So I recently became a member of Massage Envy – and now I’m addicted.

I want to tell you a little about them because there’s opportunity for you to cross promote your fitness services if you have a Massage Envy (or other established massage therapy service) in your area.

I finally got off my butt a couple months ago and started working out seriously again. But at age 45, my body doesn’t respond the way it used to.

Muscles get more sore and recovery takes longer. That’s what prompted me to sign up with Massage Envy.

You’ve probably heard of them – they have almost 700 franchised locations in 43 states – and they appear to be a well-run organization (although because it’s a franchise, there’s going to be some dogs).

I just had another massage this morning and discovered from my therapist that the location I use here in Raleigh employs 30 therapists who are all kept busy.

So their client base must be fairly substantial – which means potential opportunity for you.

Here’s how I suggest you attack this:

First of all, they have a problem (at least my location does). There is no relationship with me being developed by the owner. My relationship is with my therapist…who is AWESOME. If she told me tomorrow that she was off to start her own massage biz, I’d go with her. That’s not good for Massage Envy, but that’s not my problem.

That problem could easily be solved through…yes, you guessed it…effective internal marketing.

A simple LETTER from the owner (not an email, not a text, not a phone call…a PERSONAL letter) thanking me for joining and introducing him/herself to me, telling me her STORY (e.g. why she got into massage, about her family, dogs, whatever) so as to BOND with me, would go a LONG, LONG way.

And, if she were to include a nice gift that tangibly demonstrates her appreciation for my membership, that would serve to further cement the bond. Why? Because it sets up one of Cialdini’s influence triggers: RECIPROCITY (from the great, must read marketing book “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion).

Okay, now that you understand the problem, here’s the solution:

Approach the owner of your local Massage Envy with a template of the letter I just described above ALREADY WRITTEN.

Discuss the problem with him/her from a position of authority (you are a marketing expert by comparison, I assure you).

Show her the letter, which of course, would include a great gift from you.

The gift to her Massage Envy clients could be one of those $100 plastic gift cards that can be used towards the purchase of your services, or it could include a nice looking gift certificate instead of the card.

Tell her that you are willing to do this because there is great synergy between your services. But also make this critical point…

PEOPLE WHO EXERCISE REGULARLY WILL GET MORE MASSAGES!

Particularly old farts like me who get sore easily and feel like we need a nap after working out.

Then comes the icing on the cake…

Let her know that you would be willing to do the same for her by promoting her services to your clients.

It’s a very clear, easy to understand cross-promotion where you both win, her clients win, and your clients win.

There you have it!

Two more things…

- Massage Envy does a nice job of presenting their brand as upscale, so you will want the letter you write to be “professional” looking. I suggest you grab their logo image off their site and put it at the top of the letter, which you should print on nice looking stationery (I like the resume paper). You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.

- Get the Massage Envy owner to pay for the printing and mailing, you just supply the plastic cards (or have her print gift certificates). Remember, she NEEDS to be communicating to her clients to develop relationship – to put a “fence around her herd.”

Be a consistent fitness marketing maniac,
Eric

P.S. Have you requested your no-obligation VIP Info Pack yet? If not, do so now before your area is taken by one of your competitors. You can get it here.

Don’t miss your chance to grab your free, no-obligation VIP Info Pack here.

VIP is our highlest level of NPE Membership, absolutely LOADED with all of our top systems, tools and coaching. And our VIPs are absolutely killing it. See their results here.

Here’s a fantastic fitness marketing video from former NPE Member of the Year finalist and boot camp VIP, Randy Hartz.

Randy’s boot camp exploded from 24 to 106 clients (440% growth) in 8 months from September 2010 to April 2011

His gross sales more than tripled from 12K to almost 40K, and his NET profit jumped to a juicy $15,000 per month!

Watch and learn how he did it using fitness challenges and contests in this outstanding fitness marketing video presentation.

Plus Randy’s earning over 5K NET in supplement sales.

He breaks down the exact results from his Body Balance Challenge promotions (3 of them), showing you how his gross sales ramped up each time.

And Randy reveals all his fitness business numbers, and shares best practices with you (including lots of neat ideas for relationship building…and how his challenge competitors come to him PRE-SOLD).

