Let’s get something straight right from the start. It’s pretty likely that if you’re reading this, we’d like the opportunity to work with you as your business coach. If you took the time to come to this blog you’re probably looking for some answers and are willing to do some work to get them. I assume you’re not here just hoping to find a picture of my gorgeous face. But in case you are,...
If you’ve ever watched “Shark Tank” (and which business owner out there hasn’t?) you’ve heard the term “Scaling a Business”. Learning how to “scale” their business is one of the most common reasons gym owners come to us for help. There’s a HUGE misconception of what scaling actually is and what it isn’t, though and that’s what makes it seem so confusing. Allow me to demonstrate with this...
Do you ever think about your limitations? Do you think there are important aspects of your business you’ll just NEVER be good at? Selling…Marketing…something else… You’re just hopeless there, right? I talk to gym owners all the time who are convinced that there’s some crucial aspect of their business they’ll just never get…until they do, and their business...
What does being a good leader mean to you? What does it ‘look’ like? How clearly do you see your role as THE leader for your business? Clear enough to work on it every day, just as you work on programming for your clients or marketing? Most gym owners don’t have that level of clarity. They may think they do, but when we get them to think deeper on the subject, they realize there’s...
I’m sure you’ve thought, or maybe yelled, something like this after something incredibly frustrating happened in your gym. Maybe a client was late. Maybe you had to explain the same exercise to someone for what felt like the 376th time and now you feel bad because she’s an incredibly nice woman, but why can’t she just remember to keep her shoulders back? Maybe it’s a Monday morning at...
In this post, we’ll finish our 2-part series on starting a Money-Making online Hybrid Training Program in 4 Easy Steps. During the chaos of the pandemic, gym owners had to make it work. You had to figure it out fast or your business was going under. It took a lot of spit, chewing gum, and USB cables. Now that the chaos is subsiding, it’s been a struggle figuring out how to...
We all know how important online training has been to the fitness industry over the past 16 months. For many gym owners, it was the only way they could have even stayed in business. Now that restrictions are being lifted, gym owners are finding that online training is a valuable offer that helps their clients with accountability and scheduling, and themselves with additional revenue....
Welcome to the final part of our “Killing the Beliefs That Are Killing Your Business” presentation! It’s not hyperbole that this presentation can completely change your entire approach to sales and if you’ve taken the time to watch the first two parts, I know you’ll agree. No more sales scripts! If you haven’t watched them yet (if you haven’t, what are you waiting...
Welcome to Part 2 of our exclusive “Killing the Beliefs That Are Killing Your Business” presentation! In case you missed Part 1, you can find it here: Killing Your Beliefs – Part 1 In Part 2, FR Success Coach Madison Weyreter talks about: Doing what you ALREADY know how to do to sell with confidence. How to use proven Behavior Change principles to uncover what your...
Has a client told you they couldn’t lift a weight when you knew they could? Sometimes when that happened in my gym I’d sneak an extra plate on the bar and not tell them until after their set. Sneaky, huh? The look on their face after I told them was always amazing. A delightful combination of confusion and excitement, and incredible happiness. It wasn’t as if I was trying to trick...
“Do you know who I am?” That’s not just something a movie star says when they get pulled over after a late-night drinking binge… That’s what your ideal client thinks every time they see one of your marketing messages that don’t mean anything to them. That means they delete your email… Or scroll past your ad… And worst of all, they brush you off like you don’t...
Are you feeling stuck in your business? Stressed… Frustrated… Burnt out… I talk with gym owners all-day every-day and I hear it a ton. You don’t know what you don’t know, and you don’t know where to start. You hear the way to fix this is “Systems.” It’s like systems are magic beans. They’ll fix everything! How Most Gym Owners See Systems Well, that won’t help if you don’t know two...
Leadership takes many forms, but without it, your business will fall apart like an overstuffed trash bag you’re desperately trying to get into the bin before it bursts. YOU DON’T WANT YOUR BUSINESS ALL OVER THE D##N PARKING LOT, DO YOU?!?! This short (3 minute) clip from our talk to shows how Meagan sees her role as a leader and how she used her leadership to make some BOLD...
