There's a simple rule I like to focus on inside my business: harvest > hunting.
It's pretty well known now that it costs 5 times as much (or more) to create a new customer, than it does to just keep your existing ones happy.
So many ads have been popping up on my feed lately from people who're obsessed with showing me how to drive lead costs down or how to master Facebook 'bots', or whatever else is in vogue this month.
Maybe that's how they like to spend their time, but I know for me, I'd rather put your energy into those who're already paying me to do the work I love.
Truth is, there's already a goldmine sitting in your current business database that we haven't even begun to tap into yet.
Just like most only ever use 10% of their brain capacity, the same goes for business owners and profits within their existing client base.
To get good, you need to work at extracting more and more from those who already know like and trust you.
Simple.
Which means you'll want to get really good at the re-sign conversation.
Here's the only two steps you need to know:
1. Genuinely listen to them (wants, needs, fears, frustrations)
and
2. Repackage and re-organise your offers so as to 'conveniently' provide them what they've always dreamed of.
I call it The Internal Sell.
Really it's just a friendly conversation explaining how you can help them even more inside their lives with problems that ALREADY EXIST.
If they want to go ahead, great! If not, then you'll know how serious they are about their goals (or that you didn't listen closely enough).
The problem a lot face, is they're like the builder whose only tool is a hammer - they try and make everything around them a hammer.
You can be different.
Dive in head first, drop the ego, and ask your clients exactly what they want more (and less) of.
Because the truth is...if you don't, someone else is.
The key to building successful business is NOT going to be who can master Facebook advertising or the latest algorithms.
It's the one who listens closely enough to their customers and then makes the most relevant, direct and timely offer.
Get that right, and you'll continue to build an empire that you love.
Enough winging it or playing out of your depth.
Check out this page here and let's master the systems on the inside of your business and get you on track to really make a difference.
Today's Quote:
"An individual without information can't take responsibility. An individual with information, can't help but take responsibility" - Jan Carlzon
Lost? Confused? Directionless? Read me.
We're living in interesting times.
Many (many) of us struggle to understand what 'it' all means at times. (Life, that is.)
The ups. The downs. The inconsistencies.
One minute, you want to conquer the world, the next minute you want to start a completely new career living the laptop lifestyle and making 'six figures' online.
If you've had these thoughts, you're not alone.
Far from it.
I've been there and I get it 110%.
Why though?
Shouldn't I be driven and focused? Shouldn't I just tap into 'my why' like all of these so-called 'Leadership Experts' are telling me to?
Actually no.
After some internal questioning (and sleepless nights), I realised it wasn't because I was unfocused, undisciplined or hopeless.
It was FEAR.
Michael Gerber, the author of The E-Myth Revisited, knew it way back in 1986 where he wrote about it. And, Napoleon Hill, in his 1937 classic, Think and Grow Rich, did too.
We strive for growth, and yet when the growth starts to happen, we inevitably get uncomfortable and naturally shrink to escape.
But do you really want to shrink?
Probably not.
Most humans are designed to grow.
And if you're reading this, I'm guessing you're one of them.
Which means, instead of shying away from the fear, I thought I'd take the time today to share what I found is the best way to deal with this fear.
Not to remove it (impossible) but instead, to navigate it.
There are three things that will help you get to where you want to go in life:
1. Courage - to go after it (even when you're uncertain of the outcome)
2. Competence - learning the skills you need to learn to win
3. Confidence - to do it again and again without fear rearing its ugly head so frequently
When you start to grow in the areas that count, you start to remove the fear.
Because you know you can handle it.
Fear only ever exists when you haven't previously prepared for the challenge ahead.
The problem is, a lot of us just inherently want to 'know' the answers before first having learned the lessons.
To skip step 1 and 2, and just have the confidence.
I wish it worked that way....(I really do)
But it doesn't.
I've since learned (and am still learning) that it's a fine balancing act between pushing hard to get what you want, while not forgetting the path takes time for a reason and sometimes less is more.
