Instructor Newsletter 4th September 2014

Rachel Back to school and Back to Classes 🙂

SEPTEMBER – we are now on the final 1/4 quarter of 2014. I bet you have got all of your new classes sorted, advertised, marketed and ready to rock.It’s an exciting time in fitness, right now, there is an air of change, new concepts, classes, workouts and projects are being launched.

The beauty of social media is new ideas spread and go viral so fast. Back in the day you would need to wait for costly print adversing and now you can create your concept, road test it then launch it. That is so amazing my opinion, its keeps the market vibrant and fresh and you can never second guess what is coming next.

Have you got an Idea? By Rachel Holmes

Yes!

I bet you have millions; it seems to be a common trait in the fitness industry, especially as we have all had the summer break, feeling fresh and excited about the Autumn.?Therefore, how do you turn an idea into a tangible project or business?

Here are my tips to taking the idea out of your head and into the real world.

Ask yourself these simple questions before you get going.

Is there a real demand for this class, fitness product or service?
?
Be honest with yourself and do your research. Find out if there is DEMAND and if there is a definite need in your area, and if there is, you must deliver it as uniquely as possible.

Many Instructors think there is a need for a certain class, spend money on marketing and advertising and then don’t get the numbers in. You have to ensure there is a demand, then meet the demand with your class/product/service etc.

What do people complain about??

What problems do people in your target niche/market have and how can you create a class or service that solves this.
Grow it slow heard this on a podcast this week

“the tortoise wins the business race” and I loved this, it’s so true.

My best advice is to make sure you have your basics in place, a professional website, quality branding, weekly newsletter, customer systems and segmented database, so you know exactly which class member attends which class, your referral programme, your auto responders and don’t take your eye off your CORE business.

You can then add onto your core business new projects.

Create a step by step logical business plan.

When you have researched your idea, decided on a way to deliver it uniquely, create a simple step by step plan and to do list. See it through to the end.?Don’t over complicate it.

I’m a visual person so I have a big white board in my office with my project written at the top then the daily steps underneath. I can see it every time I look up, it keeps me on track and focused.?I update my board every day with targets and a flow chart of what stage comes next in the project.

Anything and everything is achievable. I hope these simple steps help you not waste precious time and push forward the more relevant ideas for you and your fitness business.
Let’s do this!!!

Coaching & Mentoring

I have opened up my Fitness Business Academy Coaching
& Mentoring Course for September so if you are ready
to take things up a notch check out all of the details
click here

For more business ideas sign up for the
Fitness Business Academy newsletter click here

For nutrition, meal ideas, recipes, lifestyle & motivation
click here

Be a Magnetic Marketer on Twitter

I’ve been championing Twitter in the newsletter for a good few years. You know I have been banging on about it since it started, but when I begin fitness business marketing with new mentoring clients, it is clear lots of Fitness entrepreneurs still don’t really get it and are puzzled about how useful it can be in the fitness world.

I see it as a 24 hour grapevine that you can automate.

Here are my 5 Magnetic Marketing Twitter Tips

1. Build a world of friends. Twitter provides you with the opportunity to meet people from around the world. You must actively engage with influencers, chatters, customers, potential customers and customer service issues.

Marketing Tip. Many Fitpros I follow on Twitter only blast out details of classes and services and don’t engage with their followers. This is sooo dull and not what Twitter is all about PLUS you won’t get any feedback, interaction or build your audience. Don’t skip the small talk, people want to see a human side of you.

2.Track relevant hashtags #, keywords and groups. To make Twitter more relevant to your specific needs, use a Twitter client like Hootsuite that enables you to track conversations around specific hashtags and keywords.

Marketing Tip – Use Hootsuite to schedule tweets but also be spontaneous and comment on news of the day and up to the minute events relevant to your followers. Don’t be robotic or predictable!

3.Tweet interesting fitness, weightloss, group X information pertinent to your niche and client group. Make it unique to you. Not just the same old stuff rehashed but your unique take and spin on things. Re-tweet other peoples Tweets, answer questions and ask question.

Marketing Tip: Schedule tweets throughout the day & night! Twitter24 hour a day lead generation magnet.

4.Reach out to people and influencers in your fitness niche. Get noticed by re-tweeting their content and tweets. Follow presenters, celebs, politicians, TV personalities.

5.Take Twitter engagement offline. Whenever there’s an opportunity to meet people with whom you’ve been tweeting in real life, grab it. There’s nothing like meeting someone face-to-face to enhance your relationship.

Bac 2 Skool
By Andrew Crawford

And so it is with a heavy heart that we pack our little cherubim’s off back to the daily Systematic Mind Program Centre…….oops….I mean school…

Not before being released of a few hard earned great british pounds.

