Personal Fitness Professional Nov/Dec 2013

CONGRATULATIONS TO DAN RITCHIE, 2014 PFP TRAINER OF THE YEAR! NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2013 WWW.FIT-PRO.COM

HELPING YOU PROSPER AS A FITNESS PROFESSIONAL

The Mastery of

FITNESS MARKETING DID YOU WRITE

your 2014 marketing blueprint? Here’s a worksheet to set your goals

5

BUSINESS NUMBERS

every entrepreneur should know

WHAT’S NEXT? Opportunities in health coaching

PFP ONLINE Visit | www.fit-pro.com VOLUME 15 | ISSUE 7

FEATURES

PUBLISHER

josh vogt | josh@rbpub.com EDITOR

lindsay vastola | lindsay@rbpub.com MANAGING EDITOR

mike beacom | mike@rbpub.com CIRCULATION MANAGER

rachel spahr | rachel@rbpub.com PRESIDENT

chad griepentrog | chad@rbpub.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR

kelli cooke | kelli.c@rbpub.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

michael mantell, mark j. rullo, lindsay vastola FEATURED COLUMNISTS

Initial reactions to my first fitness conference One client’s (very) honest perspective of fitness marketing

POLL RESULTS What percentage of your clients incorporate some sort of mind-body element to their training?

Jump Start

11.3%

51.1%

OUR ONLINE COLUMNISTS

by Valorie Ness

December exclusive web feature: Increase your corporate training opportunities.

Greg Justice shares tactics to grow your corporate contacts

VIDEO Tabata boot camp with toys

Send subscriptions to: By mail: PFP, P.O. Box 259098 Madison WI 53725-9098

PFP 2014 Trainer of the Year finalist Mindy Mylrea gives us a quick video with new ideas of how to incorporate equipment into your high-intensity circuit or boot camp workout.

EXTRA Training Wheels

Less than 10% 10-25% 25-50%

Career Builder

by Josh Bowen

The fitness industry needs a marketing mindset makeover.

More than 50%

NEXT POLL Visit: www.fit-pro.com to participate

Approximately what percentage of your costs are marketingrelated? a. Less than 10% b.10-30% c. Greater than 60% d. Not sure

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SOCIAL MEDIA Entrepreneur

by Cabel McElderry

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22.0% 15.5%

scott douglas, greg justice, phil kaplan, bedros keuilian and tammy polenz

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PFP is published six times per year (Jan/Feb, March/ April, Spring 2013 Buyers Guide, July/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov/Dec).

PFP (ISSN 1523-780X) [Volume 15, Issue 7]

Functionally Fit

by Brian Schiff

| WWW.FIT-PRO.COM | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2013

Published by RB Publishing Inc. 2901 International Lane, Suite 100 Madison WI 53704-3128, Tel: 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.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

FOLLOW TOTY

Lindsay Vastola | lindsay@rbpub.com

Valorie Ness | www.catalystfitness.com

You’re a marketer first, trainer second

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You’re a marketer first, trainer second. For most fitness professionals, however, there is an innate aversion to sales and marketing for two main reasons. First, given the nature of our profession, we’re altruists at the core; the thought of “selling” makes most cringe as it conjures thoughts of sleazy used car salesmen. Second, when most choose to get into the fitness industry, many don’t even think about sales and marketing as required skills to be successful; as a result, they spend years treading in water wondering why they can’t gain momentum in their business. Once you embrace the power of marketing your message effectively, the potential for growth is exponential.

Begin to master your marketing with these three mindset shifts: Marketing is the way in which you communicate your value with people you want to serve. Marketing is not simply advertising or sales pitches. Communicating your value reaches far beyond ads, flyers and business cards.

You are not a salesperson, you are an assistant buyer. Think of yourself as a partner in the sales process. As the expert, you guide your prospect with the program options that will work best for them so they feel empowered to make the final decision.

Value the service you offer. If you don’t believe in the value of your service, neither will your potential clients. The dollar amount you charge is merely the currency you receive in exchange for your time, expertise, education and life-changing value you offer your clients. Assert your value – some will refuse, but the clients you want will accept.

Develop and invest in becoming a master marketer. Know your message. Find ways to most effectively communicate that message. Learn the art of selling. It truly is an art, and by understanding the way the mind of your client works, the better you will be at helping your potential client appreciate (and pay for) the value you bring to their life. Grow your business, help more people: you’re a marketer first, trainer second.

In this final issue of 2013, our contributors help you master your message: Our columnists once again share their expertise on everything from marketing to client management. } In a conversation with the newly announced PFP 2014 Trainer of the Year, Dan Ritchie, we talk with him about how he will market his new ventures for 2014. } We asked a few industry leaders to give their best marketing strategies to help you with the Marketing Blueprint we’ve created for you as a tool to create your marketing action plan for 2014.

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As we wrap-up 2013, I want to thank you for being a loyal PFP reader. The PFP media team is excited to bring you even more strategies, resources and motivation in 2014!

And congratulations to Dan Ritchie, recipient of the 2014 PFP Trainer of the Year award, and a heartfelt thank you to Valorie Ness, our 2013 TOTY, for a wonderful year served!

2013 TOTY: A year in review Valorie Ness has had an exciting year as the 2013 PFP Trainer of the Year. In her final send-off column, Valorie shares with us a few of the highlights from the last year.

What has been the highlight of being the 2013 TOTY? To narrow down all of the wonderful things that have been a part of 2013 and PFP Trainer of the Year is quite difficult. Truly the most wonderful project I have been involved with was writing for PFP and numerous local and national publications.

I have had an opportunity to share my story, all that I have learned throughout my career, and my vision for the fitness industry.

Was there anything you learned in the last year that you feel has been valuable for your career? I have learned to always be humble and to never forget where I started in the industry.

There is never any job that is too insignificant for any of us to do, no matter the letters after our name. I started in this industry cleaning fitness equipment and mirrors and am still happy to do it today. This ability to contribute shows my staff that there is no substitute for hard attention to detail. This also ensures that our members always have the best possible experiences at our facility.

What is your best professional advice to fitness professionals as we enter 2014?

I recommend that fitness professionals keep informed of the changes and evolution in our industry. Just look around in your gyms, gone are the days of one machine for every muscle and ballistic “stretching” and here are the days of functional training areas and corrective exercise.

I see our industry becoming more holistic in its approach and scope; professionals who are able to address issues ranging from 5k training, poor squat mechanics and personal life coaching. We are transforming from being not only fitness experts but rather whole-body experts. After all, exercise is the best medicine.

Congratulations to Valorie for a fantastic year and best wishes in 2014 and beyond!

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2013 | WWW.FIT-PRO.COM | 5

CONTENTS

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2013

The mastery of fitness marketing

FEATURES

OTHER Columns 08 Treadmill Talk The business of relationship marketing

Trainer of the

By Greg Justice

Year 2014

09 Top-Notch Training Simple and inexpensive marketing tips

By Tammy Polenz

10 Boost Your Business Three ways to upgrade and improve your marketing

DAN RITCHIE

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By Bedros Keuilian

A conversation with the 2014 PFP Trainer of the Year Dan Ritchie By Lindsay Vastola

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Explore the greater opportunity

Health coaching: what’s “next” for fitness professionals

By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.

10 Education Connection Leverage continuing education to boost your marketability

By Scott Douglas

30 Be Better Do harm. Charge to fix.

A perfect model?

By Phil Kaplan

Departments

18

Your 2014 Marketing Blueprint

Write your 2014 marketing plan with this simple worksheet and advice from industry leaders

05 Letter from the Editor You’re a marketer first, trainer second

11 Product Profile: ACE

23 The Message

20

Know your numbers

The five numbers every fitness professional should know about their business

24

By Lindsay Vastola

Marketing in the health club setting

Improving training revenue through membership sales

By Mark J. Rullo

Lauren Brooks

26 Exercise Spotlight: SPRI Rope Slams

28 New on the Market 29 Events Calendar

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| WWW.FIT-PRO.COM | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2013

TREADMILL TALK Greg Justice | www.aycfit.com

The business of relationship marketing When I began my personal training business in 1986, I jokingly told my clients they were expected to stay with me until my children were through college. As it turns out, there was truth in my jest, as my average client tenure is 24 years and my oldest son has completed his MBA. Business success comes from attracting and retaining clients, but retention is often neglected. As Adrian Payne says, “Most companies’ marketing effort is focused on getting customers with little attention to keeping them.”

