The Obvious Choice

Today's discussion focuses on some recommendations of the best books to read as an online trainer.

The Episode: The Best Books That Every Online Trainer Should Read

There are many avenues to explore to learn and improve your online training business, and one of the most fruitful is the books you can read to up your game. Impactful books are not limited to a specific field, and today we speak about a selection of recommendations from different genres that can help push the needle in your life and business. Learning and improving is what will take you from average to highly successful and profitable, so adopting this kind of mindset is a must! 

In This Episode 

• The range of books that can help you and your business [0:16:02]
• How Ignite the Fire can provide a great foundation for a coaching business [0:17:41]
• Dan John's Never Let Go and the philosophy of training [0:19:41]
• The importance of the lessons in The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel  [0:20:55]
• Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magic and how to follow your curiosity [0:25:47]
• Applying the lesson from How To Talk So Kids Will Listen [0:28:35]
• Frameworks for coaches from The Simple Path to Wealth [0:29:36]
• The profound wisdom of All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten [0:34:14]

“You don't listen to financial advice from somebody who has different financial goals and risk appetites. Good advice could be good advice for somebody else, and not you.” — Jonathan Goodman

Mindset and Money

There are so many different types of books that can help you, so do not restrict yourself to a certain area or genre. We recommend figuring out your goals (something that books can help with too!) and then seeking out experts on the subjects related to those goals. A great starting point for the basics of mindset comes from our very own Jonathan Goodman and is called Ignite the Fire. From there you can dive into the philosophy of training and commitment in the amazing Never Let Go by Dan John, an older book but one with so much relevance and wisdom. On the financial side of things, The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel can set you on a path to better management and building the life that you truly want. While The Simple Path to Wealth by J L Collins is a great addition to your explorations into money and securing your future.

Curiosity and Life Lessons

There are some amazing lessons about passion and curiosity in Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magic, another must-read for any creative person or business owner. The application of small lessons to bigger areas of your life is exemplified by the applicability of How to Talk So Kids Will Listen, as we believe that these ideas can be used beyond parenting! The last recommendation we have for you today is the fun yet profound All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, which is a series of essays about how to keep your life simple and healthy.

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Books Mentioned Today:

Ignite the Fire — https://www.amazon.com/Ignite-Fire-Building-Successful-Personal/dp/1505787610

Never Let Go — https://www.amazon.com/Never-Let-Go-Philosophy-Learning/dp/1931046387

The Psychology of Money — https://www.amazon.com/Psychology-Money-Timeless-lessons-happiness/dp/0857197681/

Big Magic — https://www.amazon.com/Big-Magic-Creative-Living-Beyond/dp/1594634726/

How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen — https://www.amazon.com/How-Talk-Kids-Will-Listen/dp/1451663889

The Simple Path to Wealth — https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Path-Wealth-financial-independence/dp/1533667926

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten — https://www.amazon.com/Really-Need-Know-Learned-Kindergarten/dp/034546639X/

Mr. Money Mustache Blog — https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/

SPONSORS

Get started TODAY with the world leading certification and business development program for personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and gym owners – The Online Trainer Academy:http://onlinetrainer.com/ota

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feed/id1468193055

Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jon-goodman/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers

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YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC

Today we have a discussion about the unique nature of programming and how to find the best way to do it for your online coaching business.

The Episode: What's Your Programming Recipe?

It is quite common for newer trainers to struggle with confidence around their programming. In fact, most of us feel like we can always learn more, and want to constantly improve our programs no matter how far along we are. The reality is that all trainers do this part of their work slightly differently, and that is not a bad thing! Think of your program as containing your own unique flavor, a recipe using common ingredients that all trainers have, that is tailored to your skills and your clients' needs. So lean into your strengths and style and deliver something worthwhile and helpful to the world!