Don’t miss your chance to grab your free, no-obligation VIP Info Pack here.

VIP is our highlest level of Membership, absolutely LOADED with all of our top systems, tools and coaching. And our VIPs are absolutely killing it. See their results here.

We’re celebrating our Independence Day (July 4th) here in the US this weekend, so lots of festivities and little work for us right now.

But I did want to break away and share a NEW video with you we just posted:

Freedom and Independence are BIG values in our book over here.

And I’m honored we’ve been able to play a role in helping so many folks experience much MORE of it in both their business and personal lives.

This is a really cool video that speaks to both those themes.

VIP Membership is Now Open

We’ve now reopened VIP Membership for a limited time and info-packs are flying out the door.

If you haven’t requested yours yet, then fill out the form here and we’ll get yours out in the mail to you today.

This is THE place where all the top fitness business owners come to grow.

Whether you’re a studio/facility owner, Crossfit affiliate, boot camp, or Gym… this is where it’s at for PROVEN systems and tools that put you on the profit path.

Click here to request a VIP Info-Pack and get all the details on this program

To your success,
Sean

P.S. You know once upon a time, on July 4th in 1776 a group of gentlemen signed a letter, sent it off to the King of England,  and CLAIMED the freedom and independence that they decided was rightfully theirs.

And that’s how America was born.

What are YOU waiting for in “making the decision” to claim YOUR freedom and independence?

In the fitness industry one thing we can say for certain is that a great coach changes lives.

Yeah, it takes two to tango, so client compliance is critical.

But a great coach finds a way to influence, motivate and hold the client’s feet to the fire so results are achieved.

A great coach INVESTS in the relationship with the client just as much, if not more so than the client invests in the coach.

Because a great coach cares about the client as an individual.

If you’re a great fitness coach, you understand what I’m saying.

Here at NPE, we’re blessed to have the two best fitness business coaches in the world.

Sean Greeley and Camelia Herndon.

You already know about Sean, but Camelia sometimes “flies under the radar”.

Unless you’re a VIP.

Camelia Herndon, Fitness Business Coach of the Year, with Eric Ruth at MEGA TRAINING 2010

Last year at MEGA TRAINING, our VIPs awarded Camelia Coach of the Year.

Four of our VIPs, led by Vaughn Bethell, picked up Camelia’s chair with her in it, and carried her – Cleopatra style – to the MEGA TRAINING stage while the crowd roared with approval.

Then I read a poem I wrote for her (it’s below).

One thing is for certain, Camelia is loved, appreciated and respected by our VIPs (and by all of us who work with her).

Because Camelia truly “goes the extra mile” to help all our VIPs get off to an explosively fast start – on the RIGHT path – and then guide them all the way to the top.

The incredible success of NPE VIPs is proof that Camelia delivers results and changes lives.

And here’s a fact you may not know: before joining NPE, Camelia was a SEVEN-figure fitness business owner. Yes, 7-figures. So she’s “been there, done that.”

If you want to be coached by the best, by someone who’s already climbed the mountain you want to climb, who truly cares about you and is as invested in your success as you are, then Camelia’s the one.

Grab your no-obligation VIP Info-Pack to learn more about working closely with Camelia and our entire team so THIS YEAR becomes your breakout year…THE year you get your fitness business “dialed-in” and humming along, producing clients and profits just like the hundreds of other VIPs.

Get your VIP Info-Pack here.

Great coaching changes lives,
Eric

P.S. Here’s the poem I wrote for Camelia and read to her on stage at last year’s MEGA TRAINING event:

This is a little poem for our minivan driving soccer mom, superstar fitness business coach, Camelia Herndon.

There once was a woman from Connecticut,
She has grace, intelligence and etiquette (hey, you try rhyming with Connecticut)
She’s stronger than most men,
By a factor of ten,
But you’ll never hear her brag, not even a little bit.

But the quality that means the most,
If I may be so bold…
Is that Camelia, more than anything else,
Has a big, beautiful heart of gold.

Camelia, you’re simply the best. Thank you for all you do.

