Instructor Newsletter 30th May

Last week’s newsletter got more people than ever emailing, Facebooking and tweeting me about community class numbers. In fact I spent most of Thursday & Friday responding and conversing with Instructors about how the community landscape is changing. Health, Fitness, Diets and Weightloss have never been so popular and  in vogue, therefore we know we have a great product, but how we deliver and market may need to be tweaked and refined for the emerging and modern market we now face.

As I am writing this newsletter I am watching a new TV ad (think of the cost of that) that is running locally in my area for another brand new low cost gym. The gym is £9.99  with no contract or tie in and is advertising a full timetable of 90 classes – £9.99 is god damned cheap. So, within a 10mile radius of my own classes there are probably 15 gyms including all of the big chains, all of the low cost chains, very active and popular council run leisure centres plus 2 Crossfit venues plus all of the community classes plus loads of Bootcamps and privately owned studios…. that’s a lot of classes and competition.  And this is happening all over the UK so nothing new there.

 

As so many people had contacted me I asked them to answer a few questions about how they are finding community life, the stresses and strains, how they market, what works and what doesn’t work marketing wise, and how they see the future. It all makes such interesting reading and I do hope you all find some inspiration and motivation.

 

The bottom line is DON’T GIVE UP but look at what needs to be streamlined, changed, re-marketed and repackaged to serve the customers of 2013 and beyond. I truly believe there is enough business to go around, the obesity epidemic is rising fast, childhood obesity is out of control, the NHS is creaking at the seams dealing with obesity and health conditions connected with diet and fitness, so the UK definitely needs us.

 

Have a read though the Q & A’s and please feedback over the usual channels.  Remember in all businesses there are highs and lows, good times and bad, we are here for the long haul and with some small changes I do believe we can survive into the future.

 

Fitness Pilates Focus Workshop Tour with Kelly Reed-Banks

 

Kell’ys tour kicks off this weekend in Cambridge and London with a full house at both venues. Fitness Pilates is growing every month with more and more Instructors training with us and attending our workshops and events. If you would like to get all the latest FP info then check out Kelly’s tour dates and book for an exciting afternoon of new ideas.

 

Rachel Holmes & Andrew Crawford Fitness Business Tactics Workshop

 

Both Andrew and I are super excited about our new one day Fitness Business day. Aimed at Instructors and PT’s who want to harness the power of digital and get all the low down on offering coaching & mentoring, licensing and franchising, apps and so much more. The full day is only £67+VAT and the hotel is a 30 second walk from Nottingham Train Station so get your train booked and come and join us.

 

 

 

Join the Kick Start Fat Loss™ Mailing list

 

For everything Kick Start Fat Loss including nutrition, home workouts, diets, detoxing, recipes plus business information you can now sign up for the KSFL newsletter http://kickstartfatloss.net/newsletter/

 

 

 

Marvin Burton – Tip #6 Take note

 

Last year I started taking a note book into a circuits class and making a note of the exercise and amount of repetitions that I completed. Although each week I started in a different place, the exercises were always the same. The first few weeks people make comments like – “are you assessing us out of 10” but these jokes soon started changing to “what did you get last week on this” as people watched how my effort and fitness levels improved.

I recommend you keep a training diary for all conditioning type of workouts. It’s important to monitor your seat adjustments heights, amount of rest you take, weight you lift, sets and reps.

See how much of a difference it makes to your performance.

www.marvinburtonfitness.com 

www.instagram.com/marvinburton 

 

You can grab Marvins Functional Freestyle Conditioning DVDs https://choreographytogo.infusionsoft.com/app/storeFront/showProductDetail?productId=1530

 

 

 

Your Wish List v Stress Bucket Action Plan from kIm Ingleby

 

“Success is waking up in the morning and bounding out of bed because there’s something out there that you love to do, that you believe in, that you’re good at – something that’s bigger than you are, and you can hardly wait to get at it again.”  Whit Hobbs

 

Can you believe the second Bank Holiday has passed & we will soon be entering the second half of the year? I know it’s only June but from a ‘getting’ things I choose this as the half way point!  So, find a couple of hours (or 20mins if that’s all you can do) and reflect on how the year has been so far & set some awesome goals for the next half, here’s how.

