I was just looking out my office window at an amazing view. I want you to see it, so I clicked a couple quick shots of the winter wonderland in my back yard.

View from my deck. Raleigh is a winter wonderland...for a few days.

It wasn’t too long ago that I lived in a tiny rented apartment in a not-so-nice neighborhood. Now I own multiple homes, drive a brand new luxury sports car and have this amazing view. All because of a choice I made. A simple decision.

20 yards from my deck. This is my backyard. I'm grateful for the choice I made.

Everything you want is within your reach. All it takes is the decision to grab it. This Secrets To Their Success 2.0 video report shows you how.  And it’s completely free.

Sean, Camelia, Dick and I are all 100% committed to supporting you and helping you create the life you want. I think you know that. I think you trust us, and that’s something we never take for granted.

- – - – - -

For 9 years I jumped from job to job and opportunity to opportunity always looking for greener grass.

I wasn’t what you’d call a ‘quick study.’

I’d walk down the same street and fall into the same ditch time and time again.  And it got to the point where I was kinda ashamed of my spotty track record.

I was the type of guy who had to learn the hard way by making lots of mistakes.

And it was the repeated frustration of failure and the pain it caused that finally got me to focus.

Lucky for me, the pain became unbearable at the same time I discovered a story about some guys who were a lot like me, but found a profit path that worked for them.

So I focused on modeling what they were doing.

And that choice – that simple decision – changed my life almost overnight.

I didn’t make a killing overnight, but I finally got some positive results, and combined with my new determination to focus, that was enough for me to see it through.

In less than a year I basically doubled my income.

Two years later I had a thriving, highly profitable business.

Five years after that, we leaped to multiple seven figures.

There was no magic to it.

It all happened because of a choice.

I chose to focus. And I chose to model success and stop trying to be a maverick.

Because real success is built on timeless PRINCIPLES, not phony-baloney tricks.

There are 12 timeless principles to succeeding at a very high level in the fitness business.

Here they are:

1. Why the Boats Must Burn
2. FLOW…or fizzle!
3. “SELLALOT”
4. Smokin’ Bodies
5. Jekyll and Hyde
6. NORM!
7. You, A Freak?
8. The Sniper
9. Mrs. Anderson
10. Hot Feet! (ouch)
11. A Gift From The Orient
12. The Next Question
13. Plus…Your Evolution Accelerator

Each of these principles is described in detail in the all-new Secrets To Their Success 2.0 special video report we’ve just released.

And each principle is supported by case studies from your fitness business peers (studio/facility owners, boot camp/group training operators, and independent personal trainers).

The case studies PROVE the principles.

I want you to see this report, because it was something almost identical to this that changed my life.

This is a way for me to pay it forward.

See the report here.

It’ll be the most productive and profitable thing you do this weekend. I promise you that.

Principles rule!

Eric

VIP Member and Houston Fitness Expert Shana Ross was our NPE Member of the Year for 2008. She’s also one of the most fun people you’ll ever meet.

And she knows leverage.

She started with us about 3 years ago with just an idea and the passion to turn it into reality.

In less than 2 years, Shana became our Member of the Year (she passes the tiara to Tony in this video)

Now Shana’s further expanded her studio to accommodate the new client demand, and added boot camp.

From zero to big time in 3 years.

How’d she do it?

Watch her video and she’ll tell you. (Plus, it’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face.)

Here’s another personal trainer marketing post you may enjoy.

NPE Member of the year Tony Maslan sent in pictures after picking up his new ride, the Nissan Z screamer!

Congratulations to NPE Member of the Year Tony Maslan, who sent in some photos after picking up his new Nissan Z. Tony has a lot to celebrate… cranking business, new house this year (in background), great family, and now a new Nissan Z to complete the package. Well done Tony!

Here’s another health club marketing post you may enjoy.

I mentioned in my post yesterday that we’re launching PUSHUPS FOR CHARITY™ to our entire list very soon, Monday to be exact.

We announced PUSHUPS FOR CHARITY™ at October’s MEGA TRAINING and opened the program up to Founding Partners.

Most of the Founding Partner spots were snatched up then, but there are still some available.

