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Boost Your Business

The MosT overlooked

Fitness Marketing ForMula

ith the New Year just around the corner, I thought I would give you the actual FORMULA for quickly and easily getting clients into your fitness business. Mind you, these are not marketing strategies or tactics. Now, the reason I call what I’m about to teach you a “formula” and not a strategy is because this works with every strategy and tactic used to get prospects, such as lead boxes, Facebook, SEO, Pay-Per-Click, direct mail, print ads and word-of-mouth referrals. I guess you can say this is more of a “way of thinking” on your part than anything else. Here’s what I mean… When most fitness professionals get a lead, they instantly go into “sales mode” and attempt to turn that prospect into a client by overwhelming them with information in hopes the person will sign up. However, what most people don’t realize is that no one is going to buy from you if 1) they don’t know, like, and trust you; and 2) if you come off desperate for the sale. So if you’ve ever encountered objections and resistance from a prospect, it’s most likely because you failed to follow this marketing formula: First, imagine your community – the area that you will be marketing – as a pond. Also imagine a funnel for a moment. Everyone in the pond is a suspect, and those suspects are at the very top of your marketing funnel. By using the marketing and lead generation tactics and strategies you are going to differentiate the prospects from the suspects by making irresistible offers. This is where most fitness trainers go wrong because they instantly go into sales mode and attempt to sell the prospect on a program without building a relationship, winning trust, or positioning expert credibility and authority. This is why your prospect will instantly go into “buyer’s resistance mode” and start launching off objections at you. Never fun. The process that is missing, and is most critical, is the “prospect incubation time.” This is where you use email marketing, video marketing, social proof, expert articles that you have written to position yourself, and establish rapport. Essentially what you are doing is taking the prospect from a place of being indifferent about you and your services, to recognizing you as the local fitness expert and trusted authority on all things fitness and fat loss. You get them to know, like, and trust you. By taking this extra step in incubating your prospect you are ensuring an easier sales process, fewer or no objections and often times, a larger investment in your program. Best of all, by positioning yourself as an expert and a person of credibility and authority, you will retain that client for a longer period of time and stimulate more referrals.

Bedros Keuilian teaches thousands of fitness trainers systems and strategies to grow their business and get more clients. Get more fitness marketing systems from Bedros by visiting his blog, www.PTPower.com.

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Supplements A to Z

CaFFeine exerCise

you drink coffee? Diet soda? Red Bull? Tea? If so, you are a “user.” And caffeine is one of the most widely used drugs in the world. Aside from giving a morning pick-me-up, the use of caffeine to enhance athletic performance has continued to increase in recent years. Such drinks are marketed heavily to an athletic population, promising to enhance performance and increase energy levels. Common reasoning for caffeine consumption in conjunction with exercise includes increasing exercise time to exhaustion, increasing fat oxidation, sparing carbohydrate use during exercise, improving endurance performance, and the thought that caffeine may help delay fatigue. Caffeine stimulates the nervous system and influences a wide variety of metabolic processes including cardiovascular function and epinephrine release. Due to all of these factors, caffeine may help delay fatigue and enhance performance, but not without possible risks. Research supports the notion that caffeine can enhance physical performance. Caffeine appears to have a beneficial effect on alertness and reaction time, when combined with carbohydrate; it also has been shown to improve cognitive function. Caffeine may also decrease the rate of perceived exertion, thereby improving performance so this too could benefit the athlete. There are mixed findings as to whether or not caffeine has a beneficial effect on high-intensity, short-duration aerobic and anaerobic exercise. However, there is more concrete evidence of a relationship between caffeine intake and improved aerobic endurance activities. One study tested the effects of different doses of caffeine on cycling performance. They supplemented well-trained cyclists with either 0, 5, 9, or 13 mg/ kg of total bodyweight with encapsulated caffeine one hour before they cycled at a high intensity (80% VO2max) until exhaustion. The results showed a significant increase in endurance performance for each of the caffeine doses when compared with placebo, but not with each other. Most research suggests 1-3 mg caffeine/kg bodyweight (equal to 0.45–1.36 mg/lb) is an effective dose. To have benefit, caffeine is typically ingested 30-60 minutes prior to and/or during exercise. While a moderate intake of caffeine is considered safe, large doses can be dangerous. No more than 8-10 mg/kg of body weight is recommended, which amounts to approximately 4 to 6 - 8 oz cups of coffee daily. Caffeine in doses that exceed 10 to 14 grams (or 150 to 200 mg/kg body weight) can be fatal. Individual sensitivity and tolerance to caffeine can vary. Side effects may include increased anxiety and jitters, sleep disturbances, and GI distress. Dr Chris Mohr is the creator of Dietary Supplement University (http://www.DietarySupplementU.com) THE leading resource for the most up to date reviews of ingredients and dietary supplements).