What are the top 3 things you have achieved, and what are the two things you have learned this year? Is there anything that you would do or respond differently to, if they happened again?

I took an afternoon earlier this week to do just this, combined with refining my goals for the next year.  I went outside, to a different location to normal. Changing state to gain perspective and clarity is key. It really works and I have some exciting plans refined to share with you all soon!

Now onto your wish list, what do you really want to achieve in your life?

I love to read, usually ‘learning’ books about fitness, physiology, brain performance, finance, business, coaching, sports rehab etc (!) but sometimes I like to read an easy novel, just to relax. So last Sunday, after my second triathlon of the season (11 degree water, 4 degree air temp is an interesting experience, if you want to try one out, let me know and I’ll coach you!), I read the Wish List by Jane Costello, it’s possibly what you would call a chick lit book, but it had a good message which provoked the writing for this blog!

First of all I want you to remember a time when you were younger and had no limitations and just let your wishes flow… (or perhaps now), you would say I wish I could do this, I really want to become this, I really want to feel like this.

Write down all these ideas and thoughts, in all areas of your life (you, work, wealth, health, sport, friends, family, love, fun, adventures etc) and see what comes out. Really ‘play’ with this, don’t limit your wishes with your thoughts, just write. And you can do this with your family or friends, it’s really effective.

Then I want you to write down all the thoughts and little things that cause you stress, irritation or limit you, and any big things, both internal and external thoughts and reality. Once you have this part one is complete! Well done…

Then take a piece of paper and write down each month from June to January 2014…. now’s the fun bit, or scary as you need courage to commit to making changes, even if they are for the better.

For each month I want you to write three clear things you are going to make happen that will move you towards ticking a wish off the list.  Then below, in a different coloured pen write down two things that you are going to move towards changing to reduce your stress bucket, remember this could be internal thoughts, language, change in perspective as well as visible changes.  Then by the time you get to January 2014 some of your wish list should have become a reality & your stress bucket should be lighter!

I wish you courage, confidence and commitment to change. And I dare you to go for it…

ps. I have space for 1-2 people to join our Success Coaching Programme in July or September. If you are interested, please let us know. The next workshop dates will be in Oct/Nov 2013.

Have a brilliant, productive, balanced month of June   If you have any questions or feedback I love to know (the good, bad and inbetween!), you can tweet me @kimingleby or find more on FB Energised: www.facebook.com/pages/Energised-Performance/56901163566 & Kim Ingleby: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kim-Ingleby/287313468049230?fref=ts

Websites: www.energisedperformance.com , www.kimingleby.co.uk & www.energisedbusiness.com

 

 

 

The Community Class Landscape

 

Andrea Riddoch based in Leeds runs Ab Fab Fitness.

 

1. I run ABFabfitness originally set up with friend Bev 7 years ago after teaching in clubs for 13 years prior. I wanted more freedom and appreciation for similar money.

Classes take place in a school in a suburb of Leeds and in the local rugby club in a nearby market town.

I teach MELT (HIIT/ toning), Zumba (about to ditch and rebrand as my own class) FFY, And a Boxfit Bootcamp

 

1. Marketing – when we first started, we did quite a lot of flyering and we gradually built up a fairly large mailing list. In the last couple of years marketing has been neglected and mainly consists of targeting this list. However in the last 6 weeks have started flyering again, email campaigns rather than just general, and Facebook adverts. Interest seems to be increasing although not many newbies but past punters are returning.

 

1. I seem to be busier in the MELT classes and definitely in FFY than 6 months ago. Zumba is not as busy as 2 years ago, the bubble has burst but is picking up from 3 months ago and hoping rebranding will give it a new lease of life.

