Yesterday I wrote…

The Navy Seals have a motto, and it’s this:

“The more you sweat in preparation, the less you will bleed in battle.”

Possibly the single biggest obstacle business owners (and people in general) face is the desire for immediate gratification…for the “quick fix.”

And that’s why so many unnecessarily “bleed in battle.”

Today I want to talk to you a little bit more about what that means in the context of…

The Most DANGEROUS Word In Fitness Marketing

When you’re creating fitness marekting messages for your ads, letters, web site, etc., you need to be VERY cautious about how you present this word, if you use it at all.

And the reason is just what I said above…

“Possibly the single biggest obstacle people face is the desire for immediate gratification…for the quick fix.”

Most people want what they want…right now…effortlessly…without work.

In fact, they’ve become conditioned to expect it.

So the most dangerous word in fitness marketing (and marketing in general) is…

WORK

Let me show you a couple examples of the kind of marketing message people have been conditioned to respond to.

These come from one of the many, many mailing lists I’m on (to gather priceless intel).

The first two are the front and back of the envelope.

The second is the first page of the sales letter (note the areas I indicated in red).

Click on the images to get a better look.

Did you notice how they go to great lengths to impress upon the reader how simple and easy this solution is…how they avoid even the hint of effort or work?

Is this extreme?

If you watch the infomercials and read the over-the-top weight loss and fitness ads, you know it’s not extreme at all.  In fact, it’s the norm.  It’s commonplace.

The only exception I can think of from a ‘big’ company is the “INSANITY” program from BeachBody (their follow up to P90X).  They actually come right out and tell you “this will be the hardest workout you ever do.”

Thank God, some integrity.

But they’re definitely the exception, not the rule.

According to Response Magazine, “INSANITY” has been in the top 10 infomercials based on media budgets for the past 5 months (rising as high as #4).

Also in the top 10 are P90X (#2), Total Gym (#5) and Ab Circle Pro (#10).

If you run a HIT fitness business, you should STUDY the P90X and INSANITY infomercials.

They are the only two major market examples of advertising specifically for consumers who EXPECT to work.

Virtually all other ads target the “simple, easy, effortless, NO WORK” market.

The success of BeachBody’s advertising clearly demonstrates and proves there is a significant, sustatainable and profitable market for “effort-based solutions.”

But that market has major, important distinctions from the traditional 40-something mom who wants to drop 20 pounds so she looks good in her bathing suit.

And your marketing message must clearly, demonstrably delineate those differences.

Watch the INSANITY video on their web site to gain an understanding of how to articulate those distinctions.

And pay attention to this (note the section I indicated in red – click to enlarge)

That section – The Method Behind The Madness – is absolutely critical.

Why?

Because it explains their unique methodology – their ‘secret’, if you will – for achieving such staggering results.

It is NOT enough to just promise amazing results.  That will get attention, but it will not close the sale.

This is the EMOTIONAL vs. LOGICAL needs of your prospects.

The amazing results get them emotionally hooked – they will pay attention a little longer.

But then they require some form of logical justification – some ‘reason why’ your solution can, in fact, deliver these amazing results.

Otherwise, it’s just perceived as hype.

Here’s What I Want You To Take Away From This

1. Determine WHO your market is
2. Craft your message appropriately to appeal to your target market

• If you are targeting the broader weight loss/fitness market, you will need to walk a fine line. Obviously, maintaining your integrity is vital.  You have to be careful about what you promise and how you promise it in order to acquire clients.

But acquisition is just the first issue.  Compliance and retention are the 2nd and 3rd issues.

If your promise doesn’t jive with your delivery…if the work is far more intense, far more difficult than they were led to believe…they will neither be prepared nor willing to put forth the effort required, and will quickly and correctly realize they’ve been lied to again.

Those issues can be predominantly handled using AUTO-CLOSER in your sales presentation, but only if the gap between promise and reality is not too wide (most reasonable people realize there is always some measure of effort involved).

• If you are targeting that (smaller) segment of the population who not only expects to work hard, but almost carries it as a badge of honor (the INSANITY types), then your message can, and should, reflect that appeal.

Just keep in mind that in both cases, your UNIQUE ‘system’ or ‘technology’ or ‘protocol’ MUST be conveyed to the marketplace in order to balance the emotional appeal with logic.  They must be able to say to themselves, “Ahhh, I see, so that’s how they do it!”

Think of almost every infomercial or direct response ad you see on TV (all the Billy Mays’ (RIP) ads).  In each and every one, they say something along the lines of…

“the secret is _____”

You can (and of course, should) market with integrity.  The HIT-type fulfillment model offers greater opportunity to do that without as much wordsmithing.  Because you can be right up front about the effort and work involved.

But even the general weight loss/fitness market can and should be communicated with honestly, it’s just more about what you don’t say in your advertising, than what you do say.

Developing effective fitness marketing, with integrity, that attracts the right prospects is one of the most difficult things to do.

But it’s also the only way smart fitness business owners – the kind we attract here at NPE – choose to do business.  Because if you get on the wrong side of it, karma’s a bitch.

You won’t see us promising ‘get rich quick’ or ‘no-work-income’ like some of the knuckleheads in our industry.  And we do that for precisely the reasons I’ve just explained to you:

1. We have integrity
2. We’re not in the business of making sales, we’re in the business of creating customers
3. Compliance and retention are vital to both your success and to ours
4. We like to sleep good at night, without worry of a negative karmic-boomerang

Here’s a good example of the kind of marketing message we deliver, which is much more closely aligned with the INSANITY message (because we are specifically interested in attracting and working with high intensity folks who understand that nothing worthwhile comes without some measure of sacrifice).

This is from my Project Manager Pro sales letter – a product you absolutely need to get, and it’s half price right now (just $49).

Note the section I indicated in red (click to enlarge):

Click here to read the entire Project Manager Pro sales letter (note how I balanced a BIG promise with truthful, challenging copy – and lots of emotional benefits with just enough logical appeal).

I hope this fitness marketing post got you thinking about WHO, specifically, you want to attract and WHAT you should be saying to them to do so.

ONE FINAL, IMPORTANT NOTE: Mark your calendar for October 21-23. Those are the dates of MEGA TRAINING. And this year we’re going to show you about a dozen different profitable promotions you can ‘swipe’ and then deploy the same day you get home.  This will be our best MEGA TRAINING yet, and that’s saying something.  We expect to see you there.

Eric