fitSpot Guru

What We Cover In This Episode:

• What ChatGPT is and who it can help right now [0:44]

• How we've been using this tool at fitDEGREE and the reasons why we decided to invest in this new technology [2:14]

• What ChatGPT costs and why you should look at going the paid route versus using the free plan [5:32]

• The ways in which it differs from just using Google searches [9:31]

• Real-time examples of ChatGPT in action [11:06]

• A sneak peek for next week as we continue the conversation about ChatGPT [21:04]

Quotes:

"[ChatGPT] is for the busy business owner, the solopreneur and the busy team member. We all use it in different fashions when we can. It kind of just gets the busy work out of the way and lets you focus on how to make things great." [Nick, 2:18]

"It's a lot easier to edit something than it is to start from scratch. It's not going to do your job for you, but it's going to get the ball rolling and then let you keep that momentum going." [Nick, 4:02]

"There's not going to be a robot that owns a fitness studio with you, because part of owning a fitness studio is having a community and having that emotion involved, but a studio that uses AI effectively will put you out of business." [8:50]

"It makes it so much easier, because unlike Google where you have to have a great formula to the way you're asking the question, ChatGPT is literally a conversation. It's like you're instant messaging a friend who is just a human encyclopedia, except it's not human." [Megan, 9:31]

"What ChatGPT does is it takes the best information from the top sources and gives no one credit. People that have been working their whole life to be on page one of Google are mad, but it takes the best information on the Internet. It gives it to you plain and simple, and it's amazing." [Nick, 19:44]

LINKS:

ChatGPT

fitDEGREE's Business Portal

https://calendly.com/fitdegree/support

[email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/fitdegree/

​​https://www.instagram.com/fitspot_guru/

https://www.fitdegree.com/blog

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ5rK6zWPXjbxtUQx3ys9Q

What We Cover In This Episode:

• More on the changes you are going to notice in the client-facing fitDEGREE app [2:37]

• Significant improvements to the notifications within the app [5:47]

• A few different ways that you'll be able to start a chat with a client [8:16]

• All of the moderator options now available with chats and channels [15:29]

• Actions steps to take now to prepare for these updates [20:19]

Quotes:

"If it was allowed or appropriate for the bottom navigation bars of apps to have 10 different buttons, I think we would do it, but it takes some reconfiguration to get chat in there." [Nick, 2:38]

"Just like when we build anything, we take a look at everything going on, like all the big platforms. Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, we look at all of them." [Nick, 8:17]

"As someone who is actually utilizing fitDEGREE both as a fitDEGREE employee and as an employee at a studio, I love the idea of being able to set a status and to say 'Hey, I answer my chats between these hours, I'll get back to you as soon as I can.'" [Megan, 11:03]

"A positive consequence of building all this is that it wasn't any additional work for admins to chat with each other. So you can have a team member group chat, and you can limit that to a couple of managers and have your leadership group chat. You can also have all the instructors there as maybe a place where they go to ask for a sub[stitute]." [Nick, 14:52]

LINKS:

fitDEGREE's Business Portal

https://calendly.com/fitdegree/support

[email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/fitdegree/

​​https://www.instagram.com/fitspot_guru/

https://www.fitdegree.com/blog

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ5rK6zWPXjbxtUQx3ys9Q

What We Cover In This Episode:

• Why completing a competitive analysis is so important in determining the course of your business [2:22]

• How your goal should be to play in your own space AND be the only and obvious answer for your ideal client profile [3:57]

• What to do now if you are offering a very similar solution to other studios in your community [4:50]

• Some ways to use competitive analysis to determine the right approach for marketing your business [6:45]

• Why you'll want to keep your service offerings competitive [8:42]

• How to approach building out your target audience by looking at who is not being served [11:16]

• Why saturation is so scary when it comes to your location [13:11]

Quotes:

"If you're not interested in research and competitive analysis, being a business owner [or] manager might not be the path forward for you because this is going to become a part of your lifestyle." [Megan, 3:38]

"It's super important to zig when they zag in all of these areas that we've covered today. If you are going to be next to someone, you have to be different in almost every way possible so it is very obvious which one you should go to." [Nick, 14:03]

