Chapter 18: Business and Marketing

Question 1

What is an independent contractor?

Answer 1

This is someone who works for themselves and is connected to provide services for a company as a nonemployee.

Question 2

What are the important business aspects to consider with a fitness business?

Answer 2

• The style of training sessions being offered
• A business plan to lay out how a business will be operated
• Attraction methods and conversion of clients and customer referral acquisition
• Client retention
• Brand creation and marketing
• An understanding of someone’s financial needs and how much work and revenue generation is needed to meet those needs

Question 3

Explain each of the types of personal training.

Answer 3

• In-person training is when session are done face-to-face in a live setting and can be one- on-one or even done in larger groups.
• Virtual training is growing quickly in the fitness realm and this involves sessions done via websites, phone apps, or through social media platforms.
• Hybrid training has a combination of both virtual and in-person personal training. This works to fit the needs of the client even more in select scenarios.
• Buddy training is the style of training where a personal trainer works with two clients at the same time.
• Small group training is when there are 2 – 4 clients at one time training together with a singular personal trainer.
• Large group training is going to be done with large groups of people, even up to around 50 participants.

Question 4

Describe each of the primary business structures.

Answer 4

• Sole proprietorship – this is the most common business structure of all. It has a single owner with complete control over and liability for the business.
• Partnership – this is a business structure with 2 or more people running the business who share liability and responsibility for the performance of the business.
• Limited liability company – this is a corporate structure in the US which limits the liability of the owner, as it combines aspects of both corporations and sole proprietorships.
• Corporation – this is a business structure where the owners and operators are separate from the liabilities of the business. There are two forms of this.

Question 5

What are the two types of corporations?

Answer 5

These are the two subchapters of corporations: C and S.

C corporations are ones where the business itself is liable for the tax burdens of financial losses and gains of the corporation.

S corporations are ones where the shareholders are responsible for the tax burdens of losses and gains.

Question 6

List the elements of a traditional business plan.

Answer 6

• The executive summary for the what and why of the business.
• The business plan will describe the business type.
• A comprehensive description of services is useful and should include the customer life cycle.
• A detailed description of the company and a market analysis need to be included and will also explain the target market for the business.
• Marketing should have a key focus in a traditional business plan.

Question 7

How does a lean business plan differ from a traditional business plan?

Answer 7

Lean business plans include most of what a traditional plan has in it, but it will have a lot less detail. It is typically used for the owner and other employees to organize for future growth of the business.

Question 8

When a client persona is being made, what questions should the trainer ask?

Answer 8

Is this person male or female?
How old is this person?
What does this person do for a living?
How much money does this person make?
Is this person a parent?
What is this person’s current fitness level?
What is this person’s goal? To increase strength? Lose fat? Train for an event? What are this person’s biggest challenges?

Question 9

Define branding.

Answer 9

This is the creation of a name, logo, or symbol which identifies and differentiates a product from other products on the market.

Question 10

What is the scope of practice? List some concerns which should lead to referral to an appropriate professional.

Answer 10

The scope of practice defines the practices, procedures, and actions that a trainer is allowed to undertake and keep within their professional certification. Some typical scenarios include things like:
- Injuries
- Medical issues
- Eating disorders
- Mental illness
- Depression
- Specific meal planning

Question 11

What is some of the general advice to follow from seasoned trainers?

Answer 11

• Be organized and use a tool to help schedule
• Track the results of your clients
• Be on time
• Meet and nurture leads
• Practice self-care
• Continue education and professional development

Question 12

Define code of ethics and list the 5 categories.

Answer 12

A code of ethics are a set of guiding principles which drive the actions a professional takes. These are the five categories of codes of ethics:
* Integrity: being straightforward, honest, and transparent
* Objectivity: remaining unprejudiced and avoiding conflict, bias, or outside influence
* Professional competence: committing to education and professional knowledge to improve coaching skills throughout one’s career
* Confidentiality: protecting the privacy of clients in all forms
* Professional behavior: acting to build and preserve one’s reputation as a health coaching professional