Vision Personal Trainer of the year 2009 - Jason Conroy

If you ask Jason to tell you of his achievements this year he would probably play it all down and say something like “I helped my clients, and did some events with the guys”. His modesty makes him a very special trainer and person. On the inside, this 22 year old has a burning desire to do his very best at everything he puts his name to and achieve every goal he sets. His passion and dedication to his clients and the Vision system is unlike anything I have witnessed before. His big smile, big heart and unwavering will to put the others around him first and front of him self, make him the person everyone wants to be around and aspires to be like.

So Jas, or as he is affectionately known as Duey (because he looks like Duey from the show Malcom in the Middle) came to us on the 15th of Sep 08 to start his career in the fitness industry. He formerly worked in the hospitality industry as a bar man and was well into the party lifestyle. He played a good level of soccer and golf and was surrounded by good mates but admits his circle of influence was the cause of a fun, but unproductive lifestyle.

The first time I realized we have someone special was in the way Jason attacked his mentor program. Like everything else he has done since then, he gave it everything. He lost over 50% of his body fat getting down to 4.4%. Jason had never run more then 5km before starting with us and in the first 2 weeks of his mentor program he completed his first event with the team; the September Half Marathon. Again he gave it everything and ran it in 90mins.

So Jason had bought into the team and the Vision system and now was sporting the red shirt and was unleashed onto the floor. It was an interesting time as Jason received a lot of negative feedback about his PT sessions from his clients. Clients dropped out unhappy with his standards. It was then that I wasn’t sure if Jason would put it all in the “too hard” basket and go back to partying with his mates on weekend benders, taking the very tempting but easy way out. Jason had a choice to make and to his credit he chose to change. Jason acted on every bit of feedback and became better. He finished 2008 by writing hand written letters to all his clients about how much he cared for them and how much he looked forward to helping them to their goals in 2009.

In the Dec 08 performance review, Jason set some really good goals. His number 1 12mth goal was to win the 2009 trainer of the year. It’s important to note Jason’s reason for wanting this wasn’t ego based. He wanted to achieve it because he knew in winning it he would have to be the very best and that gave him the best chance of being able to help his clients to their own goals. He committed to ask himself a small question before every session in 2009 – “ How would the Vision trainer of the year train this next client of mine?” To his credit he has asked himself that question over 20 times per day, every day of 2009.

So let’s move onto the year that was 2009. I am going to start by going through the lists of events that Jason has completed with the team and his clients this year.

He kicked off ’09 completing the Olympic distance Cronulla Triathlon. Before this Jason couldn’t swim. He actually got rescued by a life guard from the shallow end of a swimming pool in training for the event. He somehow got through the heavy surf at Cronulla and got to the finish line.

Jason then completed the May half marathon. He had set a goal of 85mins. Jason has asthma and at the 15km mark in the race he had an asthma attack. He was pulled off by the first aiders and given treatment. As soon as he stopped hyperventilating he jumped back into the race and somehow managed to still run 91mins. 99% of us would have called it quits devastated. Again Jason asked himself a question when the attack subsided “what would the trainer of the year do?” again he made a very admirable choice.

Up to the Gold coast Jason went to run in his first marathon. He had trained really well but in the last 6 weeks had suffered from torn ankle ligaments. He chose just to have a go and do his best and completed the 42km course in under 3hrs 30mins in a lot of pain. Although he hurt you couldn’t wipe the smile off his face afterwards.

Backing up from the Gold coast with only 9 weeks preparation Jason competed in his first bodybuilding competition with the Willoughby team along side him. During his preparation he still managed to run the City 2 Surf with a 62yr old client that Jas helped lose 20kg and helped teach to run. Jason was in the best shape of his life on stage and inspired all of his team mates that competed along side him with his dedication to his nutrition and exercise volume. It was an amazing day.

What about this. 1 week after the bodybuilding comp Jason completed his second marathon for the year again completing it in around 3:30. It was an all heart effort considering he had done nil running training for the event.

Jason then finished the events for the year by completing the Curl Curl 3 point challenge. That event is 3 x biathlon’s back to back; ocean swims and runs. Jason finished and wasn’t rescued from the ocean in process, a double win on that one.

Probably the highlight for me in his fitness achievements for ’09 was winning the beep test at the Feb 09 Vision summit. Some of you may remember it. Going into it we all new he wasn’t the best athlete competing. Before the event I wished him good luck he whispered in my ear “I will win this for the Willoughby team”. Jason put himself through so much pain that day to make his team mates feel proud again putting others first. That sums it all I recon.

So that’s the fitness stuff summed up lets talk about what happened on the studio floor with Jason in 09.

In the June 09 performance review he got 93%

In the Dec 09 performance review he scored 83%.

His average PT hours for the year are 35.7hrs. On top of this he takes Xtraining and running club weekly. He also does 3 – 5 hrs of lead generation for the business every week. Jason comes into the studio to work unpaid most Sundays to help find leads and grow the business. He does this because he wants to help and asks nothing in return.