"I think just taking the time to know your market, to know your competitors and to know how you can fit into the grand scheme of the community, is the most important way to find success." [Megan, 16:35]

LINKS:

Episode 146: How to Respectfully Research Local Competition

fitDEGREE's Business Portal

https://calendly.com/fitdegree/support

[email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/fitdegree/

​​https://www.instagram.com/fitspot_guru/

https://www.fitdegree.com/blog

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ5rK6zWPXjbxtUQx3ys9Q

What We Cover In This Episode:

• How wearable technology has become the top trend of 2023 [1:44]

• Why strength training with free weights is our favorite trend this year [4:02]

• The way that Nick is incorporating bodyweight training into his programming, and the impact the pandemic had on this type of workout [6:28]

• Our thoughts on fitness programs for seniors [8:14]

• What to understand about functional fitness as a trend this year [10:01]

• A trend that surprised us by being so high on the list for 2023 [10:26]

• What HIIT is all about [12:24]

• How weight loss still is a priority for many, despite a shift in focus to overall wellness [13:39]

• The evolution of employing certified fitness professionals in the gym [15:08]

• What's happening with personal training right now [18:02]

Quotes:

"Everyone probably thinks they can lose 10 pounds of fat, like that's what they need to do and that's what they should do. I'm the opposite; everyone can do good by gaining 10 pounds of muscle." [Nick, 4:20]

"I started programming pull-ups and push-ups back into my program again, because I was hurting myself. I turned 30, I kept lifting all these weights, and what's the point if I can't do 10 pull-ups and 30 push-ups at any given moment?" [Nick, 7:30]

"Yes, we are elder-proof at this point, and I think it's a huge market that's also underserved." [Nick, 9:04]

"Personal training is important and a lot of people still utilize it, but I feel like it's getting lesser and lesser as we have more and more boutique [studios] in the space." [Megan, 18:30]

LINKS:

Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2023 (ASCM's Health & Fitness Journal)

Issue No. 219: Rebundling the Gym (Fitt Insider)

fitDEGREE's Business Portal

https://calendly.com/fitdegree/support

[email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/fitdegree/

​​https://www.instagram.com/fitspot_guru/

https://www.instagram.com/whycoachingandconsulting/

https://www.fitdegree.com/blog

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ5rK6zWPXjbxtUQx3ys9Q

What We Cover In This Episode:

• Important things to keep in mind as you're updating your pricing model [3:56]

• The types of clients that boutique fitness attracts and why reasonable price increases should not matter to them [8:05]

• The reasons that including founding members in your price increases is necessary [12:51]

• Our thoughts on if you should plan an incentive to go along with your price increase [14:56]

• When is the best time to announce your price increase to members [17:58]

Quotes:

"Is your landlord accounting for inflation? That's one of those trickle down concepts. If your landlord is inflating your rent year-over-year, then you have to say, 'hey member, my costs went up, so your costs go up." [Nick, 4:39]

"I feel like there's some software [companies] in our space that made price increases feel like a dirty thing. They don't have to be a dirty thing, they can just be an honest thing of 'some costs went up around the business and in order to keep giving you the experience that you've grown accustomed to, I'm going to need to raise my prices to keep up with those things.'" [Nick, 5:42]

"You just don't want to get yourself in a situation where you feel like the bad guy. It's got to just be an honest conversation of what you can and what you can't do. You can give them notice, [or] you can do 'next year it will be this and the following year it will be that', but you can't live off these founder memberships." [Nick, 7:06]

"You shouldn't be dipping into what you've saved or what you've earned in order to pay those costs; that should be accounted for in your new rates." [Megan, 10:53]

LINKS:

Episode 136: Keeping Your Pricing Streamlined in fitDEGREE

fitDEGREE's Business Portal

https://calendly.com/fitdegree/support

[email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/fitdegree/

​​https://www.instagram.com/fitspot_guru/

https://www.instagram.com/whycoachingandconsulting/

https://www.fitdegree.com/blog

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ5rK6zWPXjbxtUQx3ys9Q

What We Cover In This Episode:

