"Training" Business Plans

[Greg Everett]

I have a million things to say about this, so I'll probably forget about 999,995:

1) Results are priority number one. If you don't deliver, you don't get new clients, you don't keep clients, and you'll lose clients through word of mouth.

2) The results are what you're selling--not the methodology. Unless a client wants to become a trainer him/herself, he/she doesn't care what it's called, what the cells are doing, etc.--he/she wants a smaller ass.

3) You as a trainer are special in your ability to deliver results. You are not a knob working for minimum wage at Bally's. There's a reason those trainers accept that shitty money--they can't get more.

4) Charisma is important but will not compensate for a lack of results in the long term.

5) You are your clients' trainer, not their friend. Not that you can't be friendly, but once the nature of the relationship is blurred, the exchange of money and the respect for your RXs get complicated. AC is right when he said, Be a prick. You are there first to kick the shit out of your clients; after that, if you can, put on a show. But don't be a showman instead of a good trainer.

6) As Garrett said, low overhead. Really just the idea of living within your means. If you have 3 clients, you don't need a 3000 sq ft facility that''s costing you $6000/month.

7) Make your clients pay in advance. My clients pay me for each month ahead of time. This makes them more motivated to keep coming in and allows me to deliver what I say I can. For the ones who want to come in occasionally for single sessions, charge more.

8) Insist on excelllence. It's easy to get lazy when you have a series of clients each day and let them get away with marginal form or even effort. Lay this out at th very beginning and let them know what you expect from them--they expect great things from you, and for you to deliver, they need to do their parts. Let them know you fire clients who do not live up to your expectations. Take the time to establish a strong base of movement--it will suck at first and limit the variety of training, but in the long run, it will save a lot of time and headaches. Many of us who have been or are involved with CF have almost a compulsion to constantly vary training, but keep in mind the gen pop is accustomed to repeating the same workout many many times---don't be afraid to make a client squat, press and body row 3 consecutive sessions if you decide that's what they need.

9) You are the expert (or should be)--don't let your clients pressure you into doing stupid shit that doesn't work because they think that's what they're supposed to do. For example, I handed a client a pair of 12 lb DBs the other morning and she asked me if she was really supposed to be lifting heavy weights. She learned that day that 1) I am the boss; 2) 12 lbs is not heavy.

10) Be prepared. Clients will challenge you at worst and ask questions at best. It's not hard to predict these questions, so be prepared with a solid answer and don't tap dance.

11) Be professional. That's a vague way of saying don't be a wanker. Be early to your appointments, keep your facility clean and organized, keep your client records organized. Would you hire a lawyer with 3-day old stubble and a half-eaten burrito on his desk? Your clients want to know you take your work seriously and give a shit.

[Steve Shafley]

Nice post, Greg.

[Mike ODonnell]

2 biggest $$ niches right now:

1) Women's weight loss (men do their own thing.....women want a program)
2) Kids sports development (Parents will spend big $$ if they think it will help little Johhny to be better at sports....kind of funny....pay $15 an hour (x15 kids...do the math) to run through hurdles and ladders...seems like a complete rip off....but they need the training if they want to get better and wont do it on their own....so now worth the money....)

I stop focusing on anything else...as there is no money in it and seemed more like me being a charitable monk trying to save the world.....

[Robb Wolf]

Originally Posted by Steve Shafley

We touched on this in the big thread, but it's a topic that probably deserves it's own thread. There are a lot of training businesses that fail. Both independent businesses and also facilities affiliated with bigger names.

What makes for a successful training business?

Pierre mentioned that it seems like the combination of charisma with a certain degree of "jackedness" helps quite a bit. Robb mentioned that his business improved when they focused on getting people results.

Steve-
Our shift was just away from "We do Crossfit. Crossfit is a strength & conditioning program built on..." to "you run, bike swim...need to lose weight...keep up with the grand kids? Cool. We can help you do it. It will be fun".

The technology is great. CF stuff works well (if you know how to scale and apply it appropriately...not many do IMO). We just shifted from educating about CF to "we can help you reach your goals".

