The first things to think about when marketing in the fitness industry

So here’s the thing, if I was a personal trainer I could write up your fitness plan; sit with you to identify your goals, give you a list of exercises you need to do and recommend to you what you should and shouldn’t eat…. but I’m not, I’m a marketer, so instead I’m going to share with you the things you need to think about now when marketing in the fitness industry.Start With A NameThe first thing you need to think about is a name. What’s in a name I hear you ask? Absolutely everything!! A name can be a descriptive title that lets everyone know exactly what you do, like Burger King or Whole Foods. You could go for a name that means absolutely nothing or has no relevance what so ever to your business like Samsung or Apple. But then you’d need to spend a whole lot of cash letting people know what you do. The third option, and one of my favourites, is the hidden meaning option, like Red Bull or Sprite. This way you can use your name as a conversation starter, getting people curious about exactly what it is you do.Who Are You Selling ToThe next thing you need to consider is exactly who do you want to target for your business. Who do you want to walk in the door and work with? Who will appreciate you for what you do and how much you will charge them for it? Who will be so impressed by you that they’ll tell their friends about you to? This is really important. Let me let you into a little secret. If you thought you would just take anyone, you’re mistaken, because if you want to be all things to all people, you’ll end up being nothing to no one.How Am I Different?Lets face it, if the Yellow Pages was still around and we had to count the number of personal trainers in your city, there would be thousands of them. Perhaps you could just Google them. So the next thing you need to think about is what makes you any different to the PT next door. Do you specifically target certain people, e.g. a women only class? Do you have special routines or use equipment that nobody else uses? What’s your thing?Prove It To MeFinally, you need to think about all the things that substantiate your claim, otherwise your potential customers will just think you are full of you know what. I call these proof points…. why should I believe exactly what you are saying. Often these things are quite rational, like we only buy from the best quality equipment manufacturers in Europe.So there you have it, four pretty simple, yet when you sit down and think about it for your own business, not so simple, things you need to think about before you open the doors.