Your Fitness Specialty in the Tropics

Now, only two days away the move will begin.

A couple more things i want to cover with you this time to ensure all 13,000 members are prepared:  1) The site will be shut down on Friday the 30th at 11:59pm EST.  2) Have you take a look at the side-by-side view of each of the premium account types.

Getting a bit more indepth on those…

THE MOVE:

Friday the 30th, 11:59pm Est we will be putting up a “under construction” type of sign letting you know we started the move to the new social commerce platform.  If you a need to check on a date or make a booking you’ve been planning on, Fit Bodies is still open for business.  You can reach them at Phone: 859-341-0830

We expect the site to be once again live with it’s slightly new look, new searchable features, new account access, and new premium benefits by Monday morning.

PREMIUM ACCOUNT BENEFITS

Following is a link to the side-by-side review of each of the membership types.  A few highlights everyone will want to notice…

all premium account types will go up in price on the 15th of January.  *two weeks to check it out and upgrade your account prior to the rate change.

basic accounts will have limited access.  all intentions are to always have a free option available with great choices, but now those choices will be limited to just under 1/4 of the total options available to those who invest in the community and program via premium accounts.

The upper level premium accounts, medallion and enterprise, will now receive an automatic reduction in fees by 5% and 10% respectively in addition to their other benefits.

Options have been created that allow for change requests up to 45 days prior to travel.  The fee for taking action on this change option varies from $150 to $50 running from Basic to Enterprise.

With just these few items you can easily view the value of premium membership depending upon your use of your account and travel habits. The following link will bring you to the current side-by-side listing of all account features.
These are still subject to change at any time, but there are a couple that could moderately change by Monday.  :-)

==>Fit Pro Account Side-By-Side<==

Those of you who have already upgraded, your set.  Although you might want to renew if it’s not too far away (another new feature is under the ‘account’ tab you can see when your renewal is due now) you may want to grab it before the fees rise just a bit on the 15th of January.

I’ll follow up this weekend to let you know how things are going.  Any questions?

We’ve been talking about some of the changes to the new Fitness Pro Travel that will be released in the next few weeks.  Sharing your content is one of the areas that just got more valuable.

With the new website your content will still remain an easily accessible information tool for the entire community.  What is changing and bringing you much greater value is the viewablity of many of your content items directly to the internet at large.  The hundreds of millions of internet users will be able to access your content without being required to have an account at fitness pro travel.

This means you information, your author bio, and your links back to your own website just got free display and marketing punch from Fitness Pro Travel.

Do you currently utilize content marketing to drive traffic to your website?  There are many online opportunities available for you to do that and we are glad to make our resource to the fitness professional even more beneficial.

You’ll go to module 1 of the Fit Pro Community tutorial.  It’s all about finding things including finding and booking the Fit Bodies Teaching Vacation Opportunities… If you want to sign in for the full tutorial, login to your Fit Pro account and look to the lower end of the right border to sign yourself in.

There are two aspects to the available specialties.  When creating your account, as before, you can check one or more of 15+ fitness specialty formats.  For being part of the community, participating in the conversations, or promoting your services within you only need to designate whichever of those options best fits your role in the fitness industry.

The second aspect that draws so many fitness professionals to Fitness Pro Travel is to have their account and specialties reviewed for inclusion to the Fit Bodies, Inc. teaching vacation program.  And, here is where a few minor changes have taken place…

Personal Trainer	Golf Pro	Group Fitness	Tennis Coach
Yoga Instructor	Cycling Instructor	Zumba Instructor	Pilates Instructor

These 8 specialty positions are currently offering availability for the fitness pro to become an international fitness presenter through the Fit Bodies program… So What Changed?

Change 1 – Pilates and Yoga now each hold their own distinction as an independent specialty.  Often a resort will take either discipline for the week in a teaching exchange as it does currently, but now you can search out opportunities specific to your expertise in these areas.

Change 2 – To provide certain hospitality locations with greater specificity in regards to the qualifications of the fitness professionals we connect them with, additional formats have been added to the Yoga and Personal Trainer positions (more on these in a future post)

For our existing account holders you will want to ensure your account is up to date so that you are able to access the greatest number of Fit Bodies teaching vacation opportunities.