Which is why I'm so dedicated to learning, teaching and mastering the fundamentals.
I didn't want to attempt to build a 100 story skyscraper, in 3ft of loose sand.
The deeper the foundation, the more solid the building stands.
Now it's time we did the same thing with your business.
It's time we built your foundations to ensure you're giving yourself the best chance of success possible moving forward.
Check out this page here, and let's get you on the path you're destined to walk.
It may just be the best thing you've ever done.
Remember, your future is your choice.
Today's Quote:
"If it's important to you, you'll find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse."
Hayden
Standing out is easy (with these 6 rules)
How many Facebook ads have you seen this morning?
What about on Instagram?
Or YouTube?
Truth is, at every turn, it seems there are more and more ads popping up.
How much more saturation can this industry take?
I used to get so frustrated with it.
That was until I shifted my focus...
Instead of looking at the numbers, I started to look at the impact. Instead of counting the likes, I started counting the wins.
Honestly, it's one of the biggest mistakes I was making. Focusing on everyone else rather than the job I was being paid to get done.
Which brings me to the most important lesson I've learned during these last 12 months..
JUST DO YOU.
'Success' doesn't have to be complicated. Nor does it have to be some fluffy 'self-help' concept.
Success (to me) is living a deliberate life.
Doing what I like, when I like, with whom I like.
And I know it's not as easy as clicking your fingers and reading an email from me...but one thing I know for sure, is there are rules to this game we call life.
And if you want to win, you've got to play within the boundaries.
Here are a few I've chosen to live by, to ensure I'm putting myself in the way of success:
- Give more than you get
- Always find new problems to solve for others
- Push yourself to grow every day in every way
- Tackle your discomfort head on
- Take care of your mental, physical and spiritual fitness
- Consistently check-in with yourself to make sure you're behavior aligns with your values.
You've probably heard them 100 times before (maybe more).
But repetition is the master of all success.
Take this a reminder and check yourself against each of the above and see how you're doing.
Remember, success is nothing more than a series of small wins, strung together in the pursuit of a worthy outcome.
Don't (over)complicate it, let's get you on the right track to make it a reality.
Grab your signed copy of Your Pocket Coach today and set yourself up with the right mental mentors every single day.
"One page a day keeps the fear monger away!"
Today's Quote:
"Amateurs worry about the ego. Professionals worry about the impact".
The Power (and importance) of Momentum
It's day 1 of a new ketogenic 'way of life' for me here at HW HQ, and I'm pumped for what's to come over the following weeks and months. It's going to be an interesting challenge.
Having made some incredible progress with Keto a couple of years ago, I know the power of the high fat, mod protein, low carb on my body (and mind...seriously my thinking becomes crystal clear!).
And yet, for some reason (lifestyle and mind was not conditioned enough at the time) I 'fell off the wagon' and never continued with it some years ago. Well, it's time to give it another proper crack and hit my long-awaited (never attained) goal of 9% bodyfat.
The thing is, intellectually I know after a few weeks I always feel so great on it. Once the results come, is not hard to continue.
And that's the key to all of life really. Sticking at something long enough, to show yourself that the results will come...But only after the work has been put in first.
To win, we're going to need to gain and gather momentum. Starting is always the hardest part. With anything. Dieting. Business. Social anxiety.
But once you have that momentum, the work suddenly becomes a lot easier. Day by day, inch by inch, the work starts to become second nature as you continue to make progress towards your chosen goal.
Will you always feel like it? No. Is it wise to shut off the emotions and just do the work anyway? Yes.
As the saying goes, nothing worth having comes easy.
When I was writing my first book, Why Wait To Be Great? I would rise at 3:50am 6 mornings a week, and write for 2 hours straight at a local 24 hour cafe. Within 8 months I had a completed book in the hands of hungry leaders all around the world.
Some days sucked and all I could think about was bed. Other days I couldn't stop. But I can tell you one thing for sure, if I allowed my emotions to dictate whether or not I did the work, I certainly wouldn't be sitting here calling myself an author.
It's time you did the same. Learn how to embrace the suck, show up anyway and do the damn work.
Because every day you do, becomes another boost to your momentum counter and leads you another step closer to the goal you've chosen.
Get after it.
Hayden
Find Your Release
I was having an interesting conversation with one of my clients yesterday around the cathartic healing effects she has found through the use of her movement-based workouts.
With every new combination of movement, she would learn more about herself. Twisting, turning, shifting and balancing her body in different ways, helped her navigate the inner-workings in the mind, and make sense of the chaos.
As she was describing her situation, she mentioned how she is also finding it difficult to complete one of her monthly tasks, which was creating the words and copy for a brochure regarding her very unique (and awesome) coaching service.
As she was speaking about the release, learning and healing that happens during her movement practice, I couldn't help but simultaneously relate it to the fact I do the exact same but through the written word.
They say your clients are most often your best teachers.
Truth. It was a huge lightbulb moment for me.
For me, writing has, and always will be, how I make sense of the world.
I originally found solace through writing in a journal back in 2013, which then moved to writing my thoughts on a computer through blogging, which then led to not just my first book (Why Wait To Be Great?), but now my second with 'Your Pocket Coach'.
For me, the more you write, the more things start to make sense. For others, the more they move, the more they make sense of the world. It's never a definition of whether it exists or not, but more so whether or not you're focusing on that which gives YOU the benefits.
Take some time to review your history and find the moments in which you've felt the most content, organised and calm. Reflect upon the activities that have occurred just before these moments of calmness and observe you 'release' in action.
Like a large X on a treasure map, this is the exact thing you'll want to be spending more time doing if you're looking to slow things down and gain some clarity within the mind.
Move. Write. Paint. Sing. Dance. Lift. Meditate. Create & Grow.
Hayden
Hero, Villain or Victim?
In life, you can either be your own best friend, or your own worst enemy. The challenge is, most of the time, anyone with a bias for achievement and potential exploration, will often be the latter. Feelings of never being good enough or that there's always more to be done, (over)populate the mind and send us into overdrive.
Instead of allowing yourself to accept the anxiety that comes along with the above (something I am personally all too familiar with), I wanted to share a simple exercise for you to try in order to make sense of the current chaos, and get through it alive.
I want you to imagine you're sitting inside a cinema right now. Except instead of watching Brad Pitt, Ed Norton or Jake Gyllenhaal on the big screen...it's you. We're watching 'Movie You' right now.
The particular scene on the screen is a snapshot of your current life. Your friends are there, your profession is set, you can see your body, your mind, your loves ones, and most importantly, the thoughts running through your head.
Right now, are you the hero, the villain or the victim of that story?
Too often, we accept our lives as they are, without ever questioning the possibility that things could be different. Instead, we allow our body and mind to lay dormant, while our soul screams from the depths of our heart to be released from the prison called 'Fear'.
Thing is, we all long to be the hero and make a difference in the world, and yet, it seems near impossible to ever imagine ourselves as the Clark Kent's or Bruce Wayne's, when we're sitting on the sidelines, struggling to even make it through the month, the week or the day without feeling beat up and battered.
Here's the thing...whether you like it or not, you are already the hero of your own journey...it just depends what stage you're currently in that determines how you feel about it.
Allow me to share with you the general structure of all good storytelling based movies that come out of Hollywood (something which Joseph Campbell called 'The Hero's Journey').
Basically, it goes that a normal guy/gal is living a normal life when something happens that suggests an adventure is on the horizon.
At first, they resist the challenge, before meeting someone (a mentor) who highlights to them that things could be different.
The power of curiosity and becoming a more evolved version of themselves is enticing, so they take on the challenge.
They'll then face a whole bunch of surface level challenges, meet new friends, gain a few 'haters' and continue walking this exciting path.