Relationship marketing is a long-term strategy to build relationships with individual clients. It is the process of building business by nurturing existing relationships and turning clients into “raving fans.” Not only will these referral sources continue to hire you, they will highly recommend you to others. You can also continually mine their resources to develop warm leads and tangential opportunities.

The relationship marketing perspective is based on the notion that on top of the value of the service that is exchanged, the existence of a relationship between the two parties creates additional value for the client and also the trainer.

Below is a comparison of traditional marketing versus relationship marketing: Traditional Marketing • Transaction based • Aim is to seek new customers • Focus on single sale • Discontinuous customer contact • Importance of product benefits • Short time scale • Less emphasis on service • Persuasive communication

Relationship Marketing • Focus on customer relations • Continuous customer contact • Importance of customer benefits • Longer time scale • High customer service • Quality is the concern of all • Regular communication

Who is responsible for relationship marketing in a personal training business? The short answer is that everyone is responsible for marketing, from the receptionist to the owner. Granted, everyone has differing responsibilities, but it is important to create a culture within your personal training business that promotes the fact that everyone is responsible for marketing.

Where do you start? Make a cultural paradigm shift and establish that relationship marketing is paramount to the success of your business. Make it clear that marketing is everyone’s job. Then back it up with expectations, policy and monitoring.

Keep in mind that your technical performance is only half of the game.

In the personal training industry, personality and the ability to “connect” with your client on a personal level is the other half. Know your client, adapt to that person, be comfortable and make them comfortable.

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 of a century as a club manager, owner, personal trainer and corporate wellness supervisor.

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TOP-NOTCH TRAINING Tammy Polenz | www.vedasfitness.com

Simple and inexpensive marketing tips Market awareness is the only way a trainer can stay in business. Many fitness professionals tend to rely solely on client referrals or club promotions. Unfortunately, this can limit you from growing your client base and ultimately your success. In order to be fruitful in the long-term, you will need to take matters into your own hands. Some simple approaches to marketing include flyers, web awareness and networking.

The easiest first step to gaining clients is by passing out flyers.

The key is creating an effective flyer by making it eye-catching, while keeping it short and sweet. Try using colored paper or adding a colored picture of yourself and one that depicts personal training or another service you offer. This gives the potential client an idea of who you are and what you do in a few short seconds. People have limited time, use bulleted points instead of lengthy text. Don’t forget to sweeten it by offering a promotion, like 25-50% off their first package. Motivate a call to immediate action by putting an expiration date on your promotion. Lastly, distribute flyers in key places. Choose local high-volume places like coffee shops, hair salons, libraries, bars, restaurants and vitamin stores. Keep your flyers stocked, because stocked flyers means continued marketing even when you are not around.

The internet is also a great place that continually promotes you for little to no cost. Find free wellness, trainer and business directories and add your profile. Update your information on your current certifying agency’s site. Look into building a website. There are great resources available that make building a website as easy as creating a Word document. Start a public Facebook page and promote monthly, weekly or daily deals for your services.

The power of networking is regularly overlooked in the fitness profession. Instead of viewing other trainers as your competition, view them as your allies. If a colleague has a client moving into your area they can encourage them to continue their fitness program by working with you. Use sites like LinkedIn to grow your professional network.

Join a networking group to find more like-minded professionals, so that you can learn about proven ways to grow you client base. Just meeting more professionals can present increased sales opportunities, because your name is reaching a larger audience.

Marketing yourself does not have to be an expensive or grueling initiative, either. All you need to do is implement a few simple tactics in order to maximize your time and revenue-making opportunities.

Tammy Polenz, CPT, has been 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, owner of Vedas Fitness in Cleveland and has been featured in numerous fitness magazines and media. www.vedasfitness.com

BOOST YOUR BUSINESS

EDUCATION CONNECTION

Bedros Keuilian | www.PTPower.com

Scott Douglas l www.nsca.com

Three ways to upgrade and improve your marketing The business that you and I are in is the business of delivering results. The type of results we deliver are transformational and very easy for someone to take notice; it only makes sense that client referrals would be your best source of new leads, prospects and clients, right? Plus it’s a heck of a lot easier to convert a referral into a client because anyone who comes in as a referral is practically ready to buy. Imagine this: After three months a new client is halfway to her goal of 40 pounds lost.

Wouldn’t you agree that her friends, family and co-workers would notice that she’s lost 20 pounds and ask her what she did to lose the weight? It goes without saying that if you could condition that client from the get-go to refer new business to you, then she’ll be your walking, talking billboard.

This is where 95% of fitness business owners drop the ball. They never set the conditions or expectations of new clients and therefore miss out on getting consistent referrals. Here are three ways to improve your marketing funnel and get consistent referrals: 1. There’s a relationship between you and your clients. All relationships are based on conditions. It’s up to you to set the conditions of doing business with you. When you first sign-up a new client you should instantly set the expectations of giving referrals by asking that client if you could count on them to help you grow your business and help more people by referring her friends, family and co-workers if you help her reach her goals.

2. When you make a promise, deliver on the promise. Nine out of 10 times if your clients are not giving you referrals it’s because they don’t value your service (which means they probably have not achieved their results) or were not conditioned from day one to give you referrals.

3. Create opportunities for your clients to give you referrals. Organize a “bring-a-buddy day” each week. Promote a referral generation contest each month. Send handwritten thank you cards to each client and remind him or her that the greatest compliment they can give you is to refer their friend, family or co-worker to your program.

Bedros Keuilian is the founder and CEO of Fit Body Boot Camp. Get more free fitness business boosting tips and tactics on his blog PTPower.com.

Boost marketability: leverage your continuing education As a professional in the fitness industry, you are likely already engaged in continuing education to keep your certification active. But are you unlocking the valuable marketing benefits? The following are some easy-to-implement ideas for getting the most bang for your education buck to build both client loyalty and expand future opportunities.

Market your inspiration No matter what profession, jobs can get stale without a periodic injection of inspiration. An industry conference, hands-on clinic or workshop can provide the knowledge and inspiration to try new techniques and approaches while earning credits. Share those moments of inspiration from your last event with your clients on social media, your personal blog or during your next training session. Your clients will see your dedication to your craft and be infected by your enthusiasm.

Market your insight Think about the last webinar you attended or learning module you completed for CEUs. Has that research study or new technique stayed in your head, or have you taken the extra effort to summarize it in a blog post or monthly client newsletter article? That step of application will help you think through ways you can implement the new insight, and it may also reveal additional marketing opportunities you hadn’t considered. Content shared on your social media sites is great for harnessing the power of search engines. It’s easy to see how a small investment in a webinar can turn into a big payoff for growing your business.

Market your specialties Our industry is dynamic and expanding, and continuing education can help us to step back and identify emerging opportunities not visible in our day-to-day work. For example, the growth in club sports brings increased demand for sport-specific training. Special populations need trainers with advanced knowledge and experience. Tactical athletes in the military, law enforcement and first response are looking for more customized and relevant training solutions. Spend extra to attend that national conference, get connected with industry experts and market your professional specialties in growth areas.

I hope these ideas will help you get the most out of the continuing education you are already invested in. The extra effort you make to communicate your professional inspiration, your insight into new research results and your expansion into new specialties will pay off in both increased client loyalty and new business referral.

Scott Douglas is responsible for delivering the strategy and the implementation of NSCA’s marketing communication efforts as well as to provide leadership for the organization’s national and international growth initiatives.

For more than 15 years, Scott’s career has focused on integrated marketing across a wide spectrum of industries.

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PROFILE: AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EXERCISE By: Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, FACSM | Website: www.acefitness.org | Email: support@acefitness.org | Phone: 800.576.6500

BOOST QUALITY OF LIFE AS AN ACE SENIOR FITNESS SPECIALIST Over 57 million Americans are now over the age of 60, and industry experts claim that more and more seniors are interested in acquiring the services of personal trainers. According to Mary Furlough, EdD, author of Turning Silver Into Gold, the vast size of that market translates into enormous business opportunities for health and fitness professionals.

At American Council on Exercise (ACE), we believe helping professionals capitalize on those opportunities supports our mission to help all segments of the population to live their most “fit” lives.

The ACE Senior Fitness Specialty Certification curriculum provides health and fitness professionals with the information and resources to develop strong connections with older clients and design safe and effective exercise programs that meet the unique needs of this special population.

