The Trackster

The Trackster is online software that helps Personal Trainers communicate with and motivate their clients.

A lot of people aren’t that comfortable with writing regularly on the internet, especially some PTs who prefer the personal contact of one on one and helping their clients.

Why not try something different? Everyone is fairly familiar with YouTube. Most people’s phone has video recording of some sort now. Or what about trying audio. You can record quick audio files using something like AudioBoo, which is free to use.

Every PTs website has to be constantly updated and most will have a blog or facebook page that needs regular content. You can record audio at anytime and upload it very easily.

Here’s a quick example of an AudioBoo that can go on your website.

People often feel a lot of pressure updating their blogs, facebook and twitter. Thinking a little differently and using different tools, you can make it easy on yourself to update your website.

A topic all Personal Trainers should be interested in is Local Area Marketing Online. The guys at Smart Company have a free webinar next week on the 4th of August.

For more information about the webinar, visit their website.

It’s important for every small business to stay up to date on the latest trends and news, and by taking an hour of your day you can learn how to improve your marketing.

This week I read a blog post on the Saasu.com site about how businesses can communicate using Twitter.  After commenting on their post, Saasu’s Community Manager Tony Hollingsworth offered to have a chat with me on Skype, so I asked him for his tips on what Personal Trainers should do on Twitter.

Saasu.com is easy online accounting for small to medium businesses.

Links from the interview:

@hollingsworth – Tony’s twitter account

@craigmillman – my personal twitter account

@thetrackster – our business twitter account

Klout.com – Discover your influence.

Empireavenue.com – See what your brand is worth.

This month I sat down with Brendon Sinclair from Tailored Web Services and had a chat about what Personal Trainers should be thinking about when planning their websites and also some basic business marketing that all trainers should be thinking about.

The video goes for 19 minutes but it’s well worth listening to if you want to improve your online presence or you are just about to build your own website.

For more information about Brendon you can find him on Twitter, and his business Tailored Web Services.

Let us know what you think of the interview in the comments below.  Also we’d love to hear any suggestions or feedback you have about the interview and maybe who’d you like to hear from in the future.

A while ago we wrote about how to get your business on Google Maps.   As a Personal Trainer that targets local customers it really is important that you think about how people will search on the internet for your services.  Targeted local searches will be the most important for your business.

Microsoft’s search engine Bing, has just released something similar.  You can read on their website about their new business portal.

If you are a Personal Trainer that is targeting local people in your area, you really have no excuse not to go over to the Bing site now and get your free listing.

Just came across a really interesting use of video on a Personal Trainers website.  A really simple way to help your clients.

The PT is a guy called Pete Tansley, and he is based on the Gold Coast here in Australia.  His website is called Fitness with Pete.

I’ve embedded the video below so you can have a look.  It only runs for 2 minutes, so check it out.

The video is just a quick and simple review of a local cafe in Pete’s area, and highlighting one of their really healthy meals, in this case a delicious looking Salmon!

Why is this a great idea?

• Pete is helping his training clients out with great information on how to eat healthy and still be able to go out.
• It’s relevant to his clients because they probably all live in the local area.
• Pete is building his referral network in the local area by highlighting a great local cafe.
• Maybe getting some links back from the cafe’s website to Pete’s website.  Important for Pete’s SEO work.

A really simple and inexpensive way to help out his clients, and also help him get known in the local area.