The remaining spots will be made available this Monday.

There’s an Early Bird list you can sign up for here.

What Is PUSHUPS FOR CHARITY™?

>> PUC is a very BIG idea that’s simultaneously very simple (which makes is easy to understand and therefore powerful).

>> PUC is a viral lead generation system for you that grows and grows organically.

PUSHUPS FOR CHARITY™ Partners With Make-A-Wish Foundation

>> PUC is a very significant charitable fund raiser (we’ve partnered with MAKE-A-WISH). You get the credit for raising the funds, and all the goodwill associated with that.

>> PUC is a straightforward LOCAL marketing campaign that’s simple for you to implement.

>> PUC is a NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL marketing campaign (that NPE implements).

>> PUC is a community involvement event.

>> PUC is a fitness challenge.

>> PUC is a HUGE publicity-generator.

>> PUC is a partnership with us. We are leveraging all our marketing expertise and assets to make this the biggest ongoing, grassroots, small business fund raising campaign…ever.

>> PUC is NOT a one-shot deal. This is something we’ll be throwing significant resources behind in order to make it substantial, and grow it larger and larger over time.

There’s much, much more to PUSHUPS FOR CHARITY™ and I’ll share all the details with you on Monday.

But we have a REAL limit to the PUSHUPS FOR CHARITY™ Founding Partner positions available.

That’s not a marketing gimmick – it’s legit.

So, if you see yourself as a very serious fitness business owner who recognizes the value of positioning yourself as one of the “good guys/gals”…

If you appreciate the philosophy of “giving to get”…

If you want (and are ready to capitalize on) major-league new, local lead flow…

And if you want to partner with the leading fitness marketing company in the industry and let us help and guide you to rapid growth…

Then I encourage you to register for the Early Bird list here.

Sincerely,

Eric Ruth

P.S. I have never been more excited about a new program. This is something all of us at NPE are very passionate about. We have major goals for PUSHUPS FOR CHARITY™ and we will be achieving them. This is a turbo-charged bus, but seating is limited. And as you’ll see, the benefits of getting a seat on the bus as a Founding Partner are absolutely huge compared to the small (tiny) investment to partner with us. The best way to get your seat on the bus is going here now.

Here’s another health club marketing post you may enjoy.

I want to show you a video. It’s short, and I’ll even point out the exact spots in the video to pay CLOSE attention to (the ones where the BIG secrets are revealed).

This is a video of last night’s Bill O’Reilly interview with former CNN anchorman Lou Dobbs about why he resigned from CNN.

And it contains one of the most important client-attraction marketing secrets…ever.

Like him or not, Bill O’Reilly is the single most successful cable TV personality in history.

His show on Fox has been #1 for 108 consecutive months – a staggering achievement on TV today. His market share is greater than all his competitors…combined.

So even if you disagree with him ideologically, it would be silly of you to ignore the lessons you can learn from this man. He’s undeniably demonstrated that he knows how to attract and keep an audience, and sell to them: both is point of view and his books and other products.

Watch this short video (the good stuff all occurs within the first 4.5 minutes).

Pay particular attention to these points in the interview:

Minute 1:20

Minute 2:50

Minute 3:20 (the most important bit)

Minute 4:00

Minute 4:24

After you watch, I’ll discuss these points below after you watch the video (you can stop it after 5 minutes)

Bill O’Reilly Interviews Lou Dobbs

The important points:

1:20 Dobbs talks about opinion/advocacy journalism

2:50 “Objective presentation”

3:20 “EVERY SHOW THAT DOESN’T HAVE AN OPINION IS DYING!”

4:00 “Opinion is what works”

4:24 “…move towards a purely neutral presentation”

The biggest mistake you can make in your communications with your “house list” sphere of influence is doing a “purely neutral presentation” of fitness and nutrition.

If you’re not giving your OPINION and infusing that opinion with passion, hard core advocacy and personality and take-no-prisoners, absolute BELIEF in what you say and that your way is THE WAY, then there is no good reason for people to listen.

Because then you’re just another “reporter.”

How we passionately promote our opinion to you

Sean, Dick, Camelia and I would never be characterized as “shrinking violets”.