Numbers. What’s your revenue? How many leads did you get? What’s your closing percentage? What’s your marketing budget? What’s the cost-per-click? Numbers. Know your numbers. It’s so easy to get caught up isn’t it? It’s so easy to think of everything as a number on a spreadsheet. It’s not. Don’t get me wrong. Numbers are important. If you ignore them you’ll probably be closing up your...
2. Style over substance. I’ll never forget talking with a guru one day about how to get leads to talk on the phone. Way back in the day, before I had a gym of my own, I worked as a receptionist at a busy architectural firm. Salesmen would call all day long trying to get me to put them through to the owner of the company. I got pretty good at sniffing them out. I wanted to make sure...
It was a cold and snowy night but inside by the fire, our staff was snuggled up in our blankets, drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows. “Old Squats” was a personal trainer waaaay back in the early 2000’s and he was sitting in his rocking chair slowly moving back and forth. He wasn’t part of our staff but he always hung around and regaled us with stories about the “good ole days”....
Last month, in this article, we talked about the different channels you should have in your marketing investment portfolio. This month, we’ll discuss how much you should be investing in that portfolio. The majority of independent gyms are underinvesting in marketing. And because of this, they are getting left behind as boutique franchises buy up market share with their corporate branding...
When someone comes into your gym, there’s a good chance asking the right sales questions will enable you to close the sale. But, the minute you start talking to them, they may instantly shut down and run for the door. Why does this happen? The average consumer is very smart. They can smell a sales pitch a mile away. But, if you’re able to ask the right sales questions, there’s a good chance...
As a gym owner, personal trainer, or health professional, you’ve already dealt with the principles of behavior change science. A perfect example is: most of your members will start New Year’s resolutions. And a good majority of them will fail on their goals. Why? Because they failed to change the behaviors in order to be successful. Instead of focusing on one or two small changes, they focused...
In the last few posts, we’ve tackled some common social media mistakes gym, and business owners, make when marketing on social media. To recap: Social media is the largest and most often used platform in marketing. And if you’re a business owner, you may already have a business page, and groups, geared to around your content. However, some business owners make mistakes when marketing on social...
Your marketing plan should always include social media. If it doesn’t, then you may not draw in the clients you’re currently looking for. In part one of our 4-part series… We covered the top 2 mistakes you’re making when it comes to posting and creating engagement on social media. And in part 2…we dived in deeper. Today, we are going to give the next two mistakes…and give you a much clearer...
If you want to engage prospective clients, then you need to leverage social media to your advantage. Because face it, there’s a good chance someone out there needs what you’re selling. But: If you’re committing these social media marketing mistakes…not only will your message fall flat… It could turn off the prospects you want to attract to your facility. In part one, you discovered two...
In this series, we are going to give you some tips to make your social media advertising strong and engaging. Everyone knows how important social media is to growing your business. But, if you’re doing it wrong, then your message won’t reach the right people…preventing them from knowing and falling in love with your business. For example, the top-known fitness businesses, to A-list celebrities...
A lot of gym owners want to get “back to normal” and focus on fully reopening their gyms. But it’s not just gym owners…but the members and staff as well. More gyms have either shut their doors, or changed their entire business to maintain their income and revenue. Although returning to “normal” may seem less likely with each passing day…there is hope on the horizon. With the latest vaccine...
You know your marketing message is one of the best ways to get your message in front of others—especially the people you want to attract into your gym. But when you’re marketing, it’s better to focus your message on one person—as opposed to a large group of people. This allows for a stronger, clearer, and more concise message that will resonate with your target market. Even if you want to...
As a gym owner, you that in order to succeed, you need to have plenty of leads coming through your door. Not just any leads, but the leads you know will join your gym, and become lifelong ambassadors for your program. And this is why you have a lead generation marketing strategy in place. If your lead generation marketing game isn’t up to snuff, then the people you want to attract may not see...
Most gym owners want to be helpful, not annoying, right? You got into fitness to improve people’s lives – not to be an obnoxious salesperson. But running a successful business requires you to make sales. And, lucky for all of us, there’s more to it than smiling Mr. Selfless on one end of the spectrum – and the used-car salesman in the plaid jacket on the other end. Too often when it comes to...