That is, until they come across the real challenge. The 'innermost cave' - which is the technical term for the thing that scares them the most. Inside that cave is the ultimate 'baddy'.
In order to defeat the fear, however, they'll need to muster every bit of courage they've got and walk into that cave alone to face it head on (it must always be done alone).
After nearly dying, they'll find a way to defeat this fear and return back to the homeland as a completely transformed human being, capable of much more than they ever thought possible.
Now, whether you're conscious to it or not, you're on the exact same journey. The Hero's Journey is life. Instead of wondering why things aren't the way you want them to be, maybe it's time to ask, what am I avoiding? Why won't I enter my innermost cave?
Alternatively, if things are going smoothly for you right now, perhaps you're trying to ignore the next call to adventure, and stopping yourself from becoming more of who you need to be?
It's time to get honest with yourself and decide right here, right now that you are the hero of your own movie, and instead of sitting back and allowing your fears to take control, you jump in (head first) and face the fears that are holidng you back.
Go.
2 FREE Chapters From My Brand New Book - Your Pocket Coach (no email required)
Below I wanted to share two sample chapters from my brand new book: Your Pocket Coach with you.
But first, a quick story on how we got here.
Ever since first picked up Napoleon Hill's masterpiece 'Think and Grow Rich' back in 2013, I've been deeply fascinated about how combinations of letters, words, paragraphs, and pages can inspire people to take action.
And so as I was holding that life-changing book, I just knew this was a feeling I wanted to share with others
with just one little difference....
I wanted it to be my words, my thoughts and my inspirations being shared with people to help them take action in the direction of their dreams.
A lot has happened since then, and after a few false starts with writings (ramblings) that have never seen the light of day (probably lucky for you), in 2017, I launched my first book (Why Wait To Be Great?).
The entire journey of writing it was incredible..but that's a story for another day).
Regardless...another year has passed since I wrote that one, and it's been huge in terms of learning for me...
Failures
Successes
Reality Checks
Ups
Downs
and everything in-between.
I know you could say the same too.
But over the last year, I'd say one of my most proud achievements is what I wanted to share with you today...My brand new book.
It's called "Your Pocket Coach", and it's the ultimate 'modern-day bible' to literally carry with you in your pocket and get advice with whatever it is you're facing.
Although it's framed as a 'business' book, my hope is, it's going to do a lot more than just help in your business.
Ultimately, it's 60 actionable, practical pieces of advice to help you gain power of your mind, your money, your business and your life....
and then...TAKE ACTION!
So whether you read a page in the AM/PM or a page or two in between clients (each page takes 1-2 minutes), over the course of 3-4 weeks you'll be done!
(or you just binge on it in one go like the 20 or so people who've read the advanced copy)
Either way, you'll start making some much better decisions because you'll have all the information you need to succeed.
Without further ado, here you go
I hope you (really) enjoy it.
Chapter: Be A Master of Simplification
"In a world filled with information, the greatest value you can offer to others is to cut through the noise, break down the complicated and give your clients the clarity they need to make some much better decisions moving forward.
In 2017 I created a guide which has helped at least two dozen coaches launch their podcasts. I dedicated the entire first page to listing all the reasons most told me for why they couldn’t get started immediately and showed them how each one was simply an excuse. The result? No more resistance. Just action.
Now it’s your turn. As a master of simplification, you’ll help break things down to the most basic level for others to digest. To take the complex and remove all confusion. That way, those you serve cannot help but take action upon the advice you share, and you’ll be known as a straight to the point results first type coach.
When you look at it, everything you’ve ever achieved has simply been a series of tasks strung together in a specific direction. Now, it’s time to do the same for others. Take the time to chunk down what it is your clients want, and give them the clarity they need to achieve their dreams."
Chapter: Stand for Something
"If your business stands for nothing, it will fall for anything. It’s time to get clear on what you do and don’t stand for when working with clients.
Take a look at some of ours:
- We don’t do online training.
- We don’t do fad marketing.
- We don’t make empty promises.
- We don’t focus on anything that doesn’t help us grow.
- We do focus on results.
- We do focus on our clients.
- We do focus on providing exceptional value.
- We do focus on causes much bigger than ourselves.
When you develop a clear philosophy on how you do business, potential clients are in a much better position to make the choice whether or not you’re the right coach for them.
They’ll either be drawn in or pushed away. This is a good thing. Vague messaging attracts vague clients.
Get clear about who you’re for, and share that with the world. Once you do, watch how quickly the right people are attracted to your business."
...Now...
If you're keen to get a copy direct to your door, you can go ahead and click HERE to secure one of the 100 advanced copies I got printed just for you.
ps. use the code: "FREESHIP" in Australia/NZ and I'll even cover your shipping and handling costs.
Thanks so much for reading.
Would love to know what you think.
Hayden
Better Questions Are The Answer
Questions have always been the answer for me.
I've built my entire career off the back of great questions. Which has led me to create the business I love, work with clients I love, speak with mentors I love, and share the inspiration with those who are ready for it.
Which is what I wanted to speak with you today about.
Some of my top questions across the key areas you need the most if you want to grow on the inside of your business.
Questions for Business Clarity
1. What's the ultimate job I get done for the client? (what problems do I solve?)
2. How do I actually do that? (courses, 1-1, small group, consulting, books, etc)
3. How do I share with people that I'm the real deal? (how do I build freaky trust?)
Questions for Business Growth
1. What am I doing to reliably and predictably increase the lifetime value of each customer? (the ultimate goal in any business)
2. What opportunities currently exist that we are missing?
3. Who do we need to connect with this week to rapidly grow our bottom line or brand?
Questions for Business Stagnation
1. What's currently holding me back?
2. How do I build a plan in advance to solve that?
3. Who has been here before and knows how to navigate this challenge?
Some of the above might seem basic. But basics ALWAYS win.
Plus in my experience, knowing is not doing. Just because you know this stuff, doesn't mean you're already doing it. As my good friend Craig Harper taught me: the transformation is in the doing, not just the knowing.
Let's get you clear and focus on moving you to a position where you can powerfully answer those questions to someone you trust inside a 20-minute practice pitch situation.
It could be me. It could be a friend. It could be another professional. Anyone who isn't afraid to give you honest and growth promoting feedback that you can trust.
Give it a shot and let me know what you think.
Would love to know.
Hayden
Building Self Confidence.
Have you ever found yourself low on confidence? Feeling small, insignificant and invisible? I have. In fact, I spent roughly the first 25 years of my life like this. It was only once I met a mentor at the quarter-century point of my life that I slowly started to come out of my shell.
And so I look back at my journey of building self-confidence and wanted to reverse engineer that process to hopefully share with you a no fluff way for you to grow unstoppable confidence for yourself.
Whether you want to be more confident with your sales, develop clearer communication, speak on video without stuttering, increase your assertiveness, or help more people in a group/one to one based setting, this guide will help you.
Before we start though, I thought it might be important that I share some context with you.
HUBBA BUBBA AND THE MILK BAR
It would've been when I was around 7 years old and staying on the coast of Victoria at my Nanna's house that I first developed my lack of confidence. We were on a family holiday (my mum, sister and I).
Now if there's one thing you need to know about 7-year-old Hayden, it's that he had a really big sweet tooth. This meant that at any opportunity I was continuously pestering my mum to go to the local milk bar to buy some lollies...especially while on holidays.
I guess on this particular day she must have gotten tired of me asking so many times, so she handed me a shiny gold $1 coin and said: "OK, off you go". As happy as Larry (or a kid with $1 about to head to the milk bar for a quick sugar high) I ran the two blocks to the shops to make my selection.
In all honesty, though, I knew what I was there for - 2 packets of Grape flavoured Hubba Bubba (a very sweet, sugary bubblegum)! I knew for the price of 50cents each, which meant I'd be getting two.
I grabbed the goods and placed them in front of the clerk on the counter that stood between us. Smiling ear to ear, I looked to the owner who was chatting with his friend. I was only 7, so I can't have been much taller than the counter itself, but even so, looking back, I do remember feeling a little intimidated as these two men looked down at me.
I handed over my $1, which, intellectually, I knew was the full amount for the items, but for some reason (maybe out of pure habit) I stood there and waited for some change. Both men just stared at me, and even though it was probably only 5 or so seconds, it felt like an eternity.
Finally, it clicked in my brain. There would be no change. Duh...
So I smiled and said: "Thank-youuuuuu" in this really weird voice before embarrassingly walking out. I don't remember much else except that they were both laughing. I ran home, completely humiliated.
HUMILIATED
I ran straight past my mum, crying (but trying to hide the tears), and collapsed on the single bed I was staying in at my Nanna's house. I don't think I left the room for hours. Just replaying the event over and over. How could I be so stupid? They must think I'm so dumb and weird and awkward. They honestly probably didn't think twice about it. Yet I did. I can't really say I know why... Maybe it was these two grown men laughing at me? Maybe it was some prior experience that was re-triggered? Not 100% sure.
Regardless, from that day on, I swore I would never be put in that situation again. Thing was, that event became the catalyst to head back into my shell in most social situations and the beginning of my lack of confidence. And so for the next 18 or so years, my default was to shrink, hide and step away from any attention.
For years I would shy away from talking, making phone calls (even to friends) and being in the spotlight. Until enough was enough though.
ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH.
It wouldn't be until the age of 25 however, that I decided I needed to GET OVER my lack of confidence and just move on. For anyone who's ever felt 'social anxiety' (or whatever you'd like to call it) it's kind of like there's a secret inside joke that everyone's a part of (except you), and you're the subject. It consumes your mind and dictates what you do (or more specifically, what you don't do).
Through trial and error and putting myself out there more and more, I started seeing that it DIDN'T kill me to make a phone call or have a conversation with a stranger. And over the past 5 years, I've learned how growing your confidence is an incredible gift that can empower many areas of your life.
If you've ever experienced anything like the above or feel like you could benefit from increasing your confidence, I hope the below can be a helpful resource for you. I've found it a wild (and sometimes painful/confronting) journey of self-discovery, but well worth it. No matter what level you're at, just know, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and like anything, confidence is a learned skill that you'll benefit greatly from.
BUILDING SELF CONFIDENCE
Along this journey, I guarantee at times you'll want to give up, quit, hide, run away, duck, dodge, and dive from 'the work'. It's human nature to shy away from change and discomfort.
Just know, the deeper you go, the harder you push, and the more courage you ultimately show throughout, will directly correlate with how quickly you build your confidence. Embrace the challenge.
Let's begin.
STEP 1: Know why you want what you want.
If you want to get anywhere, you've got to know your destination first. Ask yourself, why do I want more self-confidence? Is it to help me sell my training services easier? Talk to prospects without feeling 'salesy' or stumbling on my words? Start a podcast or connect with other industry experts? Take the time to understand why you want this, and get super clear on it.
STEP 2: Commit to the goal.
One thing that held me back for much longer than it should have, was keeping a lot of my business stuff private. I was struck with imposter syndrome and just kept thinking, who am I to be doing this!? Plus, because I kept it relatively low key, if I failed, none of my friends would even know about it and consider me a failure.
It takes guts to come out in public and tell people who you (truly) are and what you're going after. You can see this as a major barrier, or see it as a major opportunity. Personally, I leverage this potential social failure to call it out nice and early. I've built the habit of doing what I'll say I'll do, when I say I'll do it. People respect those who take action. I encourage you to do the same. Call it out and commit to the process.
STEP 3: Build your Plan.
You've set the destination in step 1, but now you'll need to know the exact steps to get there. The question you'll want to be asking at this stage is 'What do I want to be, do or have by the end of this? (as outlined in step 1) and what would be a logical sequence of steps to get there?'