Zumba 2 years ago- 40  Now- 20

Bootcamps 2 years ago-18  Melt now- 25

 

FFY- only started in September but averaging 20

Boxfit Bootcamp is a newish class (and on a Saturday morning) gets between 6 and 15

 

I would say I am busier than 6/12 months ago but not as busy as 3 years ago. However I am lucky that it is not the main household income, I just wanted to earn what I did in clubs and at the min I am exceeding that (fingers crossed it lasts).

 

1. To be honest I don’t do Market Research. Tend to follow trends in that jumped on Bootcamp band wagon which was good money until we stupidly changed the membership system. Also jumped on Zumba bandwagon as felt I just had to in the area. Plus side to this is that as now the bubble has burst I still have quite a large core group of women who have been introduced to freestyle aerobics without them ever having realised! I am now rebranding it as Boogiefit and targeting the same people. Even if I only keep the ones I have at the minute I will be satisfied.

However, as it’s a new class, I am doing a flyer drop, an e mail campaign and a Facebook offer to boost numbers in the beginning.

I think I have finally narrowed down my niche although Boogiefit doesn’t really fit this completely. I am looking at women 35-55 who are serious about fitness, health and diet (IE to all intents and purposes women like me) so although Boogiefit is not about fitness per se, it still fits the age group criteria.

I don’t expect high numbers from the beginning but for them to rise over the first month as people decide whether it is for them.

 

1. I dropped daytime classes as despite numerous attempts, whatever I put on seemed to bomb! I am not particularly a morning person so never tried the 6.30am classes so that may be different but 10am was to attract the school run brigade. But it turns out they prefer to be members of high end gyms and go for coffee after working and compare handbags!

 

6. I am rebranding the MELT class for the 6 weeks leading up to summer break as a bikini body plan.

Am rebranding Zumba as Boogiefit

Continuing with FFY and Boxfit Bootcamp

 

AS I teach in a school, it is closed for 6 weeks July/August. In the past I have taken most of this off too, but this year have decided to keep the Boogiefit class going at the other venue and introduce a 3 day/ 4 week outdoor Bootcamp for the more hardcore.

 

1. I would definitely not tie people into too long a contract. When we were running Bootcamps we didn’t realise how successful they were until we tried to tie people into a 12 month contract. We lost loads of customers and most of them have failed to return. Now I offer various payment options and it is obviously cheaper if they pay up front but there is now no obligation to do so. The pay as you go option is always there, just not always the cheapest.

I would also be very wary about taking on staff. Possibly different if you have a club as it is more easy to monitor but we found they didn’t necessarily have the same values/standards as us and could be giving people conflicting information (even though it was set out in a contract).  Also, and probably more importantly from a business point of view, as we paid them more than the going rate in clubs, any profit made was just being paid straight out to these instructors, leaving us with little or nothing!

 

1. I think it is about being seen as a real person. Yes, you need to be a role model but you also need to let them know that you are human. Don’t let them know all your personal details or invite them into your home, but let them know that yes, some days you ache the same as them and you do drink wine on the weekends!! You need to empathise rather than continually criticise.

I also think it helps to build a community within the community. Arrange social events occasionally even if it’s only a meal at Christmas. The thing that is working for me at the minute is that 16 of us (me included) have signed up for The Major Series- an assault course/obstacle type 5k run. This has got them all fired up, chatting on a private group in FB, coming up with a name for the group (The Yorkshire Fabettes) and generally coming together as a group more. It has encouraged the lapsed members to return to class and as the race isn’t until the end of September it will ensure they keep coming until then!

 

How long can I keep going? Now there’s a question. Ask me 12 months ago and I probably would have said not long. I was demoralised, stressed and earning little. But things have changed (some things were forced on me, but in hindsight it is a good thing!). I have renewed my love for fitness and passion for teaching. I have more empathy with and am grateful to my class members for their continued support. As my hubby is an exercise freak/ironman I can’t see me ever stopping completely but maybe in the next 5-10 years I will reduce the number of classes. However whilst people still want me to teach them and I am still physically able, I will continue, even if it’s only for pocket money. I was recently reading an article about an 80 year old yoga teacher and a 90 year old bodybuilder- so why not?!

