Fear, Success, Math, Your Baby Steps

As fitness professionals we’re so methodical, analytical and task oriented that sometimes we really do miss the forest for the tress. Combine that with a healthy does of entrepreneurial fear and it’s not hard to see why so many fitness professionals struggle to build a career that affords them the lifestyle they deserve. I know this was totally true for me for my first few years in the industry, wherever you are now stick with it, don’t give up, and keep an open mind.

At a recent mastermind meeting with some of my mentorship clients I was listening carefully as each detailed their situation. With this particular group most people were in the early stages of their career with young businesses. In many ways this is the most difficult stage, it’s seemingly difficult to get a big rock rolling, but when you do…

On Sunday I began thinking to myself of days gone by, when I was really struggling. At times I felt like I was never going to make it, in fact I was so broke on multiple occasions I tried to leave the industry three different times. I’d get down and out thinking it was impossible to earn a decent living doing what I loved to do, then I’d find the determination in a new plan only to fail again.

I’ve come to realize, and see it being repeated in many fitness professional (and truly entrepreneurs in general) that we seemed to overlook the simple details or don’t break it down to simple enough steps that just like many of our clients we become frustrated and ultimately fail.

Anyways, back to Sunday at the mastermind, as these thoughts and revelations dominated my mind and moved on to where I am now and the whirlwind of growth that has occurred in the last five years something dawned on me, something I wish I had thought of many years ago. Immediately I asked everyone to give me their attention to try a little exercise. (In many ways the thanks for the inspiration for this goes out to Craig Balantyne and his mathematical formula for success, which ironically I’m currently flying to go see as part of a mastermind I participate in.)

If you have any clients at all first I want you to calculate or consider what is the average amount of money each client spends with you each month and the amount of hours you contribute to provide that service. If you don’t have any clients currently the following information will likely serve as an example. I’m finding world wide whatever your currency is the average cost for personal training seems to be universally set around the $1/minute or $60/hr. Let’s consider that our most popular program at One-to-1 is 3 X week for 30 minutes or about 12 sessions a month or 6 hours of service, on average worldwide this will cost approximately $360.

Now I ask you, what is the first big landmark for you for total revenue? For most people I find it’s $100,000 to start but you can choose any number you choose.

Let me ask you a simple question, would you be willing to work 1 year of your life if I could guarantee you would generate $100,000 or more in revenue as a personal trainer for ever year after? If the answer is yes read on, if the answer is no than ask yourself how many months am I willing to commit to reach this goal?

If you, like most, would be willing to contribute the next 12 months to reaching your first landmark of $100,000 in personal training revenue than I’m excited to show you just how easy that can be.

$100,000 / 12 = $8,333/mth / $360 (client’s average spend price) = 23 clients paying you $360/mth will produce $100,000 in total revenue over 12 months. (The great news is once you exceed 23 you’re well on your way to much larger amounts of revenue.

Now since we have 12 months to reach our goal look how easy this becomes, this means that you only need to find 2 new clients each month to pay you $360/mth to be easily on track to reach your goal.

I can tell you from experience that almost any good trainer will convert half or more of all clients that come to them interested in their services, so this means you only need to meet 1 person a week that has an interest in reaching a fitness goal.

Do you think in 40 hours you could meet enough people to find 1 person that would be interested in hearing about your services? By now most of you should be thinking this sounds pretty easy.

I’d like to go further and ensure it really is easy.

Would you be willing to use Google to look up a meet-up group or other networking group in your area, attend a meeting this week and introduce yourself at the meeting as a trainer looking to provide a free assessment and training session to anyone interested?

Would you be willing to offer the same free assessment and training sessions as a free bonus to any network marketer to give to any of their new customers?

Will you take the time to write a short classified for Kijiji or Criagslist detailing your services and offer to give anyone interest a trial package of sessions or a money back guarantee if they try your services?

Will you take the time to contact friends on Facebook and ask them for referrals with similar trial offers?

Will you take the time to approach local businesses to offer to spend an hour with their staff and teach them valuable techniques for improving posture or improving nutritional habits?

Do you think you could meet just one person a week that would like to talk about reaching their fitness goals? Remember you only need half of them to take an interest in your services.

By now you should be thinking that meeting one person a week is so easy that you’re excited to consider what would happen if you met 3-4 instead. Anyone can do it, there are dozens of other great strategies equally as easy that can allow to generate even more prospects. Three of my top ones are explained in detail and available in my 3D Client Attraction product.

What are you waiting for? If you want to be a profitable personal trainer you will be!