P.P.S. To all of our U.S.A. subscribers and clients…HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY! Have a great 4th of July!

Now go get your VIP Info-Pack here.

This past weekend we held our first annual VIP Spring Training event.  We invited all of our VIP’s to come together for a weekend of networking, workshops and top notch information.

The event was attended by over 80 of our top VIP clients and was a huge success.

As I wandered through the weekend listening to everyone talk and network with each other, it became apparent to me that one of the underlying struggles with many of our business owners is staffing.

Finding and retaining great quality people.

Coincidentally, later that weekend as I was waiting for the 6 inch nail to be taken out of my tire (yes, that’s the second one in 6 months – I think Orlando has a tire company conspiracy where they lay nails down on the road – but that’s another story), I came across an article in June 2011 issue of Inc. Magazine entitled “Core Values – The crucial element in well-run companies?  Leaders who know what they believe in”.

It’s an excellent article and one I highly recommend reading.

The main focus of the article is the importance of establishing core values and living by them – not only yourself, but the staff you surround yourself with.

It’s always important to consider the character of people you bring into your culture…some will fit, some won’t.  Your mission is to create an environment that allows those that do fit your culture and do choose to work with you succeed.

One of the first lessons we go through with any of our NPE clients is to establish your core values, mission and vision.

It’s the foundation of your business.

It’s what drives you – and should as a result, drive those that you surround yourself with.

Core values are the underlying factors to building a strong business base – not only in what you believe, but what you instill in your staff.

The article highlights a company I know you all are familiar with – TRX.  TRX’s founder, Randy Hetrick spent 14 years in the Navy SEALS.  To say he doesn’t have a strong core value of fitness and physical wellbeing would be an understatement.

He has built a company on the foundation of this fitness core value….as he says “A fit soldier is a happy soldier.”  Employees at TRX cycle, run, they are triathletes, they run the gamut of all fitness spectrums and believe in a culture of fitness.

What matters to the business is that employees be in the best shape possible.  Hetrick believes that folks at their physical best will deliver their best.   Business hours are flexible, the priority is health and wellbeing – not to say the work doesn’t get done, you’ll find many lights burning in the evenings and on the weekends.

Think you’re going to find someone lacking a core value of fitness working at TRX?

Probably not.

Think these folks stay around?

Absolutely.

It’s important that you establish this culture of values and shared beliefs.  This is how ultimately you will find the best people and keep them for life.

So, how do you do this?  First and foremost, as we do with all NPE clients, you must establish your own core values and mission.

What’s most important to you?

What is it that you want to instill in your clients and staff?

This is the foundation of your business – and it makes perfect sense that if you’re establishing these core values – they should also be the foundation of all employees that you bring on board.

Second, you must lead by example. One of my favorite Dick Chilton quotes is “Leadership is earned…not given”.   Folks are coming to work for you not because they are lucky to come work for you, but because they have chosen to come work for you.

If you keep this mindset in place and establish an environment where the goal of your business is to create productive, fulfilled employees, then you will have a culture that is like no other.

As a result, employees will give you their best – they will pull together in the best of times – and in the worst of times.    You will have earned the right to call yourself a leader and developed a community that works together and stays together.

Finally!

The U.S. Postal Service has finally made it simple, quick and CHEAP for small local businesses like your fitness business to do cost-effective, geo-targeted “farming” with direct mail postcards.

It’s called Every Door Direct Mail Retail, and it’s a legitimate breakthrough for fitness businesses.

From USPS.com:

“Every Door Direct Mail Retail allows small volume mailers to use the Simplified Addressing format for saturation standard flats mailed from a local post office. Saturation mail is delivered to every address on a carrier route. Every Door Direct Mail Retail enables you to reach your customers via saturation mail with NO mailing lists, permits or permit fees.”

Select your local area

Choose your carrier routes

I’ve been researching it for 3 weeks before writing this post because I wanted to make sure it is what I think it is. The USPS website explaining their new Every Door Direct Mail service leaves much to be desired. It’s more confusing than it is helpful…at first.

But I reached out to some direct mail companies like SonicPrint.com to get clarification and help understanding the USPS definition of “commercial flats”.