In This Episode 

• The unique recipe that each trainer uses to create a program [0:17:39]
• Common hurdles on the way to confident programming [0:21:35]
• What our trainers do in their own workouts [0:25:24] 
• No two programs will be the same [0:35:29]

“Understand that people are going to come to you for your flavor of programming. Thrive on that. ” — Jonathan Goodman

Different and Unique Programs

It may be useful to think of trainers as chefs, creating different recipes and flavors with the same ingredients. Clients and trainers alike, need different things, and there is also a huge variation in terminology, combinations, and approach within the world of coaching. If you can continue to learn and adjust your unique 'flavor', adding ingredients and strategies as you go, you can both become more specialized, while also broadening your reach and impact!

Doubts About Programming

We often witness trainers dealing with feelings of inadequacy around their programming and that they are doing it wrong. This imposter syndrome shows more about the insecurities that creating programs elicits than anything else. The chances are that if you are available and helping your clients to move and exercise, the program is working to a certain extent. Another way to combat these fears is to have conversations and share information with other trainers. This way you can contextualize what you are doing while adding appropriately to your programs.

Adaptation and Formulation

In-person coaches generally have approaches that include more on-the-fly adaptation, whereas the online route leads to more strictly planned programs. There are so many unique recipes out there, with so much valuable variation, how you adapt and formulate your schedules is solely up to you. But the message here is to have some confidence in your own style, the dish that you are cooking, and bring that to the table so that people can enjoy it!

Already at $1,000/month online and want to scale?

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SPONSORS

Get started TODAY with the world leading certification and business development program for personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and gym owners – The Online Trainer Academy:http://onlinetrainer.com/ota

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feed/id1468193055

Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jon-goodman/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20veRnzFOvUn6fTy9ud8jm?si=zMWTLmtISMm1XrU-4Q8oxA

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC

Today we hear about the power of permission marketing and why you should be adopting this approach as soon as possible!

The Episode: The Marketing Approach You Should Start Doing

The message remains clear: whatever program you are creating or perfecting, do not build it in a cave! We want to remind you of the importance of speaking to people and collecting useful feedback on your offers. This all comes under the umbrella of the idea of permission marketing, an approach championed most famously by Seth Godin, in which you use past clients, peers, and colleagues, to develop a more impactful business. The basics of the process are speaking to people who will be interested in what you offering and using the feedback about your offer to direct your decisions and testing. The system also allows you to create a network of invested individuals who feel a real connection to what you are doing, which is a great foundation for any venture.

In This Episode 

• Reaching out to colleagues in a different way [0:04:02]
• The conversations that can help you find out what is important [0:22:20]
• Building your programs based on conversations with experts [0:27:41]
• Scheduling a time and having an impactful first call [0:30:41]
• Creating buy-in and bringing people along on your journey [0:35:41]
• The process of iteration and going live with an offer [0:37:35]

“If you start marketing something when that something is ready, you are four to six months too late.” — Jonathan Goodman

The Initial Outreach

Once you have identified people that you can speak to, you can reach out as early as possible, before you even have a request to make. If they seem interested, then when the time comes you can ask them to share and spread the word about what you are doing. The first steps are just about gathering information and getting some feedback from different levels of expertise. Speaking to people enables you to learn about your offer in a way that is not possible on your own.

Narrowing Down Your Offer

These conversation can be quick and to the point. You are refining your idea, and getting specific about the most powerful parts of what you are offering. By adopting an accommodating and forthright attitude you can lead the communications in way that is inclusive and mutually beneficial. This is all part of a more general approach to networking, and you can utilize whatever platforms that you have at your disposal. The important thing is to get out of the 'cave' and connect with others to keep learning and iterating!

Following Up and Moving Forward

It can be very diligent to mention how things will move forward from the start. Including your network in the process allows you to set out a roadmap for the growth of your program. You can also consider offering early or trial versions of the service in order to really test your work. This will all lead to more talk and knowledge of what you are doing in the lead-up to any official launch. You are creating a real investment and community, something that can be built organically and slowly, and continually improved upon!

Already at $1,000/month online and want to scale?

Apply for OTA 2 here: www.thePTDC.com/OTA2

SPONSORS

Get started TODAY with the world leading certification and business development program for personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and gym owners – The Online Trainer Academy:http://onlinetrainer.com/ota

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feed/id1468193055

Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jon-goodman/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20veRnzFOvUn6fTy9ud8jm?si=zMWTLmtISMm1XrU-4Q8oxA

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC

The panel sits down to chat about ways to connect with an audience and work with clients that are different to you.