Dump it all out onto a page in your journal, before giving it some order and structure.
Once you've done that, put it into a plan. I like to work in 100-day blocks to maintain a high-level of focus and momentum on my current goals. It also helps me keep on the offence and continue to push myself hard.
I'll then chunk my stuff down ever further into weekly objectives that I call my 'BIG 3' and then into daily tasks to execute. By keeping my time, energy and focus blocked like this, I find I don't get as distracted by shiny objects and am able to protect my most valuable commodity. It also helps alleviate anxiety (as long as I do step 4).
Keep your plan short, sharp and actionable. Use the three levels (100-day blocks, weekly BIG 3's, and then daily tasks), and focus on the outcomes and results before working backwards from there.
STEP 4: Do the reps.
I've always found the more I do the work, the more the anxiety seems to disappear. Just like you only build strength in the gym by doing the reps, confidence works the same way. You can't read a book or do an online course hoping confidence will just show up. You've got to get out there, display the courage, try new things and learn on the job.
For most who have low confidence, (me 5 years ago) you may wish step 4 was available through some kind of USB upload like in 'The Matrix'. But there isn't. So for now, you'll have to settle for getting uncomfortable and focusing on your personal growth through a lived experience. Just remember, each time you push yourself, you become slightly stronger. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Every day it builds.
NOW IT'S YOUR TURN
And now, there ain't nothing more to it, than to do it. It's time to focus, act, make the mistakes, learn from them, grow stronger, and come back harder than ever each time.
I know you hear it all the time, but there really is only one life. Don't waste it on worry. Do the work that counts, and watch as your confidence grows. I'm living proof it's possible.
Hayden
How to Step Selling Your Time as a Personal Trainer (and get your life back)
One of the biggest problems with in-person personal training (the only type I believe in), is that you're selling your time. Which means when you or your clients go away, your income disappears. This makes it pretty damn difficult (read: virtually impossible) to effectively plan for the future. Which means sacrificed holidays, leisure/family time, events with friends and dinners etc all become secondary. No work, no pay.
Thing is, the traditional model of personal training being taught, which despite it being in neither you or your clients best interests, is to train (and charge) clients based on how many sessions or time they get with you as the main advantage or selling point.
The problem with this 'old school' approach is three fold:
1. If you're good...you'll quickly run out of time.
I've met trainers who can take 40 or 50 1-1 sessions per week. They tell me how they love it and enjoy being in front of the client. Which I get. I love coaching my clients too.
The challenge is, as you continue to get busier, where are you going to find time to write programs, deliver exceptional customer service, prepare your own meals, work on your marketing, develop new business, continue to learn, fit in your own training, have any sort of life, spend time with your partner etc?
As you know, time is finite and it's the fastest way to burnout. Yes, you CAN sustain it for a little while, but is it really how you (and your partner) see your future??
2. It's not in the clients' best interest.
Think about it. Knowing that it actually costs 4-5 times more to acquire a new customer than it does to keep an existing one, means that ultimately the longer you can keep a client, the better it is for you. Eventually, however, for reasons that are often beyond your control, the client can sometimes feel like you're taking them for a ride. Whether that is true or not is another question, but as soon as they aren't seeing maximum value in your service, they start to grow skeptical and weigh up their options of spending their money elsewhere.
(Note: Yes you can still keep your best clients btw, I'll show you how below)
3. You eventually become resentful.
As you get better, more people will want your time. When you charge by the session only, you're not taking into account the additional work and costs associated with working with the client. Which means, every additional thing you do, comes at a cost...your cost. Because of this, you can become resentful due to having to take 30 minute phone calls if/when they break down, or that extra hour you need to write their next program is essentially done for free. I love providing exceptional value for my clients, but I also love being paid for that...and so should you.
Therefore, since it's not in anyone's best interest to run a personal training business this way. Below I wanted to share with you the exact steps and way you can do the opposite and actually be paid what you're worth rather than just for your time.
Here's what to do about it...
STEP 1: Discover The Desired Outcome(s)
The number 1 thing people want...outcomes. Very tangible and very real results to help with their problems. This means, your time is NOT valuable to them. It might be hard to hear, but it's the truth. What they want, is the knowledge, resources, and advice you have.
You need to be looking at how you can achieve the maximum result in the minimum amount of time. It's not lazy, it's in the best interest of both you and the client. Plus it means you'll get more time to work with new clients or spend time growing your business.
What you'll want to do, is sit down with your client and set some very clear goals for what they want to achieve. You can ask questions such as: "So what are some of the things you'd like to work on if we were to do this together?" or "In 12 months time, if everything went to plan, will you want to have achieved?"
This will give you a very clear picture for what success looks like. You may need to tweak/change/overhaul/go deeper, but this is a great starting point.
STEP 2: Reverse Engineer Success
OK, next up, we need to work out exactly what it would take to move this person from where they are now, to where they want to be. Things to think about:
Education (What do they need to learn both physically and mentally to shift their future?)
Resources (What do they need to get to their goals)
Tools (such as a gym, worksheets, phone calls, coaching etc)
Additional Help (that you personally cannot provide (massage, osteo, psychologist etc) that would add toward the end result.)
Take the time to sit down and think about all the things that would be required to achieve the desired result. Brainstorm them all out onto a big sheet of butchers paper or inside your journal and exhaust all options. The more the better. (We will give structure to it next).
(Notice I did not say time yet? That comes later in the process.)
STEP 3: Build the Plan (with the client)
Nothing gets done until a plan is created. There's a reason why Google Maps is consistently in the top 5 apps downloaded on any smartphone. Because it tells you exactly which turns you need to take to get to your destination as quickly as possible. You will now become the 'Google Maps' for your clients transformation, giving them the directions and route needed to help them get to their destination as quickly as possible.
Outline the steps and phases the client will take with you (communication is king), and get their buy-in along the way. They'll need to be comfortable, educated, and understand exactly what this will take. This is going to help with adherence later on when things get hard (and they will get hard).
It's at this point you're finally going to talk timeframes. It's important to outline that this is an estimate (based off of what you've done with previous clients and from your own transformation). You'll also want to talk about the different phases and how long you will (ideally) spend at each one - pending they follow the plan.
STEP 4: Do the Work.
Now it's time to get to work. This is the 'fun' part...at least for you. Thing is, you'll also need to be there to help, assist, course correct, champion and challenge them along this journey. The reason they're coming to you is because they don't know the steps to get themselves in shape. This is (hopefully) your area of expertise.
During this time, things might not always go to plan. Do your best. Use your skills. Adapt (and learn) as you go, and you'll continue to grow (both as a coach and a leader).
Step 5: NEXT.
As you know, the bond between coach and client is quite special. You are the highlight of their day/week/life. Which means, they don't want to get rid of you.
To keep them as a client, you'll want to continue to anticipate the unmet, unsatisfied and unidentified needs of your client. That is, once they finish their first program, they're going to have new goals, dreams, and desires. It's your job to draw these out. Best of all, they know YOU can help them get there (because you've literally just done it).
I recommend at the 75-85% mark of their program, you have a conversation with the client about their new goals, their new ambitions and where they want to go next with their training. This will then make the basis of program 2...and program 3...and so on.
If there is one thing I know about humans, it's that we love working towards and achieving a goal we've set. As we transform our bodies, we transform as people too. By making sure the client is reaching beyond what they currently believe is possible for themselves, you give them the healthy push they need to make growth happen.
I know the above might be a little bit different to what you might've heard or seen before, but I promise you the above works.
The aim of the game is to always be one, two or three steps ahead of the client.
Remember the essentials: people buy outcomes (not time), you are in control, and you are the one that needs to help the client see and set new goals for themselves.
Let me know if you implement the above inside your fitness business, and how it goes.
Hayden