Five Strategies to Creating a Velvet Rope Around Your Fitness Business

Guest Post by Dustin Maher

Here's a guest post by fitness professional Dustin Maher about creating exclusivity in your fitness business. He's expanding on a strategy made popular in the fitness business by Jim Labadie and Ryan Lee called Velvet Rope Marketing

When you think of a velvet rope, what do you think of?  Do you think of the red carpet at the Oscars, with the body guards at the front door blocking the entrance from those who aren't allowed to go in?  Do you picture a bouncer at a hot night club controlling the long line of clubbers who are looking to get into the party?

Now what if I were to tell you that you could have that same kind of experience; the experience where clients are lining up to train with you via, one on one training, small group training, boot camps, or at your gym.

This is what I have been able to create in just the past two years by implementing some simple marketing strategies that get clients to feel like they NEED to train with me, and any other trainer/gym JUST WON'T DO.  I don’t possess any magical powers and now it is your turn to experience this!

Here are my top 5 strategies to help you get clients begging, pleading, and bribing you to work with them…

1.  Create a blog and really invest some time and thought into creating great content

Ok, so this one shouldn't be anything new to you if you have been following Chris McCombs.  I started a blog just over 6 weeks ago and have gotten about 15,000 visitors.  I use many pictures and videos to deliver content that my readers are looking for.  Don't give information that you think is interesting, but give information that your customers want.  As more people join the blog and comment on the posts (some of my posts have over 40 comments) it automatically positions me as an expert.

Aim to write some blogs that have some controversy to them.  I did this by writing about Oprah’s weight gain and sure got some nasty comments, but I had about a 4:1 ratio of positive comments to negative. Most comments were in support of me and were attacking those individuals that were attacking me and my post!  This is a great way to create raving fans.

2. Become known in your community through the media via TV, newspaper, magazines, and radio

This is one of the quickest ways to create the velvet rope  Those who are in the media are considered to be experts… potential clients will be thinking, "why else would the media have chosen you to represent their broadcast or print if they weren’t the best?"

Some simple ways to begin relationships with the media is to contact them via email, and send press releases.  It is important to realize that they are busy and you can make their life easier, but you have to keep THEM first.

Offer to train them for free, come up with 5 story ideas for them to use, create content that is simple and easy for the media to use.

3.  Use tons of testimonials

I have been doing this more and more of late and wish I would have started earlier.  I have many new clients contacting me of late because they have seen some videos and before and after pictures of my clients amazing transformations.  When they see those testimonials, it causes the potential client to believe that the results that your client experienced are also possible for themselves. Many times it takes just one testimonial that a person really connects to, to cause that person to become a client. For this reason I recommend collecting many testimonials from a variety of people reaching different types of goals that they have set for themselves.

4.  Find your niche

I could write a whole blog post on this topic, but finding a niche will allow you to become more exclusive with who you work with.  My niche is mainly stay-at-home-moms as well as some full time corporate job moms.  This alone, causes people’s perception of me to change, and if there is a mom out there looking to get in shape, she would much rather work with someone who specializes in training moms like myself, then a trainer who works with everyone.

When you have a potential client who doesn’t fit your ideal client demographic, politely explain that you are focusing on (blank) clients and you would love to refer him/her to another trainer who would be suited for their needs.  The person, who you just turned down, will most likely tell those close to them what has happened, which will increase the “velvet rope” around you.

5.  Carefully craft your newsletters that you send out to your list

First of all, 80%-90% of your newsletters should be content based, giving them the information they are seeking.  I also talk about something that is going on in my life for 1-2 sentences at the beginning. This adds the personal touch, but can also create a sense that I am very busy and in demand since I talk about events I speak at, or other interesting things.

When promoting a service on your newsletter, only spend a couple sentences at the end talking about it; remember people don’t want to be sold anything.  When talking about your services make it clear that you don't accept every person. Use phrases like, "application process," and "trial period."  Clearly state the expectations that you have for each client and if they don't meet those expectations you have the right to stop working with them; this is such a different attitude then most trainers have.  Most trainers would beg and plead a potential client to train with them, and keep that client even if they aren’t doing what you tell him/her to do.

For example, I recently posted on my blog that I would be accepting 4 new clients for small group training and that they could send an email requesting information on applying to be a client of mine.  I also told them that I haven’t accepted any new clients for the past 5 months. (Which was true, don’t lie)  Within 48 hours I had 6 respond and the tone of all the emails were of either desperation (pleading me to pick them), or appreciation/honored if I would pick them.

This didn’t happen because I am such an amazing trainer, but rather it happened because I took all of the steps I have mentioned above. I have a fitness show on local NBC, I have a monthly fitness show on the radio, I have appeared in local magazines and newspapers, I speak at different events, I have a blog that is growing rapidly, I send out quality fitness information 2-3 times per week, I use language in my newsletters that make it sound like I am busy and I am exclusive with who I train, I turn down clients and opportunities that don’t fit my niche, and I have amazing testimonials that provide social proof to back up each of my services.

There you have it; five ways to get clients begging to work with you!  I shared more about my personal story than I had planned, and in no way do I want to sound braggy.  I just want to show you that a 25 year old, who isn’t smarter than anybody else, can make a very respectable and great career out of doing what he love to do; get others healthier and motivate them to be the best they can be!

Now go out and do the same!

Dustin Maher is a trainer and instructor in Madison, WI.  He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 2006 with a degree in Kinesiology.  Dustin created MamaTone Fitness and Fit Fun Bootcamps.  He also does small group personal training at local studios.  Dustin is also getting ready to release a monthly DVD program that is designed to help moms get in shape by providing them with efficient home workouts as well as monthly nutritional guidelines and support.  For more information about Dustin visit www.dustinmaherfitness.com,   www.madisonbootcamps.com and www.fatlosstipsforwomen.com (blog)

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