Instructor Newsletter 8th August

Here we are again, it’s newsletter day! Big Thanks for all your comments and feedback. It really makes my day when I hear from you, so thank you for taking the time to feedback to me and all of the contributors. I’ll get straight down to business and here is the news……..

Kick Start Fat Loss within the local PCTS

I had amazing news last week as I headed off to an important meeting at the Norfolk & Suffolk PCT, who are extremely keen on bringing KSFL into the NHS as a preferred weight management programme, and I am ecstatic to report to you that we are running the first trial in September. As you can imagine we are over the moon. Helen Pybus will be heading up the local groups and the potential for us to take KSFL nationwide within the NHS working within the NICE guidelines is now a  reality.  It’s been such a long time coming and our aim to make a difference in the obesity crisis through up to date fatloss information, the latest research and specialist  population targeted workouts is getting closer.

Big One North and Big One South

The Chrysalis team organise and run these brilliant, cost effective days with Barnsley being on 7th September and Reading on 28th September.  I’ll be teaching loads of sessions as Kick Start Fat Loss will be sponsoring a room and we are putting on lots of new programmes and sessions. If you would like to book on visit http://chrysalispromotions.com/ifs/

New Downloads on C2GO

I’ve had a busy week filming 4 new downloads, including a Step, HiLO, New HIIT Workshops and Super Simple Basic Aerobics for beginners & active seniors. So lots of ideas for your September sessions. You can see them all here on https://www.choreographytogo.com/choreography/latest-downloads/

Get clear about what you want from your fitness business and out of life by Rachel

Deepak Chopra says we all have roughly 65,000 thoughts every day. 95% of these are the same thoughts we had yesterday, and then the day before, and the day before that, and the pattern keeps repeating.  In fact we are going over the same internal dialogue day after day, programming these thoughts into our mind and becoming our reality. It’s insane but we all do it. Judging by the feedback I get, time management appears to be a huge obstacle for many Fitpros. You want to create your online package, you want to do a DVD, you want to get the right website, start a coaching programme, teach less classes etc etc. So how do you get the most important stuff done?

Therefore, I’m bringing to your attention your thoughts, and how CRUCIAL, in fact more than crucial, to get your mindset right first. Get totally clear about the business and life you want to create and the first port of call is to get your mind and your mouth singing from the same hymn sheet.  Prioritise what you really want to do, get clear about it, feel it, live it, taste it and act as if you have already got it and are doing it, and you’ll be 80% of the way there.  Your mind and your mouth need to be saying and believing exactly the same things.

Here are my Top Tips to Spending your Crucial Time on The Right Stuff

1.You have to get so clear about what you want. I think about my goals, I write them in a goal book and put them in my phone. I revisit the list daily to keep me on track. We have so many distractions and I’ve got the attention span of a nat; flicking from job to job, reading emails, checking Facebook, making a drink, chatting to a friend. You may be the same. Well, that has to STOP. Once you get clear and see a mental picture of you shooting your DVD, or the advertising for your new online fitness programme, or whatever it is, and if you find your mind wandering check that list and get back to it. Pronto. Stay Focused. Stay on Track.

2.If you keep telling yourself and everybody else “OMG I’m so busy I never have enough time, I’m always rushing around, something always happens when I sit down to work on my project etc etc” then guess what, that will be your reality. Re-programme your mind, say and think things like “I have plenty of time to get xyz completed”. It may feel a lie at first but as you start to change your internal dialogue and shift your thinking you will realise you actually DO have enough time if this project is really that important to you. You will find time and you will get it done.

3.Stop being BUSY being BUSY. Work out what do you do to procrastinate. Do you go and make a drink/eat/talk on the phone/online shop/get involved with a long debate on Facebook. Whatever you do, recognize it then go cold turkey until you have completed your project.

Just changing your perception, shifting your mindset and revising and altering your internal dialogue will work miracles in your productivity. Start with small thought changes. Catch yourself when you find yourself going over and over the same mental movies, be aware when you say “I’m so busy, I’m so blah blah, I’ve not got enough time” and replace that chat and little by little your projects will get completed and you will start ticking off those goals so much faster than ever before.

Let me know YOUR thoughts on Twitter @RachelHolmes Instagram RachelLHolmes

‘Never Say Never’ – Kelly Reed-Banks

This year I have embarked on a fair few things that I said I would NEVER do again. Now this is not me going back and making the same mistakes, I just think that sometimes I think instructors and PT’s make hasty decisions depending on how they feel at that moment and maybe they should wait before they broadcast it on social media about what they are going to ‘give up’ or ‘retire’ from because I believe you just don’t know what’s round the corner – NEVER SAY NEVER!