Here’s what SonicPrint says on their EDDM FAQ page:

What is Every Door Direct Mail?
Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) is a new program by the USPS that allows retail businesses to mail at 14.2 cents per postcard. Not only can you mail postcards, but you can also mail catalogs, brochures, samples, or anything else. You can mail anything as long as it meets “commercial flat” size requirements.

What size does a commercial flat need to be?
A commercial flat is at least 6.25″x11″ or larger size which means you have plenty of room to get your message to your customer. This is over 3 times the size of a 4″x6″ postcard and costs 9 cents less!

From Eric: The reduced cost and simplified process are both significant, and when combined with the fact that you can now mail a full sheet (8.5X11″) postcard (or larger) at this saturation mail rate, to ONLY the carrier routes your choose…is FREAKIN’ HUGE!

Who can I mail to?
With Every Door Direct Mail you can mail to all homes and businesses in a mailing route. Each zip code is comprised of many different routes. Each of these routes contain approximately 300-600 homes and businesses.

Where do I find the routes?
The post office has created a new website called Simplified Mailing Process located at http://smp.usps.gov. This website allows you to geo-target your area by zip code, city, or address and then you can map out the carrier routes that you want to mail to. Best of all this website will automatically generate the paperwork necessary to give to the USPS mail clerk.

Can I target the homes that I want to deliver to?
You can omit businesses from your mailing, however one of the core requirements of EDDM is that you have to mail to all homes in the route. You do have the opportunity to exclude certain addresses, such as competitors, customers, or people you know that do not wish to receive your marketing messages. You can exclude the addresses via the facing slip in the provided paperwork.

What if I want to exclude business addresses?
While the smp.usps.gov will let you choose only residential routes, it is important to change your endorsement to “Local Residential Customer” on your postcard. This way, the carrier will know you want to omit businesses from your mailing.

What is the minimum or maximum we can mail?
If you are mailing through Every Door Direct Mail “Retail” you can mail as little as 200 pieces and as many as 5000 in one day. If you need to mail more, please contact us and we will assist you.

Can I print the cards on my home printer?
We don’t recommend that you try to print these on your home printer because the paper stock required is too thick. Additionally the cost of toner is very expensive, and the quality will not be the same as if it was printed by a commercial printing company. We are offering discounted print rates to help customers take advantage of this new program.

Will you prepare the mailings for me?
If you want to prepare your own EDDM mail, we will walk you through the process and assist you in preparing mailing for free. Although it is not technically difficult, there are some guidelines that should be followed in order for your mail to be accepted by the post office. For a more turnkey approach, we will prepare your entire mailing and paperwork for a small cost of 3 cents per card. We will ship the prepared mail to you with all of the necessary paperwork. All you have to do is bring the cards, paperwork and your postage check to your local post office.

This is not an endorsement of SonicPrint. I have not used them myself, so I can’t attest to their value. However I will tell you they have been very helpful and are one of the few printers/direct mail companies I could find who are up to speed on the new EDDM service. I’d say it would be worth your time to give them a call if you have questions.

The “Target Farming” Fitness Marketing Strategy

We know that the single most important success criterion with direct mail is…the list…the “who” you are sending your direct mail to.

But the steep learning curve and high cost has generally made response lists a bridge too far for most fitness businesses marketing to their local community.

That’s why we have historically defaulted to compiled lists from providers like InfoUSA.com. And they’ve been more than adequate, generating very positive results for most.

But what I love about this new Every Door Direct Mail service is the ability it gives you to mail very small quantities (or very large, if you choose) to the exact carrier routes you want surrounding your fitness business location and/or surrounding the homes of your existing clients. And to do that at half the cost of regular first class postcard postage…with 300%+ more space to tell and sell.

This is a BIG deal.

Consider this ultra-targeted, scientific fitness marketing strategy:

1. Go through your database and plot the location (home address) of your existing clients on a local map.

2. You will most likely find some “clustering” of clients. Now you know the best locations to start your EDDM marketing.

3. See if you’ve got testimonials and pictures of at least a couple of your existing clients that live in one of those “clusters.” If not, get ‘em.