By Lindsay Vastola

Anthony & Joe Vennare Endure, Overcome, and Dominate: a Philosophy of Creating your own Success

Brothers Anthony and Joe Vennare share their journey to success Anthony and Joe Vennare are two brothers from Western Pennsylvania who each had well-laid plans for embarking on successful, productive careers. Joe was awarded a college football scholarship, and then moved to North Carolina to accept an opportunity as a middle school social studies teacher. Anthony committed his service to the United States Marine Corps and was preparing for several trainings across the nation. As what often happens with even the best-laid plans, the Vennare family was suddenly faced with adversity that would change the course of their journey forever. Anthony and Joe’s father was suddenly diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. Anthony postponed his military service and Joe returned home from his teaching job to support their father and family through the trying time. After more than a year of treatment, the Vennare family lost their father. And so continues the story of Anthony and Joe’s journey…

Unexpected Detours Discover Passion and Success

The brothers both starred in athletics and realized that the self-esteem, confidence as well as the physical results they gained from working out was something they found others were asking for and wanted to know more about. While in the Marine Corps, Anthony instructed other marines during boot camp on Kettlebells and how to optimize functional

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training. Joe is a sponsored triathlete and uses his own training experience to motivate and coach his clients. Though accomplished athletes, careers in fitness had never been a part of Anthony and Joe Vennare’s long-term vision. They both had very different paths set out just a few years ago, but with the unexpected loss of their father they realized that they had a new opportunity on which to embark. In order to spend more time with their family, after returning home from the Marine Corps and North Carolina, respectively, they began doing in-home training and working for the local YMCA, quickly becoming directors and starting their own kettlebell program. They realized very quickly that they wanted to open their own gym. The combination of their experience, expertise, passion and drive would serve as a perfect foundation for opening their facility, Hybrid Athlete, just a short time later.

Creativity and Determination Breeds Success

Anthony and Joe knew the next part of their venture was to find a facility where they could offer their unique training programs, and do it with no financing. In-line with their philosophy of “little paycheck now, or big paycheck later?” they saved the money they earned while doing in-home training and continued to reinvest in their business. They also took on other jobs in order to save money. The Vennare brothers knew they needed to get creative in order to take this significant step in their journey to success. They found an indoor skate park with 11,000 square feet of open space, negotiated with the owner and within a week had completely turned the once unusable space into a fitness facility complete with turf, pull-up systems, kettlebells and their determination to get as many people in the door as quickly as possible. Hybrid Athlete opened just a year ago and very quickly had over 200 clients joining their over 20 weekly workouts – they offer online training programs, military and school

What is your current title? Anthony: Founder/CEO Joe: Director of programming and co-founder What is your company name? Hybrid Athlete LLC (www.thehybridathlete.com) Kettlebell Cardio (www.kettlebellcardio.org) What are your certifications? Anthony: World Kettlebell Club Certified Coach; USA Weightlifting Sports Performance Coach; CrossFit Level 1; Kettlebell Cardio Certified Instructor; CEC Workshop Presenter: NSCA, ACE, NASM, AFAA Joe: USA Weightlifting Sports Performance Coach; CrossFit Level 1; Kettlebell Cardio Certified Instructor; CEC Workshop Presenter: NSCA, ACE, NASM, AFAA What is your favorite piece of workout equipment? Anthony: Kettlebell Joe: Bodyweight exercise is my favorite What is your favorite healthy snack? Anthony: Larabar Joe: Almond butter... on everything

training, as well as instructional workshops. They have also recently introduced Hybrid Games, where people from all over the east coast come to workout and compete.

Lessons Learned and Creating their Success

Anthony and Joe each have taken on very specific roles in the business, but their synergism as a partnership is obvious. In their journey to become successful businessmen, as well as fitness professionals, they continue to learn from their mistakes and use the lessons learned as a platform for creating their own success. They have learned that what has made, and continues to make them successful, is their ability to offer programs and training that is unique to them, not necessarily investing in programs that may seem to appeal to the masses. Clients are looking for a unique experience, and Anthony and Joe have discovered how to deliver this experience to their clients. In fact, the community of clients with whom they have developed lasting relationships has become one of the most significant pillars of their business. They have a loyal following that has helped build their business through word-of-mouth marketing. This community has become invaluable to the Vennare brothers’ business along with participating in events like 5Ks and marathons and simply getting out and talking to people. They realized very quickly there is a greater return to their business by investing time in developing real relationships with people rather than spending money on traditional advertising.

