Efficacy Before Branding

Personal training has always had a high turnover of passionate, (usually) well-intentioned fitness enthusiasts; however, a demoralizing hurdle most crash into is the fact that the thing we love most (training people) is usually the last on a laundry list of items required for our long-term success. At least early in our careers.

Generation of credibility, professionalism, basic human interaction skills, and marketing are just a few in a long list of skills required to have a lasting career in most fitness avenues. Unfortunately, many put the horse before the cart.

In a super-saturated industry (fitness), that has progressively entered an even more saturated medium (online delivery), the perceived necessity for hyper-polished marketing, branding algorithms, and catchy “systems” have overtaken the foundational skills necessary to actually sustain your business. The flashiness of your sign won’t wash away the fact that you may not have the capacity to service those who are being attracted.

The cornerstone of success in the fitness industry will always be the delivery of results promised to clients who have elected to sign on with you. Do not attempt to monetize where you cannot deliver. When you do this, you are contributing noise not service. Just because you deliver an online service does not mean that the online space is the only way to generate clientele. Personal referrals will be the lifeblood of your early client base. Word of mouth, not a curated branding experience.

You are not experienced enough to have a niche. Instead, hit the ground hard developing your scope of practice. Train everyone and anyone that you are actually credible and capable of training. Be patient. Allow time for development. Gain experience, work out the unforeseen kinks in your delivery system, and find out where your strengths and weaknesses are.

If the success of your product relies on leveraging someone’s emotion (intentionally or not) in order to drive numbers, you will wash almost immediately. Entry level marketing with iron clad skill within your (developing) scope of practice is how you build credibility. Credibility is the centerpiece with which the longevity of your career can be built. And in case this needs to be stated, the fitness industry will never be a one “brand” take all system. There is a finite number of hours in the day and people any one trainer can service – and beyond that, personal connection trumps everything. Marketing may assist, but never replace, personal connection.

Your niche(s) will always be waiting for you – take the time to legitimately develop and find them. Resist famine mentality. Do good first.

Best,

Eric