Change 3 – Is how you will make those updates.  Similar to the current community set up you will (when logged in):

1. Cursor over “Account” tab
2. Click on “Edit Profile” from the drop down menu
3. Scroll down the page to the section called “Specialties”

Here you will be able to view all the fitness professional specialties that your account is currently approved for.  If it is not accurate you will follow the link thre for directions on how to go about requesting your information be updated…. Take those easy steps and viola, you will be set to take full advantage of our community and the Fit Bodies teaching vacation program.

Surprising to me that I’ve only advised over the past 8 years managing FPT a handful of Fit Pros on attaining multiple specialties simply so that they can take greater advantage of this Fit Bodies program……..  Are there many of you who have realized the great opportunities and done this on your own???

**remember, this is all for the new website that is just over a month out in opening its doors to the entire community.  Feel free to update your account sooner if you like, but the above procedures will be available in the new system to make it easier and more reliable in reflecting your true fitness specialties.

This topic is not coming up because of issues with any of the Fit Pro Travelers.  It happens to be on my mind because I caught a radio interview with a Travelocity representative this morning.  They spent some time talking through a 2009 traveler rudeness report, which I think we might all find rather interesting.

1600 travelers took part in the rudeness survey.

Here is a the take from the Hipster Travel Guide: Overall, people hate sitting next to smelly passengers (No. 1 answer at 40 percent) and people with the Swine Flu or at least exhibiting coughing, sneezing and hacking, 30 percent.)

Fellow Airline Passengers:

•  More than 80 percent of respondents feel that large passengers should be seated in two seats. However, more than one-third of respondents believe that the customer should be required to pay for that second seat while 44 percent believe the large passenger should be accommodated at no extra cost.

•  Passengers wrestling with larger than allowed carry-on luggage topped the list of irritations when boarding a plane with 29 percent of all poll respondents in agreement.

•  Canadians are more irritated by poor queue discipline than their American counterparts with 29 percent reporting that they are most annoyed by people who crowd the boarding line, compared with only 20 percent of U.S. travelers who took the poll.

•  Overwhelmingly, travelers who rush to deplane before those ahead of them are the most annoying at the end of a flight with 57 percent of respondents in agreement.

Traveling with Children:

•  Boisterous kids are a common annoyance for travelers, but people traveling without children are twice as likely to be bothered by them (30 percent) as those traveling with children in tow (15 percent).

•  Respondents say children running in restaurants (35 percent) and touching food at a buffet (33 percent) are their biggest pet-peeves when it comes to kid travelers.

•  More than half of respondents think parents should remove a misbehaving child from a public setting and a significant third feel that such children should be reprimanded.

•  Travelers with children have different peeves to those without, and are more likely to be bothered by topless sunbathers, men in Speedos and unattended kids at the pool.

For the complete results of Travelocity’s 2009 Rudeness Poll

This match your rude behavior issue list?  Are you a rude Traveler? Fill me in here or on my FPT Blog.

BTW, next time you visit FPT check the FORUMS to review changes and give input on added features coming to the Fit Pro Network.

There have been several hints that Phase II planning and building had begun within the FPT Network.  Rumors were true

and the result should be seen before the end of the month.  New member options that include more networking, travel benefit, and participation bonuses.  It’s a good time to be a member as extended benefit will be provided existing members.  Keep an eye here as details are released.

The events calendar currently has a couple special opportunities specifically for our network members. View December events for details and remember you can add events you are attending for the benefit of others.

Golf Pros – Your time has come.  We are now booking golf pros at Breezes Runaway Bay.  We are also working on a golf tournament for April 2010.  More details to follow. Pros be sure to tell your Golf Pro friends of the new opportunity.

