This is something I get asked about a lot.
How can I get out there as an online coach?
How can I get out there more as an in-person coach?
What should I do about writing content?
There are many answers to these questions that I hope to talk about today.
First of all you have to think about all the ways you want to get out there.
Do you want to write a blog?
Do you work better with video?
Do you want to interview other people?
Do you currently have clients to provide you with content?
The very first way to start getting out there is to join as many social media platforms as you can handle.
Then make a plan for putting out content.
Jon Goodman of the ThePTDC recommends spending an hour per day writing content (I might be wrong these days, it’s been a while since I checked!)
I think this is the right way to go about creating content.
So, plan an hour of content writing into every day, or plan 7 hours of content writing each week.
If you’re quiet and don’t have lots of clients at the moment it should be fairly easy to fit that in. Even if you are doing lots of research as well.
Lots to fit in isn’t there!?
Don’t worry, do this for 10 years and you’ll be one of the most well known in the industry if you play your cards right.
If you have lots of clients yes it is tough but if you want to get content out there or have a worldwide or nationwide reputation then you have to have some time where it is actually created!
The next thing to do set a goal for how much content you are going to put out each week.
When I started this blog I began with the goal of putting out 2 blog posts a week for a year (which I did for 18 months.)
Now I put out 1 blog post a week and do a Throwback Thursday where I recap on an article I haven’t shared in around a year.
If you want to start writing, set up a blog on something like wordpress.com. Each time you think of something you’d like to write about write the idea down in a list and begin writing about that thing.
At first it doesn’t matter if it’s absolute shit. Just write. As you get more experienced you’ll find you have things to say. The first articles I tried to write were even worse than the ones I write now!
The more things you have to say the more ideas you’ll have for articles. The next task is to send the article to someone you know.
Scary right?
Get the person’s feedback, make some changes and you’ll see it’s not bad. Repeat this process until you dare post things out to the public.
No-one will read it at first anyway!
It will take a while to get a dedicated readership but take it from me when you have people sharing your work all over Facebook saying it’s helped them it makes everything worth it.
On Instagram my goal is to put out at least 7 posts a week. I share all these posts to Facebook as well.
I now receive new leads about every other day. Not all those leads will be converted but this is great for business if you can get to this stage!
Even if you don’t dare put the content out there start creating it so you can get better at designing content.
And when you do feel comfortable putting it out there it means you’ll have loads of posts to fall back on unless it’s as bad as my first attempts!
As a side note, if you are a coach putting out content hoping to get clients remember to actually mention that you are looking for clients every once in a while so you put it in people’s minds that you are a coach.
You can even mention prices. Get your coaching info into something like 25% of your posts and the leads will start coming in if the info you put out there is any good or inspires action.
If you want to put high quality social media graphics together I would highly recommend the website and app ‘canva’ because I’m a design div and even I can still put decent looking graphics together that seem to go down well.
It’s very important to not be an arsehole. I feel the need to point this out. Reread every post you put together. Is it possible you sound like a massive prick?
Are you moaning or having a go at people?
These posts don’t get anywhere near the mark for building your business.
Also, if you are putting out written word content you have to make sure your grammar is at least passable and you don’t spell every other word incorrectly. The odd typo or mistake is fine but most of your stuff should be correct.
If you are dyslexic or struggle with spelling that is absolutely fine. Have someone look over your work before you post it, or use a spellcheck before you copy and paste the words over to Instagram.
If you don’t get many likes at first, that’s fine. Everyone has to start somewhere so just starting posting and putting content out.
And by the way, just footage of yourself training doesn’t count as quality content, it has to be more than that to inspire action unless you are lifting very impressive numbers or you have a very impressive story behind it.
Or you have a great insta butt of course.
Everyone posts videos of themselves deadlifting now. It has to be more.
What kind of stuff makes interesting, engaging and lead generating content?
Information on how to train better quickly. Info on how you effectively train clients. Empowering posts.
If your client says something like “your sessions always make me feel so good!” Ask to use the quote on social media and explain your thought process behind giving the person that experience.
It won’t be long before people start to listen.
Put content out there that looks good, that doesn’t make you sound like a dick and that brings your services to their attention!
It will take time for content creation to mean anything for your business. I’ve written and still write many posts that no-one reads or no-one likes. In fact some of my favourite and most important articles have barely hit double digits with views.
But the leads keep coming in and (hopefully) my reputation continues to grow and people keep coming back and the children always seem to have food on the table. I even got to have a gun-show with Mickey Mouse in Florida.
I never knew that would be possible by telling people to exercise a bit but not too much.
I hope you can experience the joys of the fitness industry like I have and do.
Put yourself out there if you want to be out there!
By Chris Kershaw
Chris is a Personal Trainer, Strength Coach, Writer and man of small stature and reader of The Discworld Series with a decade in the industry. He trains everyone from beginners to high level athletes. His favourite clients are people getting into the gym for the first time because they can make the biggest changes in their life.
Chris Kershaw Strength 