Instructors of adult fitness programs at colleges and community centers, as well as personal trainers, health coaches, nurses, social workers and physical therapists can all use the principles presented in this specialty certification to deliver exercise training programs that address common aging-related issues, including decreased muscle strength and mass, impaired balance ability, reduced bone mass, and a reduction in cardiorespiratory fitness level.

Aspiring specialists must also complete our new Assessments for Seniors Course, which will help them identify weaknesses, evaluate progress and deliver individualized exercise programs using specific physical fitness assessments; our Nutrition for Seniors Course, which covers specific nutritional strategies for older adults and tactics to answer common questions; the In-Home Training for Seniors Course; and The Fitness Professional’s Guide to Training Clients with Osteoarthritis.

A Senior Fitness Specialty Certification is equivalent to 2.5 ACE CECs, 25.0 ACSM CECs, 1.9 NASM CEUs or 1.5 NFPT CECs.

Cedric X. Bryant , PhD, FASM, is chief science officer for American Council on Exercise. Aside from writing or co-writing more than 250 articles for fitness-related publications, he serves on scientific advisory boards for IDEA Fitness Journal, Better Homes & Gardens and Shape Magazine.

In addition to a new ACE Senior Fitness Manual, the curriculum includes a three-part video series featuring Sabrena Merrill, a long-time ACE-certified Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor and Health Coach. Merrill’s expertise helps aspiring Specialists train seniors with a wide range of abilities and goals.

A conversation with the 2014 PFP Trainer of the Year

DAN RITCHIE

On October 24, I had he pleasure of announcing the 2014 PFP Trainer of the Year at Club Industry Show in Chicago. Our judges selected Dan Ritchie from a list of three finalists (and more than 500 deserving applicants) to take the reins of PFP Trainer of the Year. You may be familiar with Dan from our July-August issue; he was our Journey to Success featured fitness professional.

By Lindsay Vastola

Trainer of the

Year 2014

Since we’ve had the opportunity to learn about Dan’s career thus far, I thought it would be fitting to sit down with Dan and have him share more about his vision for 2014 and how he believes his new title of PFP Trainer of the Year will energize his career. Here are a few of the highlights from our conversation following the announcement…

be difficult as clients over 60 can have wide ranges of fitness ability and limitations. So we created a program that has four levels and we will develop more levels, so someone new to fitness can begin to train with us even at age 65, as well as that avid fitness enthusiast in their 50s.

LV:

First off, Dan, congratulations!

You’ve had such an inspiring career as a fitness professional already, tell us about your projects and goals you have set for 2014.

Will you share some insight into the significant transitions you’ve had in your career, particularly this current transition with your two fitness facilities, Miracles Fitness, now moving toward your focus on FAI?

DR:

DR:

LV:

I’m working on two major new projects. We [Dan and his business partner, Cody L. Sipe, PhD] have launched an entirely new company: FAI-Functional Aging Institute. We will be the go-to resource for trainers around the globe who want to train clients over the age of 50. Starting in January we will be offering a Certificate in Functional Aging as well as the Functional Aging Specialist complete certification. Soon into 2014 we will be offering the Advanced Functional Aging Specialist. We believe the fitness industry is finally starting to wake-up and realize Baby Boomers are not just a small niche, but a massive market opportunity. We really want to offer the resources to empower trainers to attract and train this clientele with tremendous career success, whether as an independent trainer or a studio owner.

Our second big effort is offering our training programs to everyone, everywhere. We realize that many clients live in areas where there are simply not great facilities or training programs. We have created a complete home training program for clients who want to begin a fitness program maybe for the very first time. We also realize that this can

I moved to West Lafayette from Wisconsin where I had been a personal trainer in a large health club. Upon arriving here in West Lafayette I began a PhD degree program that consumed much of my time with research, attending courses, as well as teaching. A few years into my PhD work I had the idea of opening my own place. Funny how you can have a passion in an area and then you develop a relationship with someone else that shares that passion and combined you multiply that by a factor of five. Cody Sipe and I decided no one is really doing fitness or training and no health clubs focused on the over-50 crowd and certainly not on the over 65 crowd, so why don’t we do it? We took a pretty rough education in the hard knocks of business startup, and didn’t realize the combination of so many factors working against us. We signed a lease, received a large capital loan, began a marketing campaign, hired someone full-time and then got delayed for a full year by a landlord who wouldn’t cooperate with the lease we signed. The first couple years at Miracles Fitness were no picnic, and we probably had just about every roadblock imaginable to navigate. Then you add on the

fact that even the Baby Boomers and seniors got very nervous in 2008, our second year in business people were very nervous about their bigger expenses so that didn’t help momentum. We still grew in year two, and have grown every single year in business. But it wasn’t until year three and then even more in year four before Miracles really began to take off. This year we purchased our entire building and have two tenants paying us rent, and have flipped the tables, so to speak.

We are finally ready to make the move to share our model for training mature clients with the greater fitness community. We hope we can share from all of our mistakes and bumps in the road and all the things we have learned over the years to help others serve this amazing clientele.

LV:

What road blocks or obstacles, if any, do you foresee and how do you

best overcome challenges?

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2013 | WWW.FIT-PRO.COM | 13

DR:

One of the biggest challenges will be there are only two of us, so our ability to deliver conferences, certification workshops and travel to events is somewhat limited. We both have big families and don’t want to have our kids grow up not knowing their dads. So we are trying to determine how we can reach the most trainers without having to travel all the time. One long-term plan is to begin having an annual Functional Aging Institute Conference. Another challenge will be dealing with a new level of customer service and interaction as more trainers become certified and have questions or desires to learn more from us and even come for onsite visits. I actually like new challenges; problem solving is exciting and fun to me, so I welcome this new opportunity and new challenge.

LV:

What words of advice would you give fitness professionals who are transitioning or looking to transition in their fitness career?

DR:

If you own your own facility or are planning to own your own facility invest in business coaching. Read more books on sales and marketing, ask people who have been doing it for several years what they are reading and what they recommend you read.

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There are great books out there that help with sales, marketing, branding, client retention, customer service, leadership… all the skills that are so vital to be successful that have very little to do with actually training clients. Build relationships! I joined a BNI chapter and often I wonder am I really getting a return on this? But I have developed a powerful social capital that sometimes we can’t really value. It is invaluable to know so many other business owners and managers in various companies to really know what is happening in our community. I was able to get a brand new facility built and able to buy it solely because I had built strong relationships through my BNI chapter. They say the people you know and surround yourself with and the books you read determine who you will be in five years. So build strong relationships, surround yourself with great people… and read (or listen to audio books).

LV:

One year from today, where do you see yourself, Functional Aging Institute and Miracles Fitness?

DR:

One year from today we plan to have 1,000 certified Functional Aging Specialists. We will have trained in-person via pre-conference and conference workshops

| WWW.FIT-PRO.COM | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2013

over 300 trainers. We will have positioned FAI as the go-to place for any fitness professional that wants to work confidently with mature clients. Miracles Fitness will play a role as we will bring trainers in from around the country for one- and two-day training events. Miracles Fitness will continue to grow in both West Lafayette and Lafayette as the place to go if you really want to train for functional longevity, or living life to the fullest to your very last day.

LV:

How does the Trainer of the Year award impact your platform for your plans in 2014 and beyond?

DR:

I hope and expect that it will open many more doors for me. I have already been blessed with opportunities to speak at industry events, and before receiving it was booked at about six events next year already. I expect it will make it much easier to open up several more events. The one big thing I think it finally does for me is validate that fitness for the mature market is reasonable, valuable and a growing recognized industry. I think as you look at most fitness events and conferences the amount of time and focus given to fitness and aging or training the older client is still miniscule. This awareness should help begin to shift that focus.

EXPLORE THE GREATER

OPPORTUNITY

T

Health coaching: what’s “next” for fitness professionals

The comedian George Carlin once said, “Always do what’s next.” When it comes to fitness professionals who guide clients through specific workouts with biometric perfection to promote fitness, the revolutionary forward-looking, sought-after next step is helping clients move beyond fitness to skillfully promote a broad-based healthy lifestyle.

Hanging an NCCA-accredited fresh, new health coach certification on your wall next to your much coveted and hard-earned fitness training certification will provide you with evidence-based skills to enhance the overall well-being of your clients, facilitate the achievement of your client’s health-related goals and behaviors, prevent chronic illnesses and support a more positive approach to lifestyle change—not just in the gym.