Oh Canada – Following are the names of the currently available locations at this new partner site. Further details can be found at Fit Bodies Canada. View all 3 hotels by visiting http://www.iberostar.com

• Hotel Iberostar Varadero,  $375
• The Iberostar Tainos  $300
• Hotel Iberostar Daiquiri  $300

On December 10th, we are opening up all the Superclubs resorts for booking fitness pros starting with the week of  December 13th, 2009…  All your favorites and some you haven’t even seen yet…

Some have changed their name but definitely not their special appeal. See View Resorts Pages

In Jamaica

Hedonism II – adult resort

Hedonism III – adult resort

Breezes Grand Negril  (formerly Grand Lido Negril) adult resort

Breezes Rio Bueno (formerly Braco Grand Lido) – adult resort

Breezes Runaway Bay – adult resort

Breezes Trelawny (formerly Starfish) – family resort

In Curacao

Breezes Curacao – family resort

In Bahamas

Breezes Bahamas – adult resort

And Brand NEW in ~Panama~

Breezes Panama – family resort

In Brazil

Breezes  Costa do Sauipe – family resort

BRAND NEW Starfish Santa Luzia – family resort

Breezes Buzios – family resort (NEW & OPENING SOON)

We will have two positions available each week at all of these hotels.  Group fitness positions for pros who teach land and aqua; yoga/pilates positions for those who teach either or both; and personal trainer positions for those who are qualified to lead fitness camp, sculpting, or group programs in addition to their one on one skills.  Once two pros are booked the other position will be deleted.

Please Note: We will not be able to switch anyone who is presently booked at another resort to one of the above mentioned resorts for any reason.  There will be no exceptions.

Golf Pros – Your time has come.  We are now booking golf pros at Breezes Runaway Bay.  We are also working on a golf tournament for April 2010.  More details to follow. Pros be sure to tell your Golf Pro friends of the new opportunity.

More good news: Haven’t figured out what you are doing for the holidays yet?  Many of these resorts have openings for Christmas week December 20-27 and New Year’s week December 27th – January 3rd.   There are only a few of these coveted positions available so book quickly.  Note: we will be charging $100 extra for these weeks.  This will be added once the order is confirmed.

If you’ve been to these old friend locations feel free to post a comment for others to know of your experience.

One of 5 Fit Pro Designs

The first time you use it, the bank will donate $50 to Fitness Pro Travel Network and we’ll continue to receive a percentage of all future purchases. Through this fundraising effort we will continue to enhance and develop features that are specifically beneficial to the Fitness Community at http://fitnessprotravel.com –all at no cost to you.

Plus, you’ll be earning accelerated points (up to 15 points per dollar) at hundreds of national merchants, which can be redeemed for merchandise, account credits and Free tickets on over 175 airlines, with no blackout dates!

These cards were designed to do more than simply provide you travel and merchandise rewards, more than deliver an excellent introductory and continuing interest rate. They also were designed to help you highlight your profession and generate interest in your services.

Take a look at all 5 card designs and select the one that best exemplifies your fitness industry specialty.

Instead of pushing your business cards to prospects, you will find potential clients or students asking about the card, about you, and ultimately asking you for your business card.

Please join me today in choosing and using the only card that supports the Fitness Pro Travel Network and earns you valuable rewards, an enhanced network, and instant passive promotion at the same time. Go to http://www.cardpartner.com/app/fpt to request your card today.

Judging by the number of questions I’ve received about adding this to the Fit Pro’s business mix, I have to believe this may be new to the majority.

“Selling Other People’s Stuff” is an excellent way to diversify your personal or business offerings, provide valuable related products/services to your clients, and provide you a low/no hassle extra stream of income.

I’ve played with affiliate marketing some and hope the below video gives you a descent overview of what it is and how it works.  The video is a much shortened version of a larger strategic and tactical training module, and it is specific to the Fitness Pro Travel Professional Network.

The Fitness Pro Travel affiliate program was designed with a few thoughts in mind.  As a community member Fitness Pro, I hope you take advantage of the network affiliate marketing opportunity and also investigate further to other affiliate options.

Why we added Affiliate (referral) features:

1. Continue to encourage professional network growth
2. Compensate the membership who already refer 80% of the daily influx of new members
3. Assist our network members in keeping their businesses healthy through diversification of their offerings

Fitness Professional Affiliate Marketing

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To stay on top of information that will help your fitness business be sure to sign up for the news and notice emails on the right.
If you have topics you want to see discussed… feed me the thought and I or an expert in the specific fitness industry discipline will bring it to you.