• The best ways for a fitDEGREE client to send a support ticket for the team to look after, as well as what to expect for turnaround time [3:29]

• What to be aware of in terms of the order of urgency in which issues are addressed [8:15]

• Some of the "do's and don'ts" when submitting a support ticket [10:47]

• Why Ali will often suggest that the person requesting support hop on a call with her versus corresponding via email [15:59]

• An underutilized resource that has great benefits when used to solve issues that arise [18:30]

Quotes:

"I think a big thing is we want to do a great job, [but] we're not mind readers and it's ok to explain the first email like you're explaining it to a 5-year old." [Nick, 5:54]

"Don't think that everything is going to be solved in 24 hours if you're reporting an issue that you're having, and specifically a big issue. If it's a very pressing bug we tackle things in an order of urgency, and we assign levels to those things." [Ali, 10:50

"A lot of times when I get questions I'll send back a reply and then I'll suggest we get on a call together, because I think it'll be easier to discuss this further via call, because whatever the topic is, it's just more involved than email can handle." [Ali, 15:59]

LINKS:

Loom

fitDEGREE's Business Portal

https://calendly.com/fitdegree/support

[email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/fitdegree/

​​https://www.instagram.com/fitspot_guru/

https://www.instagram.com/whycoachingandconsulting/

https://www.fitdegree.com/blog

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ5rK6zWPXjbxtUQx3ys9Q

What We Cover In This Episode:

• Ways to determine what is not being offered in your community [1:54]

• What to keep in mind when observing physical locations [6:22]

• The importance of understanding the standard of boutique fitness in the area [7:00]

• How to research both the physical and online presence of other businesses in your community [7:56]

• Why attending industry events and community events to see the type of messaging they are trying to get across is so powerful [9:11]

• How you can point potential customers to the competition if it's a better fit for them and not a fit for you [9:32]

• A few marketing strategies to be aware of [10:17]

• What the process of visiting competitors and introducing yourself can look like [11:13]

• Approaches to avoid that may not be respectful to competitors [12:42]

• Why you should strive to avoid creating tension and boost cross referrals when researching the competition [14:30]

Quotes:

"I think it's vital to look at your competition, because if you have this grand vision of what you would want to offer and you find out there are two studios that already do it, your whole basis of business survival is going to be a bloodbath to prove why you're better, and it's going to get emotional." [Nick, 3:31]

"If [your competitors] go all out on their website, you better start searching. If you can find who built their website, even better, but you now have a new standard that you need to reach." [Nick, 8:39]

"Nine times out of ten, you're going to be signing up for the same masterminds, you're taking a lot of the same certifications, [so] you might as well talk to each other. Don't become enemies, become best friends and work with each other." [Megan, 19:04]

LINKS:

fitDEGREE's Business Portal

https://calendly.com/fitdegree/support

[email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/fitdegree/

​​https://www.instagram.com/fitspot_guru/

https://www.instagram.com/whycoachingandconsulting/

https://www.fitdegree.com/blog

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ5rK6zWPXjbxtUQx3ys9Q

What We Cover In This Episode:

• More on an exciting upcoming feature that facilitates internal interactions [3:06]

• How it will allow you to invite others through the app via chat instead of external text message [4:49]

• The way that the chat feature evolved [5:38]

• What to be aware of with the social and privacy settings from the student perspective [10:53]

• The admin-facing features that will give you the ability to disable or define the people in your chats [12:42]

• Group chat features and benefits [14:47]

Quotes:

"The main use was getting to improve community features [so] that clients can talk to each other. We also get to improve the instructor/client communication, and now [chat] is this admin tool as well for the internal staff." Nick [4:38]

"With inviting people, you don't have to send them a text anymore. Now when you hit the invite button, what we've done is we've made it so it'll actually pop up and ask you who you want to message internally in the fitDEGREE app, and as it sends them the invite, it'll also start a chat. So, you can talk to the person about it or send it to a group of people at once." [Dan, 4:51]