4. TARGET your marketing message at the people living in those clusters, using their NEIGHBORS’ (your existing clients) testimonials as proof you deliver results.

5. Lather, rinse, repeat.

At the incredibly low postage cost of just 14.2 cents (and no mailing list cost) to mail an 8.5X11″ huge postcard, you’re getting an incredible marketing bang for your buck. You can even do an 11X17″ mailer folded over to 8.5X11″ for even more selling space…for the same 14.2 cents. AWESOME!

Look, you may be in love with the internet for local lead generation (and you should definitely be working that channel), but do NOT make the mistake of neglecting direct mail. Particularly now when the USPS has finally made it so cheap and easy for local fitness marketing.

Summary and Links:

- 14.2 cent postcard marketing
- Choose only the carrier routes you want delivered (powerful geo-targeting)
- Oversized selling space on huge postcards
- Mail as few as 250 pieces to as many as 5,000 a day (awesome flexibility to TEST)
- No mailing lists to buy or rent (NOT a problem when marketing with postcards, no personalization necessary)
- Mail into high probability “clusters” of homes (and target with a strong message to market match by leveraging client testimonials who live in those clusters)
- Handle it all with a few clicks of the mouse (try not to get frustrated at first with the USPS interface, it’ll be worth the effort to plow ahead despite their initially non user-friendly instructions – reach out to SonicPrint if you need help)
- No saturation mailing permit required

USPS Every Door Direct Mail Retail Description and Instructions

SonicPrint EDDM FAQ and Contact Info

SonicPrint How To Get Started With EDDM

Deliver Magazine free subscription

Be a consistent fitness marketing maniac,
Eric

P.S. I want to give a public shout out to VIP Jeff Tomaszewski of OVERLOAD Fitness who delivered the best, most valuable fitness marketing presentation I’ve ever seen at our VIP event that just concluded in Orlando. We’ll be re-opening VIP enrollment shortly, so be ready. You absolutely do not want to miss the opportunity to surround yourself with million dollar fitness business owners like Jeff. To all current VIPS: watch Jeff’s presentation again and again when we release it to you on video. It is PURE GOLD!

Tony Horton from P90X reveals their fitness marketing strategy

This in-depth, meaty article is brand new. It just came out last week.

When I first read it, I was blown away by how much detailed, insider info Tony Horton reveals.

This is definitely a MUST-READ for any fitness business owner.

A direct quote from the article:

“P90X fans swear by the workout, a mix of jumping, yoga, martial arts and strength training that, in fact, isn’t all that revolutionary. But the secret of P90X’s success is the marketing…”

Yes, it’s ALWAYS about the marketing, and wait’ll you get a load of everything Tony has to say.

I want to “drip” this on you incrementally in order to make a few VITAL points (reinforcing everything Sean, Camelia and I have been teaching you guys). So don’t jump ahead to the entire article just yet.

POINT #1

“P90X fans swear by the workout, a mix of jumping, yoga, martial arts and strength training that, in fact, isn’t all that revolutionary.”

“ISN’T ALL THAT REVOLUTIONARY”

Of course not. The innovation is not so much in the fitness protocol – it’s in the MARKETING of the fitness protocol.

You don’t need to invent some revolutionary new training system/protocol to have huge success. It’s about how you package and position what you already know works. That’s the secret to differentiation.

POINT #2

Another direct quote from the full article:

“The early P90X infomercials bombed. But that changed when, at Mr. Daikeler’s urging, customers like “Dallas C.” and “Kristy M.” began sending in before-and-after pictures, now featured on the company’s infomercials and Web site. More than three million copies have been sold since then, with sales increasing every year through 2010 (they are currently running even with last year), company officials said.”

The GAME-CHANGER for them was, and still is, SOCIAL PROOF!

Okay, so that’s not a big breakthrough “secret” – but that’s because there really are no big breakthrough secrets. There are fundamental principles that, when properly executed, ALWAYS WORK. Social proof is the #1 most important fundamental principle. You MUST be able to prove your solution has REAL value, and there is no more effective way to prove that case than with compelling before and after pictures and strong emotional testimonials.

