Category: Blog

Here’s a marketing 101 mistake. Focusing the bulk of your time on mastering the art of your company’s services while spending very little time getting to know your audience. The result of this approach may bring forth a basket-full of good marketing materials with no specific audience to address. In marketing, a connection is vital. Without one, the project has neither beneficial use nor significant reach. It could be something as in depth as a live performance or as simple as offering a timely promotion, but if it doesn’t connect to the right audience the success is a guaranteed low mark result. So how do moms fit into this picture? Well, moms have a lot of say in the places they’ll send their children and most of that decision depends on the human connection a mother feels between a business. If a youth based facility or a facility with youth programs supports the following values in their marketing campaigns, they are sure to make a strong impact with mom.

Be Sincere

Remember, to create captivating content, you first must know the audience member you’re trying to reach. Mom’s value honesty. In their children, family and friends, so being an authentic voice will attract them to your business. A trustworthy connection with your audience should be an action of intention to create a sense of comfort for the mothers you are targeting. The most brilliant piece of writing material with compelling high quality photos won’t draw in moms if the content doesn’t have a concise and clear message.

Be Swift

Mom likes getting right to the point and they want that point to be short and sweet. The bolder, more straightforward the message, the better for mom because she has a lot of things to do. In fact, according to a Pew Research study, moms have less leisure times than dads, so is the length of your message is incredibly valuable. If you need recommendations of presentation length, a study from the Pew Research Center for Excellence in Journalism reports that the most popular videos online range from 2-5 minutes, so it’s best to keep presentations within that time frame. For example, we filmed a video featuring Wendi Bulkley, Director of Washington City Community Center, reviewing our Community Center Software at 3 minutes and 2 seconds. (Hi Wendi, if you’re reading!)

Be You and Be Brave About It

What makes your facility exclusive from say the public pool? Once you discover the specialty of your facility, make sure to carry that uniqueness into your project. For example, let’s say there’s a facility called Amazing Tigerjaw Climbing School for grades 5-8 and it’s all the rage with local children. A mother named Anna has two kids, one in fifth grade and another in seventh grade, who want to go, but Anna is hesitant. To assure mom’s like Anna, Amazing Tigerjaw shares their safety standards on both their website and social media, as well as photos and videos of their sessions in accordance to their safety standards to confirm a balance of fun and safety. To make sure Anna and all their current and potential clients see this,, Amazing Tigerjaw also places their safety policy on the front of their website and at the end of every email they send out with a handy Marketing Tool.

Although the example is fictional, a facility that showcases a strong awareness of safety will have a real impact on moms. It will make them feel both comfortable and satisfied, knowing their child will be safe while having fun! And you’ll be having fun as well because having a mom as a client is having a client who values your business and you!

Keep clients coming in during this busy time of year & entice new clients to choose your business for the New Year’s Resolution rush.
Continue reading “Marketing for the Holidays & New Year’s Rush” →

Read below to learn a few tips to avoid the biggest selling “bombs”:

1. Not understanding the value of what you’re selling.

The key thing to remember here is that you are providing a solution, not just a contract or training sessions.  Prospects come to your club because they have a problem. Whether it be they want to lose weight, tone up, or just develop a healthier lifestyle, they are looking to you to provide them a way to reach these goals.  Additionally, each prospect has different, unique fitness and health priorities and there is no real way to put a price tag on what they value. 

2. Thinking selling means you have to “sell your soul”

There are many cartoons that depict salesman as slimy, evil-eye browed villains in suits. This is not an accurate depiction.  You do not have to manipulate prospects to make a sale. 

Selling should be an inquisitive, educational experience. You need to get to know your client in order to sell them exactly what they need to reach their goals. As you begin to understand what your client is looking for and what they value, you can establish yourself as the best positioned person to help them achieve.  When you make a sale, don’t think of it as a number towards your bottom line, instead think of it as an opportunity to change someone’s life with your skills and knowledge.  

3. “Stealing” money.

