Age 2- C2GO Newsletter

AGE Part 2
Wow!

So much feedback from last weeks newsletter about AGE.

I wanted to follow that up today with some of your
comments and an article from Nesta
Shephard who I mentioned in the article – if you missed it
click here.

I know you will love Nestas article 🙂

Kelly and I are immensley looking forward to the
Manchester Fitness Pilates For
Orthopaedic Conditions day 🙂 and the great news, this
week that The Brainfit Workout™,
Fitness Pilates & Level 3 Pilates has all been
endorsed by EMD Academy and Sport England
for Funding.

So PLEASE if you want to do these courses claim your funding.

Sport England is recognising that Group
Exercise teachers have a huge impact
on helping the inactive get fit and this is a brilliant
contribution to your training and education.

Gobsmacked By Nesta Shephard.

That was my reaction when I heard Rachel had featured ‘l’il ole me’ in her newsletter.
‘I don’t think I’m that interesting!’ was my response.
‘But you’re YOU’ she replied ‘and that’s what social (media) is all about’.
So here are a few words from my perspective on social media, fitness and being a veteran instructor.
Yes I’m in my 60s, yes I teach Pilates and oldies aerobics, and yes I do indulge in a fair bit of social media.
My current favourite is Instagram stories – although this could change in a heartbeat. Things change so rapidly in social media. I also use Facebook, and to a lesser degree, Twitter.
Consistency is key, especially at the start. It’s easy to get despondent when you only get a couple of hits or likes. Or like me, you may think ‘Who would want to follow me?
I’m not that interesting.

Keep on posting.
You need to grow your audience.
So what do I post about?

Anything and everything!

Classes, obviously.

Cooking. My garden. Travels. Hygge (you may have to google that one!)
I’ve found that the most random posts often attract the most attention and likes!

– Some winter vegetables on a chopping board in front of the slow cooker.

– Pilates head pad covers drying outside on the washing line.

– A class member doing a hamstring stretch in her Santa hat (love that one!).
As fitness instructors we can make the mistake of being a bit one-dimensional with our posts don’t you think?
How about thinking outside of the box?
Yes, post pictures and videos of classes in action.

We want to show that our clients (and classes) are amazing.

But how about what goes on before the class starts?
I don’t know about your groups, but mine are very noisy and chatty and like to catch up on the gossip beforehand.

A few seconds of video before the class starts gets across the real community atmosphere and doesn’t feel so staged.
I must admit to struggling to talk to the camera selfie-style. As someone who is super confident standing in front of a class and instructing, I cannot believe how self-conscious and tongue-tied I suddenly become! Work in progress!
I’m no expert and am learning all the time. I use my ‘go-to’ experts for tips and updates. Rachel Holmes. Yvonne Radley. If you don’t have Yvonne Radley/Big Me Up Media on your Facebook/Instagram you are missing a treat!
Rachel + Yvonne together = double whammy!
Again, it’s worth thinking outside the box for people to follow, you never know where it’s going to lead.

Not just fitpros, but people who inspire you, who are interesting, amusing, entertaining, people with different skills and interests.

I recently gained a follower who turns out to be a world famous hand surgeon!!

He liked one of my tweets!

So will social media bring us more clients?

Grow our businesses? Indirectly yes.

For example, following a recent post about Pilates, a local physiotherapist contacted me.

We are meeting next week. Watch this space!

Social media is here to stay. It’s relatively easy to use. It really works. And it’s FUN!

Nesta Shephard

Inspiring Comments from YOU

Hi Rachel … Barbara from Penzance here! Turning 70 – EEK!! – in March. Currently teaching per week: 1 Step Class, 2 Mindful Movement (blend of Pilates, Barre, Stretch etc), 2 Zumba Gold, 1 Aqua, & 1 Functional Conditioning Class (based around the Functional Aging Institute model for healthy, active adults) aimed at people like me! Well over 60 but relatively fit & healthy and wanting to stay that way! x

Hi Rachel

In response to your last newsletter just wanted to say – I am a 55 year old fitness instructor and have been teaching for just over 30 years! Where does the time go?
I try and keep to just two programmes – Zumba and Fitsteps and specialise in them. I have very full classes – approx. 50-60 in every class. One of my most popular classes are Zumba Gold and also Fitsteps FAB (ideal for “mature movers”). I think there is a massive market for the over 50 age group.

I try and keep my classes current with new ideas and current music so they feel young at heart. I rely on word of mouth and great artwork with a strong brand. I hardly ever get any business from facebook – still get quite a lot of business from my website www.fitness-vibe.co.uk and ladies searching the net. I also am very keen to keep communicating via mailchimp newsletters and text message now and again. Like I said I am still very busy – just over 2000 on my database and approx. 600 active class members. I find the old fashioned ways still work for me!

Hope this helps with your research.