In the last 12 mths Jason has got 36 referrals.

Jason won trainer of the challenge in Feb training 4/6 winners. He then took out the title again, winning Sep 09 Trainer of the challenge back to back. That’s a first for any trainer that I have seen in my Vision career.

One thing that makes me so happy is how well Jason is working towards goals outside of Vision. In Dec 08 Jason was a few thousand dollars in debt but set a goal of owning his first property. In one year he has managed to clear his debts and save $15 000 to date towards a deposit on a property that he is looking to purchase next year.

So that’s it. I really hope that Jason receives this well deserved award not only for himself but to show other trainers in the network what is possible when your heart is in the right place and you are prepared to make the right decisions on a daily basis. I want to thank Jason on a personal level for being in my circle of influence and for teaching me not only how to be a better person but how to be a better trainer and how to help more people. You’re an amazing person Jason, I have never been surer then I am with you that all your dreams will manifest themselves into reality.

Love you heaps mate

Chappy.

Team mate of Jason Conroy

Vision Willoughby.

Lessons from Christchurch

How to survive difficult times

The unfortunate circumstances of the earthquake in Christchurch have left many business owners in a financial predicament. Those following the traditional PT model seemed to be hardest hit as they previously judged their business success on the number of PT sessions completed each week.

Having personally made a similar mistake in thinking I was successful at having 40-50 hours of PT booked every week , my realization came in the 8 week premature birth of our second child Kye. With a two year old daughter, a seriously sick wife and a business requiring me to turn up to be paid I lost 12 weeks of income putting huge financial pressure on a young family by being ignorant.. From that day forward I committed to diversifying and building a business that didn’t require me to turn up to work to get paid. Now I am fortunate enough to teach this skill, to others.

Understanding the traditional PT style of business is flawed and unfortunate circumstances like the earthquake(s) in Christchurch highlight the problems with this traditional model, we can’t judge those unfortunate PT’s and business owners but simply learn a hard lesson and go forward.

Here are 5 things to consider when looking to diversify your income

1. Inquire about our 17 income stream model to decide the direction of you and your career/business.

2. Set up a sales system in your business so that you have more qualified leads more often.

3. Build an online platform so that you open up a bigger market and cash in on a very topical subject, one that is being ‘googled’ and searched right now by billions of people – health!

4. Follow a proven model to diversification rather than try and reinvent the wheel

5. Read business books, attend business conferences, get qualified business advice and hang around with other like-minded business owners so that you can fast track your success.

Out of hard times, come a lesson. To help the people of Christchurch get their businesses

back to helping more people, more often, we have a free workshop on the 27th September

to do our bit to help a very beautiful town and it's wonderful people move forward. If you live in Christchurch and need some business support then contact us via email at info@ptplus.com.au for more information.

The best client in the world

How would you’re life look with one client paying you tens of thousands of dollars per year? A client who understands value in your product and services and who not only benefits from the results but refers other like-minded clients.

This is not a dream but in fact a reality for a lot of ‘fitnesspreneurs’ cashing in on the very lucrative corporate market. This dream is becoming more of a reality with recent changes in Government legislation as decision makers start to realize the demands of the modern work environment are contributing to the ill-health and affecting profitability of business. The solution in a lot of instances is someone like you. But how does the Corporate Health market work and what does it involve?

The problem with most health and fitness people is that they are offering the wrong solutions to a market that is crying out for healthy help and support. “Fitnesspreneurs’ are people who see a healthy opportunity and grab it. Most people sit around talking about it, but fail in the process of action that gets results. 2011 looks to be offering one of the best opportunities for those who put action around one of the best clients in the world, that of a corporate health market. Our mission is to support leading business owners in getting them started in the marketplace. We have a range of different free resources for those that need a bit more of an understanding and want to build their confidence as well as some proven programs and resources for those that are ready. Either way let’s get you started on understanding the corporate health market-

1. Understanding most trainers, studios and gyms have exisitng clients who work a job, you initially have a captive audience. Getting started can be as simple as asking leading questions to existing clients around the kind of things they are currently doing and being offered in regards to corporate health and fitness in their corporate environment.

2. Send out a survey to ‘decision makers’ and rather than invent a package or program that you think might work, let your market tell you what they want and then decide if you can deliver.

3. Start reading business books, financial papers, listen to business news and hanging around business people. Increasing your knowledge of these people and businesses will only contribute to a better financial outcome and more specific product.

4. Invest time and money on proven resources, coaching and business advice rather than waste time trying to reinvent the wheel by doing it yourself. The market has never been more lucrative and open to change but you need to do something different to what you have always done.

5. Increase your prices – as a sign of respect to yourself and in telling yourself you are serious about stepping into this market. Increasing your rates is a significant positioning point in discussion. Think about the senior manager who wants the best program for his team. If the options were the $60 per hour personal trainer whom he has a good relationship with but is unproven or the $3000.00 per day consultant. My experience tells me the $3000.00 consultant will win 9/10 on pricing.

