Hey, hope you are doing awesome! Jeff Sherman here, and today I want to tell you about the difference between Passive Marketing and Active Marketing and how leveraging both will dramatically help you grow your business.

Passive marketing is something that you do and then wait for the results to come in. Like say for instance you run an ad, then you sit around and wait for the phone to ring. Some examples of passive marketing is SEO, Print Ads, Direct Mail, Flyers, Radio, Tv, Facebook Ads, PPC and Lead Boxes. There is nothing wrong with this kind of marketing as long as this is not the only kind of marketing you are doing.

Active marketing is exactly how it sounds…. It requires action! It is by far the best kind of marketing for a small business on a budget. The only cost of active marketing is your time.

Some examples of active marketing are Public Speaking, Business Network Groups, Grocery Store Tours, Nutrition Workshops, Networking with local businesses, Charity Boot Camps, and “Belly to Belly” marketing. Here’s a list of descriptions of 9 ways to get clients in the door.

I pretty much built my business on the last one (belly to belly marketing) all by itself, before I knew how to do any of the other types of marketing.

I called it “my 5 a day”. All I would do is talk to 5 people a day and get their contact info (name, email, phone number).

That would give me 25 leads a week or 100 a month. Usually I only got 20% to come in and half of them signed up which gave me 10 new clients a month or an increase of $2,000 in revenue each month.

It is that simple. I really built my first fitness business this way. At that time I had no idea how to do any other kind of marketing. All the other stuff that I know now is just a luxury.

That’s why I can’t stand when I hear trainers say they can’t afford to market their business. You can’t afford not too! This cost you nothing but your time. And if you don’t have any clients or members then I know you have lots of time!

There is a right way and a wrong way to do this. Don’t go out with your gym shirt on and a clip board in hand, people will put their head down and run away from you! You want to be more ninja-like, under the radar, and nonchalant about it.

Prospects are everywhere. I sold memberships in line at Starbucks, getting gas, my bank teller, and a total stranger in the elevator going to visit a friend.

This is one time it’s ok to profile people. If you see a Mom with yoga pants and running shoes, you better be talking to her. Just do it. Get out of your comfort zone and simply say hi, then just ask her if she has ever done a boot camp workout before. It doesn’t matter if they say yes or no, it’s just to break the ice.

Introduce yourself and get her name (only ask for her name at this point). Let her know that you just started a fitness boot camp down the street and you would love for her to come check it out and let you know what she thinks about it. Tell her you would love to get her opinion on it. People love to give their opinion.

After she says sure (They almost always do), say great, then ask her for her email (only her email at this point) and tell her you would love to send her your e-newsletter with lots of great recipes and fitness tips.

Next, ask her when she can come in. Give her two options, and then ask which one works best. Last you want to ask her for her phone number so you can follow up her to see how she liked it.

The reason you ask for everything (Name, email and phone number) separately is in case she says no to the phone number you still have her email and can follow up that way.

Now, you must follow up with an email a.s.a.p.! The sooner you follow up the better chance you have of her actually coming in! Follow up with an email letting her know that it was great meeting her and that you are excited to have her in your boot camp on (list the day and time she said).

Next you are going to confirm by phone the night before she is supposed to come in. After you get her in your boot camp, over deliver and then make her an irresistible offer to join.

It is really that easy. Just get out and talk to people. People of influence are even better. Business owners, Preachers, Network Marketers (Mary Kay, Arbonne…), Coaches, and Teachers are all really good people to get to know and into your boot camps. They can literally build your boot camp for you.

And that is one way you can build your fitness business with Active Marketing. Leave me a comment and let me know how it works out for you or if you have any questions.

Talk soon,

Jeff Sherman