 

 

Barbara Kay is based in the Cotwolds

 

1.   Overview: Hi, Barbara Kay here. Although I qualified to teach fitness in 1999 I had been teaching for many years both as an assistant Ballet teacher and then within my own Ballet school. We now live on the edge of the Cotswolds and the area is basically small towns and many outlying villages.  I teach Fitness Pilates classes using equipment such as weights, balls and resistance tubes and run small group and individual training in FP.  I also have FITflex Clubs for weight loss and Nutrition and as a fun class have Tap Dancing for adults which has led us to appearing in local shows and village entertainments.  I try to keep the Fitness Pilates in the name of a class but have added words such as ENERGY, FOR MEN, AB ATTACK, MAT-WORK etc

2. Marketing: I have an advert in a really good local magazine which is delivered free to most of the areas I draw from and I use Vistaprint for business cards and postcards with contact and class info on, which are handed to all members and new clients. At the beginning of each ‘term’ my husband and I drive round the villages and post fliers on the notice boards and in shops. Only today as we were posting for my next FITflex Club a sports shop took 100 postcards off me and will put one in each of his customer’s bags.

3. Numbers – I think because of the size of my venues my numbers stay around the same which is between 15 and 20 in evening classes and between 10 and 12 in the morning class and that has been pretty constant over the last few years.

4. Starting a new class – I do tend to do my own thing but usually do a free trial class and see how many it attracts and what response I get from chatting after. For example, some of my members said they missed the LEGS, BUMS n TUMS I used to teach so I choreographed a class and called it FP ENERGY, did a trial and they loved it, so it is now on the timetable. I won’t start a class unless I have at least 10 to start with, with the exception of FP for MEN which I knew would take time to build.

 

5. Not working – After a nasty car accident which hurt my back, I had to drop my aerobic/dance classes or give up teaching and that was particularly upsetting considering my dance background. However, the change to Fitness Pilates has been fantastic and in fact helped my business and even though my back is completely healed, I am definitely continuing to follow the FP path. I have one class in a village which is struggling and will close if numbers don’t improve.

6. What are your community class plans for the rest of 2013.  My plans are basically to carry on with what I’m doing and look after my clients. They are the ones who talk and bring in newbies so it’s important to me that I send them home happy.

 

7. What if???? – I have in the past been talked into some advertising campaign which was costly and not that effective, so now I am very careful not to be persuaded.  Many years ago I was pressurised into keeping classes going thoughout the summer and people promised they would come but they didn’t and I lost money so since then I break for August and sell a DVD.

 

8. What do you do to make your business successful? I think continuity is one of my key words in that I never miss a class unless I’m really ill and I’ve stayed at one of my venues for over 10 years so I’m well known there.  I never let people know if I’m worried or feeling down so they think I’m always happy but I take an interest in their problems. One lady said that I was the first happy voice she’d heard that day and I think that is part of our job. I send out a weekly newsletter which seems to go down well and creates topics that we can talk about before and after classes. I charge £6 per class with cheaper options if they pay for more at once and give free classes as a thank you where needed.

 

And the biggy question that everyone asks a fitness teacher – How long do you expect to keep going and are you planning for the future? Ha! Ha! At 63 I’ll keep going as long as my body lets me and as to the future, I’ll take it day by day and see what turns up. No huge plans, just to keep what I’ve got and keep it successful.

 

 

Jane Simons teaches In Bucks

 

1. Overview Tell me a little bit about your business/what you offer/teach/location/how long have you been teaching/class names etc.

 

I have been teaching for 10 years and 6½ in the community (also teach in a lot of gyms, all within about 15 miles of my village). Live in a big village with no gyms but there is a very good leisure centre within an 8 min drive, and within 20 minutes there are hundreds of them, plus private clubs. Teach all sorts – all the usual stuff including bootcamps, FP, Unite, Zumba, LBT etc. I have been VERY lucky – there was no-one else here when I started, so I really cornered a very captive market.  Also my girls are both at the local primary school & everyone knows me via them – the playground is a great marketing place! –  I am also ‘in’ with the hall hire ladies who won’t let anyone else hire them for rival classes (!!) so I don’t have much immediate competition within the village except for Jazzercise, who don’t seem to be much of a threat as they have been there since 2010 and I don’t know anyone who goes!

