Chris Talks With Ruth Quinn About FB Marketing & Building Your Fitness Biz

- Hey guys, Chris Lynton here from Tribe Fit and today I am very blessed to have such an awesome guest here today, Ruth Quinn.  
 
 How are you today, Ruth? 
 
 - I'm fantastic, thank you.  Thanks for having me.  
 - That's good to hear.  And where abouts are you dialling in from?
 - I am dialling in just from our office in Frankston on the lovely Mornington Peninsula.  
 - Beautiful, fantastic, cool.  Well, I guess first and foremost guys, anyone that hasn't had the pleasure of meeting Ruth or seeing some of the stuff about yourself Ruth, maybe probably better if you give yourself a bit of an introduction, rather than myself trying to do it myself.  So, if someone doesn't know of you or seen your stuff, could you give a bit of a background about yourself? 
 - Yeah, absolutely, love to.  So, I have had a very long career in the fitness industry, much like yourself, Chris.  Started out, actually, as a massage therapist, and then quite quickly realised that my body didn't love doing that full time.  So I became a personal trainer, and just sort of fell in love with that and owned and operated my own personal training business for 11 years.  
  - [Chris] Great.  
  - Four, or at one point actually, five PT's working under me and quite quickly towards the middle of my career, I realised that I loved mentoring other trainers.  So having those trainers work under me, I kinda realised, actually hey, I'm really good at mentoring other trainers to become really successful in their own right.  And just, I learned to love, and again I think like you, I learned to love creating a brand and an understanding how to market yourself and connect with people and bring them into your business and just sort of developed a passion for that.  Now that's what I do.  I help personal trainers to create a brand, and to grow their business and to really understand how to market themselves well.  
  - Awesome, cool.  And do you still have the gym or you exited out of that a while back? 
  - No, yeah, I exited out of that when my little bubba came along, so I've got a little three month old.  For me it was partially that, but it was also my passion really did become the marketing and growing and developing brands.  And I really also was designing a business around my life and what I wanted to be able to do with my son.  It's pretty cool to be able to do that.  
  - Fantastic, cool.  Okay, well, I guess today, first and foremost, thanks for your time and I really appreciate it and I guess, in terms of what we are going to focus around today.  I know we just had a chat before to try and narrow down because there's so many different things we could talk about when it comes to building a business, but I guess today, we're going to sort of narrow in and focus in a bit more on Facebook, using Facebook to build businesses and also a little bit about funnels.  
  So I guess, first and foremost, first question.  Probably a bit of an off the cuff one, Facebook or Instagram, do you have a preference for one or the other, or are they kind of the same when you use the Facebook for the firm? 
  - So I guess I have a preference for Facebook, mainly because I massively use Facebook groups to help people build brands and to, and also to connect with my audience.  It's such a powerful tool and especially given the recent changes in the Facebook algorithm, groups are becoming like an absolute must in my opinion to grow a brand.  
  - [Chris] Yeah.  
  - Such a powerful tool for personal trainers to put themselves on the map as an expert, rather than just another PT that's blending in with the crowd.  I actually don't do a massive amount of Instagram myself.  I think you probably are more knowledgeable about Instagram, way more than I am.  However, when running Facebook ads, obviously you have the ability to use Instagram advertising as well, which is massively powerful.  I don't do anything on Instagram.  I don't post on Instagram and I have my following just grows heaps and heaps and heaps, because I use Facebook ads, and so I'm getting that following through there.  The short answer is Facebook for me.  (laughing) 
  
  - Cool, well, I guess probably, the disclaimer for, as you said, we use Instagram a fair bit and I know a lot of our clients use it a fair bit.  Advertising is really good on there, obviously, and owned by Facebook, so they're very much going the same path, but then probably, the rule of thumb that I would say to people is, a, what are you most comfortable with, is always gonna be your most highest performing platform and, b, where is your market hanging out? It sounds as though Facebook's probably the spot for yourself, so that's absolutely perfect.  Cool.  Getting on to Facebook specifics.  What, if someone is listening to this and going, Ruth, you know I'm looking to build my fitness business.  Facebook sounds fantastic, I've heard lots about it, algorithm changes and all this sort of stuff.  What would be your tips for someone starting off and looking to grow their business through that? 
  