We have strong opinions, based in fact and proven principles, that we are not shy about sharing and advocating strongly.

Opinions like:

>> Comfort makes cowards of us all

>> If you’re not growing, you’re dying

>> Timid salesmen have skinny kids

>> The only “magic bullet” is divesified, integrated and mostly automated fitness marketing, i.e. I-AM RAINMAKER

>> Don’t be a slave to your fitness business: strong management with a clear vision, organizational chart, and chain of command is the path to freedom

>> Systems, Systems, Systems

>> Don’t chase gimmicks, fads and get rich quick B.S. Focus on your CORE business: getting and keeping clients, maximizing their lifetime value

>> Integrity, honesty, commitment, hard work and personal responsibility – you are exactly where you want to be. If you don’t like where you are, it’s almost certainly because of a breakdown with one of these

>> Give to get – to make your clients valuable to you, you must give them maximum value FIRST

In the next few days, we’ll be introducing you to the biggest and most significant opportunity to GIVE TO GET that you have ever been exposed to. It can revolutionize your fitness business and bring you more eager, local, motivated and predisposed fitness leads…FOR FREE…than anything you’ve ever done, and more than any paid advertising could ever produce.

You are going to be given the opportunity to be part of something that is destined to become possibly the most significant “grassroots” fitness movement in history…part of something that can fundamentally and forever position you as the most influential and in-demand fitness business owner in your city…and help more people become fitness fanatics…while helping children with life-threatening illness at the same time.

COMING SOON: PUSHUPS FOR CHARITY™

Stay tuned…

Eric

Here’s another personal trainer marketing post you may enjoy.

Cover Letter of Tony's MOY Packet

Here’s the story…

Tony Maslan, our new NPE Member of the Year for 2009, has agreed to include his AMAZING handouts from his NPE Member of the Year contest presentation in the package of Member of the Year case studies you can now get for just a tiny $25 donation to The Wounded Warrior Project.

Tony’s handouts are titled…

“How I Signed Up 121 Personal Training Clients In 90 Days…And How You Can Too!”

And this is how he (not me) describes what’s included on the cover page of his packet:

“I am very excited and honored to be a part of the NPE Member of the Year competition. The NPE Program has enabled me to grow my business at a rate I never imagined possible. The tools and strategies they teach have helped me develop from being a personal trainer who owns a business, into a true business owner.

“As I was preparing my presentation for this contest, I wondered how I could deliver the most value to you, my audience, with what I have to say.  I always enjoy hearing stories of other fitness professionals’ achievements. It motivates me and and helps me “keep the faith” when I get frustrated trying to run my business.  I also know that I really appreciate the benefit of seeing actual marketing tools used by these people to achieve their success.

“That’s why I’ve created this packet for you. I’ve included some of the exact emails, letters and print ads that I use to market my business.  You’ll notice that none of them are fancy, but they are all very effective. In fact they are a big part of the reason I was able to sign up 121 clients in just 90 days…”

Here’s what you get in Tony’s packet (for just a $25 donation to Wounded Warrior):

1. His “Fitness Stimulus Package” letter that produced dozens of new clients.

2. His “Celebrate Your Freedom” letter that produced another couple dozen new clients.

3. His amazing “gift card” that people redeem like crazy.

4. The simple half page “kickstart” advertisement that’s generated over $250,000 (two hundred and fifty thousand dollars) in sales to date…and it still pulls like a freight train (this ad, alone, is easily valued at $1,000).

5. His “for the next 24 hours…” email that produced 11 new clients and $8,000 in sales…in 24 hours…with email!

6. His “bring a friend” flyer that flooded him with 13 new clients over a 2-week period.

7. His “healthy holiday” email that generated $6,000 in new client business (with a $97 offer) in 30 days (perfect for use by you in Nov/Dec).

8. Six critical “take-away” lessons from Tony about why his campaigns work so well…one of which I’ll give you right now because it’s VITAL!!!  You’ve gotta have a KILLER OFFER – and nobody does offers better than Tony.

Why is Tony giving all this away for free?