We all spend money on products or services that bring us value. Your services bring value to your clients’ lives so never feel like you are tricking them into spending money on them.  The more you motivate your clients to stick to the program and drive results, the more likely they will commit to see the program all the way through and come back for future services and purchases. 

4. No repeatable sales system

You need a consistent, repeatable plan. Trust us, this will eliminate so much stress for you. Do not just wing it. I repeat DO NOT TRY TO WING IT. Professional athletes and successful business owners develop and follow repeatable processes to perform top notch. 

Here are a few steps to consider when overcoming selling “bombs”:

1. Qualifying Prospects 

I cannot stress enough how important this step is. It will save you SO much time in the long-run. Before you make a sale, you need to make sure the prospect is the key purchase decision maker and that they are aware of the price of your services and can afford them. Your time is valuable and you do not want to spend a dedicated amount of time on someone who is unqualified from the get-go. 

2. Building a Rapport

Get to know your prospects. Make casual conversation to ease any anxiety about communicating what they are looking to get out of your services. Not everyone who walks through your club doors are in shape and may be nervous about discussing their weight and measurement or allowing photos to be taken that they may find unflattering.  Ease their anxiety by showing them your club is a judgement-free zone and reassure them that you will do everything in your power to help them reach their fitness goals in an engaging and healthy way. 

3. Discovery Questions

There are three main questions to ask in the initial conversation with a prospect are 1) What are your goals? 2) Why do you place value on these particular goals 3) How much work are you willing to put in to reach these goals? (ask them to rate their motivation on a scale of 1-10). The last question is key in helping you develop a program that will bring results and will keep them engaged.

4. Identify Needs:

While there is more easily accessible information about health and nutrition out there thanks to the internet, most people are, in fact, not experts (no matter how much they believe they are). You need to make sure both of you are on the same page.  You may know what your client’s needs are such as getting more sleep, making better nutritional choices, etc, but they may come into this meeting with their own preconceived notions. Help them understand and identify their real needs in a positive, encouraging way. 

5. Diagnose the Problem

So, you’ve established your client’s needs, now it’s time to diagnose the problem.  A vast majority of the time, clients are having a hard time reaching their goals because( a) they don’t have a structured, sustainable program (b) they have chaotic schedules and need help fitting workouts and right nutrional choices into their normal routines and/or (c) they don’t have a network of support motivating them to reach their goals. You may need to do a little bit of hand-holding in the beginning to show them the right path.

6. Provide a Solution to the problem

There are a myriad of different ways to show clients the path to success. Choose the ways you know from experience will help this particular prospect. Share success stories from other clients and provide detailed explanation of the journey you set them on.

7. Close the Sale

Just like finding a solution, there are many different ways to close a sale. Provide the prospect with multiple options so they may choose the one that feels right. Giving only one course of action may seem restrictive and intimidating, especially to those who have never really followed a program before.

8. Handling Objections

Don’t get irritated when prospects show hesitation or offer objections about the program you have proposed. Remember, they may be nervous about trying something new and that they are unfamiliar with. Instead, let them communicate their concerns and never interrupt. Clients will appreciate that their concerns are heard and talking things out generally helps provide a mutual understanding and solution!

The key thing to take away from all of these “bombs” is that you need to be confident in your abilities, services and the value you are bringing to your clients’ lives. Forget all the negative connotations you’ve placed on money and sales and concentrate on providing the best possible solution to help your clients reach their goals. When you show that you are fully capable of providing solutions in a stress-free and judgement free environment, clients will respond genuinely to this and hold you in high regard. Think of all the lives you can change with your training and expertise! 