  - Sure, so I think, what happens a lot of the time is people get really overwhelmed by how to utilise Facebook, and they think that in order to grow a brand, they need to be able to learn how to use Facebook ads and that's where they have to start.  Look, Facebook ads, I think I've heard you say this as well, Facebook ads are something that are essential to leverage your business, or to scale your business once you get to a certain level.  But initially, I would be all about adding value.  And I sort of want to deconstruct what that even means because you hear that thrown around all the time.  What does that even mean? It's really important that you know who you're trying to help.  It's really important that you know who your niche is, who your target market is, right? Because otherwise, how can you create valuable content? That's just gonna get lost in peoples' newsfeeds.  First off, know who you're trying to reach with your posts.  Don't just post random inspirational quotes.  It's just gonna get lost in the sea of inspirational quotes that aren't even inspirational anymore.  People are just used to seeing them.  So, create content specifically for your ideal client.  Imagine they're sitting across the table from you and they've said, "Hey, Chris, I'm really struggling, as a new mom to lose this weight, I just can't budge it." What would you tell them? What tips would you give them? That will then pop out on their newsfeed and they'll connect with it and you'll start developing your own tribe, to use your word, Tribefit.  You'll start developing your own tribe of people who will follow you.  I'm actually quite personally quite excited about the algorithm changes because the strategies that I use are already really beneficial.  Using Facebook groups to connect, so starting a Facebook group.  If you don't already have a Facebook group, I think you should have two, personally.  One, which is a public group, where you can invite your ideal clients in, deliver value, give them tips and literally give them tips that are so valuable that they're like, I would've had to have paid someone else for this.  
  
  - [Chris] Yeah.  
  - And that seems counterproductive, but actually what you're doing is, you're showing them how valuable you are, you could be to them, so that they say, well, if her free stuff is this good, imagine how good it would be if I actually stepped up and and worked with her.  So, you should have a public group that people can join and you can invite people into and then you absolutely should have a private group for your paying clients, where you can add extra value, connect with them on a daily basis, and your retention will go through the roof if you do that, too.  
  - Yeah, cool.  Okay, so, let's just say I haven't got a group, and I'm sort of starting off in that space and taking on your tip, what are your best tips for getting people into the group and kind of growing that community? 
  - Absolutely, so, unfortunately, with the algorithm change, business pages now are getting much lower organic reach.  Which basically means, without paying to get reach, if you're not sure what that means.  Without paying to run a Facebook ad, you're gonna get way less reach.  So, actually, what I would suggest is use your personal page.  Set up your personal page in a way that it's really clear to people what you do, what you can offer them.  Create an awesome cover photo that makes it obvious you're a trainer, and a trainer for a specific niche.  And then start posting tips on there on a regular basis.  Or even just start asking questions.  Connect with people.  Here's the thing that's so exciting to me, about that, is, you have this huge, huge audience that you can reach and do market research.  If you're not sure what your target audience really wants, ask questions.  When it comes to losing those last five kilos, what are you struggling with most? (laughing) People are just waiting for someone to ask them, and they will just spew their guts and tell you.  And then, there you go, now you've got a million different videos or posts that you can create based on what your market is telling you.  Now, big brands spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to get market research like this, so if you utilise it correctly, it will just be such a powerful tool for your business.  Use your personal profile, first of all, to set it up like a business card almost, so that people know what you do.  Connect with them, it's just like having someone face to face and trying to build rapport.  Show them your interest in learning about them.  Don't just be going in for the sale.  Build relationships with people, offer them value, and then in terms of getting them into your group, offer them value, so once you've listened to them and you know what they really want you can say something along the lines of, "Hey guys, I'm so excited to be interviewing a nutritionist in my group tomorrow, about a, b, c," the things that they've told you they want help with.  "It's only inside my awesome, free community, and here's the link to it." So you can just get people to join your group.  And you don't have to spend anything on Facebook ads, like that's later down the track.  So I would just say, don't be intimidated by not knowing about Facebook ads to get started.  Just get started.  
  
  - Beautiful, cool, well, that's absolutely awesome.  I actually had a chat with someone this morning about the exact same thing and algorithms change all the time and it's not something new, it's been happening for years and years and years, and in essence, just reiterating what you said, is that Facebook's goal, they make money by having personal people hanging out on Facebook.  Why? Because they get advertisers to pay to advertise, and that's how they make their money.  If the people aren't there in the first place, advertisers won't pay to put their ads there.  Personal pages, all the algorithms are around strengthening personal pages, strengthening the relationships, strengthening the engagement, the reach and business pages, Facebook want you to pay because they need to make money.  If you don't pay, then you don't have any reach, so, business pages as a whole, have kind of been dead and buried for some time.  But algorithm changes are only making it easier if you're using groups, if you're using your personal pages, and really putting out good content.  It's awesome to hear that and the amount of times I hear people, oh there's a new algorithm change or whatever it might be, it actually is in your favour if you're doing it the right way.  And there's massive value for you.  Cool, alright.  So, in terms of Facebook, we talked about content, we talked about groups.  Is there any other strategies that you're using at the moment or anything that you would recommend to people that they could be using on that platform? 
  
