How can one stand out in a fitness world that is full of flashy, over the top, and eye-catching professionals? Follow these six steps in order to find your personal niche and create your fitness community.
It is important to realize that you are not the only one who feels like there are still so many things to do, whether you’re just starting out in fitness or a seasoned veteran. We may notice patterns in our professional histories. I was reinventing myself, as an example, every three years, a pattern which began soon after graduating from college. I felt like my life led me to a new fitness career every three years. In the beginning, I was eager to learn and wanted to become a teacher who could do anything. As soon as I started, I pursued and earned all of the fitness certifications that I could. I thought that having a “Jack-of-all trades” could help me stand out from other people who had similar goals. I wanted to gain work experience and build an impressive résumé. I was very diligent, but not very intelligent. After realizing I needed to change my ways, I devised a strategy.
- Working Backwards From Your Goal
Jim Rohn: “Discipline bridges the gap between goals and achievement.”
Define your goal. Do you think it will take 3 months or a year to achieve your goal, or if it takes longer? Start by creating daily, weekly, and monthly sub-goals based on your size and how much work you will have to do. In 2008, I set myself a goal of starting my own corporate wellness business. Unsure of where to start, I looked to my friends and family who already had successful businesses. My success was largely due to the panel of mentors I built. A former college friend and I developed a great business relationship. We established Wellness Solutions at Work, Inc. together and secured our first corporate contract in less than a year. We set bigger, more frightening goals. Before my 30th birthday, we had our first corporate contract worth a million dollars. When you decide on your ultimate goals, surround yourself with experts and successful people who you can learn from. You may encounter huge obstacles that at first seem impossible to overcome. You can either make it or break yourself by learning these hard lessons. You can use your life lessons to motivate you and guide you along your path. DO NOT GIVE UP.
- Do not Quit
You’re going through tough times, that’s just life. “Nothing happens to us, but it happens for us.” – Joel Osteen
While it is acceptable to explore other options outside our field, throwing in the towel is extreme. You must remain steadfast in your path unless you’ve lost interest in health and wellness. My hobbies are fitness-related, which is fortunate for me. In 2007, I started competing in fitness contests outside of my career. I had a consistent goal for eight years: to become a fitness pro athlete and win the Fitness America Champions. If I had quit because I didn’t reach my goal quickly enough, or “didn’t win the first-time,” I wouldn’t have lived to experience my dream coming true in 2015. We must set an example. It is okay to set goals and not reach them by the deadline you had in mind or written down. Many people don’t become fitness stars overnight or earn the salary they want when they first start out. Fitness icons are not just the ones who have worked hard in the gym to get their name out there, but also those who have spent years doing the legwork and other things necessary to achieve “the top”. They do this essentially by becoming their agent.
- You can become your own agent
Joseph B. Wirthlin: “Parents must instill a work ethic deep into their children’s hearts and habits.”
It is difficult to find a good work ethic. Some people believe that you either have or don’t. As a child, my father taught me that I didn’t have to be smartest in class to get an “A”, but I had to study and work hard. Because of him, I thought I could achieve anything in life if I worked hard. The key was to not be afraid of hard work, long hours and taking risks. You must realize that you are responsible for your own success and no one else will be able to do it for you (unless you have the money to hire a personal assistant). Recently, I was able to land a monthly slot on a Pittsburgh-based talk show as the wellness expert. To earn a TV spot, I knew I needed to be the complete fitness package. It’s great to have a long list of qualifications and certifications, but they won’t help me if I can’t act and look like a TV fitness expert. I knew that my online presence needed to be impressive, and I had to have media reels and professional photographs to support me. I spent many years building up my corporate wellness business and didn’t need a large social media presence. I felt I needed to make up lost time. I teamed up with the best trainer in the business. She helped me redefine my fitness brand. In less than a calendar year, I went from the corporate wellness world that is so boring from a media and TV perspective to a commercial business with live studios and online programs.
- Define who you are
John C. Maxwell: “A leader knows the path, takes the path, and shows it.”
