Business planning goes way beyond how much do you want to make. It’s the time of year when we all take a close look at numbers and projections.
This episode, originally published in 2021 is updated here with notes and details about how I do my own business planning. It doesn’t matter if you’re just starting, just getting serious, or you’ve been doing it for decades. We need a plan.
Are you stuck when it comes to what to do next in your fitness & health coaching business plan (or rebuild)? I’m going to share 5 MUSTs for your health & fitness coaching business plan in this episode.
Tax Strategy is a part of planning: Got Yours? (Legal & Tax strategy masterclass bundle)
How I plan my year. I print out my report of sales of every product and service from the previous year. (Usually I do this in October or November for the year I’m in). I do some correlating to the time and money spent to promote each product. Then I compare those numbers to previous years.
There’s a little gut feeling that has to go into an objective look at numbers. I sometimes know that any reservations or negative energy I have around a product or service is partially to blame if it didn’t do well.
I always asked trainers who worked for me that weren’t making the kind of money they wanted to how many people they’d asked to be clients today. I ask myself the same thing about products and services that underperformed. Did I actually give them any attention or spotlight so I could sell them?
Use the remainder of the notes here to compliment the episode. You’ll need to have these things, then like me, you’ll need to review whether you’re using these things and if so if they’re effective.
Business Planning Resources
Use this episode content as a checklist. You won’t do them all at once. You probably have some done. You’ll work on others. Getting these things done is your job. It won’t pay you until you have them done. So don’t do this a little bit at a time, spend a full day, or every evening doing them until they’re done.
If you’re a trainer or health coach, nutrition or yoga instructor who works for a gym or studio, stay with me. You still need/WANT these pieces. And if you work for a small business owner – or a medium-sized one, he or she may need to hear from you how to support you. You’re a profit center for the business. If there’s a way that helps you and them both, they’ll consider it when it’s presented right.
5 Musts for Your Fitness & Health Coaching Business Planning
- A website with a clear message
- A lead-generator that gets you email addresses
- An email sequence for onboarding customers
- A sales email that makes phones ring, checkouts happen, and closes sales
- Customer testimonials that actually sell products & services
The answer to what to do to next to build your fitness business should be more clear. You’ve got to have a website to place the lead-generator and the email capture on. To have the email capture form and the email sequence for after they get it, and sales emails when you’re ready to make an offer, you’ve got to have an email provider. So virtually nothing happens online without:
- A website (I know some say, no, an app. But few very few have done this consistently without all the pieces).
- An email provider
Reach More People, Easier Than Ever
It has to be as easy for them to communicate and pay you as if they walked in, shook your hand and gave you cash. And it can be. In fact, it can be better. You just eliminated the commute. It’s antiquated to think in person training or coaching or exercise is better. It’s an option. But done is better than perfect.
I’d rather order groceries online and have them delivered. Fast, easy, time savings of more than an hour. I’d rather bank online than in person. Click click. Deposited and transferred.
Convenience is Winning
And I’d rather pay for fitness services monthly via my bank account and meet with my coach online. In 2020, I saved 40% of my expenses by not flying, staying in hotels, attending conferences, and having to board my dog. That works. So don’t you think that in person is better. In 2021, It was also easy, and in 2022 I was thoughtful about what I really wanted to do and what I didn’t.
Your business planning may be easier now thanks to the pandemic. You probably have a much more clear idea of what’s important to you.
But Your Clients are Different, Right?
I hear you… saying, “but my business is different.” “You don’t understand, my customers are different.” I would ask, than what? Anyone in the world? Reality is, you’re throwing up obstacles because it’s hard to change. Check your imposter syndrome. Sometimes we’re as scared by success as we are by failure.
Fitness Business Support | Legal & Taxes Masterclass Bundle
REGISTER HERE: Flippingfifty.com/taxmc
Episodes you also might like:
Show up When You’re Not Selling Fitness Services: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/staging/selling-fitness-services/
Always Let Them Know You Sell (without selling!): https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/staging/sell-things/
Resources:
Flipping 50 Fitness Specialist: https://www.flippingfifty.com/specialist
Market to your Dream Customers: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/staging/copywriting-course
You can find them all the She Means Fitness Business podcasts on iTunes or listen and see shownotes at fitnessmarketingmastery.com