With all the hype about new, top-of-the-line fitness equipment it’s easy to overlook the value of free weights.
These durable, easy to use, versatile and conveniently portable gym staples still continue to be in high demand in clubs all over the world, and they are not going anywhere.
Perhaps the largest benefit of free weights is that they can be used by virtually anyone at any fitness level. Personal trainers, group class instructors, and athletes continue to incorporate this type of equipment into their programs. While these fitness gurus are interested in adding new equipment to their repertoire, they are also finding that using equipment that clients are already used to and then developing new variations in their use goes a long way in improving client engagement and longevity.
Instead of reinventing the wheel when it comes to portable, versatile equipment, the fitness industry is working to improve on what it already has. This has resulted in different forms of free weights made of different materials. Instead of cast-iron dumbbells and kettlebells (a new favorite in recent years) manufacturers are encasing this equipment with colored vinyl and rubber to improve grip and reduce the risk of injuries as well as damage to studio and facility floors.
A recent study indicated that there is an ever-increasing interest from club owners for commercial products that are made for high-volume use as well as versatility, meaning, this body-weight equipment can be used in conjunction with other types of programming such as cardio intervals, outdoor obstacles and races, and boot-camps.
The key takeaway here is that free weights are an ongoing trend and a great investment for clubs. They are durable, versatile, simple to use and essentially maintenance-free.

What is driving business and influencing every aspect of our daily lives? If you guessed technology, you are absolutely right. A more complicated question then is how exactly technology is doing this, and how businesses can further capitalize on its effect on consumer behavior.

The fact of the matter is, to keep ahead of the curve; businesses must incorporate technology into their operations. Here are a couple of key factors to consider in order to do this successfully.

1. Mobile has taken over.
Most purchasing decisions are done through easily portable mobile devices with access to high-speed internet. Today, consumers can order food, book tickets, bank, and arrange transport with a swipe or tap of a finger. In the realm of health and wellness, fitness tracking apps and virtual coaching have become all the rage. The main thing to take away from this rising trend is that convenience is key. This means businesses must have an easy to navigate interface for mobile devices to offer convenience and easy accessibility to clients.

2. Don’t think of apps as a threat to your business.
Instead, capitalize on this growing phenomenon. Yes, clients can access a variety of nutrition and coaching apps, however, fitness professionals can utilize these apps to build upon their existing programs and create a more personalized program that affects the client both in and outside the gym walls. An added benefit of this is there is still a human touch and point of contact along with providing a tech-based component for clients to use. Clients will respond more to an actual human that has a vested interest in helping them reach their goals than an app that simply processes an algorithm.

3. Self-Service is the future.
According to a recent study, the demand for self-service features has increased exponentially. Incorporating a self-service portal with the ability to allow clients to purchase products or services will go a long way in keeping your business relevant. Again, it’s all about convenience.

4. Social Media Presence is Crucial.
The preferred form of communication for most consumers is via text messaging and social media, which means your business needs to be present on all social media platforms and update it daily. We suggest creating a weekly schedule for posting on each platform, with content catered to the specific audience you are targeting. For example, Twitter, with its limited characters, is more effective with eye-catching images rather than a bunch of text. Social media, if used correctly, can be the most powerful marketing tool.

The bottom line is that you need to integrate technology into your business operations and marketing practices while still keeping that human touch. Adding convenience and personalized programming allows for a better experience for your clients and will keep your brand top-of-mind when consumers look to make purchasing decisions.

For fitness business owners the month of January could be your busiest time of the year… in fact, statistically, it should be.

We’ve all heard it over and over again, New Year’s resolutions, January rush, people wanting to do something about all the weight they’ve gained over the holidays. And sure, that all makes sense logically but does it translate into tangible results for your business?

● Do you get more web leads?

● Is your phone ringing?

● Are you generating more income?

● Does your active member/customer count increase?

The truth is that global search traffic for fitness spikes every January (and has consistently for the past 10 years)

As an Internet marketing professional who is focused on the fitness industry I pay very close attention to these statistics and make sure my clients’ traffic/leads directly correlates with Google’s trends.

Fortunately, when things are done right, we see a pretty close match. In the graphic below we see what I call the “New Year’s Resolution Rush”: a spike in traffic the first week in January.

Everybody knows that Google has the majority of search engine market share– which means if you’re a fitness business, and your website traffic or leads do not directly correlate with these spikes in fitness interest, you’re doing something wrong.

The truth is, as you are reading this article, people are searching online for your kinds of services. If you’re unaware of this or not seeing it in your leads you either have poor SEO, or poor website conversion. Either of which is costing you money.