It was my habit to stand behind the name of my previous business. I wanted to be able work in a group of people who shared my views. It was natural for me to be a team player. I also enjoyed this. After three years I retired my corporate wellness business and exchanged it for AubreyWorek.com. I was nervous and a bit scared. I didn’t like the idea of operating under my name. It was at first a bit ego-driven and I wondered, “Would they be drawn to my name?” and “How can I make them trust me?” I spent a lot of time revamping all the things I had been working on for seven years and was now ready to pitch to local media. I sent so many press releases at one time that I almost lost track of the people I had contacted. I was persistent. My hard work began to pay off. My name and my business were featured in a national or local magazine, newspaper or social media page. My name was being known, and my brand was being shown! In just a few months, I was able to land my live TV audition. My main goal was to be prepared and well-rehearsed in addition, being entertaining. After the segment, I sent the producer an email with a list of topics on fitness that would appeal to her audience and that I could present in future episodes. I never said, “I’d like to be back and do this segment.” I was always sincere in my approach and only offered suggestions. After my second TV debut, I was asked to appear on her show every month. I was very grateful to have landed the spot, which may lead to other opportunities. Knowing your audience is the most important lesson that I would like to impart. The producer had a different goal in mind for me. Although I wanted to get on the show, it wasn’t my goal. I had to act like she was me. What is she looking for? What does she want her audience to know? What will increase her ratings? It is the same when you are building a social media profile.
- Define Your Audience/Target Market
Plato: “A good decision should be based on information and not numbers.”
What will it get you, if your brand or business has no value? Will it make you money? Well, eventually it may, however if you find yourself spending the majority of your time posting hot gym selfies and random videos of how-much-weight-you-can-squat, you can end up portraying yourself as one dimensional and even self-absorbed. As you begin to build your social media presence, ask yourself the following questions:
What will my posts mean to my followers and what value can I add?
Can they use my information to improve their diet or exercise plan?
What can I do to further engage my audience with this post or message?
Am I sending out a positive message?
Can I highlight and acknowledge some of my existing followers, and reward them for sharing my post?
My target market, for example, is multifaceted. My social media posts are a mixture of dance, fitness and holistic nutrition. Since the majority of my followers are females, I know that they enjoy these things. You should work to establish a strong social media presence, but I suggest you focus on just two platforms this year. Otherwise you may burn out or risk being inconsistent with your message. In 2016, I want to establish a professional YouTube Channel in order to increase my YouTube presence. To further enhance my brand, I will also continue to work on my Public Figure Page Facebook page.
- Increase Your Sincerity
Zig Ziglar: “The foundations for a balanced life are honesty, integrity, character, faith, love and loyalty.”
What is it that makes an instructor’s class with pre-choreographed choreography different from another who teaches the same dance to the same music. Her energy? Her confidence? Is it her confidence? I think it’s all of them, plus something you cannot see but can feel and perceive. Her sincerity. I’m attracted to coaches that are “real” and authentic. When we coach or teach, we are the best version of ourselves. We are passionate inspirations that want to motivate our clients and attendees. It’s time to boost your inner self and share it with the world. I’d like to believe that I am fueled by the energy of my clientele. Sincerity has helped me to attract people who fit my coaching style. I know that I am not the best coach for everyone (and there are times when prospects come to me and I already know they’re “not my clients”). You can succeed in this field if you convince yourself there are many fish in the ocean. It is not necessary to denigrate other fitness professionals to look good. Focus on your passions, and what you are good at. You will attract the right clients and they are likely to stay with you for many years if you focus on your positive attributes. To achieve all of the above, we must commit to our commitment. It is important to be loyal in every aspect of your life, whether it’s relationships, sports or careers. In all areas, there will be moments of doubt and frustration. But if you use these to your advantage and learn from them, you’ll become a fitness leader with a large following. You can change the lives of everyone around you by improving their health.
The original version of this article appeared on the NASM Blog.