Most gym owners come from a training background, not selling. And the same is true generally for the people they hire. So, after you’ve learned to become a salesman yourself, you’ll want your team members to sell like you do. You’ll need a process to train them, give them the necessary tools and confidence, and track progress. Here are five touchstones to guide you. 1. Foster the Right...
You spend a lot of time and energy on your marketing. Have you ever wondered if it was reaching the right audience or producing more clients for your business? Successful gyms bake marketing into their operations and budgets. They know it’s something they must keep up all the time – that it’s not an “extra” for when you have a little more time or money, or when you’re feeling creative. But...
Do you struggle with sales? Many gym owners do – and it’s easy to see why. They come from a training background, with experience and passion to help people reach fitness goals. Now, as business owners, they find they have to also learn how to sell, and it can be a challenge. We’ve been there. And we’ve counseled hundreds of gym owners through this awkward phase to become expert, confident...
We asked some of our Success Coaches two questions about overcoming “analysis paralysis.” Every day, they talk to independent gym owners across the country and share their combined decades of experience in guiding them to success. Here’s a look at their answers. Now, more than ever, identifying what you need to change and taking swift action can mean the difference between being...
Smart gym owners work hard to establish a company culture. It’s crucial for customers, employees, and the business’ image in the community. Protecting your culture is just as important as building it. And sometimes that means seeing management challenges through a different lens, like when to remove a team member or a client from the environment. Those decisions are sometimes difficult but...
What kind of business leader do you want to be? The kind who insists on doing everything yourself? Or the kind that empowers team members to handle certain tasks based on their ability and rank? Delegation is the key to establishing a true business, rather than just having a job that requires you to do everything. It’s the process of empowering employees, properly managing them, and refocusing...
Most people who decide to open a fitness business have some past experiences in common. For instance, they’ve probably been a personal trainer. Maybe they’ve held management positions with an employer and risen high in the ranks. Thinking like a trainer and a manager is important. But to really succeed, you have to assume another role and think like an entrepreneur. This mindset is crucial so...
Everybody wants leads, but most independent gym owners are missing a golden source right in front of them: referrals that are highly valuable and mostly pre-qualified. Too many fitness pros take a passive approach to gaining referrals from clients, employees, and other contacts. “If you know anybody who needs help with training, tell them to call me,” they say. But it takes more than that....
We asked some of our Success Coaches two questions about moving into the online space. Every day, they talk to independent gym owners across the country and share their combined decades of experience in guiding them to success. Here’s a look at their answers. Question 1: For fitness business owners thinking about offering a permanent, online Core Offer or Front End Offer, what variables should...
If you’re working toward a goal, then you need to measure your progress. That’s true whether you’re a gym owner trying to grow your business or, say, a fitness client trying to lose weight. And in both cases, it’s helpful to use KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to see how you’re doing and make necessary adjustments. Two KPIs are Leading and Lagging Indicators. What are they, and why are they...
How many times has this happened to you? You head to a team meeting stoked about getting updates, leading a productive discussion, and adjourning with everyone clear on expectations. But you get there to find some people don’t know what the meeting is about, stragglers keep coming in late, someone forgot to prepare his report, etc. If you’ve been in business for more than a week – as an...
We all spend time and effort on social media, websites and blogs to promote our businesses. But there’s another, traditional way to get free exposure to the masses in your area, and it’s often overlooked or dismissed. That’s free media coverage on TV and radio and in newspapers. Yep, the old dinosaurs still have plenty of value for you – particularly now with so much huge, serious news...
We asked some of our Success Coaches two questions about how to set and adjust goals for the rest of 2020. Every day, they talk to independent gym owners across the country and share their combined decades of experience in guiding them to success. At this point in the year, it’s good to look back at how Covid-19 affected you — and how you can move beyond its enormous impact to finish...
Success Coach Asa Ivers joined Fitness Revolution in 2017 and has helped countless independent gym owners reach their goals. Asa graduated magna cum laude from Touro University in California with a business degree and a minor in marketing. She started in fitness as a trainer 15 years ago, then created and ran a successful gym. Asa loves applying her business knowledge and fitness passion to...
No one wants to think about having to close your gym again. And we don’t want to be alarmists here. But the sad truth is, it might come to that point. We’ve already seen at least two states – California and Arizona – order gyms closed again after a surge of coronavirus cases. With numbers also rising elsewhere, and with the wild ride we’ve all been on already, we believe it’s best to be...
As a fitness professional, you’re familiar with how to develop training plans for clients. First you conduct an assessment. Then you ask about their current situation and goals. And finally you develop a map to guide them to success. But are you doing the same for your business? Just like those clients, you need a path to help you get where you want to go. At Fitness Revolution, we help you...
The fitness marketplace is crowded with competitors – and today, of course, it’s also packed with uncertainty and profound changes. So, differentiating your gym is crucial and a fundamental part of your marketing strategy. Meaningful differentiation showcases your gym’s unique strengths and it shows your value in a way that separates you from competitors. It makes it possible to win business...
Independent gym owners often struggle with setting prices. The process is more complex than usual these days, with the common addition of online training and hybrid services in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis. Fitness Revolution leaders discussed this in a recent webinar. This is a recap of some of the key points covered in the webinar, which you can view on the page of resources we have...
Reopening your gym is a huge opportunity to learn from your clients, remove barriers in your sales process, and start the next leg of your journey on the right foot. A lot of that is tied to how you market your reopening – even if Day 1 has already passed. These ideas apply to more than just the date you literally reopen the doors for the first time. It’s all about communications – and...
If you’re like most independent gyms, you’ve seen your revenue decrease during the coronavirus crisis. That’s why we devoted our webinar last week to the topic of recovering from revenue losses. You can find all our recent webinars among the free resources we’ve gathered for you. (There’s a ton of great information, so be sure to see take a look.) Without minimizing what’s happened, we are...
If you borrowed money under the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), you should know about new changes that give you more flexibility in using the money and paying it back. President Trump just signed into a law a measure that brings much-needed relief for borrowers. The bill was recently approved in the House and Senate. Here are some highlights. Extension of covered period. PPP...
If you started offering virtual training during the coronavirus quarantine, you might be among the many gyms planning to continue offering it even after the crisis is over. So, you might find yourself operating two marketing tracks: one for virtual and another for in-person training. It might seem like a lot to think about, but we’re here to walk you through it. This was the subject of a...
Some people see an obstacle and focus on how it’s blocking them. But successful entrepreneurs see challenges as opportunities. In these days of the pandemic, we all face plenty of these situations. Your success depends largely on overcoming obstacles and seizing opportunities inherent in today’s world. Here’s a look at three common situations and how some of our top-performing gyms are...
Our weekly webinars have produced great conversations about how to solve problems for gym owners. One recently addressed how to maximize revenue in your business, including virtual training in the era of the coronavirus. You and all business owners already know the importance of what we call The Big 3: marketing, sales, and retention. Keep up the focus on those three basics, always. But here,...
This time of year brings annual rituals like spring cleaning, pruning limbs and pulling out weeds. They’re necessary chores to get ready for a new season of growth. And this year, we can apply the same idea to our gyms amid the coronavirus crisis. So, take the time now to review your systems, procedures, programming and personnel. What can you do to make subtle improvements or to try...
With states starting to loosen Covid-19 restrictions on businesses, how developed is your plan to reopen your gym? A major component of that plan must be communications – and as you’re developing the rollout, remember who you need to speak with before going public: Your team. Download our free list of resources to protect your business during the COVID-19 crisis. That’s right. Before you...
Everyone’s wondering when they can reopen their gyms. While we can’t give a certain date, we can tell you that right now is the time to plan for it. It’s a confusing period, and the situation will keep changing in the weeks and months ahead. Reopening gyms is in Phase 1 of the federal reopening guidelines announced recently by President Trump. It will be up to individual governors when to...
When the coronavirus lockdowns hit a few weeks ago, many fitness pros quickly moved online. It was impressive to see gym owners, studio owners and trainers adapt to keep their clients engaged and exercising. But, let’s face it. We were all hoping “this thing” would be over within a few weeks and we could return to normal life. Now that we know otherwise, it’s time to take another look at your...
During the COVID-19 outbreak, some business owners are unsure about how much focus they should devote to making sales. Fitness professionals have asked us repeatedly if they need to be selling at this time – or just generating leads to use later. It’s a fair question with a simple answer: You have to keep doing both, now and always. Download our free list of resources to protect your business...
If you’re like millions of people, you turned on your computer or TV this morning and swiftly got caught in the swirl of anxiety-inducing news, opinion, advice, complaints, misinformation, and grief mixed in with random cat videos and inspirational quotes. It’s enough to make you want to go back to bed, pull the covers over your head, and hope for a miracle. Download our free list of resources...
In times of crisis, people seek leadership – whether in medicine, government or business. And now more than ever, your gym’s clients and prospects are counting on you to help them stay fit, which includes reminding and updating them about your services and expertise. We’re not talking about dispensing medical advice or running for office. We’re talking about marketing in a way that is helpful...
We’re all having to be flexible, creative and service-focused during the coronavirus crisis. The good news is, you’re not alone in figuring out how to proceed to protect your team, your clients and your business. If you can’t deliver your services in person, then you need to be able to do so virtually. You can offer recorded training online, or set up live streaming sessions for individuals or...
As the coronavirus causes disruptions large and small around the world, no business is exempt from its effects – including yours. Gyms might experience a drop in attendance. Clients might have questions about sanitation and safety. You and your team could feel confused and disoriented in this unfamiliar territory. It’s all totally understandable. But you’re not alone. While the world...
When you were creating your business, who did you envision as the ideal client? Were you building a gym primarily for, say, young men who want to be competitive bodybuilders? For women in their 20s and 30s who want to stay in shape before, during, and after their pregnancies? Or were you aiming to attract, say, people over 60 who are interested primarily in functional fitness? It’s not enough...
Overcoming sales objections is key to growing your business. But before you can overcome them, you need to understand them. Most skepticism falls into one of two categories. Either there’s a lack of understanding between you and the prospects, or they don’t see how your service will solve their problem. If we understand what’s underlying their objections, we can respond with points that will...
Growing your business can come with common growing pains. But if you know where you’re headed, challenges can be a good thing, providing lessons on how to improve and clarity about direction. Let’s think about hiring, for instance — staffing up with the right people in the right roles at the right time. What does your gym need at this stage? Give us 2 minutes and we’ll show you how to...
Companies that develop a strong culture succeed more than those that muddle around without a clear presence or identity. And a key component of a company’s culture is its values: What are the its beliefs? How does it guide its people’s behavior and standards? Values shape every decision a business makes. For example, internally, values define standards for hiring, firing, and...
To keep clients coming back year after year, you need to do more than help them reach their fitness goals. You need to engage them on a continuing basis — while they’re in your gym and even while they’re away. “Engagement” is more than just a buzzword. It’s the connection between your client and your business through various channels – in person, through social media, through email...
It’s so easy for gym owners to focus on getting sales that they sometimes forget to spend enough time on keeping the clients they already have. But to ignore retention is to invite failure. You need a system to ensure that you’re not leaving any client behind from month to month. Engage them continually so they stay longer, make more referrals, and spend more money. Retention is one of the...
Everybody wants to make a sale as quickly as possible, right? Wouldn’t it be great if we went from getting a lead to closing the deal – just like that? Well, that’s a nice fantasy. But reality calls for a system to nurture leads through your sales funnel. You’ve got to actively guide them through it, from the first time someone expresses interest in your service to when you sell your core...
The opportunity in Facebook ads has been both a gift and a curse for gym owners. Never before has the attention of your ideal clients been so quickly accessible. However, because of this ease of accessibility, many gyms have become overly dependent on a single lead channel. So if Facebook changes a rule or impressions become more expensive (as it typically does over the holidays), these gyms...
Email marketing is a must have marketing tool for fitness business owners. We’ll walk you through the steps to building your email list, delivering value and converting leads to clients for your fitness business. There’s a step by step plan for making his work in the video below…
Networking to grow your fitness business DOES NOT mean showing up to a networking group and exchanging business cards. There’s a better, more effective way to network if you want to be the most well-known fitness pro in your community and get more clients. Let’s talk about the keys to networking for your fitness business…
There are some really scary stats out there when it comes to sales follow up… According to the National Sales Executives Association only 48% of sales people never follow up with a prospect. Yet, 80% of all sales are made on the fifth to twelfth contact with a prospect. Here are the stats for sales people’s activity in follow up: 48% of sales people never follow up 25% of sales people make a...
This is part 3 of our “How To Overcome Objections” blog series. You can see Part 1: Price Objections and Part 2: Think About It Objections by clicking the links. One of the most difficult objections to overcome is the decision maker objection. Outside of being incredibly pushy or borderline arrogant trying to get someone to make a significant purchase without speaking with a spouse or...
The response after our “How To Overcome Price Objections” blog posts was awesome! So, we knew you wanted more ideas and tips to overcome other sales objections. This post will cover the infamous “Let me think it over” or “Let me think about it” objection that you get in sales. We will follow this up next week with a final post to cover the final most common objection you’ll hear in...
Want more client referrals? Here’s a quick checklist to make sure your referral program is on point.
You can improve your personal training sales by honing in one simple skill that you are already doing every day.
There’s nothing more frustrating than having a client throw up an objection that you weren’t expecting and can’t overcome it. Instead of convincing them and pushing them to make a decision take this approach.
Let FR show you how and when to hold planning sessions that will propel your business forward and help you see faster results.
One of the fastest ways to grow your business is to look at what others have done to grow and find success in theirs. That doesn’t mean you copy exactly what they do, or that your business has to look exactly like their business…
Business doesn’t have to be complicated, in fact when it comes right down to it there are 3 things that will determine your success. These 3 things are the blueprint for fitness business owners to use if they want to see faster growth and take their business to the next level.
Do you know how much a lead is worth to your business? Here’s how to find out…
Success is more about the habits, routines, and structure you place in your life than it is about your talent, skill or abilities. As a business owner, we tend to revolt against structure and routines that may restrict what we do. We want freedom and choice. The hard truth is the structure, habits, and routines are what give you the freedom and create the growth...
Growing, or scaling your fitness business isn’t easy. It takes more than a FB ad, a couple checklists and great training. If you would look at many fitness businesses that have found some success, usually in the $10,000/mo-$25,000/mo revenue range, there is one thing that really holds them back…systems.
We are going to provide a few tips to help you develop better fitness business systems.
Train your team how to handle difficult situations, think on their feet and help grow your fitness business with these role playing tips.
Learning more about pre- and postnatal coaching is one thing, but turning that knowledge into results for your clients (and growing your business) is another.
If you don’t learn how to build a team and get results through them you will always be stuck with a JOB not a business.
As you are faced with new challenges as a fitness business owner it’s critical that you develop the courage and confidence to make the decisions required to get your fitness business to the next level.
It’s easy to get stuck spending all your time working in your business and never find time to work on your fitness business. Here are some quick tips to help you accelerate your growth.
Frustrated with leads ‘ghosting’ you? Here are 5 ways to ease your frustration.
If you want to move up to the front of the pack and transform from a self employed fitness pro to a fitness business owner you need to follow these 3 rules.
You spend a lot of time and energy in your marketing. You need to know what is working and what’s not. We cover how to determine your marketing success in this blog.
The X’s and O’s of running a fitness business and being a fitness entrepreneur are relatively easy to discover and implement in your business. However, if you don’t master your mindset you’ll struggle to find success.
When your growth stops how do you get ‘unstuck’ in your fitness business? There are 4 key areas you need to focus on as the business to kickstart your growth again.
Many fitness business owners end up stuck. There’s a common cause of ‘getting stuck’ at all levels and a simple way to ‘get unstuck. I’ll explain in the video…
Getting more clients and adding revenue is challenging for any business, but fitness business marketing can particularly difficult due to low budgets, manpower and time. Here’s what will work for you in 2019.
Maximizing your time and getting the stuff that matters done is critical to your fitness business. Here’s what no one else is telling you about productivity in your fitness business.
Don’t make these 3 critical fitness business mistakes if you want to maximize your growth and get fast results.
Here’s a quick tutorial on creating plans that guarantee you hit your biggest business goals.
There’s a log of information out there telling you how to run and grow your fitness business. We put out at least one new blog post and video per week covering a variety of topics from marketing and sales to time managment and hiring. Here are the top blog posts, videos and free resources from 2018… Top Fitness Business Blog Posts 2018 With over 270,000 views here are the...
