We all make mistakes -- and when it comes to marketing, most of us make some really silly ones. And unfortunately, we seem to keep make those same mistakes over and over again. Even though many of our errors defy common sense and don't get us the results we want, we keep making them anyway. Why?

Because sometimes we get comfortable just doing what's familiar without really thinking or analyzing our actions.

Below are the "Eight Big Mistakes" fitness pros tend to make with their marketing. Read on and see if you're falling prey to these business blunders.

1. Being Unprepared.

Successful fitness professionals prepare. They study long hours, and they get it right. They have a stake in their clients' success. And a big reason many would-be fitness professionals don't attract clients consistently is that they fumble around with marketing. As a fitness professional, you should continually work to improve your skills in all areas of the business. Keep up your reading and the expansion of your knowledge in all aspects of running a successful business to help set yourself apart from the pack.

2. Not Investing.

You spent hundreds, if not thousands of hours -- not to mention quite a few dollars -- to master your training skills, didn't you? You may be the best trainer in the world, but you've got to learn to promote yourself as well. Becoming a competent marketer of your services also demands an investment of time, energy, and money. You won't become a smart marketer overnight or by accident. Stop complaining and accept your need to commit. After all, you won't be able to maximize your earning potential until you can do what it takes to attract exactly those clients you can serve best.

3. Undervaluing Yourself.

The value true fitness professionals can provide to their clients is literally unlimited. The difference a good trainer can make in someone's life is unbounded, but you'd never know it by the way many trainers view themselves. I can't tell you how often I've heard this complaint: "I can't charge what I'm really worth." Unfortunately, this mantra often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The good news is that believing in yourself can also become a self-fulfilling prophecy. True self-value eventually adds up to long-term wealth.

4. Neglecting Your Network.

The most powerful marketing strategy for fitness professionals is, and will always be, building networks of relationships. You must constantly network to build relationships-not to mention make new ones. You must join organizations; get to know people; get involved; keep in touch with people; do what you can to help them; and be visible in your community. If you don't master this, you have no real chance of reaching your true potential. Get out there and starting networking!

5. Avoiding Opportunities to Write.

Successful fitness pros write. It's the master skill of marketing. If you can't organize your ideas on paper, clearly and persuasively, you can't expect prospects to understand how you can help them. Here's where to start: As a fitness pro, you should have good copy that highlights your benefits and moves people to take action. This inexpensive marketing tool that can be conveyed on your website or in a sales letter, is one of the most powerful you have when written properly. You could also consider writing articles for your local newspaper, your own newsletter or for online publications. You can use the reprints later to boost your credibility.

6. Avoiding Public Speaking.

Successful fitness pros speak. It's the master skill of selling. If you can speak in front of a group confidently and persuasively, then selling will not be a big hurdle for you. If you don't master it, selling will always be difficult. Concentrating on this kind of personal public relations doesn't take much money, but it pays big dividends. Speak at your Rotary Club meeting, your Chamber of Commerce, at Lunch & Learns, and anywhere else they'll have you. You'll soon find new opportunities coming your way.

7. Not Marketing Internally.

Great marketing starts at the top and for you the top is your current client base. Keeping those clients is far less expensive that acquiring new ones and they can be the best and most powerful source of new business -- referrals. Send cards and newsletters frequently to stay in constant contact and treat them like gold. The payoff will be enormous.

8. Not Implementing.

If we implemented just a fraction of what we already knew, we'd be more successful than we could imagine. You need to create systems, action plans, and timelines, and then make things happen. For starters, you should keep track of both your long and short-term marketing strategies and review that list daily. Also, prioritize your strategies and work on those first that have the highest payoff.

Marketing is the fuel that drives your business so don't neglect it or fall prey to these all too common mistakes. Study up, develop a plan and take action. You'll be amazed at how quickly your business -- and your income -- grow.

Pat Rigsby is a Co-Owner of the International Youth Conditioning Association & the youth fitness franchise Athletic Revolution as well as a fitness industry consultant serving thousands of personal trainers and fitness entrepreneurs. Sign up for his free fitness business newsletter and grab over $375 in free gift where you'll discover proven marketing, sales and business strategies, along with blog updates, news, and more at www.fitbusinessinsider.com.

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed