IHRSA which is the largest international health club organisation in the world has survey results that indicate that 46% of new personal training clients come as the result of word of mouth referral. This is a really interesting fact and naturally leads to the question I have been asked by several of my mentoring clients "what can I do to increase the amount of referrals my clients give me?"
In answering this questions I have 'borrowed' what a number of successful Personal Trainers from around Australia are currently doing. Here are 10 practical ideas from which you can choose.
1. Hand written thank you card with 2 movie tickets.
2. 12 month subscription to a Health and Fitness Magazine, such as Ultra-Fit, Men's Health or Women's Health.
3. 30 or 60 minute massage voucher.
4. Two free Personal Training sessions.
5. Voucher to a day spa.
6. $100 cash.
7. A bunch of flowers.
8. Bottle of wine.
9. Books.
10. CD or DVD.
In terms of tools it would also be a great idea to have a written referral form that you give to all of your clients as part of a welcome pack that they can pass on and to make all clients aware of the benefits of spreading the word about your services.
One of the keys to a great referral program is to reward people who refer and to give them something which costs you as little as possible but has a large perceived value. The cheapest thing you can give away when you are getting started is your time and the value of 3 free sessions may be more than $2--, therefore the perceived value of your services may be much higher than some of the other ideas listed with the only cost incurred being your time. As you become busier your time may become more valuable to you and the other strategies become more appealing. Whatever decision you make about how to reward those who refer you to others, just make sure that you do something!
Aaron Whear
Monday, November 23, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
is your business lost?
"Rowing harder doesn't help if the boat is heading in the wrong direction" - Kenichi Ohmae
Do you feel like you're continually on the run, chasing loose ends?
Is your today's to do list getting so big that it's overflowing into tomorrow's to do list?
Do you know what next year has in store for your business?
Do you have a plan that covers your monthly, quarterly and annual marketing and income goals?
If your working hard but going in circles, odds are your not working effectively. Let's get clear on what we mean by 'effective' work.
Firstly, working effectively and working efficiently are two very different things.
Effective = doing things that get you closer to your goals. Note that if you have no business goals or direction it's highly unlikely that your working effectively.
Efficient = performing a given task in an economical manner (whether it's important or not)
The bottom line is - what you do is infinitely more important than how you do it.
If you're looking to make 2010 an effective year with clear business direction, you need to start planning NOW. PT Plus has a Business Booster course starting on November 20th that will provide your business with clear direction for 2010. Make 2010 the year that your business takes off.
We have two places left to fill on this course. The last two applicants will receive a bonus 18 months worth of audio programmes with interviews from world leaders in business and personal training and a FREE I-pod (over $500 value).
Contact our office on business@ptplus.com.au to enrol.
If you need to get clear on your direction in 2010, see you at Business Booster starting in 4 days!
Dave Liow
Do you feel like you're continually on the run, chasing loose ends?
Is your today's to do list getting so big that it's overflowing into tomorrow's to do list?
Do you know what next year has in store for your business?
Do you have a plan that covers your monthly, quarterly and annual marketing and income goals?
If your working hard but going in circles, odds are your not working effectively. Let's get clear on what we mean by 'effective' work.
Firstly, working effectively and working efficiently are two very different things.
Effective = doing things that get you closer to your goals. Note that if you have no business goals or direction it's highly unlikely that your working effectively.
Efficient = performing a given task in an economical manner (whether it's important or not)
The bottom line is - what you do is infinitely more important than how you do it.
If you're looking to make 2010 an effective year with clear business direction, you need to start planning NOW. PT Plus has a Business Booster course starting on November 20th that will provide your business with clear direction for 2010. Make 2010 the year that your business takes off.
We have two places left to fill on this course. The last two applicants will receive a bonus 18 months worth of audio programmes with interviews from world leaders in business and personal training and a FREE I-pod (over $500 value).
Contact our office on business@ptplus.com.au to enrol.
If you need to get clear on your direction in 2010, see you at Business Booster starting in 4 days!
Dave Liow
Thursday, November 5, 2009
how you spend your time determines your results
Some of us are born bigger, stronger and richer than others. The one thing that we all share in common is how much time there is. There are 7 days in a week, or 168 hours or 10080 minutes in each week. How you spend this time will determine your results.
Everyone complains about not having enough time. In fact I can't remember talking to anyone who had too much time on their hands. Are you making the best use of your time?
One of the best solutions to time management that I've come across is by Stephen Covey in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. He categorises all activities that we do into 4 quadrants.
Quadrant 1 - Urgent and important
Quadrant 2 - Not urgent and important
Quadrant 3 - Urgent and not important
Quadrant 4 - Not urgent and not important
An example of a quadrant 4 activity would be spending excessive time watching TV or playing Playstation.
A quadrant 3 might be answering a phone or checking your email inbox.
A quadrant 2 activity might be exercise - it's important, but you don't need to do it right now.
A quadrant 1 is also known as a problem. For example not having enough money to pay your rent, or missing a session that you had booked with a client.
The secret to managing your life and avoiding quadrant 1 (problems) is to put effective systems in place to manage quadrant 2. This may include booking systems, financial systems, personal health systems, client booking systems, heads-up time working on your business and so on. If you're short of time - check in on your quadrant 3 and 4 activities to see if you can free up any time for quadrant 2 activities.
At PT Plus we're big on systems. Systems PRECEDE growth. Making a bigger business without systems will create more chaos. Our best product to help you develop your business systems is Business Starter Pack. The last business starter pack for NZers and Queenslanders starts on November 20th. This is spread over 15 weeks and will allow you to create not only a profitable business, but a business with systems that is able to grow. There are 3 more places available for this course. Contact our office at newzealand@ptplus.com.au to have a chat to us about this programme.
Dave Liow
Everyone complains about not having enough time. In fact I can't remember talking to anyone who had too much time on their hands. Are you making the best use of your time?
One of the best solutions to time management that I've come across is by Stephen Covey in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. He categorises all activities that we do into 4 quadrants.
Quadrant 1 - Urgent and important
Quadrant 2 - Not urgent and important
Quadrant 3 - Urgent and not important
Quadrant 4 - Not urgent and not important
An example of a quadrant 4 activity would be spending excessive time watching TV or playing Playstation.
A quadrant 3 might be answering a phone or checking your email inbox.
A quadrant 2 activity might be exercise - it's important, but you don't need to do it right now.
A quadrant 1 is also known as a problem. For example not having enough money to pay your rent, or missing a session that you had booked with a client.
The secret to managing your life and avoiding quadrant 1 (problems) is to put effective systems in place to manage quadrant 2. This may include booking systems, financial systems, personal health systems, client booking systems, heads-up time working on your business and so on. If you're short of time - check in on your quadrant 3 and 4 activities to see if you can free up any time for quadrant 2 activities.
At PT Plus we're big on systems. Systems PRECEDE growth. Making a bigger business without systems will create more chaos. Our best product to help you develop your business systems is Business Starter Pack. The last business starter pack for NZers and Queenslanders starts on November 20th. This is spread over 15 weeks and will allow you to create not only a profitable business, but a business with systems that is able to grow. There are 3 more places available for this course. Contact our office at newzealand@ptplus.com.au to have a chat to us about this programme.
Dave Liow
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
a lesson from alcohol?
In my local neighbourhood recently I saw a hotel building that had been revamped ready for business again but there was no indication as to what the new venture would be. There were shopping trolleys out the front so I automatically presumed it would be a mini super market or something to that effect. 2 weeks later I saw it had opened as a discount liquor store outlet. The car park was full and a steady trickle of people were coming in and out with purchases.
What is my point? Why can a new shop instantly create a mild sense of hysteria selling something so destructive, yet a personal trainer, gym or fitness business not be able to have that mini hysteria effect? Obviously the sensation and release alcohol gives the user contributes, but exercise and activity can offer the same effects just not as instantaneously!
Has it occurred to you that the preparation of the liquor industry in terms of marketing has been great? You need to get your marketing planning to a great level so when you are up and running it doesn't take you years to build up a loyal following of raving fans. I know the liquor industry has loads of cash to spend on marketing and sponsorships but at the end of the day they can't force people to buy alcohol. People talk and rave about products if they like what you have to offer and it gets results.
You know your product will be a winner but do you know your business building efforts are also a winner to match. Getting strategies and systems in place early to set up a steady stream of leads is going to fast track and guarantee you success.
So what is stopping you planning to succeed in your PT business? Self belief, knowledge, money or fear of failure? Here are some simple steps to follow if you know you want success in the fitness and personal training world, but don't know where to start:
* Start investing in yourself and gaining any knowledge possible about specific fitness businesses and what the good ones are doing. Enroll in an audio course or go to a business lecture at a fitness event. You have done this step technically so why not do it in a business sense
* Start living the dream. Let yourself imagine freely and without restraint the wonderful life you will be leading with a fitness business that rocks and a lifestyle that is even more fulfilling
* I know it is a worn out cliche but I am going to use it anyway. Just do it. Take the knowledge and the dreams and place it in a rock solid foundation that can't ever be damaged unless you decide to rebuild
Back to the alcohol thing, don't think I am a wowser as I love a drink as much as the next person, in moderation of course. But the liquor industry has it happening and we need to declare war on them and make ours happen!
David Virgo
Something to think about and I would love to hear your views. Maybe I am way off the mark here and I don't mind being told so.
What is my point? Why can a new shop instantly create a mild sense of hysteria selling something so destructive, yet a personal trainer, gym or fitness business not be able to have that mini hysteria effect? Obviously the sensation and release alcohol gives the user contributes, but exercise and activity can offer the same effects just not as instantaneously!
Has it occurred to you that the preparation of the liquor industry in terms of marketing has been great? You need to get your marketing planning to a great level so when you are up and running it doesn't take you years to build up a loyal following of raving fans. I know the liquor industry has loads of cash to spend on marketing and sponsorships but at the end of the day they can't force people to buy alcohol. People talk and rave about products if they like what you have to offer and it gets results.
You know your product will be a winner but do you know your business building efforts are also a winner to match. Getting strategies and systems in place early to set up a steady stream of leads is going to fast track and guarantee you success.
So what is stopping you planning to succeed in your PT business? Self belief, knowledge, money or fear of failure? Here are some simple steps to follow if you know you want success in the fitness and personal training world, but don't know where to start:
* Start investing in yourself and gaining any knowledge possible about specific fitness businesses and what the good ones are doing. Enroll in an audio course or go to a business lecture at a fitness event. You have done this step technically so why not do it in a business sense
* Start living the dream. Let yourself imagine freely and without restraint the wonderful life you will be leading with a fitness business that rocks and a lifestyle that is even more fulfilling
* I know it is a worn out cliche but I am going to use it anyway. Just do it. Take the knowledge and the dreams and place it in a rock solid foundation that can't ever be damaged unless you decide to rebuild
Back to the alcohol thing, don't think I am a wowser as I love a drink as much as the next person, in moderation of course. But the liquor industry has it happening and we need to declare war on them and make ours happen!
David Virgo
Something to think about and I would love to hear your views. Maybe I am way off the mark here and I don't mind being told so.
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