Get busy learning and doing your homework and then decide what you next action should be. If you want to see how you score in the Corporate health market then email us at info@ptplus.com.au for a free corporate health business resource that will help define what you need to work on in order that you have the best clients in the world.

Getting started on 6 figure trainer-ship

Marketing - Where to get started

Where to get started?

Business Overhaul

Business Overhaul

why you need a marketing plan?

your leading survival tool in business

"The more food records people kept, the more weight they lost", said lead author Jack Hollis Ph.D, a researcher at Kaiser Permanente's Centre for Health Research in Portland, Ore. "Those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records. It seems that the simple act of writing down what you eat encourages people to consume fewer calories"

A marketing plan in business is the equivalent of the food diary for weight loss. It determines your success. Without it you increase your chance of failure.

In fact one of the all time business bibles for any 'fitnesspreneur' to read is' 'Think and Grow Rich' by Napoleon Hill. In his study of 25,000 people over 40 years he established the Top 31 major causes of failure. In fact 98% of those that he studied had failed in business and a part of their failure was the lack of this survival tool. In business the key to survival is the marketing plan. It is a common ingredient to those successfully doing business.

Simply having a marketing plan is not enough to guarantee survival, there are a few other things to consider. However before we go any further let me put my business coaching hat on and ask the obvious question.

Do you have a marketing plan that you refer to weekly that has proven tactics to grow your business?

So why a marketing plan?
A considered marketing plan includes the outcomes you want from your business. Broken into end of year, quarterly and monthly financial and measurable targets like any smart goal setting process. The strategies you use to 'get' business are your marketing tactics and the measurement of these results determines which tactics work or which ones to pass on to your competitors.

By having a marketing plan you take a positive, respectful approach to the income you want from your business. If you don't you are setting up for failure.

But...
Similar to a New Years Eve resolution a marketing plan is only as good as the beer coaster you write it on. Yes the power of hand writing out a marketing plan (like our weight loss diaries) is still 90% more effective than any computer, typed, voice responding commercially written marketing plan. The difference is ownership of the document and a strategic, considered approach to your plan.

And like our weight loss candidates above, if you get proven quality advice from someone who has expertise in this area then you can almost guarantee your business success by also adding some accountability to the process.

Finally
For the sake of helping more people more often to better health, can you please go and pull out that old marketing document from the top drawer, get to know each other again and go from the 94% of businesses who don't have a marketing plan to the 50% of businesses who have one but don't use it, to the top 3% of leading businesses who make most of the revenue and have this one survival tool nailed to the business owners backside with it looking worn and tattered from overuse and over performing.

Do it now
Park the technical workshops for 6 months and learn a fundamental to business success by getting good at a process of getting more people into your business and servicing their needs by having a great business system. The healthy results this will bring to so many people will be more than money can buy but you need to do something now.

2010 success stories

'Clients come to me because I am a great motivator' was the statement that came to me from a personal trainer looking to develop their point of difference during a business branding session. Question that entered my simple brain was 'Are we the motivation behind people's actions?'

Human behaviour experts explain that motivation is developed intrinsically and generally around the need to move away from pain (ie/ being overweight, feeling low on energy) OR towards pleasure (by losing 10kgs I will be attractive and find a partner and be happy). However whilst there are a lot of motivated people with the internal drive that creates results, daily action is the deciphering tool to take it to the next level.

Inspiration can quite often be the catalyst to cause action and the result is a change in habits that lead to desired outcomes. Personally I find it hard to motivate others, as it does need to come from within the person wanting to change. What does assist motivations is being inspired. The middle of the calendar year can sometimes be a time of testing ones motivation levels. Be inspired by some of these 2010 success stories from people just like you so that you can continue to do a great hob and positively influence more people.

coaching business
What does a father of two energetic boys, studio and swim school owner of (600 sessions per week) do in his limited spare time? Build a low risk, high return coaching business that will allow him financial independence in a couple of years. During the month of May Coach Cam billed out his biggest month of revenue in his coaching business. Check out his website at www.leapingthroughlife.com.au to learn how a coaching business looks online you can also email us for an exclusive interview with Cameron Roberts.

build a part-time business
Ben McNamara is a professional soccer player and rather than sit around playing Nintendo and watching Jerry Springer between training sessions, Ben uses his time to build his part-time Punch at Lunch programs with corporations. Ben recently signed up a number of companies on his $120 per half hour program. Listen to how this 21-year old goalkeeper from Newcastle invested in our Business Starter Pack Program and worked through the challenges of getting started in business. While Ben's mates are out working trades and bar jobs Ben is working on developing his business skills and building himself a great business asset. We will start Ben on the next process of building a national business in the coming months. Watch this space...Listen to Ben McNamara here.

build an outdoor group fitness business
Single mother and great inspiration to many in her beautiful and beloved regional town of Coffs Harbour is Colleen Mieni. The 'Col-inator' continues to prove the misconception around running a big business and having a great lifestyle outside of a CBD. She continues to positively influence the health of more people by developing programs like this one. Click here to view Col's program.