  - I think, it's not so much something that I think they could be using, I think it's more something that I see happen over and over.  People having this fear of getting started, or people do get started, but they present this persona that they think people want them to be.  To be taken seriously as an expert, I need to be this person.  I need to wear this sort of mask, I need to wear certain clothes, I need to, and absolutely you need to present yourself professionally, but let's not get lost in what's professional, right? You don't have to walk up in a suit, you're a trainer.  You don't have to edit your personality.  If you want a business that you absolutely frickin' love, like I feel like there's this cliche, right, people say if you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life.  And I was the same, I got to the point where I was like, oh what a crock, no, it's work.  But then I changed my mindset and I really went, okay, who do I want to be working with? And I literally would leave work, just feeling like I'd hung out with a bunch of friends.  I absolutely loved it, because I created that.  If in what you put out there, in your marketing, in your messaging, in how you show up on video, in how you create your copy, so how you write your quotes.  You're just you, you're authentic, you're real.  You talk about you're own struggles, you're own successes.  Don't try and sugar coat everything and make yourself seem like the spray tan, six-packed trainer.  (laughing) People will, the right people will connect with you.  I even got to the point when I was launching my programmes, and this was through targeted Facebook ads, but this is the magic of Facebook ads.  I could target people who liked Disney and Britney, I'm making myself sound so cheesy but I love Disney and I love Britney.  (laughing) And literally I had all these, at one point, we joked because I'm an expat, I grew up in the UK.  I had a tonne of blonde, female expats, that loved Disney and Britney, and we'd put like Britney playlist on while we worked out, it was just like, this is the best.  (laughing) But you really can, but they also had all the same sort of morals and beliefs and it just makes it so, so awesome to go to work everyday.  And like I've just, right before this interview, I just got off a call with, a group call with my amazing coaching clients and it's the same thing, like just, it's not work, I absolutely love it.  So, I guess, the underlying message is just be authentic, people are dying to actually make real connections through social media.  And that absolutely is possible.  I think a lot of trainers think it's just all about the sale, right? It's all about creating this persona to make a sale, but actually, if you just let down your guard and be genuine and real, what happens is pretty damn cool, when the tribe that you can create is pretty damn cool.  I think that's a big one.  Don't feel that you have to be someone else to be successful.  
  
  - Yeah, that's awesome.  It's something that I got taught by one of my first mentors and a really good copywriter in America, one of the best copywriters, and exactly that, and he told me the analogy of Batman vs.  Superman.  And Batman, Batman always out sold Superman 10 to one, in movies, in comics, in everything, and when they are doing the characters, they thought Superman was going to be the number one big hit but no one can relate to Superman.  He's alien, he's this perfect being, where as Batman's honourable, he's a human, he gets hurt, he gets injured.  He has bad days.  And because people can relate with him, Batman always out sold Superman.  So show your vulnerabilities, show you're real, show you're a human.  And people will be attracted toward that, rather than this facade of being a perfect being that no one can relate with.  Totally agree to that, and love what you said in regards to attracting your tribe sort of to you that will have similar interests and all that sort of stuff.  Cool, alright, well, lots of awesome stuff there.  Ruth in regards to Facebook and growing fitness business, would there be any, do you have any final sort of tips or one-liners for someone that's looking to start out wanting to get more results? 
  
  - I think, probably, consistency is key.  So just like you say to your client, they come in the door and I wanna lose 10 kilos, and then after a week of training they're coming to you and going, why am I not shredded yet, goddammit? You're gonna go back and say, it's about consistency.  Are you making sure you're following your diet? This takes longer.  So not expecting overnight results.  Understanding that it's a long game.  And you have to build that know, like, and trust factor with people.  Consistency is really, really key.  And just basically, just reiterating what I said, just get started and just be you.  And trial and error, in my book, is way better than just quitting and not doing anything, and oh no, I'm waiting til it's perfect.  Always just look, just start and be consistent, basically, yeah.  
  
  - Awesome, cool, alright, well I appreciate that, Ruth.  Real awesome gold nuggets there.  In regards to if anyone's listening to this, if anyone wants to reach out, connect, see more stuff from you, where would they go? What would they check out? 
  - Again, you can jump across to my business page, but it's gonna beeline.  I leave.  
  
  - Give yourself a plug.  (laughing) 
  - I'm more than happy to get to my personal page, that's where I do most of my stuff.  And I also do have a Facebook group for PT support hang out, which Chris is a member of, which is awesome.  I love having other experts in there, too.  I'm all about abundance and adding a tonne of value.  I guess we can post the links to those in the comments below.  
  
  - Beautiful, cool.  Awesome, we'll do that.  If anyone does want to connect, check out what Ruth is doing.  Some awesome stuff, and we'll post a link in the comment below.  Once again, appreciate your time.  I know we had a bit of a back and forth for about two weeks trying to organise an interview, but I really do appreciate your time.  Yeah, and I apologise for my side of it.  No excuse.  Once again, Ruth, I appreciate your time.  I'll post this.  We'll post the link.  Thanks for all the information.  I'm sure everyone has taken some good tips from it and will be able to get results as a result of it.  
  - Absolutely.  Thanks so much for having me.  
  - Alright, see you later.  Bye.  
  Thanks Chris, bye.