8 Boot Camp Marketing Mistakes to Avoid
by Georgette Pann
http://thefitnessbootcamp.com
You have boot camp, you have a business. The word about your place needs to get the word out. You can offer great services but if nobody knows about your business, then you’re not going to get anywhere with it. Good and effective marketing has just become your new best friend. The old adage about any publicity is good publicity holds only some truth if you’re a celebrity (sometimes we only know who a celebrity is once we see their mug shot!). Well bad publicity is not good when you’re starting a boot camp. There are boot camp marketing mistakes that plenty of people make and these can be detrimental to your business.
So… what do you want to avoid and why do you want to steer clear of them?
- Staying away from social media – Facebook, Twitter, Blogger: you name them and your friends are on them. Sure, they’re great methods of staying in touch with your colleagues, friends, and the random person you attended middle school with but now more and more people are using the power of social media for marketing their business. Don’t underestimate the importance of these free sites. With a Facebook fan page you can get a lot of free advertising and keep your current members up-to-date with what’s going on.
- Ignoring referrals – A lot of your business is going to be based on referrals. You want people to get a lot out of your services so that they tell their friends about you. Don’t ignore the impact that you can make by offering incentives to your current clients when it comes to bringing in new business for you.
- Not having a “Call to Action” – Not only do you want people to read the material on your site and ads, you want them to take action at the end of it. Challenge them and give them a reason to sign up for your services.
- Ignoring what doesn’t work – Don’t get stuck on one method of marketing. It might seem like a good idea at the time but if you try it for awhile and you don’t get any results then it’s time to move on and try something else. You should be able to track what percentage of your clients came from which ad you ran and promotion you held.
- Doing too much at once – Don’t overburden yourself by trying too many marketing schemes at once. You’ll get tired and by having 50 marketing ploys you won’t be able to devote as much time to any of them as you need to. Instead, focus on a few that are yielding the best results.
- Looking at the numbers more than the action – You can have 1,000 Facebook fans and Twitter followers. However, if you’re not giving them a reason to come and check you out, then the numbers really don’t matter. The trick is to get them to you, not just have them follow you. You can have a million people walk into your storefront but if nobody signs up, then you’re not making any money. For that reason, give them incentives to join you. Post daily statuses regarding the benefits of your boot camp. Talk about the advantages of regular exercise. Promote your rates and services. Bring those numbers to your door.
- Jumping the gun – Marketing is a business maneuver just like everything else in your boot camp. Before you start actively trying marketing ploys, you need to come up with a plan. Figure out what you want to do to get potential clients to notice you. Brainstorm. Put some thought into design. The more professional and creative you look, the more people will take notice. Create an image or brand; however, don’t wait for the “perfect” ad as you might be waiting forever.
- Trying to do it all yourself – You’re creative and a good business person. You also have your hands full. Sometimes, part of being a good business person is knowing when to delegate work to others. Hiring a great person for website design, SEO management, and other aspects of your marketing campaign can ensure that you’re not spreading yourself too thin and that you’re getting the best results.
Marketing your boot camp is always going to be a little bit of trial and error. Still, by avoiding some of these mistakes you should be able to start off on the right foot and find the clients who will keep coming back to you, along with bringing in new ones!
Check out The New Fitness Bootcamp Marketing Kit in a Box at http://fitnessbootcampmaeketing.com
Georgette Pann: owner of NutriFitness Personal Training Studio and Bootcamps. She is author and creator of the best selling “Sure VictoryFitness Bootcamp Kit” http://thefitnessbootcamp.com and
Sure Results:The Ultimate Book of Bootcamp Workouts http://fitnessbootcampworkout.com