If Opportunity Knocks, Answer

When asked if they have an “end-goal” with their business and

Learn more about Hybrid Athlete at www.thehybridathlete.com and Kettlebell Cardio at www.kettlebellcardio.org.

vision, Anthony and Joe say they’ve never wanted to limit themselves to an end-goal, but rather take advantage of opportunities as they arise. This is quite telling of the character and passion the Vennare brothers possess. As if opening an 11,000 square foot facility doesn’t keep them both busy enough, they founded Kettlebell Cardio (KBC), a kettlebell group exercise certification for affiliate instructors and a turnkey opportunity for fitness professionals. Kettlebell Cardio came out from what they saw as an opportunity to differentiate themselves from other certifications. Their primary goal with the certification program is to focus on functional training and safety. The complete certification and affiliation program will include an upcoming App, DVDs, complete training and support, and programs and workouts that can be incorporated directly into a fitness professional’s current program. Kettlebell Cardio has already been approved as continuing education courses by ACE, NASM, NSCA, AFAA and USAKL. Their goal is to present nationally about the KBC certification at industry conferences.

Endure, Overcome, Dominate

Hybrid Athlete and Kettlebell Cardio continue to evolve as Anthony and Joe pursue their vision and seize opportunities. They see Hybrid Athlete as the most sought-after gym in Pittsburg as they build their staff, increase membership and expand class offerings. Kettlebell Cardio is a brand that will grow nationally, ultimately with national fitness certification status. Anthony and Joe Vennare are far from settling with the success they have created in just a short time. They claim they often ask themselves, “How did this all happen;” It is obvious that chance had little to do with the success they’ve created for themselves. As their journey illustrates, Anthony and Joe’s ability to endure challenges, overcome adversity, and dominate any aspiration, continues to be fueled by the significant impression their father left on them. The Vennare brothers continue to be inspired by their father’s integrity and work ethic; they live by and encourage their clients to “endure, overcome, and dominate,” as their father did, to change the lives of hundreds of people as trailblazers in the fitness industry. This is a story that should inspire all fitness professionals to endure, overcome and dominate in our own journeys of success. WWW.FIT-PRO.COM | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 |

Beyond the Workout:

Keep Your Clients Accountable to their Eating By Shelby Murphy

Let’s face it – if your clients don’t eat right, they won’t get the results they want from their workouts with you. Whether their goal is weight loss or athletic performance improvement, nutrition is critical. If body fat loss is the objective, eating right is about 80 percent of the battle. Exercise fills in the other 20 percent. As a fitness trainer, that’s tough to swallow. We’d like to think that exercise is the magic that cures all. But anyone who has been in this industry longer than six months has had the client who pays to train three times a week, but refuses to make changes in her diet, and the scale barely budges. Then, disappointed after a month of training, that client disappears. You can’t out-train a bad diet, the old saying goes, and if all of your clients don’t intimately understand that, you are setting them up to fail.

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So it just makes good business sense to boost your client-retention numbers and word-of-mouth marketing by making sure every client that trains with you gets the results for which they are paying. After all, it isn’t really about the workout, it’s about the results.

“Beyond My Scope of Practice” About this point in the discussion, the new or young trainer usually interjects, “But discussing nutrition is beyond my scope of practice.” That’s a bunch of hooey. All reputable personal trainer certifications now have a section on basic nutrition and eating for weight loss. And all clients hiring a personal trainer expect someone that will give them the tools to create the physical change they desire, not just lead them through a series of exercises.

It is our job to discuss nutrition with our clients as it affects their results. Prescribing a specific meal plan is definitely beyond the fitness trainer’s scope and best left to a registered dietician. But because how the client eats affects their results, and you’re getting paid to produce results, the conversation of food is critical.

The biggest problem trainers face in incorporating regular nutrition counseling into their scheduled training session is time. If a client sees you for two or three 30-minutes sessions per week, it is tough to “short” their workout time so that you have adequate time to review a food log or thoroughly discuss what they’ve been putting in their mouth.

Know What You’re Talking About

Develop a Food Accountability System

There are some issues a trainer must overcome to be the guide in their clients’ dietary lives. First, if your certification did not provide you with some basic nutrition knowledge, or most of your knowledge comes from your own eating experience or the advice of your muscle-bound buddy, then it may be time to broaden your nutrition base. In short, if you are a 26-year-old male trainer who still survives on heavy doses of pizza and beer, but still looks great, you cannot adequately advise your 55-year-old female client with symptoms of weight loss resistance by telling her what works for you. Your nutrition knowledge must be applicable to all ages and both genders. Also, it is critical to practice what you preach. Nothing is more demoralizing to a client than to have their trainer give them a sermon about eating lean meats and incorporating more vegetables into their diets and then to see their trainer the next day eating a burger and fries. You can never be a leader if you believe the “do as I say, not as I do” adage. Next, make sure you’re knowledge is gleaned from proven scientific evidence, peer-reviewed studies, and even common sense, not some slick marketing piece for the latest diet shakes or supplements. If your knowledge comes from someone wanting to sell you something, try to find information that is more objective. Your clients are savvy as well. If your “nutrition counseling” is nothing more than trying to sell them supplements or protein shakes, they will soon sniff out that you don’t have their best interest at heart.

The secret then to getting the results for your clients that they deserve is developing a food accountability system. This system must, first and foremost, keep the client accountable to healthy eating. As a trainer or coach, I believe our primary responsibility is to provide accountability – both for exercise and healthy eating – to help keep the client moving toward his goals. Accountability is a cornerstone of changing behavior. Next, your accountability system must teach clients what to eat. Most people know they should “eat better” but many don’t really know what that looks like. Without guidance, they often resort to low-cal prepackaged food, protein bars or diet shakes – none of which teach them how to make better food choices and develop a taste for healthy, life-giving foods. Your system must also work within their lifestyle. Yes, eating only lean meats and vegetables will cause most people to shed body fat. But that is not realistic in the lifestyle of someone with small children, a full-time job, and dinners with clients. Your system must help her learn to eat better within the context of daily reality. Your system must not interrupt the flow of the client’s workout, but must fit into your schedule. While you don’t want to sacrifice a client’s workout to discuss food, you must also consider the extra time you’re giving to each client for food counseling. Consider adding that extra time into your fees.

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Tools for Your System Many trainers use food logs to help keep clients on track. The client either fills out a pre-printed log the trainer gives to them or keeps a log of all they eat in their own notebook. A quick review of the log can show you what the client has been doing while they are away from you. A food log also allows you to bring up any trouble spots as conversation during your workout and give suggestions on how your client can make better choices next time. Some clients respond well to food logs, others resist filling them out and often forget to bring them in. Other trainers use generic meal plans, developed by a dietician, that apply to clients based on the amount of calories they should be taking in daily. Some clients like knowing exactly what to eat and will follow the meal plan to a tee. Others find generic meal plans too cumbersome to follow since the meal plan doesn’t take into consideration their preferences and lifestyle. You can also provide your client with an online system for them to get food advice, log their meals, and communicate with you. If your gym offers such a thing, it may be a good first place to start. Independent trainers can purchase web-based software to provide food accountability for clients, as well. Just make sure whatever program you consider is user-friendly and doesn’t require a large learning curve for the client. Finally, many trainers decide it’s best to refer out the food accountability portion necessary to get the client results. They look for a program that supports their training program, provides accountability for the cli-

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ent during all hours of the week when the trainer isn’t available, and fits with their philosophy of teaching clients to eat clean and healthy for life. A program like My Diet Angel, which features seven-day-a-week access to a personal weight loss coach, is particularly popular because it allows you to focus only on their workout and still know your client is eating right for results. Whichever direction you choose, know that your clients are looking to you for guidance beyond squats and shoulder presses. They need you to help them assemble every weapon possible in their battle against body fat. And because food is a critical factor you must help them control, it is up to you to point their way to victory. Shelby Murphy, former editor of PFP magazine, recognized the need of trainers to have a comprehensive tool to keep clients accountable to healthy eating. She created My Diet Angel, 7-day-a-week personal weight loss coaching via text messaging, to help your clients eat for weight loss so you look like a rock star trainer. Best of all, My Diet Angel pays trainers for referrals. www.mydietangel.com/affiliate.

Product Profile

By the American Council on Exercise

Ring in the new YeaR with the top Fitness tRends FoR 2012

Knowledge, they say, is power. In today’s competitive environment, it is also a requirement for fitness professionals who want to stay on top of their game by expanding their influence and effectively helping clients to reach their goals. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) recently surveyed its extensive network of personal trainers, exercise scientists, group fitness experts, allied health providers, and lifestyle and weight management coaches to determine the most significant trends for 2012. As 2011 comes to an end, it’s time to make plans for a New Year. Whether you want to pursue an advanced degree, enhance your business skills, strive to make a bigger positive impact on society or better utilize technology to increase your reach and services, look toward ACE’s top fitness trends for 2012 and ring in the New Year with the knowledge you need to succeed.