The Episode: Working With Clients Who Aren't Like You

For some of us, running a training business means connecting and working with clients who are different from ourselves. If that is the case, we need tools and strategies to do this successfully, to meet our clients where they are, and really serve their needs. In this episode, we break down some simple ways to approach these challenges, avoid the easy mistakes that can occur, and underline the importance of listening! One of the main takeaways here is to remain open and humble, allowing space for experiences and perspectives that are not your own, in order to be of better service.

In This Episode 

• The gender imbalances that are so prevalent in the training industry [0:12:09]
• Ways in which a trainer might differ from their clients [0:19:45]
• Learning the language of an audience in order to connect [0:21:00]
• Locating the spaces to connect with your target market [0:28:09]
• Finding content and messaging that resonates [0:31:57]
• The importance of reflection and open-mindedness [0:36:29]

“Let's get immersed in the language of whoever it is that we are serving. We've got to learn to speak the language of the demographic.” — Ren Jones

Patriarchy and the Training World

We all know there are many more men training women than the converse. This is just one of a plethora of results of the legacy of patriarchy in the fitness world, and there are many dynamics that contribute to this issue. There are, however, other forms of disparity, between trainers and clients, for example, diet preferences, age range, and body type. These are all relevant to this conversation, as hurdles to overcome.

How to Learn and Connect

Fundamentally, trainers and their clients must be able to communicate and understand each other. That leaves the onus on the trainer to learn the language of the markets they are trying to serve. A great way to do this is to find books and publications that are popular among a target market and internalize the style of communication and diction used. The other branch of this is to find the places and platforms where your ideal audience spends time. By engaging and absorbing information in these forums, you can really get to grips with your people!

The Right Kind of Attitude

As a trainer, you need to find things that resonate with your clients. The best way to do this is to involve the people from that segment of the market, listen to what they are saying, and don't assume things before learning. This all relies on your abilities to listen and reflect, so you have to stay open and responsive. Despite the need to share expertise, you want to avoid presenting yourself as an expert on areas that do not relate to your own lived experience.

Already at $1,000/month online and want to scale?

Apply for OTA 2 here: www.thePTDC.com/OTA2

SPONSORS

Get started TODAY with the world leading certification and business development program for personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and gym owners – The Online Trainer Academy:http://onlinetrainer.com/ota

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feed/id1468193055

Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jon-goodman/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20veRnzFOvUn6fTy9ud8jm?si=zMWTLmtISMm1XrU-4Q8oxA

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC

Today the panel talk about how online coaches that might not have the biggest following can exist in a market flooded with influencers. 

The Episode: How to Beat IG Influencers At Their Own Game

Getting started on the task of building influence online can be daunting because the thing that seems to define a successful influencer is their monumental amount of followers. In this episode, we make the main point that a huge following does not by any means equate to a successful online coaching business. In fact, content creators or influencers can be seen as a completely different breed to online coaches. It is totally possible to have a very limited amount of followers and still make a brilliant income each month as an online coach. The secret ingredient here is looking after the followers you do have and working your circle of influence, no matter how small. If you look at your online strategy as a process of building one authentic relationship at a time, your business will thrive. There are concrete strategies for finding the right audience, and nurturing those relationships, and we get into a few of these on today’s show.

