Network Magazine Autumn 2020 | Page 13

FILEX PRESENTER CEC ARTICLE 1 OF 5 ARTICLES DIFFERENTIATE TO DOMINATE FOUR STEPS TO STANDING OUT AS THE LEADING OPTION IN YOUR MARKET However great a trainer you may be, you will face competition from other great trainers. To stand out you must identify your ideal clients and market your unique differences to them, writes fitness business consultant Billy Polson. et’s assume that you are a typical customer in your market and that you are looking for help with losing weight and getting back into a consistent routine with a workout program. You decide to go online and begin searching through the options for fitness businesses to help you achieve your objectives. First, you search for ‘personal trainers near me’ and a couple of hundred listings come up. Realising that this is going to be a little more work than you had expected, you select a review site from the search results, hoping to find some clarity around the leading options. Instead, this review site lists a hundred new choices, with many of those being paid ads. Starting to feel overwhelmed, you change gears and decide to look for a ‘group fitness class’ instead, having no idea that you have just stepped into an even L deeper rabbit hole of alternatives. Much less, if you dare to include ‘gyms’ or ‘home workouts’ in your search criteria! Any one of us would give up at that point. This fast-paced industry of ours is quickly becoming saturated with a multitude of fitness business options of all types, and the number of players in the market is ever increasing. The brands that do the best job of differentiating their services will be the ones that rise to the top. By following the four steps below, you can ensure that your fitness business is a standout member of this leader board. STEP 1. Define your client and product First, you must have a clear understanding of the target customer your business will THE QUICK READ • Clearly define the specifics of your product offering in relation to the leading goals for your target customer • Research your competitors in order to optimally position your brand within your market • Bravely define your most valuable differentiators in order to standout within your market • Calibrate your current brand and marketing in order to make the best use of your differentiators in connecting with your ideal clients. NETWORK AUTUMN 2020 | 13