Hello Rachel,

I have been teaching Exercise to Music since 1982, specialising in Seniors since 1985.
I’m now 71, with some exercisers who have been with me for 30 years!
I started at Croydon Y.M.C.A.in 1982, taking my exams in 1983. I co ordinate the 60+ club for Solutions Health Club,
With a good Walking 4 Health group as well.
I enjoyed your Brainfit Course in London in November . Thank you.

Carolyn.

Sex Sells……!!
By Andrew Crawford

You can now get insurance for sex in the UK!
So make sure you get the correct insurance for the sex you are having.
Please find a list of companies below catering for most tastes:-

Sex with your wife – Legal & General

Sex on the telephone – Direct Line

Sex with your partner – Standard Life

Sex with someone different – Go Compare

Sex with a lady of generous proportions – More Than

Sex with a prostitute – Commercial Union

Sex with your maid – Employer’s Liability

Sex with an oap – Saga

Sex resulting in pregnancy – General Accident

and finally

Sex with a transvestite – www . confused .com

Make sure you are adequately covered

Sorry…that was just a bit of light relief….and a tongue in cheek to see if you read thus far….

Therefore ….

………..proving the point advertisers have known for years ……
you get people’s interest….!!

That’s the result of being couped up for 31 days straight…going to bed at 6am – 7am….!!

Oh…by the way….the above was not mine. It was something that came on my facebook page a couple of weeks ago. I thought it was very clever so I thought I would share it. (Hope it hasn‘t caused any offence. Sorry in advance.)

So Andrew,

What has Insurance for Sex got to do with Accountancy & Tax?…(and how do we buy that particular insurance?)

Well…..

If you need insurance, you will call a variety of companies to compare and get information to deliberate your purchase.

I received a call where this lady was deliberating a change….she wanted to start up on her own business and wanted information and to know all the basics. At present she is working full time and the amount of questions that she asked, I knew she was very serious.

Now I loved this…as I know that when I dropped out of the 9 – 5 Rat Race…it was hard….I had to leave the comfort of the monthly bacs payment, personnel coming round each month with the wage slips, signing in and signing out, the office bolloticks, office crushes, the annual Xmas party, overtime, undertime, one hour lunches, quarterly performance appraisals, monthly deadlines, the closing of the accounts, the dreaded Audit, clock watching, disciplinary, the 2-3% salary increment, 30 days annual leave add to this 10 – 15 days sick leave……tee hee ……(I used 7 of these days to go to Club La Santa EACH YEAR…..lol…. ALL PAID FOR…….Thanks full time employment)…..lol

Same with some of you….right??

You came to a cross road whereby you either jumped, treaded water, swam and survived or…..you didn’t take the plunge at all.

Otherwise, there are some of you who tried it but didn’t like the insecurity and the uncertainty of where the next pound was coming from…..it was frightening wasn’t it??

In addition, I told the caller to keep the full time employment job as they were used to that level of income, then start slowly with one client at a time, rent their own halls and if necessary work for one of the big fitness chains to ‘learn’ the business.
I told them a story about one of my classes…which used to run on a Monday evening…my story goes briefly like this……, I was getting between 120 – 150 per week…and was paid £18 per hour plus 10p a head over 40 people.

£18 per hour…you may well laugh…but at the time I thought this was ‘Da B**ll**ks’ but it turned out to be….just ‘b**ll**ks’

Why?….

They started to short change me over a few weeks…..!!!

Can you imagine that……stealing crucial 10p’s from me….??!!! Well…I was angry.

So….what did I do?……

I hired a hall with happened to be situated right next door to the centre for £8 an hour!

I filtered….I mean coerced clients to attend my little class next door on a Wednesday night in addition to Mondays.

This was so successful, I started another one on a Thursday night…I was getting between 40 – 60 each week at £4 a head……I was getting ‘paid’ brothers and sisters…!!

The first 2 people were break even (2 x £4= £8)…..the rest was for me…..and my ‘Silent Partner’…..the Tax Man…!! Yes……we ALL run Parnerships!!
And just like that 3 letter word up above…….I’m leaving it there. Short & sweet. Leaving you gagging…. for more information..!!
Finally

Thank you to all those who joined me after midnight last night on my FB Live.
This is where I completed the ‘I.AM. 6 min Champagne Challenge’ – Drinking a bottle of your favourite fizz in 6 mins..!!
In addition I showed 6 positive and inspirational books which would benefit readers.
Unfortunately, no video replay on my page because FB said I didn’t have any rights to the music I was playing.
Anyways…Goodbye to January….and hello February.
It’s out with the dry and in with the wet.
Andrew James Crawford

www.zlogg.co.uk
www.quickzlogg.co.uk
www.fitnessindustryaccountants.com
www.andrewjamescrawford.com

CLAIM YOUR FUNDING FROM SPORT ENGLAND
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Fitness Pilates 2 Day Training Certification

Birmingham & Manchester click here to book

The Brainfit Workout™ click here

Level 3 Pilates Training click here