In This Episode

• Redefining the meaning of the word ‘influencer’. [0:15:28]
• We all have our circle of influence and should focus on working it. [0:17:40]
• Avoid getting caught up in trying to play the influencer game. [0:21:44]
• Differentiating between content creation and coaching business models. [0:23:10]
• Tips for coaches starting out who haven’t partnered with a content creator. [0:25:24]
• Forming connections with audience members who actively engage. [0:25:34]
• The way that algorithms boost the organic reach of highly engaged users. [0:29:42]
• Tendencies to be robotic on the internet and how to be more human. [0:33:59]
• Focusing on building real relationships online rather than optimizing for an algorithm. [0:34:23]

“It’s not about the numbers, it’s not about the massive presence. It’s about what you do with the influence that you have.” — Carolina Belmares

Focusing on Your Immediate Circle of Influence

Here at the OTA we often encounter aspiring coaches who feel as if they don’t have what it takes to compete with social media influencers, and they harbor this belief because they don’t have a large following. As we have said here before, social media influencers and online coaches are two different business models. It is also valuable to redefine our understanding of the word ‘influencer’ here. Being an influencer does not mean you have a ton of followers, but rather that you have a valuable reputation towards a subsection of people. A staple of the OTA is that you need 30 clients at $200 per month to make $72,000 per year. It is not about numbers but what you do with the influence you have in your immediate circle. If you can forget the paradigm of needing to call yourself an influencer to be successful as a coach, then you can start focusing on working your circle.

Dialing Into Your Audience and Seeking Out The Road Builders

Competing with influencers is in some senses a matter of playing a totally different game to them. All influencers do is create content, whereas online coaches build an actual business around a service that they offer people. These two models can however work well together, so if you are a coach and can partner with an influencer, this is one good way to start building your following. If you are starting from scratch and can’t partner with a content creator, then it is vital to remember that don’t need a big number of followers but, rather, valuable ones. The best way to start building a small network of engaged followers is by dialing in on your audience. What we mean by this is finding what we call ‘road builders’. Road builders are people with a high likelihood to be interested in your service and an equally high likelihood to engage in your account online. You can find these people by looking for coaches who offer a similar service as you, taking note of the people who interact with them often and reaching out to these people to build a relationship. These are the people who will be your brand ambassadors. An extra nugget here is that when you engage on social media, the algorithms boost your organic reach.

Focusing On Building One Relationship At A Time

Forming real relationships online is not about copy-pasted responses and bulk strategies but about being human. We see a lot of people acting like robots online and this kind of behavior boils down to fear of being trolled or rejected as a result of being themselves. Equally, many of us seem to be obsessed with optimizing for social media algorithms but we are here to tell you that building a business is dependent on your ability to build relationships with individuals. Will Smith talks about how his career was a process of laying one careful brick at a time. We resonate highly with this idea and believe that just building a relationship with the one person that is in front of you is a masterful strategy for building actual influence on social media, instead of taking the “influencer” approach and going for a big numbers of followers. Each genuine relationship you build amounts to a small deposit, and over time these all compound!

Already at $1,000/month online and want to scale?

Apply for OTA 2 here: www.thePTDC.com/OTA2

SPONSORS

Get started TODAY with the world leading certification and business development program for personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and gym owners – The Online Trainer Academy:http://onlinetrainer.com/ota

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feed/id1468193055

Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jon-goodman/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20veRnzFOvUn6fTy9ud8jm?si=zMWTLmtISMm1XrU-4Q8oxA

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC

Today the panel talks about the difficult but important act of using social media as far as growing a coaching business. They share a few tips for how to use it in the most effective and painless way possible.

The Episode: How to Use Social Media When You Hate Using Social Media

Here at the Online Trainer Show, we understand that using social media is something many people just cannot stand. While it is true that the constant work involved in putting ourselves out there online can feel like a stretch, there are definitely a few strategies to follow that make this process a little easier. For starters, it is important not to compare yourself to people who are further along in their audience-building journey. As long as you start with your existing network and platform, make sure your offer is consistent with your strategy, and get to know your audience as well as possible, your social media game will be as on point as it needs to be before you know it!

In This Episode

• Being aware that not everybody is at the same stage in their journey [0:16:39]
• You don’t have to repurpose content to different channels at first [0:18:35]
• The value of starting your social media journey with your existing network [0:24:04]
• Understanding your game and playing it better than anybody else [0:27:10]
• Listening to the advice that is coming from inside your field [0:28:33]
• Making more effective and less frequent posts by knowing you audience [0:29:42]
• Creating franchises; or themed content that repeats on specific days [0:35:50]

“It’s not about number of followers. It’s about the quality of followers that you have.” — Carolina Belmares

Start with Where You Are

For many of us, the number of steps involved in building credibility around our offers can seem daunting. For this reason, a lot of people feel very negatively toward the social media side of marketing. One way of taking the pressure off is by remembering that the people who seem to be doing well online have most likely been at it for a long time. Your posts will never do this well off the bat, so don’t expect them to and then get disheartened when they don’t. Take things slow and start by posting on one platform. It is not necessary to obsessively repurpose a piece of content to get your messages heard by the right people and nab your first clients. Additionally, bear in mind that you will already have some loyal fans in your existing network of social media followers, so start by looking after them. A big following does not equate to a high conversion rate!

Play to Your Strengths

Many people who are trying to get into the coaching business are looking toward content creators for inspiration. The truth is that coaching and content creation are actually two completely separate businesses. You don’t need to be out there creating premium content every single day to build credibility as a coach. What you listen to and who you take advice from is very important. There is an old lesson that says that often the most important learnings reside in the details we pay the least attention to. So if you are wanting to excel as an online coach maybe it is time to stop placing all your focus on what content creators are doing, and do what you do best instead!

Be A Sniper, Not A Machine Gun

One of the things that make the social media game daunting is the false assumption that one has to be out there posting every second of the day. The truth is that throwing out content like there is no tomorrow is only a necessary strategy if you have no idea what your audience wants. If you get to know exactly who you serve, then you can be intentional about what you post, meaning you can post less because of the effectiveness of the posts that you do make. A final word of advice for feeling less daunted about posting consistently is around creating systems or 'franchises’. If you give each day of the week a theme that you post according to, you will feel less like you are having to create ‘new’ content each time you make a new post.

Already at $1,000/month online and want to scale?

Apply for OTA 2 here: www.thePTDC.com/OTA2

SPONSORS 

Get started TODAY with the world leading certification and business development program for personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and gym owners – The Online Trainer Academy:http://onlinetrainer.com/ota

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feed/id1468193055

Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jon-goodman/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20veRnzFOvUn6fTy9ud8jm?si=zMWTLmtISMm1XrU-4Q8oxA

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC

Today our usual panel, minus Ren, talk about the importance of working and collaborating with other professionals in the online training world.

The Episode: The One Without Ren

Today we are missing our main master of ceremonies but the show must go on! Despite Ren sitting this one out, we have a great conversation about the power of collaboration, networking, and helping out other trainers and peers. There may be some fear attached to referring clients to other businesses, but we strongly believe that this idea of scarcity is based on a false premise. There is so much more to be gained from building these bonds and linking with other like-minded individuals, and you will soon see that there is more than enough business and money to go around!

In This Episode

• A recent post in the OTA group about the power of guest training [0:10:27]
• How this podcast incorporates different personalities and approaches [0:14:02]
• The fallacy of competition [0:16:55]
• Different avenues to explore for your brand and business [0:19:48]
• Good practices around helping others [0:24:29]
• Examples of unexpected results from reaching out [0:28:26]
• Lessons in giving in to generosity [0:32:41]

“Don't be afraid to help others. There is actually great benefit from helping others in your world, in your industry.” — Carolina Belmares

Ways to Connect with Other Professionals

There are so many ways that you can build amazing bridges to other trainers. Think about guest training or providing supplementary services to their clients! There is also the option to share clients and refer people to someone who is perhaps a better fit. We all have different skills and can benefit from bringing these together. There are so many different ways and avenues for making money in this business, so we recommend putting yourself out there and adopting a generous attitude.

Abundance Instead of Scarcity

Connecting and sharing will bring you many more positive results compared with the supposed immediate loss of business. This mentality around competition and scarcity is generally built around false perceptions anyway, so knowing who is good at certain parts of the game and reaching out to them is most often your best bet. Why not reach out to people you admire? Make new friends and make your social and professional circle bigger! The rewards for this kind of approach can come in many different forms and at unexpected times, further down the road.