Among ACE’s 2012 Fitness Trends to Watch

Obesity Awareness: Losing weight will continue to be the primary reason consumers seek personal training support as the public responds to the expanded messaging concerning the dangers of physical inactivity and obesity. The recently released Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index report showed a modest improvement in the nation’s obesity rates for the first time in more than three years, which is a very encouraging sign. However, three out of five Americans are still overweight or obese, requiring more work ahead. ACE remains committed to its 25-year vision to reverse the obesity trend through involvement of communities, businesses, and government. Behavior Modification: While great strides have been made in health education, the average consumer still believes the best way to lose weight is by following a restrictive or fad diet. The recently introduced ACE Integrated Fitness Training® (ACE IFT®) Model incorporates tools personal trainers can use to help them identify appropriate strategies for working with each client to enhance goal-setting, motivation, adherence and rapport. Educational campaigns and programs such as the ACE IFT Model, “Personal Training. ReinventedTM, and the ACE Lifestyle & Weight Management

Coach certification will prepare fitness professionals to help consumers better understand that there are no shortcuts to lasting results. Community Collaboration: Access to fitness services and education will continue to expand in local communities, including activities in gyms, parks and recreation centers. In line with the key objectives ACE presented in its 2011 Vision, local leaders are taking a more active role to address health issues in their communities. This includes proactive measures through school-based education programs and engagement with low-income and at-risk families. Workplace Support: Due in part to several years of declining economic conditions for business owners, employers will look to outsource wellness programs to local fitness facilities and health clubs that can provide total health management while seeking out employee discounts and reduced membership fees to increase access to workers. Read the full list of ACE’s 2012 Fitness Trends to Watch in the December issue of ACE® Certified News at www.acefitness.org/2012fitnesstrends. Keep your career in top shape! Sign up to receive ACE Certified News online monthly magazine, a FREE online magazine geared exclusively to practicing fitness professionals like you. Learn the latest in client training, industry trends and tips for running a successful fitness business. Plus, each issue comes with a quiz that is approved for ACE and ACSM CECs. Sign up today at www.acefitness.org/certnews. The American Council on Exercise® (ACE®) is the largest nonprofit fitness certification, education and training organization in the world with nearly 50,000 certified fitness professionals who hold more than 55,000 ACE certifications. Dedicated to promoting the benefits of physical activity and protecting Americans against unsafe and ineffective fitness products and instruction, ACE sponsors university-based fitness and exercise science research studies and seeks to inspire, motivate and encourage America to make healthy living an integral part of society. For more information on ACE and its programs, call (800) 8253636 or visit the ACE website at www.acefitness.org. www.fit-pro.com | november-december 2011 |

The New Face of Marketing By Joshua Carter

Avoid the common Facebook marketing mistakes most trainers make With the possible exception of NASCAR, Facebook may just be the greatest time sucker ever created by man. How much time do Americans spend on Facebook? A recent study showed that we spend the equivalent of 101,000 years on Facebook in a single month. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 53.5 million minutes (with the #2 slot going to Yahoo.com at 17.2 million minutes). Facebook now boasts over 800 million users with much of that in the United States. Let me break that down a bit. That means the average internet user spends eight hours per month on Facebook. And weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re busy on Facebook, too. Every 20 minutes there are one million links shared, three million photos uploaded, two million status updates and over 10 million comments made. Yes, every 20 minutes this happens. In the social media world, Facebook reigns supreme with the aforementioned 800 million users, with the runner-up, Twitter, coming in at a paltry 200 million users. Facebook has become a dominant force in our social lives as evidenced in the survey by Oxygen Media and Lightspeed Research which found 34% of women saying they check Facebook first thing in the morning before even using the restroom.

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Why am I telling you this? Because your clients and more importantly our potential clients are on Facebook (and they are on it right now). Are you effectively engaging them? If not, you are missing out. The news gets even better. As a large percentage of training clients are female, it is worth mentioning that women are naturally more social creatures. This holds true on Facebook, as well. Women on average have 55% more wall posts than men, indicating that they are more likely to talk about themselves, but again, this is good news. Here’s why…

Go viral Facebook is viral. This is a simple concept that many trainers just plain miss altogether. Viral means that when something is posted, it spreads like a virus (a friendly, social virus) to massive amounts of friends. The average person has over 130 friends. So if one person posts or comments on something 130 of their friends can (potentially) see it. This is why Facebook is a marketer’s – and fitness professional’s – dream. Let’s say that your avatar client is a 40-year-old female and mother of two. Chances are her friends are also around 40 years old and are also mothers. So when you engage your current client on Facebook, her friends (potential clients) will also see that engagement and interaction. Another way to look at it: email is strictly one-to-one. I send you an email, you see it. That’s fine, but that’s it. No one else will see it. On Facebook, however, if I post something to your wall, or tag you in a post or photo, potentially hundreds of people will see it and have the opportunity to join in the conversation (more on that later, for now fostering interaction is key). Embracing Facebook’s viral nature can exponentially grow your exposure and simultaneously expand your business.