 

 

1. Marketing How do you market your classes/How often do you market/Do you have a marketing strategy or plan.

Used to do leaflets which worked brilliantly for the first 3 years or so, but more recently I haven’t bothered as they had virtually no return and I was trudging about for nothing – possibly because it’s a small market and everyone knows I am here by now! I advertise in the Parish mags too which gets people in. I have a website that ranks at the top in Google if you put my village in, and do lots on my FB page which helps as all the mums at school chat on there which builds interest etc.

 

1. Numbers – Average in 2013/ Average in 2012/ Average 3 years ago – Are you busier/the same/less/much less/holding on by the skin of your teeth.

Last year was my busiest year by far, 2011 was also very good. Things got much busier for me in late 2009 when I introduced Bootcamps and Zumba – until then I only did 2 classes (LBT and FP, neither of which were that busy – LBT in 2009 averaged 16, FP 11).  Numbers then got good as the Zumba ladies fed into my FP and LBT (& have seen a steady increase from 2009-2012) This year has seen a BIG drop in Zumba – I’m sure partly to do with the weather as it’s picking up again this month a lot, but the other classes are holding their own (for example, 17 in FP tonight, and 30 in Zumba).  However, I used to get 60 in Zumba!!  Bootcamps still busy as ever. I have just introduced Kettlercise – sold out 68 places on pay up front which is amazing!

 

 

1. Starting a new class – Do you do any market research first? Do you follow trends or do your own thing and tailor it to your locality/ Do you expect high numbers from the start or do your classes have to build.

I go with my gut instinct – I trained in FP, Zumba, Unite & Kettlercise without ever going to a class first and if I like it, I run with it!! The only one that hasn’t really taken off has been Unite sadly…it’s my quietest class by a lot and might have to go. It’s been marketed to everyone like the other classes and started with big numbers (28 to my first one) but since Sept has dropped and is down to about 11 now. Generally round here I have been the first to do things (especially Zumba and bootcamps) which has really helped me to get in there first. I have got ALL the ideas off C2Go  – without your website/forum  I genuinely wouldn’t have a successful business!!

 

1. Not working – What classes have you dropped/thinking of losing/

The ones I have dropped have been usually due to the times (daytimes haven’t worked, except my Friday Zumba, which is consistently busy with oldies!) This year I stopped my Sat morning outdoor Bootcamp finally after 3 ½ years as it has been so cold, numbers went from 12ish to 3ish!! Plus I hated it as I got so cold – changed to Kettlercise and it’s now fully booked! Yay! So that was a good move! Unite as I mentioned above isn’t taking off v well – people seem to like it, but not enough to make it a regular thing….possibly my theory is most of my gang want to lose weight primarily, so they see Unite as not as good for them as Zumba, LBT etc and if they are pressed for time, they’d go for the sweatier option. The ladies that do come regularly really love it, but there aren’t enough of them! I am giving it a few more weeks so it’s been a year but if it doesn’t pick up then I will give it up and go home early!

 

6.       What are your community class plans for the rest of 2013.

Carry on with what I am doing! Trying to offer something more than the other community instructors who still seem to be heavily Zumba based and are suffering/having to go back to day jobs etc. My personal fave types of class are the hardcore sweaty stuff like Kettlercise, Bootcamp etc so I am working on building those up, while still offering Zumba as it’s still busy and makes me quite a lot of money for little effort, haha!

 

7. What if???? – What would you do differently/What would you NOT do again/What didn’t work – marketing wise or class wise.