Give Freely and Receive Willingly

Putting yourself in line for the fruits of the labors and a generous attitude does not mean doing everything with a devious or ulterior motive. We think it best to help for the sake of helping, and not to make deals in your head that others might not be aware of. This is another reminder about clear communication, and remember, this is a long-term game so be patient with your networking efforts. Our last message, and a truly powerful one, is to not resist doing nice things for others; when you think of it, do it!

Already at $1,000/month online and want to scale?

Apply for OTA 2 here: www.thePTDC.com/OTA2

SPONSORS

Get started TODAY with the world leading certification and business development program for personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and gym owners – The Online Trainer Academy:http://onlinetrainer.com/ota

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feed/id1468193055

Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jon-goodman/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20veRnzFOvUn6fTy9ud8jm?si=zMWTLmtISMm1XrU-4Q8oxA

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC

Today the team sits down to chat about how you can go about creating more time in your business.

The Episode: How To Create More Time In Your Business

In many forms of freelance and online work, schedules and your time can become a messy concept to deal with. How do you make sure that you are delivering great value to your clients while also avoiding being continually swamped and overcrowding your planner? Listening in today, you will hear a few different strategies and simple methods for staying on top of your time, and how structure and planning can actually lead to more freedom, rather than restraining you!

In This Episode

• The question from the academy that prompted today's discussion [0:16:00]
• Figuring out what is truly necessary for your clients [0:18:12]
• Taking note of how you actually spend your time in order to optimize [0:22:41]
• Setting boundaries and designing your ideal week [0:25:52]
• The importance of structure to any business or project [0:33:22]

“The absolute best way to lift people up is to create unbelievably high standards for them and then give them the opportunity to rise up.” — Jonathan Goodman

Taking the Lead with Your Schedule

There is usually a way that you can trim the fat from your commitments, and this means going through and taking note of what is absolutely essential to the service you are delivering. Clients usually do not need long weekly phone call check-ins for instance, so anything that falls into that category can be cut from your diary. Communication is also key, as when you are spending time on someone, making sure they know when you need to finish and respecting those deadlines can help a lot.

Set Healthy Boundaries

We recommend gaining some self-awareness around how you actually spend your hours. Using a notebook and jotting down how your days pan out can be quite illuminating in this regard! When we leave things unaddressed, tasks tend to bleed into other times of the day such as the evenings or social time, so try setting out boundaries for yourself. You can even design your dream week, and see what that looks like and if you can achieve it. 

Freedom Within Structure

The paradox of implementing more structure in your days is that it can actually lead to more freedom! This structure will also grow and change along with your situation, and there will always be tradeoffs that you will have to make. But we recommend putting in place as many benchmarks as possible, these will impact your approach to work and time and will most likely increase your energy for different parts of your day!

Already at $1,000/month online and want to scale?

Apply for OTA 2 here: www.thePTDC.com/OTA2

SPONSORS 

Get started TODAY with the world leading certification and business development program for personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and gym owners – The Online Trainer Academy:http://onlinetrainer.com/ota

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feed/id1468193055

Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jon-goodman/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20veRnzFOvUn6fTy9ud8jm?si=zMWTLmtISMm1XrU-4Q8oxA

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC

Today we get into the differences of an online coaching business, compared with the in-person model.

The Episode: The Difference Between Building An In-Person and Online Coaching Business

As more trainers catch onto the benefits of working online, marketing and business strategies need to reflect these trends. One of the main arguments we make here on the OTA show is that online coaching is not the same as an in-person service, and so there are clear ways in which your methods need to evolve if you are wanting to make this switch. In this episode, we focus on a few elements that are vital to a successfully run online training business and dispel some myths and misconceptions around niching down and your actual selling points. 

In This Episode

• What most people sell when doing in-person training [0:15:29]
• The challenges of switching from in-person to online [0:20:10]
• Why narrowing down your target market is not so dangerous [0:25:01]
• Location bias when working as an in-person trainer [0:28:32]
• How marketing changes when you move online [0:32:51]
• Taking your business cues from your own life [0:36:10]

“What you can do for somebody in person is much harder to do for them online, it's harder to replicate.” — Jonathan Goodman

What In-Person Coaches Offer

In-person training is predominantly about making someone feel good while they are working out with you. However, whether in-person or online, you should always be selling the transformation that is possible through your program. The problem is that a lot of people do not do this! Although different customers might look for different things, you need to promote the real value that you offer and double down on that. Online training allows us to focus more on those results as there is less focus on the actual sessions.