Two reasons:

1. Tony is a selfless, generous guy. He’s one of the most active contributors to our NPE forums and is always looking for ways to help and give back to his fellow fitness professionals.  A HUGE lesson right there.

2. Tony is a former Marine who served in Iraq and he wants to help us raise as much money as possible for The Wounded Warrior Project.

Here’s How This Works

We have assembled ALL SEVEN NPE Member of the Year Finalists contest presentation packets into a nice little package for you.  So you don’t just get Tony’s stuff, you also get everyone else’s presentation packets.

Collectively, this is a package of material worth thousands of dollars.

But you get it all for just a small $25 donation to The Wounded Warrior Project.

Last year we did this and raised $4,000 from you guys, which we then matched, and made a total donation of $8,000 to Wounded Warrior.

We want to do the same thing this year.

So, just make your donation of $25 here and you’ll get instant access to the entire Member of the Year Package.

We’ll total up all the donations, combine them with the money we raised at Mega Training, and report the total to you (so we go on record).

Then we (NPE) will match the total amount you guys donate, and send one big check to The Wounded Warrior Project by the end of the year.

Just keep your receipt for this transaction and you can use it as a tax deductible donation on your ‘09 taxes.

$25 bucks, tax deductible AND you get seven of Tony’s best fitness marketing tools PLUS the presentation packets from the other six finalists!

Make your $25 donation and get this amazing package here.

But do it NOW! This opportunity will be gone very soon.

Thanks for your support of the Wounded Warrior Project, and thanks for being part of the NPE family.

Sincerely,
Eric, Sean, Camelia, Dick, Christina, Jyl and Vickie

Here’s another health club marketing post you may enjoy.

NOTE: If you don’t see the livestream screen already loaded in your browser right above here, just click the link to install the flash player – it’s a tiny file that just takes 10 seconds to install. You probably already have the flash player installed on your computer, so you won’t need to do anything except watch the show, but if not, hit the link for a quick install.

THREE BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. Your Vote Counts! Please be sure to post your vote for NPE Member of the Year in the comments section of the blog below. Just type in the name of who you liked best and any other comments you want to make. All votes will be counted along with the votes from everyone here at Mega Training to determine the big winner who gets to drive home in the brand spanking new 2010 Nissan 370Z!

2. DVDs from Mega Training are available at PRE-PRODUCTION PRICE of just $197, but only for the next 48 hours. You get all 3 days of Mega Training, all 21 presenters including Juan Carlos Santana, John DuCane, James Fitzgerald, 9 Fitness Business Owners delivering amazing case studies, each on a specific tactic that’s working like crazy for them, plus 9 other speakers including Sean and me with never before revealed strategies and tools…plus all the NPE Member of the Year presentations! It’s a total of over 30 hours of powerful, fitness business exploding content! To order yours now for only $197, just click here now (48 hours only).

3. The MEGA TRAINING SALE IS ON! Save 30% off of all our best-in-class, lead-the-field products like AUTO-CLOSER, DEEP CORE, DUPLICATOR, GOLD RUSH, Platform Selling Toolkit, Physicians Referral System and many, many more…but ONLY FOR 48 HOURS!  You save 30% off the regular price right now by clicking here!

Just pick the products you want from our Web Store, add them to the shoppingcart and watch 30% of  the price get slashed right off!  You’ll see the mega savings reflected right in the shoppingcart.  Go here to visit the webstore before the sale ends in 48 hours.

UPDATE #2 FROM MEGA TRAINING:

I wish you could have seen Juan Carlos Santana on stage at MEGA TRAINING this morning.

It was like a triple espresso mainline injection of energy.

And his entire presentation was based on how to sell people what they really, desperately want.

I was riveted, and told JC that afterwards.

If your client base is primarily busy women and men age 35+, JC just revealed THE secret to selling more to them.

And it’s definitely not what you think.

Then Sean hit the stage to demonstrate one of the most revolutionary new productivity and management tools (brand, spanking new, never revealed before today) for fitness business owners.

Right now there are 4 more case study presenters – fitness business owners just like you who are doing extraordinary things to crank their businesses to new, higher levels…and they’re sharing exactly how they’re doing it.

Just great stuff that’s really exciting.