Why most fitness professionals are not effectively marketing on Facebook Right now 70% of local businesses use Facebook for marketing. But how many of them do it successfully with a decent return on investment? Not many, I’d bet. So why is that? It comes down to communication. The right communication style is essential for Facebook marketing and can determine its success or utter failure. First let’s ask, “Why are we on Facebook?” To socialize, of course. It is, after all, the “Social Network.” We are there to chat with our buddies, to be entertained and often just to kill time. Why are we not there? We are not there to buy. When was the last time you thought, “Hey, I need a plumber – better head to Facebook.” You don’t. And no one else does, either. There are some brands out there experimenting right now with adding shopping carts, etc. to their Facebook presence, but right now it just isn’t working (maybe in the future, but not now). Facebook is not where we head to go shopping for anything. This point is further exemplified by how we talk on Facebook. How do we talk? Socially, of course. Again, we are just hanging out with our buddies, our pals. It’s like hanging out at Starbucks with a good friend. That is how we communicate in the social space and we are good at it. But let’s look at the flip side and leave Facebook for a second. As successful trainers we are very good at communicating commercially, essentially selling via our words. Selling is, of course, key to being successful and a requirement for running any business. We communicate in this style on sales pages, in emails and in person. And it is expected in those forums. That is how we get people to buy our services -- by speaking to them in the

“commercial space” which ultimately leads them to press the “buy button.” But trainers run into big problems when they try to communicate commercially in a social space. It would be like running into Starbucks with a bull horn and yelling “MY BOOTCAMP IS ON SALE FOR ONLY $97 THIS MONTH!!! BUY NOW!!!” That probably wouldn’t go over so well. Yet that is how many people (and trainers especially) are communicating on Facebook. We have millions of potential clients spending tons of time on Facebook every day, yet we can’t sell to them. How do we bridge the gap between the commercial space and the social space without coming off like we’re always just trying to sell our latest training special?

Bridge the commercial and social marketing gap First let me set your expectations: You are not very likely to make a sale off of Facebook, at least not a direct sale. Now let me lift you back up: You can gain 30+ new leads per week via *FREE* Facebook marketing – it just takes some practice. So back to the question at hand: How do we bridge the gap between the social and commercial space? Like a pair of ruby slippers, the ability to do it has been right there the whole time – with Social Proof. For example: The Before and After pictures. In our world of fitness and health there is nothing more powerful than the before and after picture. That is the social proof I speak of and how our clients identify with us as trainers and body transformation experts. When they look at compelling before and after images, the internal conversation of your potential client sounds something like this: “Man, I use to look like that before picture – I would LOVE to look like the after.” It is that connection that should be your goal.

Do your posts engage or just entertain? So let’s tie that into Facebook. We must engage our fans and friends socially to virally increase our exposure to their social circles. We do this by congratulating and tagging our clients (with permission, of course) in posts, status updates, photos and videos as much as possible. Do this at every and any milestone. They dropped five pounds? Post a photo of them looking awesome and congratulate them on their achievement. Did they just break though a lifting plateau? Post it! Beyond posting about your client’s successes, be sure to encourage interaction. If I post a picture of Jane, I wouldn’t just say, “Hey Jane, great job on losing five pounds in two weeks!” I am sure to add in there something like, “If you think Jane is doing awesome click ‘Like,’ ‘Share’ or leave a comment below.” We must encourage as much interaction as possible by literally inviting them to engage.

Find lifelong clients with this simple, free media platform This is a tactic you can start using now and it is absolutely free. Remember, we are building relationships on Facebook, and no one is on Facebook to buy anything – and specifically, not there to buy anything fitness-related. Once we build and foster this relationship they will grow to know, like and most importantly TRUST us. And the next step – they buy from us. Joshua Carter, is the CEO of Carter Fitness http://carterfitness.com and creator of The Facebook Funnel 2.0 - Facebook marketing for personal trainers http://facebookfunnel.com.