Generally things have gone very well – I still work in gyms 5 mornings a week and get a lot of insight as to what people like, what works etc there with the security of regular pay whatever the numbers  – this has helped loads to build my confidence (especially when I was new to teaching) and work out what works and what doesn’t. I think because of this I have avoided any big mistakes so far but there’s still time, haha!

8. What do you do to make your business successful?

I am definitely not the greatest instructor in the world, but I genuinely like people and chatting and having a laugh and I think that really helps! I have made loads of friends and really love it when new people come, I try to make my classes very inclusive and fun and sociable. I think gym people don’t find that side of things that important – they tend to be more fitness orientated and just want to get in, do a class and go home on the whole,  but in the community I think being friendly, welcoming and fun is the key (as well as offering good classes!)

 

And the biggy question that everyone asks a fitness teacher – How long do you expect to keep going and are you planning for the future?

 

 

Aargghh I don’t know!! I don’t want to be doing it forever (or certainly not 22 classes a week!) but I don’t know what else I’ll do. I think while we live where we do, I might as well carry on as I make a nice living and it’s fun and I enjoy it, but once my girls have left home (they are only 5 and 6!) then we’ll move away and then I’ll do something totally different! So I’ll be going till I am about 50ish I reckon –which sounds REALLY OLD AND SCARY!

 

Alice Ramcharran teaches in High Wycombe 

1.  Overview Tell me a little bit about your business/what you offer/teach/location/how long have you been teaching/class names etc.

 

I run Pyramid Health and Fitness Ltd – I have been teaching 2 of my classes for over 7 years now and they are still going on each week, and then have slowly set up the others that I run over the past 7 years.  My 2 fitness pilates classes have been running for coming up to 5 years and still going strong, other classes I have set up and have gone, others have changed and some are currently on review to look at changing and am planning new classes in September.  I’m also running Kick Start Fat Loss franchise in the High Wycombe area too.

I set up Fertility Fitness with business partner Liam Thompson at the end of last year, and this is an online business targeting want-to-be Mums anywhere in the world.

 

2.  Marketing How do you market your classes/How often do you market/Do you have a marketing strategy or plan.

 

I use social media a lot, especially Facebook, and also have websites for classes too.  I advertise in local publications and also do quarterly leaflet drops too – sometimes this gets more response than others, and at worst can get no response from this. Also use word of mouth, and ask clients to advertise for me by posting on social media and placing flyers at work places etc.

 

3. Numbers – Average in 2013/ Average in 2012/ Average 3 years ago – Are you busier/the same/less/much less/holding on by the skin of your teeth.

 

Numbers have dropped considerably from what they were 3 years ago – I would say that this time last year was when we first noticed a bit of a drop, and then September last year the numbers dropped quite noticeably and have not really picked up  Numbers wise I would say that most of our classes are about a 3rd of what they were this time 3 years ago – which is fine for the classes where we had 60 people, but for the classes that only started out with 15 – 20 people it’s starting to cause problems.  We are looking at classes and have had to close a number of classes this year already and have others on review to change or close.

 

4. Starting a new class – Do you do any market research first? Do you follow trends or do your own thing and tailor it to your locality/ Do you expect high numbers from the start or do your classes have to build.

 

Yes, do market research of what is already running in the area, times, location and also survey clients first to see what people might want.  I don’t expect high numbers from the start and know that it takes time to build.  I do usually try and give new classes about 6 months, but it depends on how many people are attending – sometimes if it’s not working you do have to act sooner.   But I know sometimes it can take longer – one of my fitness pilates classes didn’t make me any money for about 2 and half years – literally some weeks I was covering hall hire and nothing else, but I loved teaching it and those that came would come unless they were sick or on holiday (and still come to this day!) so I carried on with it.  Then one week I had some Mums from the local school come and word spread, and now 5 years down the line it is one of my busiest classes!

 

5. Not working – What classes have you dropped/thinking of losing/

 

We have dropped a lot of our Zumba classes, also Boxercise is on review.  We have also had to get rid of bootcamps too.