But the main reason I’m writing to you now is to remind you about the Member of the Year Contest that we’re streaming LIVE to you tonight at 7:45 pm Eastern Time.

If you want inspirational, motivational information with nuts-and-bolts instruction from 7 different highly successful fit-pros…you’ll get it tonight.

1.5 hours of great entertainment AND hard core lessons, tactics, tips and strategies are on tap for you this evening.

Watch it all LIVE right here on the blog beginning at 7:45pm, first contestant goes on at 8pm.

And be sure to please VOTE for the person you believe should win the 2010 Nissan 370Z!

Here are their names, in no particular order:

– Jeff Tomaszewski, Overload Fitness, Westlake, OH

– Tony Maslan, Custom Fit Personal Training, Evansville, IN

– Monica Johnson, No Excuses Fitness Training, Inc, Charlotte, NC

– Nathan Nowak, Trinity Fitness, Atlanta, GA *NOTE: Nathan will have his “right-hand gal” presenting for him tonight, he couldn’t be here for personal reasons.

– Dave Fannin, The Body Firm, Hurst, TX

– Mike Stare, Spectrum Fitness Consulting, Beverly, MA

– Randy Hartz, Tryon Gym, Sioux Falls, SD

Thanks for watching – you’re going to learn a lot and be totally INSPIRED to rock it out with your fitness business after hearing from these folks.  And thanks for voting in the comments section of the blog below.

Enjoy the show,
Eric

P.S. Remember, your vote COUNTS. Please be sure to post your vote for NPE Member of the Year in the comments section of the blog below (just click the link below that says “Add Your Comment”).

Here’s another personal trainer marketing post you may enjoy.

One of these fitness professionals will be driving away in this car!

We received 17 amazing stories for our NPE Member of the Year Contest.

And I mean A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

They were all so strong, it was brutal trying to cut the list down to just 5 finalists who will compete for the Nissan 370Z at Mega Training October 16-18.

So brutal, in fact, that we couldn’t do it.

So now we have 7 finalists instead of 5.

And their stories of personal and professional victory, even in the face of one of the most challenging years for the economy in a long time, are inspirational to say the least.

And HUGELY instructional.

You’ll get to see and hear from all 7 finalists live and in-person if you’re attending Mega Training, or via live, streaming video if you’re not.

And I promise you don’t want to miss a minute.

Plus, it’s YOUR vote that counts.  You will decide our Member of the Year.

Before I tell you who the 7 finalists are, I want to first congratulate and thank all 17 NPE Members who entered the contest.

On behalf of all of us here: Sean, Dick, Camelia, Christina, Jyl and me – we’re really blown away by all of you!  And you all have so much to be proud of.

We’ll be sharing all 17 stories over the coming months, but for now it’s time to focus on the 7 finalists.

Here they are, in no particular order.

FINALISTS FOR NPE MEMBER OF THE YEAR

– Jeff Tomaszewski, Overload Fitness, Westlake, OH

– Tony Maslan, Custom Fit Personal Training, Evansville, IN

– Monica Johnson, No Excuses Fitness Training, Inc, Charlotte, NC

– Nathan Nowak, Trinity Fitness, Atlanta, GA

– Dave Fannin, The Body Firm, Hurst, TX

– Mike Stare, Spectrum Fitness Consulting, Beverly, MA

– Randy Hartz, Tryon Gym, Sioux Falls, SD

All of you need to bring your “A” game to Mega Training if you want to drive away in the 370Z!

And we can’t wait to see you battle it out on stage.

Again, CONGRATULATIONS to all the entrants. You rock!

Eric Ruth

P.S. If you’re not running internal contests to bring out the best in your clients, and external contests and challenges to generate leads, major buzz and a steady stream of new clients, you’re missing out on one of the most productive marketing activities you can do.

Find out how to run contests and challenges the RIGHT way (and for just $47) here:

http://www.FitnessChallengeSecrets.com

Here’s another personal trainer marketing post you may enjoy.

Here’s a couple questions that are worth your time to answer…

What are your core values, and what do you really want?

Are you a true fitness professional who wants to directly impact others’ lives and help them be better?

Are you an aspiring fitness info-marketer?