The demand for health coaches has grown

impressively, largely in the face of research that demonstrates its effectiveness in areas such as weight management and obesity, diabetes, coronary heart disease, smoking cessation, stress and mood management, improved quality of life and overall health.

Keep in mind that chronic diseases account for more than 75% of total healthcare costs, and 85% of avoidable healthcare costs are due to health behaviors and lifestyle choices. Health coaches bring highly effective skills to bear, often partnering in collaborating ways with health professionals to deliver better outcomes for clients and the healthcare system. Health coaches extend beyond knowledge of exercise physiology and incorporate communication strategies; nutritional science; the behavioral sciences for lifestyle modification and behavior

change; body composition and physical fitness assessment and evaluation and general health behavioral sciences.

No, health coaches are not doctors, though they frequently work collaboratively and congenially with them. “Medicine,” says Walter Bortz, II, MD, professor of medicine at Stanford Medical School and author of Occupy Medicine, “wants you to be sick…it doesn’t want you to watch your diet and exercise and practice prevention. Prevention means healthy people. Healthy people don’t need pills and procedures and hospitalizations and surgeries…” Medicine is about intervention while health coaches are about prevention in or out of the gym, the corporate wellness center, the bariatric surgery pre-post aftercare program, community centers, schools and colleges, physicians’ offices, hospitals, weight management programs or government agencies.

In fact, while doctors often manage and treat existing disease, health coaches focus on prevention and optimizing health while working with the whole person. Medical doctors direct patients and in emphasizing external motivators, tend to ignore barriers to change thereby at times inadvertently creating resistance. Health coaches focus on guiding the partnership between themselves and clients, while focusing on intrinsic motivators to decrease resistance to healthy behavioral change. One profession is all about compliance. The other is about alliance.

While coaching began with mental health professionals caring for people addicted to alcohol, it has extended far beyond this are-

Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.

na. Alongside of psychologists, social workers, nurses, holistic and integrative medicine specialists, pharmacists, physical and occupational therapists, certified fitness trainers can perhaps best integrate fitness with health practices. The largest areas of those seeking help from health coaches are in the areas of health, fitness, wellness and weight management.

The process of coaching includes establishing rapport with engagement and building trust with superb communication skills. While there are many models of behavior change, health coaching commonly relies on the transtheoretical model of change developed originally for self-changing smoking cessation, exercise adherence, weight management and mammography use. The health coach helps clients understand their readiness, the importance of change, their confidence and readiness to change. The stages of change that clients move through with trained and proper support of the coach includes: 1. Precontemplation (not at all ready for, or thinking about change) 2. Contemplation (beginning to think about changing a health behavior) 3. Preparation (making preparation for a health behavior within 30-60 days) 4. Action (taking action including exercise, weight management, self-care, etc.)

5. Maintenance (maintaining adherence to avoid and prevent relapse) 6. Lapse or relapse (sliding backwards) Common coaching skills health coaches learn include listening, empathy, acceptance, inquiry, reflection, affirmation, reframing, sharing and brainstorming. Health coaches, unlike typical fitness trainers, will explore their client’s character strengths, core values and primary internal motivation for behavioral health change. They also co-identify the stage of change the client is in and wants to move toward, while co-designing strategies to promote that movement—they don’t “tell” they “co-design.”

Motivational interviewing (MI), an effective and highly refined process often used in traditional medical care, is a centerpiece of health coaching technique. Unlike fitness training, in MI the client is the expert and the health coach is the catalyst to accelerate change. This is a client-centered style that aims to help clients explore and resolve their own ambivalence, iden-

tify discrepancies in their behavior and future goals and agenda an appropriate actionable goal-setting; all free of judgment. Active listening, exploring health values, building self-efficacy, grounded in positive psychology to help clients move to where they want to be, are additional techniques that health coaches learn to use in daily practice. The client sets the agenda, the health coach assumes the client has the self-efficacy to increase intrinsic motivation and will assist in helping the client build self-confidence, and the health coach rolls with, rather than against, the client’s resistance. Building motivation and strengthening the commitment to change are key phases in MI. Unlike traditional fitness training, the change is elicited by the client and not imposed or directed by the health coach. This means that clients are responsible for identifying and resolving their uncertainty about change with the health coach refraining from persuading clients. Instead, health coaches take a gentle approach to help elicit behavior change anchored in respect for the client’s independence and autonomy. Co-setting goals, considering options for change, arriving together at a plan, securing commitment to the plan and assisting in executing the plan are common steps in the change structure. The health coach does not “fix” but rather supports change.

Decisional balance is a frequently used technique that health coaches use as well, not commonly seen in fitness training preparation. This includes identifying the client’s pros and cons of engaging and adopting a new behavior. The health coach may inquire about why the client wants to change his/ her behavior (pros), why he/she wouldn’t want to adopt a new, healthy behavior (cons) and what the client believes it would take to adopt and adhere to a healthy behavior.

Obtaining certification today through organizations such as The American Council on Exercise and others that combine fitness and health coaching skills, is the first step to a career in which you can deliver services telephonically, through the web, or most likely face-to-face.

Health coaches will need the following types of skills in the coming years: • Health professional qualification and skills • Medical-nutritional-weight conditions knowledge • Basic behavior change counseling skills • Motivational interviewing skills

• Solution-focused coaching skills • Cognitive change skills • Emotional management skills • Behavior modification and evidence-based techniques Marketing services through well-developed websites, professional speaking, publishing in national and local media, social media, direct meetings with physicians, gym managers and owners, bariatric surgeons, community center and hospital directors, media interviews, self-created and developed apps and other similar means will lead to successful practices.

Deciding which platform is right for you may require professional marketing support. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram and Tout are also common primary websites that health coaches are using successfully.

Some health coaches are developing tailored products including audio and DVD programs, webinars, seminars and books, as well as creating collaborative practices with registered dieticians and nutritionists. They are turning fitness clients into health coaching clients and developing ongoing packages to assure regular income streams and creating health coaching programs for the lucrative corporate market. It is not uncommon for health coaches to be able to earn anywhere from $15,000 to $500,000 depending on distribution, capacity, productivity, engagement and positioning, with a yearly income of above $50,000 very common.

It was the former Surgeon General of the United States, C. Evert Koop, who said there will be a day “…where cutting-edge technology, especially in communication and information transfer, will enable the greatest advances in public health.” This day is has arrived for health coaches and fitness professionals are uniquely positioned to take advantage of the limitless possibilities.

Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D., has served as Chief Psychologist for Children’s Hospital in San Diego and San Diego Police Department and is currently the Senior Fitness Consultant for Behavioral Sciences for the American Council on Exercise. Dr. Mantell writes and speaks for many of the nation’s top fitness and health publications and organizations, is a weekly contributor to Fox News in San Diego, and is a behavioral sciences coach. www.drmichaelmantell.com

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Blueprint YOUR 2014 MARKETING

A

s 2013 is nearing an end, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the past year and commit to your plan for 2014. Ask any successful entrepreneur and they would agree that planning is a key to their success. But greater than just effective planning is accountability to taking action and follow through.

Here’s a worksheet for you to use as your 2014 Marketing Blueprint and we’ve included some tidbits of advice from a few leading fitness marketers on how they are planning their marketing blueprints for 2014 and what strategies are most successful for them.

Take a few hours away from your business before the end of the year to reflect on 2013 and create your marketing blueprint for 2014! Use this blueprint to brainstorm your plan of action.

Dan Ritchie, Owner, Miracles Fitness & Founder, Functional Aging Institute, 2014 PFP Trainer of the Year

…on an effective lead generation promotion: Deal Chicken (Groupon, Living Social) is the deal-of-the-day site in our market.

We ran this promotion three times in 2013, each run giving us 70 or more sales for onemonth training programs. This brings in new clients that we actually get paid for and costs us nothing to market. I believe the key to this success is that we are a well-known and trusted brand.