 

6. What are your community class plans for the rest of 2013.

 

I am still going to carry on with the classes I have and look at setting up some new mid morning classes in September, and more KSFL classes in September too.  I have to look at changing my working patterns over the next couple of years as doing a lot of evenings isn’t go to work for me once my little boy goes to school so have cut back to 3 evenings a week and will look at some term time mid-morning classes.

 

7. What if???? – What would you do differently/What would you NOT do again/What didn’t work – marketing wise or class wise.

 

I would have saved some more money from when business was really good!  I would not have stopped teaching some of my classes (I had to because I was pregnant, so it was worth it but I was getting good numbers) – I wouldn’t have placed so many expensive adverts that didn’t seem to generate any business and I would probably have concentrated on niching earlier, rather than trying to do every class under the sun and making myself so busy that I didn’t have time to do much else!

 

8. What do you do to make your business successful?

 

I keep things personal still and try and give that personal touch.  Offer social do’s so that people can get to know each other a bit more and try and get to know my clients and what they get up to etc.

 

How long do you expect to keep going and are you planning for the future?

 

I expect to be teaching fitness for a long time to come, but cutting back on classes and working more on fertility fitness and the online side of things, so that I can fit in around homelife and having a young child.

 

 

 

Mike Bines teaches In Leicestershire

CROSS SELLING, COMMUNITY LAND BUSINESS VERSES ONLINE, CLASS NUMBERS, CHANGING DAYTIME BOOT CAMP TO EVENING, ABOUT ME.

 

About me..

I come from a very unhealthy childhood background who was classed as obese. For each year I gained in age I also gained a stone in weight.  This was until I reached 18 years old and at this time i was about 17st7lbs…. At this point something had to change.  Without any help or advice I started exercising, not in a Gym but outdoors and in the comfort of my own home. My weight dropped off but I took it to an unhealthy weight and looked far too thin for my height.  The hardest thing is actually putting weight on when you have struggled with weight all your life. This is really where my fitness journey began.

 

14 years ago part time Gym instructor for what was Banana Fitness

Then Duty Manager at The Key in Keyworth

Sales Advisor and Studio instructor, Greens in Leicester

Sales Manager and Studio instructor Roko Nottingham

Freelance Instructor Nottingham, David Lloyd’s, Holmes Place, Village Hotel, Roko, Hoofers

Sales Manager Banantynes Burton on Trent and Freelance Personal Trainer

Self Employed Personal Trainer, community instructor, 2010 till present.

 

With all the experience I had gained through fitness and health club sales it made me confident to set up on my own.

 

My business is called Mike Bines Personal Training services.

I teach 2 community classes called Ultimate Tone and Dance Aerobics

I have developed MBPTS 5 day boot camps with diet advice

I teach 1 hour weekly mini boot camp sessions

I conduct around 30 PT sessions a week.

 

My classes were the first thing I started.  I have been running Ultimate Tone on a Sunday at 9.45 for 4 years this year, this took me at least 3 years to build up my reputation. Community classes are ideal for people that want to pay as you go, the hardest part is when I have been faced with 5 people in my Sunday morning Ultimate tone class and for that split second you feel deflated but all I could think about was if I delivered an amazing class to these 5 people they would go out and spread the word and this would turn in to 10 people. After 4 years i constantly get numbers between 15-20 every Sunday now, but it has taken a while.

 

Average numbers 17 per class TODAY

Average 3 years ago 8 per class

 

From my boot camp point of view, I had the idea 2 years ago to try and run a 5 day boot camp with diet advice because I had a group of PT clients that wanted an intense week. I have never marketed my 5 day boot camps (except website and social media). I ran my first 5 day boot camp with 5 people on it (one being my partner).  I knew I had to get these 5 people results for them to go away and be excited about their weight losses, so I did everything i could.  I emailed them each morning, text each afternoon, and conducted great fat burning exercises for an hour a day with them.  After the first 5 days, they all lost weight of up to 5lbs in 5 days… they loved it and the day time 5 day boot camps grew. However the day time 5 day boot camps did tail off and I was nervous about starting them at night as i had several PT clients in that I would have to cancel or get them on to my boot camp if I was to run an evening 5 day boot camp. Anyway I took the plunge as my day time boot camps died off so I advertised via social media and website my NEW RE Branded Evening 5 day boot camps… the first one I ran I had 17 people on it…I made sure they were all going to take some thing away from the 5 days and they did, the word spread and I have to say I’ve never looked back, they are packed with people waiting on reserve.