Are you an opportunist seeking the path of least resistance?

Are you an entrepreneur who enjoys the challenge/risk/reward of business?

Or are you a hybrid of some/all those things?

To accelerate the achievement of your goals, you need to determine what they are based on your core values, what you really want, and what you’re prepared to sacrifice.

That last bit just may be the most important qualifier.

There is almost always a give and take, a quid-pro-quo in life.

I’m not saying you can’t have it all, I’m just saying you probably can’t have it all…right now.

So you’ve got to figure out who you really are…and what you really want…right now.

Because the BIG secret to success is focus.

A focused mind is the most powerful force.

But an unfocused mind is a dream-killer.

Only you REALLY know what you want. Nobody else can tell you that.

If you’re clear that right now you want to focus on building a highly successful, highly profitable local fitness business that provides outstanding service and becomes the talk of the town…

And if you’re willing to make the sacrifice of focusing on that goal exclusively for the next 12-24 months…

Then come to Mega Training in October and immerse yourself in that environment, with like-minded fit biz owners who are ready, willing and able to give you all the support, inspiration and guidance you need to create that reality.

At Mega Training you won’t get 1,001 different “muney-making ideas”, you won’t get “fitness info-riches”, and you won’t get exercise protocols.

You’ll get just one thing:

The most intensive fitness business-building experience of your life.

Focused, on-point instruction in the business of fitness – getting clients, retaining clients, leveraging relationships, managing your business for maximum profits and maximum quality of life.

If you want immersion in those things – the right things – then come join us for Mega Training October 16-18 in Orlando.

http://www.NPEMegaTraining.com

If you want something else, don’t.

See you in Orlando,

Eric Ruth

P.S. This Friday, September 25th is the discount deadline. Price goes up after that. Register today, right here:
http://www.NPEMegaTraining.com

Here’s another personal trainer marketing post you may enjoy.

We received a bunch of heart-felt, passionate posts to the blog for the “full ride” Mega Training Scholarship contest.

They were all really good, which made our job selecting a winner really hard.

But a decision had to be made, and the winner is…

Jeremy Gritton of Gritton’s Training System

This is how Jeremy started his post (an excellent intro that shows his marketing savvy)…

“I want to briefly show you how NPE took an, over-worked, stressed, exhausted, guilty father and husband to an up and coming quickly growing fitness expert in less than 9 months time. Someone who quit his job, after nearly a decade, only because of his “trust” in NPE.”

You can read the rest of it here.

From all of us here at NPE, CONGRATULATIONS JEREMY!

You get the full ride NPE Mega Training scholarship including tickets to the event and 3 nights at the hotel on us.

Now for the two runner’s up who win 2 nights at the hotel on us.

Runner-up #1 is…

Monica Johnson of No Excuses Fitness Training

Read Monica’s post and see everything this dynamo is doing to build her biz. It’s impressive and inspirational.

And Runner -up #2 are…

Jeff and Vern Gauthier of Fit For You Health Club

These two guys really “live” fitness. In fact, if you read their post you’ll see that’s pretty much all they did. Their business was their life for years and years and years. Then they got involved with NPE and quickly started to turn things around and re-claim their lives while growing their biz geometrically.

Their story, like Jeremy’s and Monica’s, is inspirational to say the least.

So we’re really glad to be able to extend some nice gifts to Jeremy, Monica, Jeff and Vern.

And we only wish we could do the same for everyone who participated, because it was tough choosing winners.  Everybody’s story is unique and special and we really appreciate the participation and sharing we got from all of you. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Eric Ruth

P.S. If you haven’t registered for Mega Training yet, don’t put it off any longer. Friday’s the discount deadline, and if you can’t extract a minimum of 100 grand in value from this event, we’ll have to check your pulse. Seriously.

This event will be off the hook, and we want you there!

Register today right here:

http://www.NPEMegaTraining.com

P.P.S. Jeremy, Monica, Jeff and Vern, be sure to send us an email or call the office at 1-888-866-4998 to get the details on claiming your gifts.

And once again, to all of you who participated, thanks for sharing your stories.

Here’s another fitness marketing post you may enjoy.