Here’s 5 things I see fitness professionals doing on their websites that’s hurting their SEO and killing their January rush.

1. Inaccurate Page Titles: Choose wording that matches the content of your page. This may seem straightforward… but consider programs with unique branding e.g. “360 Kickboxing.” You may be tempted to name the page the title of the program but you shouldn’t. Why? Nobody searches the keywords “360 Kickboxing.” Instead you should name the page what the most common search phrase will be e.g. “Kickboxing Classes in [city name]. Then in the content of that page you can talk about 360 Kickboxing all you want. You will notice that the closer your title is to your audience’s search the more clicks you will receive. Use Google Trends to discover how people search – or just use common sense.

2. Talking About Yourself: Your website should have 1 goal in mind: generating interest and leads for your business. Imagine you’re on a first date… sure, your date wants to know about you but if you talk about yourself the whole time, it’s a turn off. The same thing is true for your website. In your website sales text you should clearly cover the following points immediately:

A. What kinds of people do you help?

B. What can people expect? e.g. What kinds of results can they achieve?

C. What do you want them to do?

Interested prospects do want to know about your business’s history and culture but one quick scan of your social media accounts will give them all the information they need about that. My advice is to ask someone unrelated to your business to look over your website and be honest about whether you talk about yourself too much.

3. Using Text Images You know…. the text that really is just an image? Like this:

Search engines can’t read the content of that picture so it does nothing for your SEO. Keep relevant text and links in HTML and instead design the format of your page to handle any fancy fonts/colors you want to include.

4. An Incomplete or Inaccurate Google My Business page: Google Maps, Google Places, they’re all the same things now: branded as “Google My Business.” As Google gives more and more prevalence to their mobile search results, Google my business will play an even bigger role. If you don’t have a Google My Business page, it’s free, and you should make one right now. If you do have one, check it, make sure it’s complete, and then ask your happy customers to leave some 5 star reviews!

5. You’re Not Mobile Friendly: I can’t emphasize the importance of this enough. With more than 60% of traffic coming from mobile devices, how you look on a mobile device is now more important than how you look on a desktop.

Additionally Google now penalizes your SEO if you’re not mobile friendly. It’s been years since mobile responsive technology came out. You no longer have an excuse to not be mobile friendly.

The Internet is full of tools to help determine your mobile compatibility. If you’re unsure about your own website, reach out to us, or find a tool online and do a quick scan.

If the above points sound like a bunch of nerdy tech jargon to you, don’t worry, you’re not alone. The majority of our fitness customers focus on what they do best: helping their clients achieve their fitness goals. Outsourcing your Internet marketing/ website/ SEO is quickly becoming your best time management decision for you.

BUT if the above points make sense you can implement them in your website to make sure you stay relevant across ALL search engines through 2016.

97 Display ONLY works in fitness industries, so your business is our expertise.We offer:

● Websites – beautiful template designs with SEO included

● Incredible customer support – dedicated Account Reps 24 hour request turnaround.

● Fast launch – only a 2 – 3 week build time

● Ongoing SEO & support to keep you relevant

● New designs and feature upgrades for free

It doesn’t matter how good of a trainer you are – if people can’t find you, then you WON’T get the kind of business you’re looking for. Make sure your website is fully optimized and ready for the rush at the start of the year and you’ll have tons of online leads pouring in with minimal effort.

About the Author:

Timothy Sarazen is the director of 97 Display and, along with his team, manages hundreds of websites & Internet marketing campaigns for fitness businesses. 97 Display fitness websites are a collaboration of web traffic data & global A/B testing to help fitness professionals stay relevant and generate new leads for their businesses online. Timothy works with businesses like Roufusport, Net Profit Explosion, NESTA & Hyper Martial Arts to create website solutions for their customer base. 97 Display is a certified Google partner located in Winston- Salem, North Carolina. Learn more tips for improving your website performance at www.97display.com! Authored By: Timothy Sarazen – Director of Operations at 97 Display. 97 Display Creates Websites & Lead Generating Campaigns for Fitness Business. Learn if 97 Display can help your fitness website! Visit www.97display.com.