 

MARKETING THAT HAS WORKED FOR ME

Getting people results WORD OF MOUTH ALL THE WAY

Marketing social media 

Website 

Local restaurant (table cards) 

Attending shopping events 

Schools 

 

MARKETING THAT HAS NOT WORKED FOR ME

Flyers through doors 

Local magazines

Post office posters 

 

My Classes and Boot camps and PT are going really well, however i want to be honest with everyone about online fitness.

 

Online is hard and didn’t really work for me from a Business point of view 

After Rachel inspired me a few years ago about developing online fitness site, i went full steam ahead and on paper drew up an online site which I named and branded VivaYou*. I felt like this took me out of my comfort zone as I had so much to find out such as online licensing and copy writing my product and much much more.  I loved diving into the unknown and I have to say whilst I was developing the online site and working as hard as I could I loved every minute.  The reality hit as soon as the site was launched.  I knew it could take a while to take off but for some reason if I am honest, I thought as soon as the site went live I would be inundated with members, i thought I would be employing people to run my site whilst I was still working on my LAND business, the reality is so different.

The fact is the hard work does not begin until you launch the site.  The hard work is getting the site out there for people to see. Yes I had several people sign up to support me but the truth is the people that signed up really wanted ME and me online.  There are also many more progressive sites that have come to market since I launched a year ago, I really feel that my personality suits face to face and because my land line business is really taking off I have decided to leave VivaYou* on the back burner for now and concentrate on my LAND business which is what I enjoy the most.  This was such a hard decision but I feel that I am a better business person for making this decision.  I am not saying this won’t work for everyone but If I was to do something online again I would test the water by using Face book pages, not spend lots of money on a website until I know how I am going to manage my product better.  VivaYou* website is still in action and will be used for new projects in the future.

 

Long Term plans until I retire 

GP referral course 

Presenting is something I’ve always wanted to do 

Lecturer at a college 

 

 

 

It’s all about you! By Andrew Scott

How much do we spend on promotion, marketing and advertising each year? Or shall we not even go there. Believe it or not you are your biggest and most effective advertisement tool. In every single class, workshop, personal training session, Bootcamp session etc., you are being assessed, critiqued and considered as to whether more clients/participants and ultimately business comes your way.

I’ve had a recent stint of new participants attending my classes, now that’s nothing out of the ordinary for us fitpros is it? However, these participants have all been fully aware of my classes, where they take place, when they take place, we’ve even spoke about things in passing. So why suddenly attend (I wasn’t complaining, I was just curious). In her words one lady said to me, she had been walking past the studio window every Tuesday morning on her way into the gym for the last year just watching admiring my step class (I checked it was definitely the class and not me), she had “step envy”, she watched how we all seemed to be having a ball, we all seem to be “buzzing” and I look in my element apparently, so she just had to try it. And yes she’s kicking herself as to why she’s spent the last year missing out on Tuesday morning Step, as she’s loving it, and officially a convert from treadmill to Step.

As fitpros our sessions are always being assessed and scrutinized as to how we are teaching, in what way, what music etc. etc. I have no doubt that we all give continuous passion and just ooze enthusiasm, why else would we be in this amazing and rewarding industry, doing what we love.

However turning things on its head and looking at our class as a marketing tool, what would we be thinking? Not only as a passer-by, but remember we want to be keeping bums on seats (or feet on steps) and looking after our regulars keep them coming back for more, and selling your class as an absolute must.

Have a think.

Have an awesome week, as always #GoRockIt  #KeepItFreestyle

Twitter @AndrewScott

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Email andrewcscott1989@hotmail.co.uk