]]> http://fitprobiz.com/fitpro/fitness-marketing/fitness-pro-affiliate-marketing/feed/ 13 http://fitprobiz.com/fitpro/working-vacations/cinco-de-mayo-mexico-travel/ http://fitprobiz.com/fitpro/working-vacations/cinco-de-mayo-mexico-travel/#comments Tue, 05 May 2009 18:25:41 +0000 FitPro http://tombomar.com/?p=114 Continue reading →]]> The celebration of Cinco de Mayo originated in the central Mexican state of Puebla, when the Mexican army unexpectedly defeated the Spanish in the mid 1800’s.  Over the past 2 hundred years, Cinco de Mayo has become less a celebration of military victory, and more just a celebration of Mexican pride and culture.  Now that the history lesson is over, pull out your sombreros and tequila and…

But, this years celebration has been greatly curtailed.

According to TripWolf the expected Mexican travel industry financial hit, due to the swine flu, has a projected total of 2 billion US dollars.  That’s a large impact on the country’s most important industry.

We have had to jump through many hurdles at Fitness Pro Travel due to this outbreak.

Understandably many of our working vacation fitness professionals have been a bit nervous as well.  We’ve been working with many of the currently scheduled pros to assist in changing property locations where possible and giving credits as necessary.  We have also kept up to date information from the CDC posted within the community network to keep all informed.

I’m definitely going to be relieved, along with the tourism industry of Mexico, when this one has run its course.

Thankfully there are many options for working vacation resorts available throughout the Caribbean that our fitness professionals can take advantage of.

The exciting part is that while we’ve added no less that 12 new locations in Mexico, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic over the past 6 months, there are more still in the works that are looking for the expertise of fitness professionals to be offered to their resort guests.

If you are a FitPro and would like to take advantage of a “working” vacation to an all-inclusive resort I encourage you to create an account at that website and join the mailing list you see to the right.  You’ll have great cost-effective travel opportunities for yourself, your guest, and at many locations, your kids.

See ya in the sun.

One of the primary excuses is that they are “stressed” and/or “over worked”.

These same issues face the fitness professional as well. Whether its bootcamps, private training, lecturing, or related… as an individual/business it takes a lot of time, effort, and energy to keep the fit pro business side healthy.

It may be time to take advantage of your fitness specialty and get away to recharge the batteries. A working vacation makes for a happy fit pro in paradise.

Your expertise qualifies you to “work” at tropical resort locations at a fraction of the cost. In fact all companies who offer this service allow this opportunity for not only you, but also a guest (and some locations kids).

Now work is a relative term. Even on vacation I would venture to guess that all who read this blog are people likely to exercise anyways and answer questions of other gym goes as requested.  A work exchange program provides you the opportunity to do just that for short periods each day while the remainder of the time you and your guest(s) enjoy all-inclusive resort amenities. 

Depending upon the position and location you travel to the duties may vary, but all within your scope and hardly a chore when you’re back on the beach enjoying your beverage of choice.

As a fit pro in paradise, there are many other benefits to participation.

1. An opportunity to positively benefit lives from all around the world
2. Gained experience in this unique resort fitness professional role
3. Marketable authority as an international presenter/trainer/instructor

Fitness professionals, just like the rest of the global work force, need time away from the normal daily stresses to energize themselves.

Because of their specialty, Fit Pros have the opportunity to take advantage of a unique
program that makes getting away to incredible tropical locations very cost effective.

I encourage you to take a break to keep yourselves healthy, which in turn will assist you in having the energy to keep your business healthy, which ultimately will best allow you to keep your clients healthy.

For more information on these types of programs check out these teaching vacation options.  We’ll cover other benefits of joining that program in future blog posts. This opportunity is built around a fitness professional network with outside the box solutions for the fitness professionals.

…but the travel opportunities are certainly worth you taking a look right off the bat.