That’s where ICI/PRO comes in. They deliver the steady, nutritious diet of Information, Motivation and Entertainment Instructors need to stay Fresh and Informed.

Reading a profile can be enjoyable, but sometimes not practical, so much of what we deliver comes in the form of Audio PROfiles. Exclusive to ICI/PRO Members, Audio PROfiles are a short Podcast mp3 that explain the inner workings of a class taught by Master Instructor Jennifer Sage or other experienced Instructor. Many ICI/PRO Members access the Audio Profiles via a Super Secret iTunes Feed. Their online training videos show you exactly how to do it.

Each Audio PROfiles is a complete class. Not just the ride profile, but also queuing, presentation ideas, motivating language and a suggested playlist you can use to bring a fresh perspective and maybe some much needed excitement to your next class.

ICI is a great group of fitness professionals dedicated to the specialty of cycling.  I suggest you take a look at their opportunities as there is likely benefit via membership – Take a look at what their membership consists of.

Did I mention 7 Days free?

7 days membership free is what got me out here to blog… That’s a nice deal, but it’s only available until the 15th of January. Interested – Hurry!

]]> http://fitprobiz.com/fitpro/fitpro-opportunities/cycling-instructor-ici-pro/feed/ 0 http://fitprobiz.com/fitpro/fitness-marketing/true-north-fitness-writing/ http://fitprobiz.com/fitpro/fitness-marketing/true-north-fitness-writing/#comments Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:49:48 +0000 FitPro http://tombomar.com/?p=231 Continue reading →]]> An interview by two of my fitness industry associates, friends and members of our Fitness Pro Travel Network.

Finding Your True North in Business and Beyond empowers small business owners, especially health and wellness practitioners, to improve the “business side” of their business.

Cynthia Pasciuto of True North Business Consulting interviews Amanda Vogel of Active Voice on the profession of fitness writing, digital & print.

Life of an Entrepreneur – This a guest post / re-post, but points 3 & 4 are very true to the independent fitness professional making it worth showing here as well.  Simple and to the point.

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Ah, the life of an entrepreneur. Come up with a business idea, write your business plan, line up a bunch of venture funding, and retire to a private island a few short years later when you go public.

1. You’re more likely to make a living than make the Forbes 500. Most entrepreneurs end up making a living, and some make a really nice living doing what they love.

2. There is no money line to get in. There are a lot of you’s out there competing over very scarce resources. But don’t think you’ll just get in line and pick up your check.

3. It’s more about you than your plan. Business success has more to do with you than anything else. The best plans mean nothing in the hands of the wrong person.

4. You’re in sales, whether you think so or not. Every business on the planet is selling something.

5. You’re going to fail. Yep, you will fail. You will probably fail multiple times. If that concerns you, pick another path for your life. If it doesn’t concern you that you will be an utter failure at some point, good – with every failure you get one step closer to success, cliché but true.

From Business Opportunities Weblog.

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.

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.

The most glaring example to me, at the moment, occurs when I am discussing membership levels to the Fitness Pro Travel site.  The fitness professional sees the option of upgrading an account and can only equate the value of that membership in how fast they can make that money back in discounts.

I have to tell you, the discounts are simply thrown in as a small bonus to the other features from both Fit Bodies and FIT Launch.  Should you want to travel 5-8 times each year you can make all your money back, but that is certainly not the idea behind it. It’s just a piece.

… We are intending to go outside the box and offer far more to you than any other website or community through the tools we have developed.

Any one of the current (yes, there is intent for more) promotional tools (ads, jobs, classifieds, events, etc.) would cost you no less than $50 per month to utilize outside of this FPT community.  That’s $600 for the year, for just using one of them. You can do the math if you used them all.

These items are made searchable and viewable to thousands of fitness professionals, and soon will be made viewable to many times more enthusiasts in our partnering sites.  That puts you and your offerings in-front of a large targeted number of people.

A chance to earn commissions is another overlooked feature.  Affiliate programs have been common place on the internet for at least 10 years.  It’s ok if it is new to you, but take a look at how it works.  Our Business and Enterprise members receive 20% commission on their referrals to this community (free accounts still receive 8%).  That’s about $75 for every one fit pro you refer that also buys into a member level.  Additionally, you receive a smaller percentage off of all future purchases that referral does.

Continuing with affiliates, we have partners who offer greater commissions for their products to our advanced members. Ultimate Ice Wraps gives greater commissions to our business and enterprise members than they do to affiliates who sign up directly with them as does the Healthy Gatherings programs.  There will be more affiliate opportunities when we release the Better Body U and Wellness together websites directed to enthusiasts.

Our phase II features includes the feeding of the your advertisements and content to our consumer sites. Business and Enterprise members not only have greater quantity of their materials that will go these sites, but all referral widgets that we set on third party sites will list those FPT community members first.  Not to penalize everyone else as you will still be in the referral que, but to best support those who support the community.

It does not bother any of us if you are a part-time fitness professional who simply likes to utilize a working vacation from time to time.  Continue on use any of the features that are available at the free level (there are several).

…But, even the “part-time” or “club employee” will benefit with a few simple steps to get outside the box and expand yourself.

If you are not on the internet with at least a simple brochure site you are falling behind fast. These can be done easily and provide simple communication and information tools that your club yoga students (athletes, participants, etc.) WANT to see from you. I guarantee they are looking somewhere online for that support right now, and I’m pretty sure they would like to have a bit more access to their trusted fit pro – YOU.

Once you accomplish that step, the world outside of the standard fitness industry career is immense.  You can utilize this and thousands of other affiliate programs and list them as advertisements on your simple site. You can build a list and offer a digital newsletter. You can get fancy and learn the tools for putting together online video or webinar trainings.  The list goes on and many have not even been thought of yet.

Comments strongly encouraged on this post. What else should be considered for adding at Fitness Pro Travel, what do you never foresee using, what still makes no sense at all?