How To Destroy Your Business And Reputation.

Harsh heading? Perhaps, but I spend so much time talking about how personal trainers can build their fitness businesses and reputations without warning just how easily you can destroy all your hard work and lose clients.

For this post, I'm actually drawing from an experience I had today in a fitness equipment retail store (I love it when this happens). I'm not going to mention what sort of exercise machine it was, but I noticed a woman obviously intrigued by a vibrating platform (oops) and she had done some research on how it could benefit her.

I asked her if she had used one before and she looked up at me with a sour face and said "no" and that her trainer had told her that they were a waste of money and that she would be better off investing in more personal training sessions. (I assume with him)

She then went on to tell me about all of the problems she was having with him and how she wasn't achieving her goals.

Now, I'm not looking to hire a personal trainer at the moment, but if I was, I can assure you it wouldn't be this guy after her rant.

Who knows how many people she is telling this story to, all because this guy dismissed something she is obviously interested in, he is going to lose her as a client and he can forget about anyone she knows signing up.

A smart personal trainer, a fitness entrepreneur would have seen this situation as an opportunity rather than a threat.

Even if you know absolutely nothing about a piece of equipment or a supplement or piece of workout clothing or whatever else might be on late night television at the time, tell your client not to rush into any purchases because you are going to look into it for them.

Even if you find out something negative, you have to let your client draw their own conclusions, so provide them with information from both sides of the fence.

Trust me, they will appreciate the effort, even if it was 10 minutes doing a google search and printing some info from independent reviewers or whoever.

Better yet, give them that information and if they decide to go ahead with a purchase, source a good deal for them perhaps through an affiliate or referral, you may even make a few bucks on the sale.

The moral of the story is to never put down or speak poorly of your competition.

Ben