Guest Post by Sako Yakinian

Google Adwords, flyers, Facebook, magazines, word of mouth, Craigslist, and the list goes on…

We’ve all tried every single method to gain more and more clients but it seems that as days goes by EVERYONE is using the same methods.

When I first started my business I bought 6 months worth of advertising in a magazine which cost me $2400, what was the return? 1 client!!

That sucked.

Then I got lucky and met Chris McCombs and he basically paved the way for me. I’ve also gained many clients through Chris’s friends and partners Steve Hochman and fellow Armenian Bedros Keuilian… these three guys methods are amazing.

My area is literally FLOODED with trainers … but usually it’s not even about who the best trainer is… but it’s about who the most well-known trainer is… and who markets the best.

It’s sad to say but we have a ton of crappy trainers out there who for some reason always have a full schedule, and usually that’s because they market the hell out of themselves!!

So marketing is key here.

I’m going to tell you my ways to get new clients, I don’t do anything TOO fancy… just the plain old basics.

Method #1

Ask your existing clients

I always give my clients a few business cards when they sign up and some free week passes to my boot camps to give to friends and family members.

I also offer them 2 free sessions per referral. Who wouldn’t try to get you a client for some free sessions?

Method #2

Free Events

Once in a while I will have free boot camps for everyone, or have nutrition and supplement seminar. You don’t even have to do extra work, you ask your local nutrition store owner to speak at your seminar and you can feed all these people information about proper nutrition, supplements, health and fitness.

Once you’ve gotten your followers to know you, like you and trust you (learned that from Bedros) You then pass out free passes to your boot camps. Free events are honestly one of the best ways to show people how good of a program you run and that you care about the clients.

Method # 3

Social Networking

Facebook, MySpace,  Twitter,  Meetup, and some more.

If you haven’t made an account for every single one of these…DO IT NOW!!!

This is FREE and works great!

I recently started using meetup.com and have already signed a number of new people up to my boot camps within just 2 weeks.

Facebook is my bread and butter, you simply add people in your area then make a group where everyone can join for free health and fitness tips, free passes to boot camps or to stay updated on all your events.

Once you build the group up you can send out blasts for a free boot camp or event or just give them free information.

I signed up 18 people in 9 days to my boot camp with two messages sent to my Facebook group… Every trainer out there should DEFINITELY create this and take advantage of free marketing.

Method #4

Be Seen

A lot of people might think this is stupid or might not want to spend money on this, but to be honest, the bottom line is it works.

I’ve made No Limit Personal Training shirts and tank tops and pass them out to every client I have and whoever else wants one, I also have drawstring gym bags with my logo and website on it.

People wear it to the gym, grocery store, when they are out running daily errands and more and more people notice it. I walked into the La Fitness by my house a few weeks ago and saw 5 different people with No Limit shirts on… and that’s not even the gym I train at!

When people see it they ask questions, if a hot girl is wearing a little tank-top with your training business on it you know other girls are going to ask how they got in that shape and where your gym is.

Trust me, spend the few extra bucks and give out as many free shirts, it works! Also make sure a lot of good looking girls and fit dudes wear them.

Method #5

Work Your Butt Off

I’ve believed in this since I first started my business 2 years ago and I started with 2 clients. I knew I wasn’t in the biggest, nicest gym or the worlds best trainer with a college degree or 20 years experience.

I just knew I was going to outwork any trainer in my area.

Training is my life; it’s my passion… just like I’m sure it is for you sitting there reading this.

The best way to get clients is to WORK YOUR BUTT OFF!!

Show your clients you genuinely care about them. Exceed every expectation they have, make sure at the end of the day you did everything you possibly could to help that client reach their goals.

Go that extra mile by calling your clients and checking up on them or sending a card on their birthday, or when they achieve a goal.

Clients want satisfaction and to feel important. If you put that extra effort and genuinely care about your clients and make them happy, I promise you’ll love the return.

They will tell all their friends, family and coworkers about you and about how amazing of a person you are and how great of a program you run. I’ve built a great reputation and name for myself simply by caring, if you want to build a big business you need to care about the people who keep you in business, your clients, and keep them happy.

Here’s an example of what a typical day looks like for me…

Method #6

I use simple internet marketing strategies I learned from Chris McCombs

I got a website from the Fitness Website Formula Team and have been driving traffic to it using some of Chris’s simple and effective strategies he teaches in The Market Annihilator

Plus I display a bunch of dramatic before and after pics on my site which helps a lot… it amazes me how few trainers stockpile before and afters… the more the better, and the more dramatic the changes are the better… this helps BIG TIME… I just started doing it recently, and it has definitely helped me get more clients.

The internet is BY FAR one of the best places to get new clients.

What’s really cool is because of the all the strategies I’ve been learning I not only train clients myself in a gym, I have another trainer running boot camps for me while I’m in the gym… he profits, I profit and it’s truly a win/win relationship.

I learned how outsource using the Auto-Delegation Tool Box

And a great resource for getting highly effective Boot Camp workouts is definitely Craig Ballantynes TT Boot Camp Program which you can learn more about by clicking here

And don’t forget…

You need to follow the three stooges Chris, Steve and Bedros… Whom which all genuinely care about every single one of us… Thanks guys!

And if you liked this post, I’d love to hear your comments below.

Sako Yakinian runs No Limits Personal Training in Orange Ca, check out his Fitness Blog

Sako is actually the the trainer I work out with when our schedules are in sync, the dude is one seriously awesome trainer… and every single one of his clients love him, because he really pours his heart and soul into getting people results