The PERFECT Fitness Marketing Formula

Let’s be honest, marketing is becoming more and more complicated. But, what if I told you about a marketing plan that was SIMPLE and EASY to implement?

It is possibly your perfect fitness marketing formula, and no, you don’t need an MBA to implement it!

First things first, you’ve been told many lies. I mean, lots and lots of lies.

Why?

Because marketers want to give you the impression that marketing is too complicated, that it’s like solving a Rubik's cube in 0.000001 of a second, or that it’s akin to rocket science, just so they can sell you their gimmicky tools!

I know, it’s not nice knowing you’ve been lied to for so long.

Funnels this, funnels that, lead automation robots blah blah blah . . . tons of spammy tactics and tools have been rammed down your throat and I know you’re sick of it!

While marketing tools are definitely becoming more sophisticated, the underlying PRINCIPLES are much the same – and yes, they’re pretty simple to understand and implement!

You see, all of these tactics and tools are only complementary to a good strategy.

They are not the strategy.

And without a solid foundation, those tools and tactics are obsolete!

So, allow me to let you know about what I believe to be the perfect fitness marketing formula – Dan Kennedy’s Marketing Triangle...

His Marketing Triangle outlines the three core elements you need to get right in any perfect fitness marketing formula, marketing plan or campaign to ensure success.

1. The Right Market.
2. The Right Message.
3. And The Right Media.

That’s all you need to know.

Seriously, get these three components right and your business will take off. You’ll be sipping pina coladas on the beach in no time (well, you will be able to when we are allowed to travel again!!)

You must know whom you must speak to!

Let’s get straight into it, I want to give you the memo on the first component of Dan Kennedy’s Marketing Triangle – Speak to the right market

The market is everything.

It is absolutely vital to know whom you are trying to reach, attract, interest, and persuade, and how they prefer to be offered and receive information and offers.

I stress, the market is EVERYTHING!

When you craft a message, you need to know who it’s for (and who it isn’t for). Otherwise, it just won’t hit home.

Way, way too many marketing campaigns are aimed at anyone and everyone. They are broad, vague, and generic (. . . cue the yawn!).

They are not narrow, focused, and specific.

There’s a saying in marketing that goes a little like this . . .

Marketing to everybody is marketing to nobody

Let that sink in for just a minute. I know what you’re thinking . . .

“But Andrew, all my clients are different, they have different goals and ambitions, they are different demographics, etc., etc.”

By marketing to a specific group, it doesn’t mean that you don’t do business with other groups. 

Those people will come anyway, but you have to ask the question, “Who is my ideal client”. 

Once, you’ve figured that out, that’s whom you market to!

Is your ideal client 20 to 30-year-old males who want to pack on muscle? Is it mums who want to get back into shape? 

Or is it the 65+ year old who has discovered a new lease of life and is now feeling 20 years younger?

You need to answer these questions and find out your target market, otherwise, you’ll be playing blind archery.

Whom do you want as a client or customer?

Ok, that’s your market component covered.

We’re one-third of the way there with our perfect fitness marketing formula, but remember, your marketing campaign will fall short if you don’t smash each component of the marketing triangle.

If you’re missing only one of these, your probability of failure goes through the roof. As in you will fail, it’s as certain as night follows day.

Identifying your target isn’t enough . . .

Identifying the correct market that you want to target isn’t enough.

There is another key component that is absolutely vital to making things work for you. Frankly, choosing the right market is only one prong in the three-pronged fork.

You must create a message that resonates with your target market. You must speak to them directly. People are most easily and quickly interested in information that is directly related to them.

Their interest is peaked with information that promises fascinating secrets, solutions to problems, prevention of dire threats, or guarantees of seductive benefits.

Remember in order to craft a message that resonates with your target audience – you must know your target audience like the back of your hand.

What are their pain points and concerns? What problems do they have? What are their fears and motivations? What are their deepest desires and wildest dreams?

You want to know what they ate for breakfast, what colour socks they put on this morning and what Netflix show they binged on last night!

You must be able to tap on your target client's emotions with your message.

You need to know what keys to press.

Additionally, we want to elicit a response to our message. After all, we are playing the game of direct response marketing.

We want to use some sort of ‘bait’. This means something that will spark a response. Maybe it’s an email opt-in in exchange for a free workout download, a sign up for your newsletter, or perhaps an offer for a free fitness consultation.

There’s one simple common denominator in all the examples I’ve mentioned – they all have an offer of VALUE!

But you must align your bait with your target client. If there’s an imbalance, the prospect won’t take the bait. Which brings us back around to knowing your ideal client.

There is no one size fits all. Your message will be different depending on whom you’re targeting. What’s magnetic is a message just for them!

Ok, we’re almost there. We have two out of three pieces of the puzzle locked in. But remember, without all three your marketing plan is doomed.

We don’t want that to happen, so we? I’m not going to leave you out in the cold, so let's look at the final piece of the jigsaw!

The final piece to your perfect fitness marketing formula puzzle

What I’m about to tell you will be instrumental to any success you have with your marketing plan.

Dan Kennedy’s practical marketing triangle is not complete without all three components working in unison. 

Remember, your plan will fail if you have not incorporated all three pieces.

We’ve spoken about the first two components, the right market and the right message, so let’s not waste any more time and complete the puzzle.

The Right Media

Media is the ‘how’ piece of the puzzle. How are you going to reach your market and how are you going to project your message?

There are plenty of options out there.

In fact, the amount of options is as long as your Christmas food shopping list. So how do you decide what will work and what’s essential?

The most important factor to consider is whom are you trying to reach and where do they hang out? (There’s one more important element but we’ll get to that later).

Are you trying to reach 20-30-year-old males?

Then maybe Instagram is your media because that’s where they hang.

If you’re trying to reach stay-at-home mums, then maybe Facebook is your best bet.

You don’t want to start a campaign and realise your target market doesn't hang out in the place that you are projecting your message. 

It’s like going to a night club to find your grandmother. She isn’t going to be there. (If she is then, you've got one cool gran!!)

Another important factor to consider is can they respond to your message with ease. If the media can’t be used to deliver a direct response message, then skip it. 

We want to be communicating and engaging with our target market and this should be a seamless process. 

Remember, the media you prefer using and your ideas about what nobody does anymore or what everybody does now don’t mean anything. 

Only what your target client audience actually prefers and engages with matters.

I was told the other day...“Nobody uses Facebook anymore”.

That's BS.

Lots of people use Facebook. Lots of your target market will use media that you don’t use, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start using it.

You will probably end up using many different media channels to reach different segments of your target customers. 

So, don’t limit yourself to the ones you like.

So, there you have it. Your marketing puzzle is complete. If you implement this I know you’ll see traction with your marketing efforts. 

So, do your homework and plan your marketing triangle. Once, that’s done there’s only one thing left to do.

Take Action

Have fun and let me know if you have any questions