[Garrett Smith]

I'm thinking that the combination of cyclical diet AND cyclical exercise AND enough sleep will blow people's minds about how intensely they can change their current health state...

It was implied in the "Making Waves" book that if people stopped the cyclical exercise, their symptoms came back. For me, that's a big DUH...Exercise without proper nutrition is extremely helpful yet is not enough, while nutrition without proper exercise can create health in its own right. The two together should be unstoppable, IMO. I'm just the guy to do it, too.... :-)

I'll start another LifeWaves post as soon as I get the info, I'll keep this thread on-point...sorry for the digression, and nice post, Greg....

[Steve Liberati]

Great thread so far...

Sure referrals are the name of the game (client gets good results and tells others), but there is another piece of the puzzle that is sometimes overlooked. That is the popularity of what you're doing which is based on many factors sometimes outside the coach/trainer's control. For example lets take the success of Billy Bank's Tae Bo a few years ago. The program itself was anything but great (move around n kick and jump non-stop for 30 mins)...but it was fun for those middle of the market people (who are always looking for something new since what they did last year didn't work) to tell they're friends about this exciting new program that kicked their ass the other night. The idea, "Did you try Tae Bo yet?" was easy to spread?

Now take your typical trainer at Bally's who has clients circuit train like rats in a cage between machines 3 days a week. Not very news-worthy or exciting to tell your friends about right? It's boring!!! Same thing with following the Zone diet. Although it is effective, it is very boring from a marketing standpoint. "I eat 40/30/30 balance of macro's" "Oh good so thats what you do to stay in great shape?" Now tell someone you eat paleo foods like our ancestors did for millions of years and fast everyday until 5pm to resemble our evolutionary patterns. See what happends. I bet that night on the phone, that same person says, "Listen to how crazy Steve is with his diet..."

In the end it really comes down to giving your clients something to talk about. Often times, it is results but not always. Let's face it, any trainer worth his weight can do that. And there are thousands of trainers out there. So somtimes results aren't enough to grow a thriving business where you have to turn away business like Mark Twight at Gym Jones had to do.

Seth Godin said it best, "More often than not, ideaviruses start when the early adopters are dissatisfied with some element of the experience. Pleasing customers doesn't always lead to conversations. Delighting them, enraging them, hospitalizing them or surprising them--that's how sneezers are born."

Great article, check it out here:
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_b...do_sneeze.html

If you need to water down your story to appeal to everyone, it will appeal to no one. The most effective stories match the world view of a tiny audience—and then that tiny audience spreads the story.

If I had a choice between being the most popular trainer or the most knowledgeable trainer I'd go with the most popular. Most people will follow the herd, seek me out and add to the demand. If you can have the best of both worlds like Coach B, Rut and Rip are enjoying right now than that would be all the better!

But its no wonder I never even heard of these guys before CrossFit came to town. I heard of Tony Little, Richard Simmons, and Billy Banks (popular) but not Burg, Rip, or Rut (knowledgeable). Again not to take anything away from these guys, just pointing out that being the most knowledgeable is not always the fastest way to grow a business. Sure, you'll get referrals but not nowhere near the rate you'll get biz being popular and knowledgeable! (bet there salary's have at least doubled in the last year or so with their new popularity).

[Garrett Smith]

Godin's ideavirus book sounds awesome...anyone up for a book trade???

[Steve Liberati]

Originally Posted by Garrett Smith

Godin's ideavirus book sounds awesome...anyone up for a book trade???

Garrett,
Unleashing the Ideavirus was the most downloaded e-book ever! I think I still have it on my computer...i'll send it over to you.

[Robert Allison]

Originally Posted by Garrett Smith

Godin's ideavirus book sounds awesome...anyone up for a book trade???

I believe he was giving it away as a pdf at one point--let me see if I can track it down on my home computer.

I have read a few of his books--Purple Cow, Permission Marketing, The Bootstrapper's Bible--all have useful info. The man knows his marketing.

[Mike ODonnell]

Originally Posted by Steve Liberati

Unleashing the Ideavirus was the most downloaded e-book ever!

Wait wait.....so Tom Veneto's Burn the Fat wasn't?? Damnit....