Switching to an Online Model

There are a number of challenges that coaches can encounter when making the switch to an online business. Pricing is a big part of making the change, and your mentality towards your prices and value will determine how things work out for you. We urge you to be very conscious of your mindset around this time and try to see if you can catch and curb any limiting thoughts that might be present. Until you do this you will be stuck within those limitations.

Narrowing Down Your Market is a Positive Step

Trying to serve and help everyone is a fallacy, and will not actually enable greater impact or reach. When you narrow down your lane to something more defined, you usually make it possible to connect with more people, rather than exclude possible clients. Your whole business will evolve over time, so there is no need to overcomplicate things, especially in the beginning. The beauty of online training is that it allows you to drill down on what you really offer, and remove noise and hype from what attracts clients to your business.

Already at $1,000/month online and want to scale?

Apply for OTA 2 here: www.thePTDC.com/OTA2

SPONSORS

Get started TODAY with the world leading certification and business development program for personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and gym owners – The Online Trainer Academy:http://onlinetrainer.com/ota

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feed/id1468193055

Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jon-goodman/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20veRnzFOvUn6fTy9ud8jm?si=zMWTLmtISMm1XrU-4Q8oxA

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC

Today on the show the focus is how to expand your online coaching business into other target markets.

The Episode: How To Have More Than One Target Market

One of our main messages for students is to identify and focus on a single target market or defined client avatar. But this does not mean that you can never branch out and serve other markets and a broader range of people. This episode is all about how and when you can do this and is also a reiteration of keeping things simple in the beginning. Ultimately you want your online coaching business to grow and change according to your needs and skills, so listening to feedback and staying authentically yourself should be the guiding principles of whatever choices you make. 

In This Episode

• Expanding a target market after the initial phase [0:21:34]
• Tricky transitions into new areas [0:24:43]
• Allowing space for organic growth and reinvention [0:29:12]
• Making appropriate shifts that suit you and your lifestyle [0:30:53]
• Sharing the unique and quirky parts of yourself [0:34:42]

“When you are starting, you need a competitive advantage, you need something that is going to give people a reason to take a shot on you.” — Jonathan Goodman

The First Steps

As we often say, keep it simple when you are starting out, and this means focusing on one target market! Once you have an established customer base in a market, you can begin to consider expanding it, or approaching other demographics. This is not a necessity, and it is completely acceptable to stay in your lane and never leave, it is up to you! What you definitely do not want to do is mess things up by trying to juggle more than you can handle.

The Problem with Branching Out

It can be a real challenge to transition from an in-person practice to something strictly online, and this is mostly because becoming accustomed to one way of doing things can make it hard to recognize its flaws and abandon it. The reality is that in-person training is just not a good business model anymore and does not serve any of the people involved as well as it should. You can train whoever you want to but try and free yourself from the limitations of your past experiences.

Staying Flexible and Open-Minded

In the early stages of a coaching business, you will not know what it will become. So do not focus on executing a big vision initially, you want to leave space for trying new things and for exploration and reinvention. You can really adapt your business to your life, and we highly recommend staying genuine and quirky because that is what people will connect with! As always, real-time feedback is invaluable, so take notice of what people relate to and what they are saying.

Already at $1,000/month online and want to scale?

Apply for OTA 2 here: www.thePTDC.com/OTA2

SPONSORS

Get started TODAY with the world leading certification and business development program for personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and gym owners – The Online Trainer Academy:http://onlinetrainer.com/ota

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feed/id1468193055

Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jon-goodman/its-possible-conversations-with-successful-online-trainers

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20veRnzFOvUn6fTy9ud8jm?si=zMWTLmtISMm1XrU-4Q8oxA

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGoodmanPTDC