The Greatest Marketing Strategies Ever

by Steve Epperson
(Las Cruces, New Mexico)

1. The Web Site

If you don't have a web site, you're going to die a slow death as a trainer. Do this now. Get on GoDaddy.com or maybe even Yahoo Business. Borrow about $150 bucks from your little sister. Start your account. Build your own website using templates. It's that easy. Both Godaddy and Yahoo have a feature that announces your web site to all the search engines. This alone is worth the price of admission!

2. Google Ad Words

Now that you have a web site, you need local people to see it. Do this now. Borrow your little sister's credit card and sign up for Gooogle Adwords (adwords.google.com). Follow the simple instructions. If you need more help, there are dozens of videos on youtube. Just make sure the author of the video is titled “Adwords.” This way, you’re not getting information from some guru trying to sell you something

3. The Gift Certificate

This is probably the absolute best tool in the personal trainer’s marketing box. You can print them yourself or hire it out to Vistaprint.com (my all-time favorite company). The best strategy I’ve used in the past is to send them to local businesses via snail mail. It’s not as cheap as sending an e-mail, but the rewards are a lot greater.

I once spent about $200 getting some gift certificates out to businesses within about a half a mile around my studio. One of those businesses was a chiropractor. He showed up at my door one day to sign his wife up for sessions. He then signed up his mother-in-law! Since then, he has been a constant referral source for over 6 years.

4. The Referral

You as a trainer or massage therapist are going to live and die by the referral. You must get them. The best way to do that is to ask. Say something like this while holding up a gift certificate:

“Hey Susan, who in your walking group may like to try two free sessions with me?”

Notice I didn’t say, “do you know of anyone who would like to try two free sessions?”

See the difference? Good, now get out there and ask for referrals.