As a lot of you know I took voluntary redundancy 2 years ago from my job as a tutor and lecturer at college. I did this just before we got married as they were making cuts in our department and I knew that out of everyone who worked there, I could survive on my self-employed work rather than making someone else lose their job, who would be possibly out of work for a while and cause them horrendous problems for them and their family.
So I went completely self-employed, started teaching 19 classes a week, was delivering courses and workshops for Rachel as well as other companies, grew my community business and to start with I was loving it!
I stated (not on social media, I’ll have you know!) to my closest friends and family that I would never work for anyone ever again. I loved being my own boss and working when I wanted. But what started to happen is that I wasn’t working when I wanted – I was working all the bloody time!!!

I was shattered and started to get ill, I was on the verge on burn out! I know a lot of you have been in that position so will hear me on how that feels! I am no spring chicken anymore! So when college contacted me after my year of redundancy was up and asked me if I’d be interested in doing a couple of hours I had a big decision to make.
Do I stick try to my word and be my own boss, work when I want to work, but realistically will probably end up very ill! Or do I bite the bullet, go back to what I know (and also love) and go back to being employed again.

The decision was actually very easy and college are great with me, they want me to stay in industry as this is so valuable for our students, they support me when I go away to teach at conventions and when I was asked to teach at FILEX in Oz.
So I went back teaching 3 days a week, which allowed me to still be able to still run my community business. I can still work at the physio clinic on a Wednesday teaching rehab Pilates and can still teach my classes at Nuffield Health club in Cambridge on a Thursday night and Friday day and, of course, still work for Rachel!

I honestly didn’t think I would be in this position. I now have the best of both worlds, get paid holidays, good pension, support from a fantastic team as well as still running a part time business of my own.

I have to be honest with you all and say I have actually taken a pay cut from when I was completely self-employed. I’m not earning anywhere near as much money as I did before but money isn’t everything and my health, energy levels, & life is so much better this way and I would take that over any amount of money.

So what I am really trying to say is that never be afraid to go back to something you love even if you said you never would. Things happen for a reason and change is a good thing, but that doesn’t mean that sometimes things do change back to the way they use to be – just better!!!

Keep happy and healthy!! Kelly xx
—
Kelly Reed-Banks

Sally Ghafoor Social Media Updates

As a social media strategist, I have to take clients pages from 0-750 fans in quick smart time. These fans cannot be fans from like ladders nor bought on fiverr, these have to be high quality fans, people that are interested in what my client is delivering.

Facebook and in fact all types of social media has meant that it is so easy to engage with people all around the world, it has made it easier to reach your target market and put in front of them your products or the service that will help benefit them.

Done right, Facebook can mean that you have the ability to create a loyal and happy fanbase and following, but how do you get them to you in the first place?

Step one : Realise it is not about the amount of fans but the quality of those fans.
Imagine this you are at a football match, you don’t even like football, you are not interested and you are bored. Are you likely to buy any of their merchandise? Are you likely to recommend this experience to a friend? Are you likely to ever go there again? No. Well the same goes for a fanpage, getting people to like your page from a like ladder or even buying fans will not gain you any more business. You might get lucky occasionally with someone who is interested but on the whole, those fans will never interact with you nor become leads to buy into your programs.

Step Two: Get your page looking the bomb.
In our FBH academy program we take our coaching clients through how to get their FB page looking awesome, creating custom apps to make sure they have the ability to create a good impression and data capture potential leads. So take a step back and look at your page.
Does it have data capture custom apps?
Does it link up with your website?
Are you creating the right impression?

Step Three: Create your content calendar
Let me give you another football scenario – you’re getting the theme, I like football, however think of something you like so you can translate it across. You have signed up to see a football stadium you love, you get there and you are sat with a ton of people you probably don’t know, and nothing is happening, no matches, no football demo’s, no information on how you can become better at football nothing – oh apart from one thing a message playing over and over again buy this buy that.

When people like your page they are doing it because they think they will gain something from it. Use this opportunity to create cracking content that elevates them and create some kind of ambition in them. Give them content that solves a problem for them and do it regularly. This is where you create a content calendar to keep yourself on track with what you are creating and the outcome you want from the creation.

Step Four: Create a hook
Give people a reason to like your page. Remember this – What is in it for the customer? So you know I like football, one of my kids is very good at football. You are a football coach with training sessions you want to fill. I see this on Facebook, “click here to download my step by step method of getting your child noticed by a premiership football club2. Guess who is gonna click on it, part with their email and like your page – yep you have me, plus the hundreds of other parents who think their kids are good at football and could get noticed by football clubs. Create the hook, then data capture and get the like.

Step Five: Create a FB ad.
You have created a great hook, but how are you going to people to see – This is where you create a Facebook ad. Really drill down into your target market, you need to connect with them. Delve deep into what makes them tick. Let’s go back to football, the football coach has a page, his ad says click like if your son is a potential premier f/ball player but you are unsure how to harness this. Guess who is gonna click like – yep me along with all the other proud parents. The minute I click like I am immediately a fan of the page!

In essence you really, really need to understand your target market. So here is my challenge for you. Sit down and go back over your target market avatar. Think how they think, feel the pain they feel. Get emotive. This opens up doors for blog posts and adverts that really, really work.
I would love to know what are the  3 things that bothers your target market and how you can solve them, leave a comment and let me know.
Catch Sally Ghafoor on Facebook.

TOP 10 WAYS TO GET INTO YOUR LOCAL PAPER by Yvonne Radley

1: Send your Press Release in on a Tuesday afternoon for a weekly newspaper – most get printed on a Wednesday and they are looking out for stories to fill the paper

2: Send your Press Release in every 3 weeks. Once a week is too much – 3 weeks is perfect for top of mind awareness.

3: Write a concise Press Release no longer than 6 paragraphs

4: Create and Editor’s Notes section at the bottom of the page that gives the journalist all the information they need about the story such as website addresses, contact details, any awards you have, that you are available for interview and that you are available for photographs or you have picture if required.

5: Do not send any attachments with your story as they fill up the journalist’s In-Tray.

6: Never use Press Release in the Subject Line – come up with something more exciting and non-spammy. Don’t use the word Free. It wants to be something you would send to a friend.

7: Send your Press Release to the News Editor

8: Do not send a story in about your new timetable or any weight loss stories less that 7 stone. It has to be about something of interest to your reader

9: Use national stories and put your own local spin on them – for example, talk about how new mums can get more energy to tie in with the Royal Baby story. Your Top 10 on getting back into shape, something like that.

10: Look to your clients for a source of good human-interest stories or charity events are very popular too.

If you would like to find out more about getting in the press you can sign up to my free 7 day media course

http://thebestof2012.co.uk

Check out  my website too http://www.yvonneradleymedia.com

Cori Withell

What about you?

You work in an industry that cares about others.
Your role is to try and help people to be the healthiest they can be.
To teach people just what they are capable of.
To show them that there can be a different way.
That life does not have to be as hard as they think it is.
To give people self-confidence.
To increase their self-esteem.
To teach them to love themselves.
To show them how to manage their time.
To show them how to meal plan, cook, be more creative.
And a ton more things that I will have missed.

I write about this all the time but the reason I write about it all the time is because we never ever listen, me included!

I was involved in a relatively minor road traffic collision on Friday.  My first and foremost thought was checking that Diesel was okay in the boot.  Absolutely no concern for myself at all.  Thankfully it wasn’t a major incident but what if it had been?  What if I had shot out of the car to check on my dog and done myself a serious injury?  How was that going to help?

So, the next time you are dead on your feet and asked to cover, think about it before you say yes.  There is more to life than earning the next £25.
Is your health really worth that little?
Are you going to work so hard that you drive yourself into the floor unable to work?

You are a unique, wonderful and very special person.
But you can only be that person and share that wonder when you are well – something to think about, no?

Health and happiness x
Cori x

Possessing Some Spherical Objects…Known as…..??!!

By Andrew Crawford

There has never been a better time to possess a pair of  b*ll*x…..metal ones if possible.

Why?

It’s called BUSINESS.

If you are running one or thinking of doing so, you’ve got to be on your guard and aware of copy cats, charlatans and thieves….you will be knocked back and forth with emotions but…………once your ship is set, you know your course, you are the Captain of your ship and The Master of Your Own Destiny.

How do you know if your business idea is the best one for you?  Well, you really don’t know.  All you can do is work as hard as you can with the information and tools you have, and one of two things will happen:  Either you will start making some moolah (money for those who didn’t know that phrase) and start getting feedback, good, bad or ugly from your market… or nothing will happen and you’ll sit in a vacuum (or even lose money).

Don’t worry if the latter happens to you:  It’s all learning experience, something you can’t escape, no matter how much you want to shortcut things.  (In fact, the more you skim over vital steps, the worse results you’ll reap!)

If there’s no feedback or you lose money, don’t assume you had a dodgy idea and rush on to the next one.  Instead, think of your experience as an opportunity.  (That’s what the most successful entrepreneurs always do!)  Analyze your business model.  Look for your mistakes.  If you still love the business model and can see a profit in it, fix the mistakes and have patience .

But make no mistake – part of creating a successful business plan involves thorough and careful research.

This is the stage most people rush through when it’s the stage they should focus on the most intensely.  The more specifically you can identify your exact target customer, the better success you’ll have, once you start.

And another area to plan:  How are you going to reach and communicate with your idea customer or client?  This shouldn’t occur in a haphazard, impulsive ways.  It should be carefully thought out beforehand, spaced at regular intervals finely tuned to your customer’s progression through your offerings.  It doesn’t matter what your business model is:  Plan to reach your target client in multiple ways.