It troubles me that some fitness professionals still don’t seem to understand this vital point. Or, they still struggle to get stunning social proof.

Look, any fitness professional will ALWAYS struggle to build a sustainable, profitable fitness business without an ever-growing “wall of fame.”

Conversely, any remotely capable fitness marketer can build a monstrously successful fitness business with nothing more than stunning social proof, solid offers and effective channels for disseminating that proof/offer to the right target market.

THAT is the big secret to your success:

- Message: Social Proof + Offer
- Market: The right “who”
- Media: Channels for reaching your “who”

Want to see a killer example of compelling social proof? Watch this awesome 28-day transformation video from VIP Robert Brace in New York.

If you’re still struggling to figure out how to get amazing body transformation results for your clients, then read this 40-Day Workout article by Dan John.

And then read this “indisputable secret to body transformation” Velocity Diet article

Yeah, Velocity Diet is HARD! But it works. And that’s what you need: tools in your toolbox that absolutely, unequivocally WORK to get amazing results.

Find yourself a couple “guinea pigs” who want radical and rapid body transformation, put them on the 40-day workout and Velocity diet, and in less than 6 weeks you’ll have STUNNING social proof you can leverage to get new clients out the wazoo.

POINT #3

Video sells.

That’s all the P90X infomercials are – long form videos. And the Beachbody folks behind P90X and Insanity have mastered the “formula” for successful sales videos…without selling hard.

Another direct quote from the P90X article:

“But P90X has achieved blockbuster status with a new approach. Its infomercials are shot in a more documentary style. They feature testimonials from P90X converts, interviews with Mr. Horton and scenes from the workouts. Old infomercial lines like “How much would you pay for all this?” are not part of the pitch.”

There you have it…THE FORMULA:

1. Testimonials from your successful clients
2. Interviews with the expert
3. Scenes from workouts

Use that formula.

POINT #4

YOU are your programs’ pitchman/ambassador, so you better look the part.

Sean and I built NPE into a $4 million dollar (and growing) Inc 500 fitness business development company based on the EXACT SAME marketing, sales and management principles we teach all of you. Our business success is absolute PROOF the principles work. We walk the talk.

If your prospects can’t look at you and say to themselves, “geez, I’d like to have a body like (your name)!” If you don’t REPRESENT your fitness business by being supremely fit yourself, you are putting your business at a distinct disadvantage.

Yes, it IS possible to be successful without looking the part…without actually walking the talk. But it’s a “hole” in your fitness marketing message that is obvious. You become “just another salesman…”

Another quote from the P90X article:

“TONY HORTON, with nary an ounce of fat on him, sits on a leather couch in his Spanish-style house in Santa Monica. He is wearing a pair of shorts, slip-on Chuck Taylors and a U.S. Navy golf shirt that shows off the veins on his well-pumped arms.

“If I don’t look a certain way, I’m just another salesman,” Mr. Horton says.”

Okay, those are the 4 points I wanted to make before sending you off to read the entire New York Times article on P90X.

Go here to read the complete article.

And if you like this blog post, or have any thoughts or ideas to share with the community, please post your comments below. Thanks!

Be a consistent fitness marketing maniac,
Eric

I’m up here in Calgary for a few days visiting with my friends James & Leighanne Fitzgerald.

But wanted to take a moment today to shoot you a quick message about MEGA TRAINING 2011.

The date has been set, the hotel contract has been finalized, and this years event will be taking place on:

October 20-22nd, 2011
in Orlando, FL

Be sure to mark your calendar!

We’ve got some VERY exciting things in the works for this years event.

And while last years event won’t be easy to top, I do think this year is going to be our BEST YET!

Lots more to follow on this in the weeks and months ahead.

To your success,
Sean

You’ve heard about the CrossFit Games, right?

Sean’s friend and 2009 MEGA TRAINING presenter, James Fitzgerald (OPT), was the first person to win the games in 2007.

James Fitzgerald - winner of 2007 CrossFit Games

They’ve grown exponentially in popularity over the years and today they are absolutely HUGE.

So…why not model the CrossFit Games on a local level to generate leads and introduce local athletes to your fitness business?