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Simple systems that attract new clients and retain a loyal following By Leanne Ellington is not always easy to think of new and exciting ways to market your fitness business. Whether you are a personal trainer, run boot camps, or specialize in the most nichespecific segment of the industry, if you aren’t keeping the wheels turning on the marketing side of things, how will you thrive and keep your business booming if you have no one to train? Easier said than done though, right? Fitness marketing can be a risky, confusing, and frustrating endeavor if you don’t have extensive marketing experience. Unfortunately, it’s also where a lot of people get it wrong and potentially end up wasting a lot of time, money, and effort. So how you can you make sure that your marketing efforts and dollars are put to good use? What good is marketing and getting a bunch of people into your door if you don’t know how to handle these people? Can you fulfill the product or service you are selling? Are you acquiring several leads through expensive marketing tools only to let them fall through the cracks when it comes to follow up? I’ve put together my most effective internal and external marketing and sales tips to make sure that you have all of the above factors (and more)

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completely in control, so you can help even more people get fit, healthy, lean, and simply become better versions of themselves. This is the “if only I knew then what I know now” stuff that I wish someone had told me when I started my business.

External Sales and Marketing SYSTEMS First things first: let’s review the definition of a system. My definition would simply be “a systematic, consistent series of events or steps used to create a predictable flow of actions.” Webster’s Dictionary says, “an organized and coordinated method; a procedure.” My point is this: neither definition consists of you haphazardly dealing with leads, prospects, and clients in a different manner every single time, constantly changing the way you do things and never having a predictable, orderly, and (more importantly) trackable way of getting people into your program. As you are reading the rest of this article, I encourage you to be thinking about how you can systematize what you are doing and constantly improve upon that system.

Get Your Lead Generation, Follow-Up Process, and Sales Process in Check How many people do you come in contact with in 30 days? How many of them actually give you an email address or phone number? How many get to try out your services? How many convert to paying members? Without some sort of system, you would have no way of answering these questions, and you may just be running your business shooting from the hip. If you don’t have a system in place right now, this is a great system on which to focus first. You can always test and tweak as you go. The simplest way to get this started is to figure out what funnel you want to use to get people in your door so they can experience your services. Do you want to offer a free trial? Do you want to get them to opt-in on your website to receive a free report or workout so that you have permission to contact them? Do you want to just go for the sale?

My Personal Lead Generation and Follow-up System potential client provides their basic information with a simple  Aopt-in form on my website to their activate free trial

 My admin calls to confirm and set up a time  They either show up or don’t show up don’t show up, we contact them to reschedule. If they do show  Ifup,they I meet with them after class to find out more about their goals and use my sales system to either get a YES or a NO for the sale.

Through testing, tracking, and tweaking, I have found that the more parallel my opt-in offer or lead generation offer is, the more qualified the prospect turns out to be. I would rather get in front of five top qualified prospects than 20 “tire-kickers” that aren’t in my target market or aren’t likely to buy. Plus, as a fitness professional, we like to work with motivated and dedicated clients. With this system, I have a higher likelihood of getting in front of those types of people. Set aside some time to create your ultimate sales and marketing funnel based on your products, services, and personality. Then once you are consistently getting in front of qualified prospects, it would be wise to develop your sales system to constantly test, tweak, and improve.

Internal Sales and Marketing SYSTEMS Get A Retention System In Place We all have busy schedules, but it is important to make sure that our schedules are not to the detriment of our clients and the services we are providing. Maintaining your clientele and increasing retention should be a major part of your marketing efforts. After all, isn’t it easier and cheaper to just keep your current clients rather than constantly trying to attract new ones? So do you have a major leak in your bucket? Are you losing clients at the same rate you are acquiring new ones? If so, you need to take action. First, go back and make sure you are giving as much value as possible. There should be a clear distinction in your clients’ minds that you are a “value-adder” and not a “money-extractor.” Implementing systems like monthly phone calls, handwritten cards, internal client contests, member

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appreciation parties, and a simple face-to-face conversation are simple ways to go the extra mile. More importantly, having a system in place that ensures you take the steps needed to maintain these communications is even better. Go the extra mile. It will be worth it, and your clients will remain loyal to you for it because they can tell you really care. Here are some services I have done to improve retention:  Internal “30 Days of Awesomeness” Transformation Contest and awarded winner an iPad  Handwritten cards with a $5-$10 Starbucks gift card  “Member Appreciation Party” at a local restaurant; I paid for appetizers and drinks  Potluck “Cheat Brunch” where we all brought in our favorite dishes

Get creative—the sky is the limit! Put Referral Systems in Place Do you have a referral rewards program set in place where you recognize and reward members for sending their friends? When was the last time you had a referral contest to not only attract new clients but to add a fun spin to what you normally do? Incentivize them and get them excited to send people your way. And don’t ever forget to thank people for sending you new clients. Of course, the best way to do that is to have a system set up in place that ensures it gets done. Noticing a theme here?

So let’s recap...