And do your homework.

This involves:

Researching your niche, your niche customers and their habits
Researching rules and regulations affecting your specific business model
Researching tools and resources you’ll need, expenses you can’t avoid and skills you have to learn
Researching the Tax breaks offered and new rules taking effect each year

Outsourcing
Something I’ve Learnt from Good Old…oopps..Young ..Rachel Holmes

Remember also that the most successful entrepreneurs don’t do everything themselves.  They outsource, gathering teams of specialised contractors or employees to take care of certain areas – so even if you have to do everything yourself initially (and there is a lot to be said for starting out simply) plan to outsource regularly further down.
What can you most successfully outsource?  Any task that you:

Find yourself struggling with
Find yourself putting off
Lose hours of time in performing
Do not directly generate money with

Virtual Assistants
Something I’ve Learnt from Good Old…oopps..Young ..Claire Mockridge

You can also benefit from a VA……like a PA

You’ve heard the saying “you can never be too rich or too thin”.   Well, it’s the same with VAs:  There can never be too many good ones.  And when a “good” one does hit the scene, she is snapped up quickly by clients…or he…as the case may be.

Popular areas VAs are always needed in and often specialise in.

Project management
Social media management
Office management
Article marketing (can include copywriting)
Audio services
Video services
Transcription services
Formatting HTML and web pages
WordPress maintenance
Bookkeeping and invoicing
Testing and tracking
Shopping cart management
Autoresponder management
Customer Service and support

Coach

One of the most potentially lucrative online business models is that of Mentoring, Coaching and Consulting.  You can blossom into coaching from any of your past experiences – and this is the step that takes you from the “job” range into the “own personal online economy” range – or you can become a coach straight away, if that’s what you’d like to do.

There are many types of coaches:

Business Coach
Lifestyle Coach
Fitness Coach
Skills Coach
Accountability Coach
Spiritual Coach
Financial Coach
Reduce the dreaded Tax Coach

And many more.

(An example of a skills coach would be someone who coaches you specifically in handling WordPress….my friend Liam Twose is good at that…check him out..!!)

You need three things to set yourself up credibly as a coach:

A strong background in your coaching area
Expert status and reputation in your coaching area (it helps to be well-known)
Credentials

You can get away with becoming a coach without credentials or expensive courses, but unless coaching training has been part of your previous work history, it’s well worth your while to become certified in your area.  Not only will it add to your credibility and allow you to charge competitive rates, you’ll learn priceless information that will really help you please and retain clients.

Myself and Rachel Holmes put together a useful resource that will help you launch your own Mentoring, Coaching & Consulting business. Check it out here…..

https://www.choreographytogo.com/workshop-booking/mentoring-coaching-consulting/

Gasp……So Andrew..

What’s having a pair of Solid Steel Spherical Hanging Objects Swinging between warm Gluteus Maximus got to do with Accountancy and Tax?

Well……I’ll be brief here (excuse the pun)…tee hee..

If you possess some spherical objects, you’ll consider these few Tax Tips and don’t give a spherical objectx…

If your business is the b*ll*x then consider transferring it to a limited company if you haven’t done so already. Why? Because of preferential Tax rates.

Consider using your spouse/partner in your business to use up some of that lovely profit……if you have kids…even better.

Don’t worry about losses because you can utilize these going forward. Losses are your friend. You may be able to ask the Government for ‘bail out’ money…!!!

Make a will and keep it up to date. Ensure you know where your assets and  cash will be going. Alternatively……LIVE LIFE NOW. Buy and consume lots of veuve, eat lobster, munch on KFC and don’t give a spherical object about anything.

Transfer assets to your kids, if you have any, then make sure you live for a further 7 years. No partying, S D or rock n roll…..tee hee…OK… No rock..!!

Remember……EVERYONE gets a Personal Allowance. If you don’t use it, you lose it. Think child, think teenager, think £9,440 write off against profits.

Try to avoid using estimates on your Tax Return…..Why? ..the Tax Man just loves squeezing those spherical objects to produce more tax for the Treasury if you cannot substantiate with accuracy the amount of expenditure claimed.

Finally
The Tax 4 Fitness app is now live…for both Apple and Android. You can download it by going to the Fitness Industry Accountants site and use the buttons at the top.
I notice that the  ‘Named and Shamed’ list of  people conning the tax payer out of £3.7 million didn’t include reference to MP’s Mis-expenses or Money Laundering Institutions…..aka Banks…!!
You don’t have to take on board what I say.
I might be talking a lot of spherical objects for all you know…!!!
Have a great week.

www.fitnessindustryaccountants.com
www.facebook.com/andrewjamescrawford

Hope you are all having a wonderful Day

Love Rachel xx