There are lots of ways you could structure this kind of promotion. Certainly, there is big time publicity opportunities, and no shortage of other local businesses that can help you get the word out.

I’d encourage you to seriously consider associating with a local charity – designating a percentage of your registration fee to go to them.

A potential structure for your local version of the games (with your own proprietary name), could be something like this:

- 3-4 Saturdays of group training outdoors to prepare athletes for competition
- 4th or 5th Saturday is the “games”
- $97 registration fee (with $20 going to Charity)

After developing your structure, here are the basic fitness marketing tools you’d need:

- YouTube video announcing/describing the games
- Website landing page with video (I-AM Rainmaker fitness marketing machine is perfect for this)
- Keep-warm and engaged autoresponder sequence for those who enroll (I-AM Rainmaker)
- Couple of press releases (plus your effort to ensure the media takes notice)
- Flyers for local businesses to hand out
- Couple emails for your SA partners to send out
- 5+ emails for you to send to your house list

You definitely will want to get in touch with the major influencers in your area and get their support:

- High school and college coaches
- Local club teams
- MeetUp.com athletic/fitness groups
- Sports leagues (softball, soccer, etc.)
- Potential sponsors

Who Else? That’s such an important question to ask yourself and others. Make an exhaustive list of anyone and everyone who has any connection to sports and fitness in your area, and reach out to all of them.

You could even do some fun team stuff, if you like. For example, you could get all the local gyms/clubs in your area to enter a representative team (a great way to market to the competition “under the radar”).

You could have individual winners AND team winners.

Having teams is always smart because it galvanizes commitment and further enhances competition, therefore maximizing participation.

The bottom line:

Executed correctly, an event like this can make your fitness business a household name in short order. It could literally launch a new athletic training/sports performance business from nothing to big time in 60-90 days, or double the growth of your existing business.

You will probably want to structure the event as a “self-liquidating” promotion. Meaning the revenue generated from participants is enough to defray your marketing expenditures, but not much else. The profits will be in the back-end when you convert a percentage of the participants to clients.

That’s how I’d approach it anyway. I’d focus on maximizing participation, not profit. Make the event lots of fun and a big success. And, of course, make sure you have a well-conceived CONVERSION PROCESS to take the participants through in order to sell your services.

Check out the CrossFit Games web site for ideas (and make sure you get all your competitors to sign a liability waiver – that’s NOT legal advice, just a prudent suggestion).

If you like this fitness marketing strategy – and you should – then I encourage you to invest in Fitness Business Project Manager Pro to make sure you’ve got all your i’s dotted and t’s crossed. It’s just $97. Get Fitness Business Project Manager Pro here.

And let me know what you think about this summertime athletic performance fitness marketing strategy by posting your comments or questions below, okay?

Be a consistent fitness marketing maniac,
Eric

Well it’s Friday afternoon before a long holiday weekend here.

And I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to “shutting things down” and heading out of town for a few days.

So no blog posts this weekend, and I’m keeping things “light” today.

But before we head out of here I wanted to share with you some really cool footage we shot last fall while over in Australia.

This video shows you a bit of what Sydney is like (if you’ve never been) and profiles Aussie Member of the Year 2009 Dirk Hansen.

Dirk was making all the “classic” mistakes running his facility like charging too little AND the BIG “no-no” of collecting payment for his training services in the rears.

Then Dirk heard about our VIP program, joined, launched our Raising The Rates Campaign, and brought in over $400,000 in sales.

Talk about LIFE changing… this was it for Dirk!

Check this out, and whether you’re heading out of town this weekend yourself or not… come on a little “virtual vacation” with us to Australia via this video.

Have a great weekend,
Sean

P.S. Dirk’s studio is right up the hill from Bondi Beach, as you’ll see in this video. The morning we were shooting this on the beach it was overcast and drizzling rain. But fortunately there was a  GREAT cafe up the hill we hit up for breakfast and coffee after this was over. If you’ve never been to Australia, one thing I’ll share with you is their coffee is like “liquid gold”.

I could drink it all day long. It’s THAT good.

P.P.S. We’re getting ready to re-open the VIP program very shortly. Stay tuned…