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Before you go spend oodles of time and money on print ads and fancy marketing, go back and get your internal and external marketing systems in place. Make sure that you have an orderly and systematic way of:  Acquiring and capturing leads  Qualifying those leads  Getting in front of your prospects  Selling or closing those prospects  Retaining, rewarding, and over-delivering to your clients  Getting your clients to be your personal referral cheerleaders Once you have this all in place, then it’s time to start diving into new and exciting marketing tactics. At this point, you have officially fixed any leaks in your bucket and you will be able to change so many more lives with your services. It’s a bit of work in the beginning to get all in place, but once you get it dialed in, it will seem like time well spent. Leanne Ellington is a Certified Personal Trainer, Local Fitness Celebrity, and a walking, talking personal fat loss success story. Her nearly 100-pound fat loss transformation inspired her to pursue her own fitness career and has paved the way for the success of her indoor fitness boot camp facility for women, Not Your Average Boot Camp in Orlando, Fla. Leanne has also been the Health and Fitness Expert for her local CBS news station for the past three years, regularly contributes to FitnessRX Magazine for Women, and has been featured on CNN. To find out more about Leanne, you can visit www.NotYourAverageBootCamp.com.

Product Profile

By Lauren Whitson 1&1 MyWebsite

STAND OUT ONLINE. MYWEBSITE GETS YOUR BUSINESS NOTICED. Businesses get facelift with professional user friendly website design tool.

“The ability as a fitness professional to help others transform into a healthier individual is a noteworthy service worth recognition. Marketing your services successfully, and using the internet to do it, can be key to your professional development within the health industry. Creating a website provides a platform to identify your skills and emphasize your goals for working with clients.” 1&1 MyWebsite helps present your services to the online community using a professional all-inclusive website design tool. Developed to specifically help those without prior experience using internet technology, 1&1 MyWebsite offers a comfortable setting with familiar features useful for creating a successful website. For a fitness professional, a strong presentation of their ideals can support the important messages he or she is trying to communicate to clients. In their venture onto the Web, 1&1 MyWebsite users are guided in the design process from the very beginning. Starting with a variety of layouts developed specifically for someone involved in the personal health business, appropriate images and text are integrated into the designs as a starting point for creating customized content. Beyond words and visuals, a website is also most beneficial to a business when it keeps visitors interested and provides them with an opportunity for interaction. That is why 1&1

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incorporated advanced features into the MyWebsite solution, including the ability to integrate multimedia as well as Google™ Maps , feedback forms and social media widgets into a Web page. Mobile optimization is possible as well so clients can easily access the site effortlessly via a Smartphone. With each account, a user can register a domain for their site, create an email address to reinforce their health services, and has unlimited Web space fully supporting their online presence. Users can also communicate their business website to potential clients by using online marketing tools, such as a Search Engine Optimization Service for improving the site’s ranking in relevant online search results and newsletters for communicating with clients. Fitness experts who take advantage of online opportunities like creating a professional website, have a better chance to grow their personal clientele than those who do not utilize what the Web has to offer. The keys to success are visibility and accessibility – two things the internet can easily provide to those who embrace it. Lauren Whitson has worked for 1&1 Internet since 2009, working to educate professionals across all business sectors about the benefits of using the World Wide Web to market and support a growing business. Contact: press@1and1.com, www.1and1.com.

Events Calendar JANUARY-APRIL 2012 NSCA Coaches Conference January 6-7 | San Antonio, TX By NSCA www.nsca-lift.org

YogaFit Mind Body Fitness Conference January 19-22 | Del Mar, CA February 2-5 | Alexandria, VA March 8-11 | Dallas, TX By YogaFit www.yogafit.com

Philadelphia MANIA February 3-5 | Philadelphia, PA By SCW Fitness Education www.scwfitness.com

IDEA Personal Trainer Institute February 16-19 | Alexandria, VA By IDEA www.ideafit.com

IHRSA 2012 – 31st International Convention & Trade Show March 14-17 | Los Angeles, CA BY IHRSA www.ihrsa.org

PFP 2012 Personal Trainer of the Year Announcement March 15 | Los Angeles, CA; Power Systems Booth #2547 By PFP Media www.fit-pro.com

California MANIA March 30 – April 1 | Burlingame, CA By SCW Fitness Education www.scwfitness.com

DCAC Houston April 12-14 | Houston, TX By DCAC Fitness Conventions Inc. www.dcacfitness.com

NSCA Personal Trainer’s Conference April 13-14 | Las Vegas, NV By NSCA www.nsca-lift.org

For a complete listing, see our online Events Calendar at www.fit-pro.com/events. WWW.FIT-PRO.COM | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 |

Exercise Spotlight

Exercises designed by Power Systems, Inc. For more information, visit www.powersystems.com