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2014 Marketing Blueprint 30-day goal: Goal date: Revenue goal: Goal # of clients: Marketing strategy: Actions necessary to make this goal happen:

90-day goal: Goal date: Revenue goal: Goal # of clients: Marketing strategy: Actions necessary to make this goal happen:

6-month goal: Goal date: Revenue goal:

…on Facebook strategy: We plan to increase our efforts by partnering with other small businesses for cross-promotions. We will also begin to spend more money to boost and promote various posts; we have had success with this in 2013 and with additional money we’re saving from some of the other marketing avenues that we’re scaling back on we’ll be focusing quite a bit more on Facebook. ...on where to put your marketing dollars: Our goal for 2014 is to reduce our spending on marketing, yet become even more effec-

Goal # of clients: Marketing strategy: Actions necessary to make this goal happen:

9-month goal: Goal date: Revenue goal: Goal # of clients: Marketing strategy: Actions necessary to make this goal happen:

12-month goal: Goal date: Revenue goal: Goal # of clients: Marketing strategy: Actions necessary to make this goal happen:

tive at lead generation. We would like to get to the point where we can generate leads via email, Facebook and Deal Chicken and not only pay nothing, but actually get return on our marketing investment.

Bedros Keuilian, Founder of www.PTPower.com

…on marketing trends: In the last 12 months, fitness marketing has changed.

Review sites like Yelp and Google Local determine whether clients will go to you or to your competitor. What people say about

you matters more than ever, which is why it’s even more critical to deliver the results that you promise, raise the client experience to a new level, and make your clients into walking, talking billboards.

…on monthly marketing strategy: Each month focus on having three “marketing poles in the water.” Offline marketing (working with local businesses, networking, community outreach), online marketing (email promos, Facebook, deal of the day promos, and YouTube) and internal marketing (client referral contests and promotions). …on marketing mastery: Become a better closer. Nothing happens until a sale is made. They don’t get the results they want and you don’t get the money that you need.

reach many people at one time, unlimited.

We schedule a webinar once per month, every month.

Email marketing is still an effective way to stay in front of our potential partners. We connect with our potential partners once per week via email blasts.

Social media and blogging is by far the “biggest word-of-mouth” for building our brand and generating leads. We will use our blog to educate, motivate and support our potential partners around fee-based programming and/or creating a fee-based department. We have a full time CMO (Chief Media Officer) who monitors our daily reach and evaluates our platforms based on our analytics on a quarterly basis.

Lori Patterson,

Pat Rigsby,

Founder and CEO, VicteliB

CEO/Co-Owner at Fitness Revolution International

…on three most effective marketing platforms: Webinars offer a unique platform to share our message with our potential partners. The cost is minimal and the ability to

…on getting specific: If you’re willing to create a program designed to get a client the specific result they want then you need

to be willing to create a marketing plan that gets you the specific number and type of clients that you want. That means identifying who you are targeting, how many leads you need to get and specifically how you will get them.

…on getting to the ‘second level’: If the ‘first level’ is the people you know that like and trust you, then the ‘second level’ is the people they know. Build your marketing plan around strategies that empower and encourage your ‘first level’ people to introduce you to the ‘second level.’ Do that and new client acquisition becomes much easier. …on tracking everything: You need to track where your leads are coming from, how much you spent to get them and what percentage of those leads convert into clients. This will allow you to dial-in your marketing efforts and get the best return on your financial and time investment.

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Lindsay Vastola

KNOW YOUR

NUMBERS

1

Profit and loss (P&L)

The five numbers every fitness professional should know about their business

Every successful business has one thing in common: they know their numbers like they know the back of their hand. The numbers of your business paint the picture of what’s working and what’s not and highlight the aspects of your business that need your focus. Numbers take the emotion out of the business and give a clear and honest look at where your business stands. Whether you’re an independent trainer, a trainer for a gym or own your own business, tracking, understanding and analyzing your numbers are non-negotiable habits if you want to see your business continue to grow and succeed.

Here are five of the most revealing numbers of your business and also some insight into effectively tracking and interpreting the results as it relates to the success of your business.

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Your profit and loss statement is one of the most useful reports you can analyze to show the true costs of your business. Just because you have money in the bank, doesn’t necessarily mean that your business is profitable. A profit and loss statement will give you a clear snapshot of your profit (or loss) and breakdown the true costs of your business. You’ll see where you may be overspending, where money is slipping through the cracks, where there may be opportunities to increase your profits or what programs or services aren’t working any longer.

Analyze profit and loss statements on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis. You can generate reports from your accounting software such as Quickbooks or Quicken or ask your accountant for guidance. You should also run profit and loss analyses on individual programs or services you offer so you have a clear idea of what programs are most profitable and those you may need to consider getting rid of or revamping in order to make them more profitable. Your P&L report is also a great way to compare your business as it grows and evolves. Most accounting programs allow you to run reports that compare numbers from the previous year or specific time period; this gives you a clear sense of the growth rate of your business and a baseline to set your budget and goals.

2

Qualified leads Tracking qualified leads or pros-

pects who are potential clients serves two purposes. First, when you track where your leads come from, you’ll know what marketing campaigns are working most effectively. When someone inquires about your service, be sure to track their name, contact info (particularly their email address) and how they heard about you (referral, Facebook, your local newspaper ad, your email newsletter, etc.). The second purpose tracking your leads fills is that this becomes your go-to list of warm leads. If the lead doesn’t initially convert as a client, you’ve already had a personal touch-point with them which makes them more likely to buy from you in the future than a “cold lead” who may not know you or trust you yet. When you run future campaigns or specials, use your qualified lead list to market to first.

Use a simple spreadsheet to track the name, contact information and list where the lead was generated. Many email marketing platforms (i.e. FitPro Newsletter, Constant Contact, Aweber, etc.) allow you to create different lists so you can separate your qualified leads in a separate email list as do most client management systems used by larger studios or facilities. Analyze your qualified leads on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis as well as for special promotions or programs.

4

3

Conversion rates Now that you are tracking your qualified leads, you need to know how many leads actually convert to a client.

Analyzing your conversion percentage is important because it indicates what marketing efforts are most effective and also what programs or services are not only attracting leads, but which are converting leads to paying clients.

You can simply track your conversion rates by adding a column to your qualified lead spreadsheet (from No. 2 above) that tracks conversion. A good conversion rate is different for each business, but after a few months of tracking, you’ll get a better sense of what is a strong conversion rate for you and then set goals based on those numbers. Analyze your conversion rates monthly, quarterly, annually and also for special programs or promotions.

Calculate your conversion percentage: Conversion percentage = # converted / # of leads

Retention rates Your conversion rate can help you clarify and quantify what is working in terms of your marketing and your ability to close sales; but the lifeblood of your business is your ability to retain clients. A strong retention rate says a lot about your business: most importantly that your clients are satisfied with their experience and that you are able to manage lasting and meaningful relationships with your clients. It also can be a good indicator that your price point is in the right range and that you may even consider raising your rates.

Much like the conversion rate, the definition of a good retention rate varies depending on your business and business model. For some facilities that charge an upfront initiation fee, retention may not be as important and gaining new clients. Analyze your retention rates monthly, quarterly, annually and for special programs or promotions. For personal trainers in particular, retention is possibly the most important number because the cost of attracting new clients decreases your profit margin, not to mention the value of the time required of you to spend on marketing efforts.

Calculate your retention rate: Retention Rate = ((EC-NC)/SC)) X 100 EC = number of clients at end of period NC = number of new clients acquired during period SC = number of clients at start of period

5

Cost per client Your profit and loss statement will give you the overall breakdown of your business’ revenue and costs, but in order to capture the real profitability of your business, you need to have a good understanding of your true cost per client. If you offer group training, you’ll see how your costs should aggregate as you increase the number of clients or it may show that it’s actually costing you more to add more clients at a certain threshold. If you do one-on-one training, you’ll want to be sure that you’re maximizing your time for dollars and covering your true costs.

} How much does it cost on average to attain a new client (i.e. marketing, advertising, referral fees, etc.)? } Do you give promotional items to your clients as part of their program (welcome gift, notebook, t-shirt, etc.)? } What is your overhead and how does it breakdown per client? } What are you paying for your time or for the trainers who are instructing and how much does this cost per client?

If your cost per client is greater than what you are charging for your service, it’s time to look at increasing your rates or adjusting your costs. Cost per client should also decrease as you have higher retention rates – another reason why retention is so key for the profitability of your business.

Simple calculation to assess your cost per client: Cost per client = Total client-related costs/number of clients Dividing your cost categories by percentage is also helpful (i.e. payroll, overhead, promotional items, marketing, etc.). Percentages give you clearer parameters as you grow to set budgets and goals. For example, keeping your payroll-related costs to under about 30% is the average for service-based industries (this mainly would apply to group fitness programs). Analyze your cost per client on a bi-annual basis or more often if you’re just starting a new program or service.