Hey…..£70 quid for kids shoes…..!!!!???

£50 for a plastic school bag……..???

Back then….way back then…My black plimsoles were £0.99 from Woolworths in Tooting Broadway. As I did paper round, I could afford the more expensive ‘Dunlop Green Flash’ coming in at £4.99.

I bought one of my daughter’s a simple plain white trainer………£99…what the ….!!!??

Even Staples the ‘stationers’ are getting in on the action. They now sell kids clothes ….!!!! In your face as you step through the doors. The Nottingham branch near Trent Bridge.

Not only that but did you know that Parents could be banned from parking near their children’s school and fined up to £100 if they disobey?

From next month, town halls will be given ‘sweeping powers’ to outlaw any activity which may have a ‘detrimental effect’ on the quality of local life.

“……Ministers insist so-called public spaces protection orders (PSPOs) are intended to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, such as spitting and aggressive begging……”

?But the rules have been so widely drawn that councils are planning to apply them to ‘nuisance parking’, ball games in public car parks and even ‘inappropriate dress’.

Anyone flouting the order will be liable for an on-the-spot fine, normally between £70 and £100, from a police officer, PCSO, council worker or security guard employed by the town hall. Refusing to pay will be a criminal offence that can land the person in court.

Tell me……….. didn’t August fly by???

I didn’t even make my trip to my second home……..Edinburgh….no worries December is coming and I just love the atmosphere in Scotland at that season.

Soon it will be……..schhh……..Xmas………(watch out for the ads and the shop windows)..!!

….and in another part of the UK

Parents received a text message the day before term started warning them to make sure their children had the correct uniform.

But around 100 pupils were still given the boot from lessons on Tuesday after their shoes were inspected by staff.

I love this….?

“…..I think it’s disgraceful. They are black formal shoes that he’s got now, and what have they got to do with him looking at a blackboard, reading and writing?…..”
?

So Andrew……

What has Summer’s finished, School field trips, packed lunches, daily school letter and cost of school uniform got to do with Accountancy and tax?

Well …this week I took calls relating to two main issues.

Self-Employment

Property especially 2nd and multiples thereof

Therefore as a Teacher I think I have to take you ‘Bac 2 Skool’ to revise the basics (Which I have covered before..)…..’cuse the spelling mustakes…..tee hee..!!

In determining whether you are employed or self-employed check out the following…..pencils ready??

Let me list a few questions that will be asked by the HMRC to determine the status of you or your worker. (From emails I received, there are a lot of you who ‘hire’ in workers). True..?? (Bookkeepers, etc)

Is there a contract of service? If no, indicates self- employment

Is there a contract for services? If yes, indicates self-employment

Notice the slight difference there…contract ‘for’ vs contract ‘of’.

Is the person in business on their own account? If yes, indicates self-employed

Does the person decide when to take their holidays? If yes, self employed

Does the person supply their own tools? If yes, indicates self-employed

Does the person give an invoice for work? If yes, indicates self-employed

Can the person work for anyone else? If yes, indicates self-employment

Can the person send a substitute? If yes, indicates self-employment

If the person is sick do they get paid? If no, indicates self-employment

Is self-employment the intention of both parties? If yes, indicates self-employment

Does the person working advertise? If yes, indicates self-employment

Is the work carried out regularly? If no, indicates self-employment

I also know that some of you are working for Leisure Centres as self-employed but are on their payroll. Just check whether you receive your money gross (self-employed) or do they deduct national insurance and tax.(employed).

There are instances where you will receive a payslip but you are self employed….!!

On the second issue of concealing income from property, should you declare it now….?

Most definitely…..

Even if you haven’t done so in the last 6 – 10 years plus.

The point is this……

If THEY discover it….you are in BIG trouble. They will have NO mercy on you.

Do you still have time….?

Indeed so…..

Lesson Over…………….Break time…!!

Finally

What members of GQ decided to give a certain individual (Past Prime Minister) a Philanthropsist of the year award….|!!!

Are they on drugs?!!!

“…This man needs locked up for war crimes not given an award for philanthropist of the year. This man supposedly peace envoy for Middle East has caused more wars than anyone……|”

I loved this one….

“…..Stop knocking Tony Blair for his award! He is a philanthropist. Look at all the bombs he donated onto all those innocent Iraqis……”

Did they really know what a Philanthropist meant???

Me do finks someone has got to go Back 2 Skool……!!!

Andrew James Crawford

www.fitnessindustryaccountants.com
www.facebook.com/andrewjamescrawford
www.twitter.com/tax4fitness

 

 

Have a wonderful Day!
Love Rachel xxxx