Surviving and Thriving as a Fitness Professional in this Economy

It has been four months since my last entry and I ask "where did those four moths go?" For me, it's been all about being creative, stepping out of my box, networking, basically just putting myself out there. I had a lightening bolt realization that clients are not just going to fall into my lap begging to train with me (although that is how it is in my dreams...). This economy has forced me (in a good way) to get up off my "laurels" and be very proactive in cultivating work. As President Obama has said "this is a time for opportunity" and he is right. We can fall into the "pity pot" along with everyone else constantly talking about how bad this economy is or we can actually do something. I have chosen to do the latter (although I can do a bit of pity potting at times).

This is a time to not only exercise your body but your brain as well. So for the past four months and continuing that is exactly what I have been doing. It's been very frustrating at times but the smallest rewards give me incentive to keep going.

Here are some of the things that I have done:

Created an active mailing list of all my SMY Pilates class students and send them periodic newsletters and emails with tidbits of health information and special discounts on my Private Training Services. I tried a 15 day trial from IContact which is a wonderful software program that is reasonable BUT don't want to pay for it until I have a "sizeable" email list that I cannot handle on my on.

Along with a massage therapist friend we created "WOW" Women Organizing Women - A Health/Wellness Practitioners Networking Group where we share ideas and trade services with each other. Our group is a collective of a massage therapist, Fitness/Pilates Trainer (me), Hair Stylist, Facialist, Hypno-therapist, Yoga Practitioner and it is expanding...

Joined several LA based networking groups through Meet-Up to cultivate new connections.

Found Barter/Trades on Craigslist and I now trade Chiropractic services, Computer Tech services and Dentistry - so if I cannot earn income I can certainly save by trading for these services I need or want.

Put a business page on YELP and got a two new clients from that.

Look on internet sites (craigslist, LinkedIn, etc...) for work and send my resume out - which I did get hired at a Physical Therapy Center as a Pilates Practitioner.

These are just a few of the many marketing strategies I have taken to increase revenue over the last several months. It has been time consuming and certainly NOT effortless BUT it has been worth it and I intend to keep going. It keeps me busy and feeling like I am accomplishing something...I feel relevant and that's a good thing...

Till the next time....

L