Carving out time in your busy schedule to devote to studying and analyzing your numbers is perhaps the most difficult habit to incorporate; but without a clear picture of where your business stands, you are setting yourself up for minimal growth at best. If you’re not sure what the numbers are telling you, hire a professional – ask your accountant or work with a business coach who can work with you to be sure you’re maximizing your profit and optimally valuing your time.

Numbers give you something to set tangible goals from, hold yourself accountable and track growth. Take time to know your numbers!

Here are a few costs you’ll want to factor in when you figure your cost per client:

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2013 | WWW.FIT-PRO.COM | 21

What you missed if you didn’t attend NPE’s MEGA TRAINING conference!

Every year, hundreds of the top fitness business owners from around the world gather for NPE’s three-day MEGA TRAINING fitness business conference.

It’s the world’s #1 fitness business event, which now takes place on three different continents – U.S. (Orlando), UK (London), and Australia (Sydney). It’s where the leading people in the fitness industry grab the latest marketing strategies first, and discover powerful, proven, new ways to explode the growth of their business.

Attendees were blown away this year with the amazing stories of entrepreneurship and inspiration from our keynote speakers: Tony Horton, Dan John, Billy Beck and Sean Greeley.

They heard powerful stories of “what’s working now” from fitness business owners and the 2013 Members of the Year finalists.

This prestigious award was won by Chris & Jessica Page of Page Fitness Athletic, the home of CrossFit Watertown.

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Left to right: NPE CEO Sean Greeley, keynote speaker Tony Horton and PFP’s Josh Vogt

NPE ‘Members Of The Year’ Chris and Jessica Page of Page Fitness Athletic

Chris and Jessica battled four years of hardship — narrowly escaping bankruptcy — after a competitor wiped out two-thirds of their business, and had to go through a complete business ‘re-branding’ and transformation. These two are an amazing model and example for all to follow.

MEGA TRAINING was action-packed from start to finish. If you missed out, then mark your calendar now for 2014.

Head on over to http://www.netprofitexplosion.com/ to find more information on MEGA TRAINING and also grab your free magazine and DVD courtesy of NPE.

MEGA TRAINING attendees posing with Tony Horton

THE MESSAGE Website: www.OnTheEdgeFitness.com | Blog: kbellqueen@blogspot.com | Facebook: LaurenBrooks.OnTheEdgeFitness |

YouTube: /kbellqueen | Twitter: /LaurenBrooks819

Lauren Brooks is among the most respected leaders in fitness and has created an avid following of loyal clients through her DVD collections, online presence and contributions to leading industry publications.

See how Lauren shares her message…

1.

My ideal client understands that building and sustaining a strong structural integrity needs to be practiced intelligently.

2.

My message is to focus on each training session as practice. Approaching your workouts as a way to move better and get stronger will allow you to set goals way beyond weight loss, which will keep you “practicing” for a lifetime.

3.

If I had only one way to share my message it would be through my kettlebell DVDs. The DVDs have allowed me to teach proper form, effective program design along with my training philosophy, which has helped thousands of people worldwide achieve results they didn’t think were possible.

4.

Successful messaging is when people can feel that you are open, honest and truly passionate.

I’ve shared my very humble moments as a pregnant woman two different times and how I recovered and returned stronger, despite C-sections.

5.

People follow me because I truly have been successful at transforming lives. My followers tell me I’m inspiring and motivating to them. I live and breathe the advice I give to people. I think I make being healthy and strong fun and very reachable.

LAUREN

BROOKS

By Mark J. Rullo

In celebration of our 15th Anniversary, here is a throwback article originally featured in our December 2003 issue.

Marketing in the health club setting Improving training revenue through membership sales arketing is essential regardless of whether your personal training services are offered in a studio, a client’s home, online or in a health club. However, marketing in a health club is most unique of all. The membership department and personal training must work cohesively because of “inside realities” and “outside perceptions.”

Inside reality refers to what you ultimately want to do, can actually do and/or have control over when it comes to providing your service or product to your customers. Outside perception refers to what your consumers actually see, hear, feel, and experience with your product or service. It is imperative that both the inside reality and outside perception parallel one another. In most health club settings, this couldn’t be further from the truth. If you were to tour a club with a salesperson from membership, I would guarantee that 99 out of 100 clubs would promise you everything under the sun with the membership fee. You will be offered the typical three personal training sessions and customized program (exercise prescription) with your membership. In reality, the member actually receives three general equipment orientations and a cookie cutter circuit workout. The health club believes the new member perceives this as an added service, and the personal training department will benefit from the new referral. However, the member’s initial experience with the personal training is minimal and is validated as minimal by seeing his spouse or friends getting the same orientation workout he just received. The personal trainer does her best to create value while guiding this new member through a circuit of selectorized machines. In most cases, the equipment is chosen based more on the facility layout than on the new member’s needs. The new member typically appreciated the time the personal trainer has spent with him but doesn’t always see the value in personal training, thus seeing no reason to purchase any other services.

There are four critical relationship situations that increase the likelihood of someone buying something from you: (1) he got to know you, (2) he likes you, (3) he feels comfortable with you and (4) he trusts you. In the process of accomplishing the above four tasks, it’s important to identify the

24

problem the new member wants resolved and then demonstrate clearly how you can solve it.

The best way to do this is via a consultation, not just an assessment. An assessment can tell the member where he is, whereas the consultation/ assessment will be used to show him an exercise plan that will assist him in getting from point A to point B. The reality is, three workouts are useless if the prospect doesn’t have a clear, vivid game plan for reaching his fitness goals from the start. The steps need to lay out in detail on paper as if it were a map. According to neuro-linguistic research, the majority of people communicate visually. Do not ignore this communication pathway. Utilizing this pathway in your consultation, the prospect will have a clear view of the plan in relationship to his goals. For example, if someone wanted to lose 20 pounds before her wedding, and the goal and plan are properly defined and designed, she should be able to visualize and feel how she will look and how her clothes will fit and know exactly how long it will take to lose 20 pounds and what she will have to do during those weeks (protocol) to make that visualization a reality.

Recognizing the importance of establishing rapport to create a sale is vital to all personal trainers. However, in the health club setting, making the close for the personal trainer is twice as difficult. Remember, health clubs are not studios. People enter studios expecting to purchase personal training: thus, the sale is 90% complete. Health clubs are completely different.

Many people enter thinking they already know it all or can just “wing” it. Others enter knowing they will need help, and when you add in the mixed messages many membership sales staff are sending, they believe they just purchased all the help they need with their membership. The reality is, all they have purchased is access to the facility. There are three simple yet effective steps to solving this problem.

1. Tell the truth at point of sale The reality with most health clubs is the landlord, and the member is the tenant. The member’s monthly fee gives him access to the facility and equipment during operational hours. Personal trainers in general are technicians, not sales people: therefore, do not put the personal trainers behind the eight-ball from the start by promising the new members something only to have

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the personal trainer have to explain why there is a fee for her service. Note: This statement is not a free excuse to forget about customer service.

Customer service must be the cornerstone for how your members are treated by your fitness staff and how staff members build their client bases. Rather, this statement is to clarify the value of fitness professionals when their time is monopolized for long periods of time.

2. Provide individual consultations using a systematic template Each new member must go through a series of fact-finding questions and assessments that enable the fitness plan specific to his goals.

This positions the trainer as the health and fitness resource for that new member. With proper implementation of this consultation system, every trainer should expect to see one regular paying client for every three that she meets.

Why a systematic template? In any business, once you find an effective revenue stream, how do you duplicate it? The answer is simple: systems. A system is a comprehensive, orderly and powerful method of accomplishing something.

A system eliminates the need to re-create the wheel, shortens the clearing curve and enables a less skilled individual to be as successful as a highly skilled one. Who benefits from using a system? Everyone.

Personal training is no different. Anyone can find an individual to be a personal trainer. But as an owner, manager or director, how do you know that each prospective member/client receives the same consistently outstanding personalized experience from your staff? The risk of not using systems is a double-edged sword.

Not only will your profitability and image suffer from a lack of effective systems, you will also increase your liability. Note: Do not allow your entry level or new personal trainers to provide the consultation service to your new member.

The service should be reserved and rewarded to your top trainers. Remember, many times this initial consultation is the new member’s first experience to personal training; you only get one chance to make a first impression.

3. Provide monthly group consultations PowerPoint and numerous visual aids can assist

in educating and empowering individuals on how to truly reach their goals and clarify all of the misleading information. Typically to pre-qualify, a fee is charged. Incentives can aid in generating an average of 75 to 100 participants if you follow many of Eric Ruth’s marketing strategies. A 3:1 turnover rate can be expected for a new service.

This equals 25 to 33 new clients every presentation. Knowing your average net worth per client, you can see the benefit of group consultations.

One bonus suggestion: If your club has an initiation fee to join, use that fee to your advantage. (If you are not the final decision maker, the challenge is convincing the owner or GM to part with the initiation fees.) My suggestions for this are simple and are based on research, statistics and reality: All initiation fees must be paid by the new member at the point of sale.

All new members have 30 days to use their initiation fees for personal training credits, or they forfeit them to the club (as most typical initiation fees.)

If feasible, make your initiation fee total at least the equivalent of three personal training sessions. Personal training sessions are only performed after the new members receive their complimentary consultation. This assures that the member is meeting with quality per-

sonnel, with influence, at least once a week during the first month as a member. Recent research shows that for every 5,000 memberships sold, approximately 1,855 (37.1%) quit within a year. However, if all the low frequency users were motivated to use the club at least once per week in the first month of membership, 305 (16.4%) of these membership termination would be avoided. For illustration purposes, at $50 per month, this would equal a savings of $15,250 per month ($183,000 annually).

For every one visit a member makes to a club during the first month of membership, the likelihood that he will quit in the next 18 months is reduced by five percent; therefore, ensuring each new member receives a consultation and weekly follow up will reduce the likelihood that he will quit in the next 18 months another 20%.

The reality is that only 32% of new members that join a health club actually take part in traditional complimentary services (three personal training orientations, etc.), leaving 68% of the new members to experience the club and all of its other positive features and programs on their own, and greatly increasing attrition.

Of the 32% who do take part in complimentary services, 32% to 53% of them pay for additional services and/or products beyond their membership dues.

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.

U.S. Postal Service STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND CIRCULATION Required by 39 U.S.C. 3685 1.

2.

3.

4.

Publication Title .............................................................PFP Publication No. ..............................................................1523-780X Filing Date .....................................................................October 9, 2013 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 Chapman, (608) 442-5082 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

the corporation immediately followed by the names and addresses of all stockholders owning or holding one percent or more of the total amount of stock. If not owned by a corporation, give the names and addresses of the individual owners. If owned by a partnership or other unincorporated firm, give its name and address, as well as those of each individual owner. If the publication is published by a nonprofit organization, give its name and address.)

(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

The benefits of the above points are retention is going to increase due to the relationship and usage in the first month (see third strategy above). You should average at least seven out of 10 new members to trial run your personal training services within their first month of becoming a member, an increase of over 38% from “traditional” new member orientations.

Another benefit is increased personal training production and income levels, thus decreasing staff turnover and new employee expenses while maintaining a more professional image in the eyes of your membership. Other multi profit centers (MPCs) such as supplements, accessories, juice bars, spas, etc., will increase from personal trainer influence and the ability to integrate members to all programs and services of the club.

All of the above variables lead to increased member satisfaction, which ultimately leads to more memberships and client referrals. Note: Typically 80% of most new membership sales come from referrals, leaving the remaining 20% to the effectiveness of your marketing materials and the size of your marketing budget.

Mark J. Rullo, MS, CSCS, MES, has over 15 years of club management experience with facilities ranging from personal studios to large chains.

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......................................September/October 2013 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation ..................................B2B - Controlled a. Total No. Copies (Net Press Run) .......................... 17,580 ........................ 17,480 b. Paid and/or Requested Distribution 1. Paid/Requested Outside-County Mail Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541.

(Including advertiser’s proof and exchange copies)13,832..................... 13,432 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 ..............28 .............................. 30 c. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation [Sum of 15b (1, 2, 3, and 4)] .................................... 13,860 ........................ 13,462 d. Nonrequested Distribution (Samples, Complimentary and Other Free) 1. Outside-County as Stated on Form 3541 ............ 3,401 .......................... 3,532 2. In-County as Stated on Form 3541 .........................0 ................................ 0 3. Other Classes Mailed Through the USPS ...............6 ................................ 6 4. Distributed Outside the Mail ..... . ..........................274 ............................ 430 e. Total Nonrequested Distribution ............................ 3,681 .......................... 3,968 f. Total Distribution (Sum of 15c and 15e)................. 17,541 ........................ 17,430 g. Copies Not Distributed ...............................................39 .............................. 50 h. Total (Sum of 15f and 15g) ..................................... 17,580 ........................ 17,480 i. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation (15c/fx100) ...............................................................79.0% ........................ 77.2% 16. Publication of Statement of Ownership for a Requester Publication is required and will be printed in the November-December 2013 issue of this publication.

17. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager or Owner: Rachel Chapman, Circulation Manager / October 9, 2013 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

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EXERCISE SPOTLIGHT Exercises designed by 2013 PFP Trainer of the Year Valorie Ness and SPRI featuring a SPRI Covered Training Rope.

Ropes Gone Wild

Keep in mind when performing Rope Slams it is important to always maintain control of the rope and practice good exercise technique.

Specifically, you need to remember that the lift (extension) is as important if not more so than the slam (flexion). For example, the clients that walk in your door are more likely to be kyphotic than walking in with a backwards “C” in their spine. When a Kyphotic client focuses on “slamming” the rope instead of lifting it and letting it fall back towards the ground they are reinforcing their current upper extremity postural dysfunction pattern.

Rope walking waves with static rotation:

With a pronated grip (thumbs/palms parallel to the ground) hold one end of the rope in each hand. Take a designated series of steps in one direction while the torso is rotated in the direction of the anchor point while performing an alternating wave pattern with arms and rope. Remember to keep the knees in-line with the toes as you take small steps forward.

Repeat the sequence on the opposite side. The hips should be facing one direction while the torso is rotated 90 degrees. shoulder blades toward bottom of the ribcage. Vary the angles and amounts of pressures as you lean your middle back into the roller.

Rope alternating lateral bounding with contralateral outward arm rotation:

With a pronated grip, hold one end of the rope in each hand facing the anchor point of the rope keeping the tension slightly lax. Perform a lateral hop in the frontal plane while simultaneously moving the rope on the contralateral hand with external rotation. Think “wax off.”

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For more information, visit www.spri.com or call 800.222.7774

Rope split stance rotational slams:

Grab one end of the rope in each hand using a neutral grip (thumbs up). Keep the tension on the rope slightly lax while facing the anchor point of the rope with a wide stance. Rotate your body to the left moving into a split stance position while making a large circular pattern with the right rope. Switch directions and perform on the right side using the left rope. knee. Vary the movement by rotating out and in from your hip joint as you roll. Repeat on other side.

Rope kneeling-to-standing with alternating slams

Using a pronated grip, grab one end of the rope in each hand. Keep the tension on the rope slightly lax while facing the anchor point of the rope in a kneeling position. In an alternating pattern, step up to a standing position leading with the left leg while performing a lift and slam with the left arm. Repeat this movement pattern using the opposite leg and arm. Once in a standing position come back down to a kneeling position while maintaining alternating rope slams.

Ideally use a soft or absorbent surface in order to prevent irritation and inflammation of the knees.

Rope seated alternating lift and slams

With a neutral grip, hold one end of the rope in each hand in a V-sit position on the ground with heels down, toes up (dorsiflexed) and facing the anchor point of the rope. Keeping tension on the rope, rotate your torso to the left and to the right as you perform alternating rope lifts and slams.

Rope jumping jacks

Start in an athletic stance with a neutral grip on each end of the rope. Perform a frontal plane jumping jack while holding the rope. Begin by bilaterally raising the arms above the head while simultaneously moving the feet to a wide stance in a jump-like fashion. The weight of the rope turns this aerobic exercise into an anaerobic exercise.

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NEW ON THE MARKET The latest trends in fitness equipment

Lindsay's Review: The SURGE

TECHNOGYM WELLNESS BALL The Active Sitting Ball designed by Technogym can replace a chair at home or work, or for an exercise program.

Made in Italy using top quality materials, the lower half is denser than the upper half so it won’t roll away. It is covered with breathable honeycomb fabric, similar to running shoes and has a handle for carrying. You can access video training programs or connect to a website via a QR code on the handle. www.technogym.com 800.804.0952

GROUP RX Group Rx is an all-new resource for gym owners and certified fitness instructors featuring group fitness programs choreographed by some of the world’s top group fitness experts. Each Group Rx release contains everything instructors need to teach an unforgettable class: a CD of the music, a DVD of the program and a choreography booklet outlining the routine. www.GroupRx.com 800.777.BEAT

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Hedstrom Fitness has released the SURGE, a specialized training device that utilizes fluid to create a dynamic form of resistance; the next generation of “slosh pipe.”

Using the SURGE to perform squats, cleans, deadlifts and various dynamic movements added a completely new challenge to the exercises because you’re constantly forced to adapt to the shifting water resistance. The device offers both pronated and neutral grip options and you can adjust your water resistance in a piece of equipment that feels sturdy and safe to use. The SURGE is a great addition for any fitness enthusiast; not just for the challenge but because it’s incredibly effective. www.getthesurge.com

POWERAMP xXx FLEXFAST CABLES Specially developed to last three times longer than standard cables, the new PowerAmp xXx FlexFast cables offer a multi-position handle system for greater variety in targeting specific muscles groups. The exclusive FlexFast handles secure more comfortably around the wrist and the ergonomically-designed cable connector provides grip and handle positions so athletes can vary their exercises. Included is a heavy duty door jamb attachment that increases exercise options by utilizing a secure door jamb. www.harbingerfitness.com/cables

STRONGBOARD BALANCE The revolutionary balance board increases strength and stamina, while optimizing physical health – all through balance and focused weight training.

Designed to complement and intensify users’ favorite workout routines, StrongBoard Balance’s patented “multi-spring technology” provides full-body fitness to increase muscle activation and calorie burn. As a portable and electricity-free platform, it allows users to train using their own body weight for resistance during full-motion exercises. www.StrongBoardBalance.com

EVENTS CALENDAR December 2013 - March 2014

YogaFit Mind Body Fitness Conference December 12-15 | Seattle, WA January 15-19 | Long Beach, CA February 6-9 | Alexandria, VA March 6-9 | Denver, CO

By YogaFit www.yogafit.com

NSCA 2013 Coaches Conference January 10-11 | Indianapolis, IN

By NSCA www.nsca-lift.org

National Posture Institute CEC Workshop January 17-18 | Sarasota, FL

By National Posture Institute www.npionline.org/workshops/posture-workshops

ACE Small Group Training Workshop February 15 | Baltimore, MD February 15 | Cleveland, OH February 15 | Tucson, AZ

By ACE www.acefitness.org

Philadelphia MANIA February 21-23 | Philadelphia, PA

By SCW Fitness Education www.scwfitness.com

IDEA Personal Trainer Institute – East February 27 – March 2 | Alexandria, VA

By IDEA www.ideafit.com/fitness-conferences

IHRSA 2014 – 33rd International Convention & Trade Show March 12-14 | San Diego, CA

By IHRSA www.ihrsa.org/convention

California MANIA March 28-30 | Burlingame, CA

By SCW Fitness Education www.scwfitness.com

For a complete listing, see our online Events Calendar at www.fit-pro.com/events.

Connect with your peers NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2013 | WWW.FIT-PRO.COM | 29

BE BETTER Phil Kaplan | www.philkaplan.com

Do harm. Charge to fix. A perfect model?

As the flight left Memphis I sat next to Jenny, a professional 25-year-old moving up quickly in a major corporation, one famous for making little chocolate kisses. As we landed she confessed her personal struggle.

“I get all of the chocolate I want . . . and I’m in a constant battle with myself to do as I tell others to do…moderate. Enough to enjoy, not enough to regret.”

A brainstorm hit.

“Jen, we can be business partners. Take the candy you obtain, hand it out to as many people as you can, and when they get diabetes, send ‘em to me. You sugar them up, I’ll restore them to health. A beautiful partnership, a perfect relationship!”

I was kidding, but it would make for a good financial model, wouldn’t it? Theoretically we’d be able to get people to spend money on the escalation of a problem, and on the other end we’d make money by charging them even more for the cure.

Imagine a world of humans, all plagued with neurotransmitters willing to drive mood, appetite and cravings, all without the host human’s conscious direction. Imagine these emotional beings driven by metabolic systems that move toward survival at all costs. If you can get these magnificently flawed humans to drive those systems to work against what it is that they really want, and then you were to dangle before them the purported “fix,” you’d have a profitable self-perpetuating venture. Do harm, charge to fix.

Does this sound ethical? Of course not! It sounds sociopathic.

That’s why it’s shocking when the truth hits. This is not a model being emulated by candy sellers partnering with personal trainers. It is, however, a model that has driven three near-perfect business models.

Eat less, weigh less?!

The diet industry succeeds because of its abysmal failure rate. A diet based on calorie deprivation, whether it’s built around a superfood, a point system or packaged foods is very simply a short course in human starvation. With the newest revelations of science, and the destruction of our mass food supply in terms of human health value, attempting to tie nutritional intake to calorie formulas is archaic, but it is what underlies virtually every dietary intervention aimed at weight loss. While weight is inevitably reduced during the deprivation period, innate systems of the body and brain are aimed at survival. The result becomes maladaptive habitual communication between the hypothalamus, the pituitary and the thyroid gland and metabolism slows. Dieting via deprivation is a perfect mechanism for slowing metabolism and increasing the body’s propensity for adipose (fat) storage.

The diet slows metabolism, weight comes back on, and the perceived solution is a return to a diet.

A perfect business model from a financial perspective, but a very flawed “solution” to an escalating problem.

Just take this pill The pharmaceutical giants have mastered drug distribution. Legally. The

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manufacturers get the drug dealers (doctors) fresh out of drug dealer school, already primed to recognize injections, pills and capsules as wondrous solutions. These new recruits are ushered into a “system” based upon a solid paradigm. Diagnose the problem and medicate.

“Penis doesn’t work? Take this.” “Losing hair? Take this.” “Belly fat, high blood sugar and hypertension? Ah, for you there is a multi-colored array of capsules.”

This is a sarcastic yet honest summation of the way our medical system interacts with recognizable symptoms and chronic disease. It isn’t aimed at “cure,” it’s aimed at “medicate.” Finding the cure would require a meticulous search for the root of the malady manifesting as a series of symptoms. Switching-off or managing the symptoms is aimed at short-term comfort with an illusion of “fix.”

An individual suffers pain. A doctor, with a belief in the product, prescribes a drug that masks a symptom or changes a marker so the pain lessens. Because, in the patient, the source continues to perpetuate movement along the Disease Continuum, new symptoms emerge.

This is a sea of opportunity. New symptoms equal new drug prescriptions. With America in an epidemic of chronic disease, the marketplace remains hungry for solutions.

If we are what we eat…uh oh!

Here’s the third near-perfect business model. Graduating students work in laboratories to hybridize plants, to make vegetables impervious to pests and weed-killers. This appears to be a noble undertaking, feeding our planet. The chemical company that employs these new scientists also happens to manufacture pesticides and weed killers. If they can genetically modify crops to make them impervious to bug killers and herbicides, they can grow more crop, sell more product. The corn looks like corn, but it isn’t. It’s something alien, something new, something manufactured.

The pesticides and herbicides that find their way into the soil in which the corn grows find their way into the corn... and into whatever eats the corn. I use corn as a single example of a wild array of manufactured crops.

It’s near-perfect. Why near-perfect? Well, the part of the equation the monsters fail to consider is the part that’s poisoning, sickening, infecting and killing those consumers who blindly hand over their money, those very same magnificently flawed humans who are victimized by monsters as they believe they’re moving toward betterment. Financial perfection at the expense of human life.

With an enhanced skill set and a thorough understanding of 21st century disease, your power goes far beyond fat loss and energy enhancement.

Imagine, as a fitness professional, how your power is enhanced if you learn to direct clients toward lifestyle choices that reduce or reverse their movement toward those degenerative and debilitating conditions we’ve wrongly come to accept as elements of aging. I urge you to rediscover the simplicity of health. It requires a map through the maze of flawed science, deception and false beliefs we must rescue our friends and clients from.

Phil Kaplan is now sharing the science behind his protocol in ASPIRE, a 16week program for fitness professionals. Visit http://bebetteracademy.com/ iwanttolearn or email phil@philkaplan.com with the subject line ASPIRE.