The Obvious Choice

Today we share what the week of an online trainer looks like, getting into specifically your engagements with clients.  

The Episode: What the Week of an Online Trainer Looks Like

Have you ever wondered what the weekly schedule of an online trainer is like and what the expectations for interaction are from the client’s perspective? In this episode, we give you a behind the scenes look at a week in the life of an online trainer. From the frequency of video calls to those encouraging messages mid-way through the week, we cover it all. (And since Jonathan is clean-shaven for this episode, you can bet he’s got some impressive plans up his sleeve!)

In This Episode

• The value of sending out an accountability questionnaire to your clients on Sunday [0:15:40]
• What to include in a short video for those clients who answered the questions [0:16:45]
• An office hours post on Monday lets clients know when you are available for calls [0:17:45] 
• Creating a touchpoint in the middle of the week to check in on progress [0:18:51] 
• Ren talks about the funny scales he comes up with to establish where clients are at [0:19:12] 
• The potential for contact is more important to your clients than the actual contact [0:20:27] 
• Some of us work in a more unstructured manner – and that’s also fine! [0:26:01] 
• Understanding that your job will largely involve encouraging and hand-holding [0:26:54] 
• Be like a Facebook algorithm by looking for keywords in your clients’ dialog [0:27:37] 
• The importance of considering your personality type in setting up a work structure [0:29:16] 
• Amber shares how she plans out her week while also enjoying spontaneity [0:31:17] 
• When journey-mapping skills and automating responses come in handy [0:33:05] 

“Your clients don’t need you there every second; they need you there when they need you, and they need to know that you are there for when they need you.” — Jonathan Goodman

Create the Possibility for Contact  

Here’s an interesting observation: it is more important for your clients to know that you are there for them when they need you than what it is to be in constant contact with you. People live busy lives and do not have all day to speak to their coaches, but knowing that you are there when it matters is crucial. 

Stay Up to Date

There are many ways you can touch base with your clients. In addition to video conferences, you could send out a questionnaire on Sundays to establish how they fared over the past week and check in with them in the middle of the week to keep them going strong. Your job as an online trainer will also involve putting out fires, so when your client sends you an anxious message, you have the chance to put their minds at ease and get them back on track. 

Be Conscious of Your Process 

Whether you prefer a methodical, proactive, or reactive process and structure, it does not matter – as long as you know that this is the process that works best for you and your personality type. Being aware of your preferred structure also allows you to enjoy your engagement with clients rather than getting burnt out and wanting to give up. 

Ready to scale up your online fitness business?

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

Enjoy this special offer of 60 days FREE on PT Distinction from The Online Trainer Show! - http://onlinetrainer.com/ptd

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

In this episode, we discuss why sharing your story is a crucial part of landing new clients and building a thriving online business. 

The Episode: Why Your Story is Crucial to Building Your Online Business

Who can disagree that we relate better to people whose stories we know? When we understand what someone has gone through, we find it easier to relate to them and it makes meaningful connection possible. That is why your story is a powerful tool for building your online business.  

While you might think that your story is mundane or irrelevant, others don’t see it that way. The different things that make you unique could be exactly what resonates with your target audience and get the business streaming in!

In This Episode

• The common erroneous assumption that your credentials will make people hire you [0:16:21]
• What watching Simone Biles can teach us about the importance of telling your story [0:17:10]
• How a person’s story is what gets others to buy into and care about them [0:18:02] 
• The importance of an authentic story in boosting your unique selling proposition [0:19:16] 
• An example of how your story can be leveraged to get people emotionally invested [0:19:54]
• Hear how you get a lot further in the online space when you have an authentic story [0:25:01] 
• The issue with saying what you think others want to hear and pursuing a big market [0:26:34] 
• Focusing on the “right” thing versus focusing on the right thing for you [0:28:07] 
• Why it is worth spending the time to define the things that make you unique [0:30:42] 
• When a story resonates with your audience, keeping pushing that message [0:33:54] 
• The reward of staying true to yourself and ignoring the likes and opinions of others [0:36:24] 

“What I find a lot of people try to do is they try to say what they think is the right thing.” — Jonathan Goodman

Credentials Are Not Everything 

While you might think that all your qualifications and certifications are what will convince people to work with you, the truth is that they seldom know what all the letters stand for. Other coaches will recognize your credentials but, to your ideal clients, it will mean little. 

The Value of An Authentic Story 

A person’s story – including their personal and professional highs and lows – is a powerful tool for making them more relatable, thus easier to connect emotionally with. People want to see your human side and the challenges you have overcome, as this gives them a reason to like and root for you. Even the highest performing athletes need an authentic story to maintain a strong following. 

Stop Focusing on the Shoulds 

Whatever you do, do not try to create a USP based on trends or what you think other people want. When you choose to serve a target audience with whom you have nothing in common, there is going to be a disconnect between you and them. Choose an area that you have personal experience in and that is true to you.  

Ready to scale up your online fitness business? 

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

Enjoy this special offer of 60 days FREE on PT Distinction from The Online Trainer Show! - http://onlinetrainer.com/ptd

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’s episode is all about overcoming client boredom and keeping them fully engaged so that they stay long enough to get the results they want. 

The Episode: How To Keep Your Online Clients Engaged 

In an overstimulated, distracted world, it is hard to retain your clients’ attention and focus. When they find an exercise boring or uncomfortable, they won’t be as committed to doing it right and will thus fail to reach the desired outcomes. Knowing how to keep your clients engaged will, therefore, be most beneficial to both you and them. 

In This Episode

• Why we need our clients to be attentive, committed, and in the zone [0:21:22]
• Identifying what the client finds engaging and helping them through the boring bits [0:21:58]
• Striking the right balance between incorporating variety and sticking to what works best [0:22:43] 
• Examples of how you can switch up exercises while maintaining efficacy [0:24:26] 
• The value of focusing on a specific element instead of the workout as a whole [0:27:45] 
• Creating a distraction to support your client through an uncomfortable exercise [0:28:48] 
• Leveraging the fact that some clients are motivated by data and how to spot them [0:34:08] 
• Knowing your client well will guide you in keeping them engaged at all times [0:37:52] 

“We need clients to be attentive, we need clients to be committed, we need clients to be in the zone when they are doing our programs in order for them to get results.” — Jonathan Goodman

The Value of Attention 

In the world we live in, it is easy to get distracted by the many things demanding our attention. But for a client to get optimal results from your program, they have to be attentive and committed, otherwise they will fail to make the progress they hoped for. When this happens, both you and the client loses out. 

Narrowing Your Clients’ Attention 

There are four strategies for ensuring that you retain your clients’ focus. Although introducing variety into your program can combat boredom, you have to be careful to not compromise the integrity of the workout. You can also let them focus on one element rather than the workout as a whole, or you could distract them during exercises they find boring or uncomfortable. If they are interested in data, you can talk to them about tracking the metrics to keep them zoned in. 

How Well Do You Know Your Client?

If you have taken the time to get to know your client, you will know what will interest them and you can tailor the program to keep them engaged and focused. When an exercise they find boring or uncomfortable is unavoidable, there are ways to distract them to get it done easier but with the same impact. 

Ready to scale up your online fitness business? 

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

Enjoy this special offer of 60 days FREE on PT Distinction from The Online Trainer Show! - http://onlinetrainer.com/ptd

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's discussion focuses on the role of the trainer in helping a client through difficult times, and how this might play out in different scenarios.

The Episode: How To Help Clients When Life Throws Them a Curveball

All of us go through the ups and downs of life, no matter who we are, and your clients are no different. There will be times, as an online trainer, that you will be confronted with the difficulties that someone is experiencing, and the better you can manage these, the better for your business and for your clients.

In This Episode

• Avoiding toxic positivity when dealing with clients' emotions [0:11:22]
• How personal discomfort can lead to reacting in ways that are unhealthy [0:17:26]
• Jonathan's own story of a downward spiral and finding his way out of it [0:22:08]
• Getting to grips with our emotions and where they come from [0:27:12]
• Finding a niche and catering directly to a specific need [0:31:00]
• Holding space, providing what is asked for, and respecting a client's autonomy [0:33:29]
• Clear boundaries and remembering the limits of your role [0:35:44]

“An emotion is not an objective experience. Things are not intrinsically good or bad.” — Jonathan Goodman

Less is Sometimes More

Positivity can help clients, but is not always the answer. By allowing negative emotions in ourselves and others, it becomes possible to move through them at a healthy and realistic speed. Most people do not want to, and should not want to, be driven out of a depression.

An Understanding of Emotions

A more intimate understanding of the roots of our feelings can make them more manageable. As trainers, pieces of knowledge around emotion are really helpful in our work with clients, and although clear lines around the services we provide are vital, an understanding of these factors can make a world of difference.

You Are Not A Therapist

A client is coming to you for the training that you offer. Keep in mind the limitations of your role will serve the relationship, and ultimately their success. Make sure to take the lead in setting the tone and boundaries for your interactions. 

Ready to scale up your online fitness business? 

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

Enjoy this special offer of 60 days FREE on PT Distinction from The Online Trainer Show! - http://onlinetrainer.com/ptd

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

Coming to the end of the strange and surprising year of 2020, we are looking ahead at how you can get ready for next year in the world of online training. The team takes you through the seven steps to getting started with your own online training business, and Jonathan weighs in on the most important things to focus on as well as certain things that might not work as well. We discuss the remote model and what this might look like going forward in a post-pandemic world before looking at income, bootstrapping, pricing models, and how to build lasting relationships with new clients! As usual, we are here to solve all your problems and more, so make sure you tune in!

In This Episode:

• Reflecting on 2020 and how little sense it has made as a year [0:00:41]
• Jonathan's experiences in a small town while travelling through Tasmania! [0:09:19]
• The current climate forcing trainers to go online [0:15:07]
• Variance in income for personal trainers and the geographic constraints in the space [0:17:19]
• The first steps in getting started in online training; decisions, differentiating, templates and more! [0:18:06]
• Bootstrapping is a great way to get your feet wet — don't wait for 'enough' clients [0:31:30]
• Setting your price at the right level to maximize your signups and income [0:32:33]
• Why the low-end membership model is usually a bad idea, and the possible exceptions [0:36:09]
• Creating an application process; gathering information, giving virtual handshakes, and following up [0:37:49]
• Setting up your payment process in order to collect money from clients [0:38:37]

“The secret to online training is to be the right person to a few people.”

- Jonathan Goodman

Ready to scale up your online fitness business? 

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/ptd

Enjoy this special offer of 60 days FREE on PT Distinction from The Online Trainer Show! - http://onlinetrainer.com/ptd 

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

How to Deal with a Negative Client (Online Trainer Show #51)

Whatever business you have, there’s one thing you cannot avoid - dealing with a negative client. How do you respond? Listen up as Carolina and Amber take centerstage to share lessons acquired in dealing with different clients. They walk us through common negativity issues and the realization that every client is different. They also go deep into the importance of analyzing client information, the value of listening, and how to ask the right questions using motivational interviewing techniques. 

In This Episode:

• Amber opens the discussion by sharing her experiences with clients’ negativity [11:39]
• The importance of setting up boundaries [13:05] 
• Deep diving into the cause of clients’ negative issues [27:25]
• Tips on responding to clients’ frustrations [29:00]
• What is the “Assumed Benevolence” mind frame [31:57]
• Every client is different [32:39]

"Look at a client's negative emotions as data. It's information you use to help coach them better."

- Amber Reynolds

Clients are Humans

People are not inherently mean. When dealing with demanding clients, remember that they are humans like us. We all go through situations that trigger negativity. Do not take things personally. Be empathetic and compassionate but set up your boundaries, then respond appropriately. 

Understanding Common Client Issues

To effectively deal with client issues, it’s good to identify what they are. In the course of running your business, expect to experience one or more of the following: all or nothing, filtering, overgeneralization, mental reading, blowing small things out of proportion, and lots more. Pause Button Mentality can be quite harmful to a client. Therefore, it is important to recognize this common habit and help them through it.

The Proper Response to Clients’ Negativity

Listening and knowing how to ask the right questions are useful skills in diffusing clients’ frustrations. Do not dictate and try to solve every problem they have. Instead, help them navigate their emotions. Be discerning. What works for one client might not work for another. 

Ready to scale up your online fitness business? 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: https://onlinetrainer.com/academy

Enjoy this special offer of 60 days FREE on PT Distinction from The Online Trainer Show! - https://www.ptdistinction.com/ots 

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

3 Marketing Principles for Great Success (Online Trainer Show #50)

What does it take to build a successful business? A lot of new entrepreneurs think success can be built overnight. But the truth is, it takes time and hard work. In this episode, the group talks about the massive potential of the fitness industry, the principles and disciplines to establish yourself as an expert. Plus how to attract ideal clients who are willing to pay for your services and why you need to forge valuable partnerships.

In This Episode:

• The First Marketing Principle [15:57]
• Jonathan’s reason for building a company  [18:15]
• The most important thing for a business to do [22:33]
• The massive potential of the fitness industry [25:23]
• How to get people to enroll in your program [33:42]
• It takes time and hard work to build something special [36:53]

“The fitness business isn’t about individual silos, it’s about community. We all win when we work together.”

- Jonathan Goodman

You’re in the Marketing Business

You’re not a volunteer; you’re a professional. Professionals get paid for their work. Being passionate about helping people and making money is not mutually exclusive. If you’d like to be an entrepreneur, then you’re already in the marketing business, whether you like it or not. 

Leave the Scarcity Mindset Behind

There’s more than enough for everyone. If you don’t want to share what you know with others and believe that your survival depends on protecting your turf, then you’re not favoring the abundance mindset. 

Build Valuable Partnerships

The fitness business isn’t about individual silos. It’s about community. One of the most important things a business can do is build valuable partnerships with complementary companies. We all win when we share knowledge and methods across disciplines. 

Ready to scale up your online fitness business? 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: https://onlinetrainer.com/academy

Enjoy this special offer of 60 days FREE on PT Distinction from The Online Trainer Show! - https://www.ptdistinction.com/ots 

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

Why People Pay for Fitness When They Could Get it For Free (Online Trainer Show #49)

The idea of paying for fitness is a new phenomenon. But fitness has always been free, so why would people pay for it? In this episode, the team talks about the opportunities in the global health and fitness industry, as well as how knowing your audience and why focusing on a niche market makes all the difference to succeed in a decentralized and democratized market.

• The HUGE potential for the health and fitness industry [23:57]
• Jonathan explains the “Long Tail Effect” [27:01]
• How to solve the mystery of why people spend money  [30:03]
• The core psychological element missing from typical fitness programs [33:36]
• How to know you’re training with somebody who truly understands you [34:53]
• Carolina and Amber shares how they resonate with their tribe [38:34]
• Why you should focus on a niche market [44:29]

“You need to solve this mystery of why people spend money, and this kinda’ opens up your mind to the power of YOU, to what makes you different.”

- Jonathan Goodman

Why Pay for Training

Sure, there are a lot of free training programs, especially for people with internet access. So why pay for training? People are willing to pay for a business that can answer YES to the question, “Is this made for me?”

It’s About Your Audience

Your job is not to impress your peers. It’s only about your audience. People want to be sure you’re someone who understands their unique needs, inner dialogues, what they’re going through, and all of the pressures they have so they can trust you.

Focus on a Niche Market

How do you rise above a democratized and decentralized market? As Jonathan said, “Whenever power shifts back to consumers, quality is going to beat quantity.” You will be more effective if you’re not distracted by the masses.

Ready to scale up your online fitness business? 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: https://onlinetrainer.com/academy

Enjoy this special offer of 60 days FREE on PT Distinction from The Online Trainer Show! - https://www.ptdistinction.com/ots 

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

The 13 Steps to Successful Online Training Sales (Online Trainer Show #48)

Here’s some insider knowledge: You don’t have to know your episode topic before you hit record! Crazy, right? Speaking of a successful podcast, the OTS peeps use this episode to break down the many steps of a successful sales call. There are 13 in total, but the main points are as follows: Persuasion is not what you think, listen more than you speak, and sell the future, not your product.

In This Episode:

• Do THIS before you try to make any sale [15:41]
• Persuasion 101: Not what you think [19:13]
• The client needs to answer these three questions [20:09]
• The questions that help the client envision the future them [25:41]
• Summarize and shift the conversation to sales [27:32]
• One more clarification question before the pitch [30:25]
• The Pitch, broken down into three parts [31:34]
• How to discuss the “investment”—how much is the “new you” worth? [34:41]

“Ask more clarifying questions - your job is not to speak, your job is to help them go deeper” 

- Jonathan Goodman

Persuasion 101: Don’t

The first rule of persuasion is that you don’t try to persuade anyone of anything. Yep. Instead, in the context of selling fitness training, persuasion is elaborating on what your potential client is already saying and then showing them that you’re already the best fit to help them achieve their goals. You are not changing the way your client thinks—you are showing them that you think the same way.

The Pitch

The most nerve-wracking part, we know. Ultimately, remember that you are not selling your coaching or nutrition program. You are selling the client’s future version of themselves to them, which changes the value of your program from “whatever I can afford” to “priceless”.

Through Hell and Heaven

A successful sales call will be an emotional one. To understand your client, you need to help them articulate exactly WHY they need a fitness program, and that likely comes from a dark place. Bullying, medical problems, poor self-image, etc. Once you understand your client better by navigating those tumultuous waters, you can lift them up by painting the image of their future self. Your client is ready to see what their Heaven is like, and you know how to get them there. 

Ready to scale up your online fitness business? 

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: https://onlinetrainer.com/academy

Enjoy this special offer of 60 days FREE on PT Distinction from The Online Trainer Show! - https://www.ptdistinction.com/ots 

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

The Ethics of Online Training (Online Trainer Show #47)

Is it ethical to make Jonathan touch his toes if they hurt? This is a complicated question, so we may or may not come back to it. In this new episode, the crew avoids the toe question and instead focuses on the ethics of online training. They discuss the confidentiality of client information, how powerful white lies can be, and the foundational ideas on which online training is built.

In This Episode:

• Amber talks about sharing client information [18:24]
• Carolina’s two principles of ethical training [20:56]
• Jonathan discusses the impact of bias and lying [28:39]
• What are the core principles that guide online training? [31:45]
• Why you should never badmouth other coaches and their industry [36:28]
• How to use your clients’ experiences with other coaches to get better [39:46]
• Don’t be afraid to talk to experts, as that will demonstrate your humility and willingness to learn outside of your expertise [40:59]

“When you are dishonest in any way - even in small ways, it erodes trust. The erosion of trust is a really damaging thing.”

 - Jonathan Goodman

Keep It Professional

If one of your clients has had amazing results and you want to share those results to inspire other clients, tread carefully. In general, keep that info between you and that client. Better safe than sorry.

Wait, the Tooth Fairy Isn’t Real?

Remember the quote “Honesty is the best policy”? It’s true, even with white lies. They may seem innocent at first, but if you create a habit of dishonesty, you will slowly erode trust between your clientele and become “one of those trainers”.

Be a Lifelong Learner

One of the most humbling and powerful statements is “I don’t know.” Why? Saying that phrase tells everyone, including yourself, that you’re keenly aware of your skillset, which empowers you to broaden it. Say, you may know all about squats but nothing about autoimmune diseases, but by saying “I don’t know”, you’re motivated to collaborate with experts and expand your knowledge, which will build rock-solid trust with your clients.

Ready to scale up your online fitness business? 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: https://onlinetrainer.com/academy

Enjoy this special offer of 60 days FREE on PT Distinction from The Online Trainer Show! - https://www.ptdistinction.com/ots 

YouTube - https://youtu.be/MDABxghE2Ys