"One of our big things is we wanted to make it feel like it was a modern chat app, not like just a tack-on to an app that would feel like a lesser experience." [Dan, 6:17]

"It is more than just messaging, it is fitDEGREE messaging. It is the things that matter to us, like sharing a class, and it previews your friends that are already going. That's all unique stuff that we had to build, obviously from the ground up, but people don't think about it." [Nick, 9:59]

"I think it has just such great potential, because I know a lot of studios run accountability groups and or series sessions, where [customers] have to download WhatsApp, or they all have to go to Telegram or whatever other random app, and now it just lives in fitDEGREE." [Megan [17:07]

LINKS:

Prologue 2: The Story of fitDEGREE: Dan Read's Version

fitDEGREE's Business Portal

https://calendly.com/fitdegree/support

[email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/fitdegree/

​​https://www.instagram.com/fitspot_guru/

https://www.instagram.com/whycoachingandconsulting/

https://www.fitdegree.com/blog

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ5rK6zWPXjbxtUQx3ys9Q

What We Cover In This Episode:

• What the popularity reports in fitDEGREE are and where you can find them [2:17]

• How to dive into the session data to get even more detailed reporting [4:40]

• The ways that popularity reports help you grow your business and what you get out of it as a studio owner [5:32]

• Using the data to determine classes or instructors that are successful or not, and the importance of the unique number feature [8:55]

• What really matters in the end when using these reports [11:26]

Quotes:

"I think it's exciting to see which class is doing the best and which instructor is doing the best, but I would probably look at it with the reverse angle of which class is underperforming and which instructor is underperforming?" [Nick, 5:33]

"It's funny that it's [called] the popularity report, because if I'm going to this report, I'm really trying to figure out what I can weed out and what I should turn my attention to after I weed those things out." [Nick, 6:53]

"I really feel like the magic number for boutique fitness is two to three times a week per person. So, I think really drilling down into each class or each instructor and finding that magical number of unique people creating a certain amount of registrations, [that] is the number that I would be looking at." [Nick, 9:41]

LINKS:

fitDEGREE's Business Portal

https://calendly.com/fitdegree/support

[email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/fitdegree/

​​https://www.instagram.com/fitspot_guru/

https://www.instagram.com/whycoachingandconsulting/

https://www.fitdegree.com/blog

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ5rK6zWPXjbxtUQx3ys9Q

What We Cover In This Episode:

• What things Pixality does best and why they exclusively use Squarespace [1:48]

• Connie's opinions on Canva getting into web design [4:07]

• When it is time for most small business to update their websites [6:48]

• A few common reasons you may want to review or redesign your website right now [8:27]

• Whether she thinks there is a "line in the sand" on when to determine if you should do a refresh or a rebuild of your website [10:22]

• The top reasons why you should rebuild your website [12:58]

• Why Connie recommends building your website with Squarespace [18:31]

• What to expect when getting started to work with Connie and the Pixality team [19:57]

Quotes:

"We do see that most small businesses at about the 3 to 5-year point [need to redesign their website]. Technology just gets outdated and your business changes enough that it is time to start fresh and redefine what you want to be known for on the Internet." [Connie, 6:48]

"If you can't edit your own website, if you can't go in right now, there is an emergency, your studio heaven forbid floods and you have to put that on your website, if you or your team internally can't do that, you need to be on a platform you can do that on and Squarespace is on of them." [Connie,18:39]

"If you don't have that branding, if you don't have those words flushed out, if you don't have those photos, you are going to have a hard time building the website. So, we can do all of that prior to actually starting the project." [Connie, 21:20]

LINKS:

Pixality's Website & fitDEGREE-Integrated Web Design Services

Their Instagram

Blog Post, How Often Do You Need to Redesign Your Fitness Website

Episode 94 with Connie

Squarespace & Canva

fitDEGREE's Business Portal

https://calendly.com/fitdegree/support

[email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/fitdegree/

​​https://www.instagram.com/fitspot_guru/

https://www.instagram.com/whycoachingandconsulting/

https://www.fitdegree.com/blog

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJ5rK6zWPXjbxtUQx3ys9Q