get started in business while working around the kids
'Prior to commencing the business starter pack I spent the past 12 months bumbling around in what I thought was a PT business. I was busy, but not busy on the right things. I had no clear direction, no KPI's, no real target market. I was just training anyone and everyone who came along. After completing the program with Scott I have a solid 10-year vision, clear target market,s et KPI's and best of all a much better business attitude. For a self proclaimed 'boof head' Scott REALLY knows his stuff when it comes to business! Scott's positive nature and passion comes through in everything he does. Thanks again Scott for getting me on the right path and helping me stay there! - Rhiannon Lovell - EMIT Fitness

write a book
Writing a book is the ambition of many people, yet so few take the actions to get started, blaming time and other restraints. Business owner Troy Morgan is one of the busiest guys on planet Earth with his Fitness Centre in Toowoomba offering a range of holistic services. If you want something done give it to a busy person! Troy works with us for 2 hours every week on our book opportunity program. Due to launch in October we have a few spots left if you desire to be published.

PT Forum - Business of Sport

PT Forum - Business of Sport

the business of sport model

How to take the sell out of selling

How to take the sell out of selling

business age

How your business history determines your business future.

In front of me sits a group of graduating PT's. Coming to the end of their program I am asked to deliver a business presentation on the opportunities in the health and fitness industry. As I prepare to deliver our 17 income stream model I look around the room of 80+ graduates knowing that only 4-6 of them will still be working in the industry in two years. As they are sold franchises, more technical workshops and other programs that will deplete their bank accounts and not deliver a single cent in return I feel the industry in a civil war. It seems so many think that a fitness certification is their ticket to developing a business. Why are they getting it so wrong? Who is selling them this information? And are the so called leaders considering the effects this is having on the person we are all trying to help....Mr and Mrs Sickest Generation Ever on average street.

Our industry can learn something that we know from our clients. Consider these case studies.


If we use this same analogy in business, especially to 95% of graduates to courses we start to understand part of the problem is around expectation and rather than training age it is 'business age'. Your business history has to determine your business future in an industry that is dominate by self employed business style models.

Is the lesson for graduating PT's a support program that helps to increase their business knowledge and people skills. In a technical dominated industry it seems we have enough options in this space but would the civil war cease if we could have better support programs. Could we then collectively work with Mr and Mrs Sickest Generation Ever and build a more positive, healthy, happier world by getting us right first!

However this problem is not only linked to graduates. Of the few who battle the health and fitness war are the veterans. The guys and gals out there, neck deep in their financial commitments and busy-ness, always doing what they have always done, yet expecting a different result! Choosing to invest their limited funds into the next big commercial event doing a range of different one hour workshops and choosing a wide variety of topics that very rarely return a cent into their business.
What's the point?
A majority of people enter this industry with a very low business age. They have never run a health and fitness business before, are generally sold a self employed style business and then expect to live in a world where if you are not turning over $100,000 as a minimum per annum you can probably expect to live with Mum and Dad for quite a few years. Even a $100,000 turnover allowing for the accounting allowance of 30% in wages equates to a $30,000 salary, is barely proving enough.

We need to increase the business age of the average graduate and industry in general if we are to stop the civil war we are currently experiencing. With a majority of models relying on business ownership it makes sense that this is where the focus needs to be.

I pick up my microphone, I look at the 80+ graduates, I wonder how do we get that retention number from 4-6 closer to 10. I start to change my delivery, understanding that this is the way of the future if we are really ethical about changing the outcome the next generation of graduates and clients.

How to take the sell out of selling

How to take the sell out of selling

the best business card in the world

A guide to what works and what doesn't.

A part of being in business is that you need to have a business card - or so it seems. New trainers to health and fitness veterans focus on these precious cards consuming a fair amount of time, money and resources in putting them together. However, how effective is the traditional business card?

Marketing guru's repeatedly teach the process on measuring leads into a business. How many lead's does a traditional business card generate? Let's put these leading survey questions to you and measure the immediate response.

1. When was the last time you responded to a business card?
2. How many leads have you generated to your business via business cards?

In lots of presentations I ask these leading questions and generally there is between 3-5% who answer that they:

1. Have responded recently
2. 99% don't know

Now if you don't have the results to these important marketing questions let me give you our results, specific to the health and fitness industry. Throughout 2008 and 2009 we identified the top 10 techniques on how to build a 6 figure personal training business as well as those used by studios and gyms. A business card didn't make the top 10 techniques.

The business card is dead!
Concerning building a business, the business card went out with leg warmers and matching head bands, however the psychology around owning a business card is reflected in having some credibility. This is understandable for a lot of new guys getting started in business, however if you have been plugging away at business for a while and are relying on handing out business cards as a way of building your business then it's time to review this technique.


So what is the best card in the world?
Before I reveal the best business card in the world, a better approach to building business is to have the skill of getting other people's details. This way allows you to control the relationship. The traditional way of handing out a business card allows the other person to forget you or lose the business card. I have managed to prove this by growing my business without ever having a business card.

Sometimes we can learn from others
Let's learn from the typical personal trainer who has just completed his/her certification, been educated by non business type teachers, has no business experience and decides it is time to get some clients. Their first stop is the local printer to put together a couple of hundred business cards. Here is the typical outcome:

front of business card

Pete's Personal Training - Pete's business is very limited by the branding he has used here. Firstly if Pete plans to grow his business outside of the traditional flawed model of swapping time for money he is limited by his name. Secondly he has also limited himself to simply personal training. In an industry that allows you to deliver so many other services Pete has really set himself up for the minimal opportunity by poor branding and limiting himself to personal training.
superpete@hotmail.com - I really question the professionalism of an email address like this. This is typically linked to spam mail or dodgy overseas scams that try to rip people off.
Mobile 0900 686 777 - Alongside the email address this does smell of a single operator, battling it out on price against other local trainers. By adding a land line or 1300 number and a PO box is a best use of this space.

back of business card

By listing all these services Pete tells me is a jack of all trades yet master of none. Also if I am not a trainer or have not been educated on health and fitness I struggle to understand some of these terms. Terms like 'post natal and functional training' are used regularly when speaking to other health and fitness professionals however for the general public most of these terms are foreign. So why use them?
Free session - free is cheap and not everyone wants cheap. The message Pete is sending to his potential clients by using the word 'free' is come and take advantage of me, take a lot of information then let's battle it out on price.

Quite often we can learn from other specialists in the market and I am not sure if you have ever been 'unfortunate enough' to have seen one of the following guys, however consider the professionalism that is involved in one of these cards.


The lesson lies in the specificity of what Dr. Teeth does as a profession. So many health and fitness professionals confuse themselves and their potential clients by claiming to be an expert in lots of areas as opposed to a specialist. Overtime in order to charge more and be better at solving the health problems of the market you need to become a specialist. It starts by telling yourself and your clients via your business card. This same message has to be consistent in everything you send to the market, in the form of marketing.

People are not concerned about how many letters you have after your name or the colours on your business card, they simply need a health problem solved. With this targeted approach around your business you will open up greater opportunities.

So what is the best business card in the world?
Let's close the loop on this article and answer this question. The best business card in the world is definitely a book. To have a book you not only get to generate another revenue stream however you also have a powerful form of marketing that you can send to potential companies, schools, government bodies or high profile clients. Writing a book is a big project and in getting started we have a process we teach that has you, earning money as you develop it overtime. We do this using our Publishing Pyramid by writing e-newsletter and articles. If you have a plan to write a book or want to understand proven ways to increase your profile then contact us as well as read our article titled the Publishing Pyramid.

personal training is fundamentally flawed

Association

Association

a million dollar idea

Quoted from the great book 'The One Minute Millionaire' by Robert Allen and Mark Victor Hansen a new millionaire is developed every hour in the US. In Australia we have 190,000 millionaires (Smart Company Report) and New Zealand has 22,000 (Reader's Digest). The US leads the world in terms of most millionaires with 4.9 million, followed by Japan, Britain, Germany and China. Only 3% of millionaires come from winning money by gambling, with the majority, 56% generating their million from business.

It had me thinking about the health and fitness industry and more specifically about PT's, studio owners and gyms. What do the million dollar businesses have in common? Here is the answer.

a great leader

Making money is only one element to being successful. Being a great leader is also a key function. We hear so much about leadership, but what is it? I heard it best described as doing what is right and taking on responsibility in every part of life. The key eight categories are business, health, family, relationships, friends, wealth, community and charity. Consider how you score in these areas.

business model

As the earlier statistics pointed out, it is no good buying a lottery ticket. Chances are very low in hoping it will happen. You need to be in business and you need to have a model that supports a million dollars in revenue. The traditional PT model is dead, your own studio model will leave you working big hours, look to a proven model and avoid reinventing the wheel. Buying an existing business model or paying for qualified advice is required. Consider your track record and if your results are not there do something different.

leverage

There are only two things you need to leverage in business. One is time and the other is money. The only way to leverage time is to develop systems and invest in a team. To leverage your money you need a profitable business. In fact you need to establish a net profit of at least 15% to make the business journey worthwhile. Unsure of net profit then click here to read more.

persistence

Millionaire status does not occur overnight. Generally it is a build up of personal development, confidence and associating with the right people. It is persistence, the ability to get up everyday and give it your best shot that will get you there. If it took you ten years with a proven model would you do it? What about fast tracking on the back of someone elses' knowledge and know how. Smart persistence is a well considered approach to the million dollar goal.

clarity

Understanding who you are and where you're headed seems to be something that has been lost in the busy-ness of life. We recently asked twenty or so 6 figure trainers where will you be in two years of business. Only two could announce their plan. Clarity around where you're headed and how it looks in a few years is something you need to establish now. It's like the artist has an image of the masterpiece well before he puts brush to canvas. With a clear image he can go about his work to complete the masterpiece.

income streams

You need to diversify or die if you want wealth. There has never been a greater opportunity to make money in a range of different forms. If you are unsure of how to diversify in the health and fitness industry go to our 17 income streams for an overview.

Crikey - it's a gold rush!

'That's it!' He yelled as we put the final touches to the business model. A shriek that would have been similar to 'Eureka', the famous call from those that found gold nuggets on the goldfields a hundred or so, years ago. While the shrieking relief that comes with the realisation about nailing that business idea may sound similar, the pathway to generating a great business and lifestyle is getting easier, especially within the health and fitness industry. The problem with most great business ideas is that they sit dormant in the minds of the creator. Surfacing only when you notice that someone else had what it takes, to take it from idea to action!

Do you feel as though you have the equivalent of a gold nugget in a business idea but are uncertain what to do next?

Understand that health is the gold nugget that most of our population is looking for and your big idea has never been in a better situation to really enjoy what's coming your way. With the advent of the 'information age' the demand for healthy information from the greater population has seen 80% people go to the internet first before consulting a doctor. Readers Digest report that 50% of all internet hits are health related. This is a concerning outcome, however the reality is that this is how modern business is done. In fact if you can get better at developing modern skills of business, you will find yourself a part of the current gold rush the industry is experiencing.

A 'Gold Rush' is that sudden wave of migration to new territory because gold had been discovered. In the health and fitness industry it seems that the indicators for our own gold rush are evident in these early days of the new decade. If we look at the gap between healthy people, like you, and sickness the gap is widening in a majority of the population. The bridge to reducing this gap lies in education and information. Let me remind you that we are in the information age, where information is a commodity. Healthy people, like you, are healthy because they have educated themselves via attending conferences, reading books, surfing the web and paying for good advice and information. This information is a commodity that is transferable for dollars in the current global market.

The information age is certainly easier than digging through the layers of earth in the hope of finding a nugget. The answers lay within the depths of your frontal lobe. Putting together information products is the skill of extracting that information and putting it in front of your target market who will happily pay for the information.

Are you a flash in the pan or gold finding expert?

Hundreds of thousands of people hit the gold fields with a lantern, tent, shovel and pick in the hope that they would find gold. A flash in the pan was what they where looking for amoungst the rocks, dust and debri. The 'flash in the planners' survived on hope and luck.

Others developed their skills by using maps, studying geology, testing for minerals and paid for qualified advice while taking a considered approach before lifting a shovel. They became experts in the skill of finding gold.

This year thousands of business owners in the business of health and fitness will forage and shovel hoping for the flash in the pan. Using traditional business models and old techniques they will find it a back-breaking experience. A few will strike gold however the experts will continue to enjoy the gold rush as they work and develop their business skills by staying current with their tactics, further develop themselves and continue to understand the needs of the market by providing great quality service.

To join experts and to cash in on the information age gold rush, we have 6 spots available for you to develop and record your own CD series as well as put together a range of supporting e-books. We estimate a minimum $10,000++ in extra revenue by developing these products. Using our technology and experts for support you can be cashing in on the huge demand for health and fitness information required by the market. 'Develop your own information products' starts January 31st and is a 3 month coaching program that you can use over and over throughout your business.

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business overhaul on TV

Recently on the Channel 10 series 'Body and Brain Overhaul' I had the opportunity to work with personal trainer Christian Ennor. His story is very typical of what most PT's, studios and gym owners experience in their business. Thanks to the Personal Training Academy and Christian our segment will highlight the reasons so many struggle to succeed and why we have a high turnover rate of health professionals in our industry. The following article will identify these key findings.

Prior to working with Christian we had assessed his business using our business diagnostic and stocktake. These tools ask for leading questions and responses to business fundamentals linked with successful health and fitness businesses. To see how you score email us for a copy of the diagnostic.

In assessing Christian we found a standard response from going through this process. These include:

1. Lots of great business ideas
2. No time or energy to pursue his goals
3. Business ideas without strategy
4. A lack of business skills in achieving some of his goals
5. Inconsistent cash flow
6. His business advice was coming from other personal trainers with limited business skill or success in the area of his goals.

Outside of these 6 key observations, Christian's business score was a 15/60 based on his completion of the diagnostic. The higher the business score the greater the likelihood of success and long jeopardy in the business. This low score indicates how much work needed to be done. However with Christian's passion in his career and coach-able attitude, he is a 'renovator's dream' for a business coach.

We find by collecting independent data we can then put specific tailored strategies with a support structure to achieving set outcomes. During the show we discuss how to overcome these common business obstacles that PT's, studio's and gym owners experience.

Interestingly in the aftermath a few of Christian's colleagues have seen more positive change to how Christian now runs his business. This sparked some interest in pursuing what Christian had achieved. However few have followed through on any of the initial steps that Christian took by being apart of the show. This asks a leading question 'if you knew you would succeed would you invest the time and money into one of your great ideas?' For most people the answer is an obvious YES. However, very few put this idea into action.

Dr Roy Sugarman and Paul Taylor are great at extracting the data as to why you won't take action. Even why some of the actions you are taking are not aligned with where you are headed.

Without giving the results away from the show Christian's results were determined by 6 key factors.

1. If you want a different result you need to do something different
2. Map out a plan to achieving what you want using someone who has achieved a similar goal. Pick something that you are passionate about that keeps you immersed in creative thought and positive energy
3. Be coach-able and invest in quality advice
4. Identify roadblocks and obstacles
5. Do something everyday towards achieving your desired task
6. Have fun, enjoy the journey and review your progress weekly

As business owners in the health and fitness indutry what we can all learn from Christian is his ability to implement the above success factors. He removed himself from his comfort zone and found a greater cause to work for being his wife and kids. He wants to be the best he can be in an area he is passionate about and does it with a real sense of humour and love of life. His personality is infectious and he has a deep knowledge of his area of expertise. I think is we could all be a lot more like Christian we would see some more successes in our careers. However you need to watch the show for the full story.

Scott owns PT Plus, a business dedicated to business building and coaching skills for PT's, studios and gym owners. You can email Scott at info@ptplus.com.au to talk about your business challenges or go to www.ptplus.com.au for a whole bunch of complimentary business resources.

business building tips

"How do I build my business?" is the most popular question we get asked.

During the next couple of months we are going to unpack a whole bunch of hints, tips and tactics to support businesses in building. In Part 1 of our Business Building series we start by getting you, the business owner on track. Here are some things to consider when building a business.

1. Pick a purpose
Your purpose has to be an obsession. One that keeps you up at night and consumes your thinking throughout the day. It has to numb you with excitement yet make you nervous about it's success. A more targeted and specific purpose creates greater impact. If it is purely money dominated then it may be the wrong area of purpose. You have every right to make a lot of money by defining your purpose as that is the result of being great at what you do, however watch it being the motivator. Consider tacking on the why? So why have you chosen the purpose and what satisfaction does it give you personally?

2. Map out a strategy
A strategy should consider the outcomes of dollars and cents. If you are going to put time into a project you need to get paid. It also requires marketing. Combining online techniques, traditional marketing and the plan to build a recognisable brand are fundamental to a good strategy. An overall annual strategy broken into quarterly, monthly and then daily tasks insures an outcome.

3. Have complete belief
This is an unusual ingredient to have in a concoction of specific business techniques, however it is the most critical. Without belief business won't happen. To build belief you need to associate with big-thinkers, build a strong team of individuals who challenge you as well as commit to developing yourself, the individual.

4. Create daily action
This is where the rubber hits the road and some business owners become polarized. The best idea is only an idea unless it has action. Daily actions will take you outside your comfort zone, however if you have a big enough purpose combined with complete belief then the action is not even work.

5. Accountability is king
It is why personal training and business coaching works with a higher success rate than training yourself or trying to implement a good business idea on your own. The commitment to investing in yourself and tapping into the expertise of someone else for accountability compliments your belief. 'We will do for others, what we won't do for ourselves' is very true of most people.

make hay while the sun shines

While our Northern hemisphere subscribers bunker down for the snow and cold, our Southern hemisphere-ians are enjoying the benefits of the extra sun. There is something about this time of year that has many of our Health and Wellness business leaders reporting record increases in people signing up getting fit. The most recent Sensis report highlights that on average consumers are spending $637 per person this Christmas with the average person buying for 12 people or spending $53 per person. For families this may be up to 2-3 times more, with higher income earning families contributing a greater amount than average.

Either way, north or south, health or wellness the benefits for business owners can be as rewarding as you want them to be, as the sun (or snow) combined with the 'end or world' mentality associated with the 8 weeks to Christmas, increases in consumer spending and opportunities to make a positive difference to the health of the market.

However a lack of strategy, focus and awareness around the next 3 months could have you eating spaghetti out of a tin in January, while your mates enjoy tinned beverages on a foreign beach. So here are some tips to help you make hay while the sun shines so that you not only enjoy the moment, but the benefits of reaping the rewards of some of these seeds, with a 'considered strategy'.

- Have set availability
'Chunk' blocks of time so that you are either ON or OFF. This will make you more efficient and effective in the delivery of each session
- Clients plans for Christmas
Check in with your members and clients and get an understanding of when and if they are away over Christmas. Next confirm a January 2010 appointment with clients during December. This will allow you to project your January revenue and avoid clients dropping off on a summer crusade drinking from tins with your mates. The objective is to come back to a full diary following a well earned break
-Simplify your life
Create a set of business systems that automate appointment booking, payment of bills, client files and any other medial simple tasks. Also keep your life outside of work supportive to having good energy so that you are as consistent as the sun shining
- Get paid at the start of the month
Get your clients to pay you at the start of the month so that you can get on with business. With money in the bank you will have more time to get on with it and less time worrying about the bank balance
-Control spending
It may seem that there is a lot of money coming in however measure what is going out. Save a bit for a rainy day and keep on top of taxes and regular expenses. Set a budget and stick to it. If you can apply the same discipline to spending money as you do to your fitness regime you will have a healthy bank balance and a fit body
- Keep marketing
Typically marketing runs a 90-day cycle. So what you do, or don't do, today will typically impact your business in January. My observation of up/down businesses is that marketing moves down the priority list, as the business gets busy. Stay committed to marketing during your busy periods. Avoid a yo-yo style cash flow by keeping consistent with marketing
-Have a plan for January
Plan now for when you return in January. Consider how much you want to earn and then implement a strategy. Do the work now and join the family and loved ones and have a well-earned rest so that you can continue to make a healthy difference throughout 2010.

Our PT Plus mission is to see more health and wellness business making more money so that they can make a significant difference. By contributing to increasing the health of communities, employing more staff, providing charity support and donations and by generally practicing healthy business. As an industry we first must help ourselves so that we can serve this greater mission. Work smart during these next few months and make your own difference to your immediate community of clients, you deserve it, while the sun shines.

the busi-ness of Christmas

This one sentence "Did I tell you I was diagnosed with cancer 3 months ago?" completely changed my perspective on a busy time of year. As I sat across from my colleague (who prefers to keep the matter to himself) and considered his world of a hundred plus team of personal trainers, a management team, Christmas business deadlines, kids, a wife and a serious health challenge, I found myself considering this busy time of year and the busi-ness of Christmas in a refreshing light.

It seems inevitable to be busy during the lead up to Christmas. Consider the changes that occur this time of year.
-The weather and the energy requirements needed to deal with this shift
-General increase in business combined by finishing up clients and starting new ones and a real need to be ON
-Increase in social events results and normal productive downtime being exchanged for interaction with people
-Overall energy demands required to deliver in all areas is increased with the need to be everywhere for everyone
-Mental stimulation of the demands of Christmas life and trying to juggle all the requirements of business and personal demands
-The big deadline! A lot of people behave like the world ends this week... with the deadline of Christmas the urgency for response(s) and a normal days business is put on steroids as clients and colleagues overcompensate in order to get your response

So with all these changes at this extraordinary time of year, a strategy on the busi-ness of Christmas can only help us to survive. Let's face it without a strategy you will end up like most people limping into the end of the year low on energy, 'over' dealing with people and overwhelmed with the overall busi-ness of this time of year. It certainly is not business as usual during this time, so consider perspective as the key ingredient to survival.

I have a mission to serve. To develop the health and fitness industry to have more profitable businesses and create leaders who positively effect a great population of healthy people. I find great advice and inspiration from someone right in the middle of a battle. Beating cancer requires a different strategy to daily life I imagine. So the extraordinary lesson passed on to me to help beat the unusualness that comes with this time of year is best summed up here.

Embrace the busi-ness of Christmas with all your might. Work hard and rest even harder so that you can get up again and give it another crack tomorrow. Enjoy the work that it brings, the people you meet and the rewards that come from working hard. For it will be short lived if you lose perspective.

a guideline for designing your best year ever

The start of a new year brings exciting expectations about what is possible and of course the dreaded unknowns and challenges that occur with any journey.

I noticed the interesting change in my neighbourhood, brought about by a new start. Cars and cleaned and polished on front lawns that are groomed and green. The local boat ramp is busy launching happy families and friends on a day on the water while people's bodies and brains seem fresh, relaxed and in a state of anticipations about the 2010 journey.

How does this relate to business? The best in the business stay on track during the easy early phase of a goal by committing to the following.

So the neighbourly events had me asking questions. How many of these cars will stay polished? How will the lawns and gardens look in four, five or six months? The intention of having a boat is to be in it, on the water. However how many people will have their boat in the water over the coming weeks or will the boat become another part of the garden? And what about those healthy bodies and minds that are full of anticipation, how will they be around the middle of the year? Unless they are under your healthy guidance, chances are they will end up somewhere else!

I found inspiration last year from so many leaders in the industry who have common behaviour patterns and habits. Here is a guide to having your best year ever:

- Get 'you' right. Manage the most important person in your life - you
- Stay mentally fresh by booking your next holiday
- Consider not only the physical aspects of being healthy and fit, set up some techniques to being in a prime mental space most of the time
- Stay committed to 2010 objectives by locking in supporting programs and events that help to achieve the outcome
- It is also OK to not achieve, to simply have another year is absolutely acceptable, just be aware of a demon named complacency
- Enjoy getting uncomfortable on your new mission
- Align your goals and ambitions with another cause like a charity, kids or a loved one. 'We do for others what we want to do for ourselves'.

During Business Bootcamp 2010 I will talk you through the 6 figure success and deal with the how, what and where, plus share with you some 7 figure secrets of those that have come through our 2009 programs, setting you up for the next decade. Live business case studies as well as setting up a business strategy tailored to your outcomes to improve your income and lifestyle.