Looking for a Personal Trainer, or Looking to Become one?

In his article in Americn Fitness, David herbert, discusses the importance of uniform skill sets for personal fitness trainers (PFT) in the U.S. Numerous industry sources have reported great consumer demand and at least a perceived if not real need for the services of PFT. With an increased awareness that regular physical activity has the potential to reduce older Americans` risks for some major chronic diseases, it is only logical that the demand for fitness and health promotion activities from this sector is also increasing.

One of those major diseases being discussed that a good fitness routine can help with is Breast Cancer. Gerald Hart also of American Fitenss says, "assessments, fitness evaluations and exercise programs start out much the same way for all clients. Assessments should include, at a minimum, taking a blood pressure and heart rate, the author said. He adds that the range of motion (ROM) and strength of the affected shoulder and side of the body are of special note for a client with breast cancer."

Personal trainers provide the motivation, accountability, knowledge and efficiency a person working out is looking for and really needs. They also help their client get the most from their current exercise routine by educating them on propert workout techniques and in some cases aide in their nutrition plan.

Don`t think personal trainers are important? Christina Gilham of Newsweek reports, on the growing popularity of personal trainers for CHILDREN. Yes that is children. Parents hire them to help their children with weight loss, basic physical fitness, or athletic training. I agree with the use of using personal trainers, but I guess long gone are the days where kids just go outside and play to get exerfcise. Gilham recommends having the child see a pediatrician first before using a personal trainer.

How wide spread are the use of personal trainers? Sarah Harrison claims that older people in Liverpool, England, have qualified as gymnasium trainers with an aim to encourage fitness in the city. Diane Brennan, a nurse for older people and supervisor of fitness programmes, has founded Active Ageing, a partnership between Liverpool Primary Care Trust and the city council. According to Brennan, more than ten people aged between 75 and 79 have qualified as trainers. So obviously age is not a factor for either using a trainer or becoming one.

Are trainers affordable though? That all depends. Research that I have done has revealed that you should be prepared to dish out anywhere from $25 to $45 per hour, depending on what part of the country you live. I have also found that if you hire a niche market type of trainer, in other words a trainer that specializes in getting you ready for a sport or an event, you will pay more, based on experience.

A lot of fitness centers also have their own personal training staff on board, and some gyms offer discounts for purchasing multiple sessions, or signing up with a friend and so on. If you aren`t ready to dish out big bucks for a trainer, you should look into joining a spinning class, aerbics class etc., where the cost per session is much lower, since you will be sharing a class with a lot of other people.

Whether you are looking to become a trainer, or you are looking to hire the services of one, one thing is for sure, there are plenty of options out there for everyone to choose from.

By: Michael C. Podlesny

About the Author:

Michael C. Podlesny is the Managing Director of Indocquent.com. Indocquent.com is an online resource that allows personal trainers to list their services for hire in 20,000 cities in over 200 countries around the world free of charge.

Five Simple Advertising Techniques that as a Business Owner You Should Know

There are creative ways to get the word across about your business, product or service. Many people have used different techniques to spark some interest in what they have to offer. Can these ideas spark what you are selling or promoting?

In a recent article in Florida Trend, Small businesses are advised to get into neighborhood networking groups and to get involved in activities and events that showcase the business to the targeted groups. It is important to showcase the company`s values and interests by sponsoring community sports teams or by joining community nonprofit groups. A specialty advertiser can provide advise on the most innovative advertising strategy.

Wikipedia hits in right on the head when they write, "Advertising is paid, one-way communication through a medium in which the sponsor is identified and the message is controlled by the sponsor" There are a variety of advertising methods, here we are going to touch on 5 of them. They are publicity, public relations, product placement, sponsorship, and sales promotion. Publicity is "the deliberate attempt to manage the public`s perception of a subject." Between the client and selected target audiences, publicity is the management of product- or brand-related communications between the firm and the general public. It is primarily an informative activity (as opposed to a persuasive one), but its ultimate goal is to promote the client`s products, services, or brands.A basic tool of the publicist is the press release, but other techniques include telephone press conferences, in-studio media tours, multi-component video news releases (VNR’s), newswire stories, and internet releases.

Public relations or better known as PR is a promotion intended to create goodwill for a person or an institutions image. Corporations normally use public relations to convey information about the products they manufacture or services they provide to customers in order to support their direct sales efforts.

Product placement are advertisements placed by marketers using real commercial products and services in media. One of the better known product placements (in my lifetime anyway), is the showing of Reese`s Pieces, a candy manufactured by the Hershey Company, during the film. That placement increased the sale of that candy by almost 80%. Sponsorship is an arrangement to exchange advertising for the responsibility of funding a popular event or entity. You see this all the time on TV, beer companies sponsor sporting events and so on. This can be pricey, but if you the correct target audience, you can lift your business or product to whole new level.

Sales promotions are non-personal promotional efforts that are designed to have an immediate impact on sales. They include, coupons, discounts, contests, rebates, free samples and other gifts and incentives to name a few. Sales promotions targeted at the consumer are called consumer sales promotions. Sales promotions targeted at retailers and wholesale are called trade sales promotions. Some sale promotions, particularly ones with unusual methods, are considered gimmick by many. Above are just a few ways you can spark new ideas into an advertising campaign. You can take these ideas and put some twists on them and get your business, products or services going.

By: Michael C. Podlesny

About the Author:
Michael C. Podlesny is the Managing Director for Indocquent.com. Indocquent.com is an online resource that allows businesses and individuals to promote their products and services in 20,000 cities in over 200 countries around the world free of charge.

A New Twist to Fundraising for Your Organization

For 13 years I volunteered my time as a youth baseball coach in New Jersey. Nothing was more daunting but also very important then raising funds to keep the league going above and beyond the normal registration fee the league charged. Here is an idea that goes beyond the normal selling candy (which most of the kids eat anyway).

A very simple way to raise a good amount of funds that everyone in your organization can take part in, is a pancake breakfast buffet.

First you need a venue to cook the breakfast and allow your customers to sit down and eat. We teamed up with a local church who had a complete kitchen. You may look into doing the same or even a firehouse.

You serve pancakes and sausage and that is it. Anything more than that and you are creating more headaches then what you need. All the food, pancake mix, syrup, sausage etc., can be obtained by having your members donate it to the cause so there is no out of pocket expense for supplies.

Your money is made in two fold, the first is obviously charging a nominal fee to attend the breakfast, usually $5.00 for adults, $2.50 for children and seniors. Pricing will vary on your area.

The second, and this is really where the money comes in, is from selling small, business card sized advertisements that will be displayed on a placemat (11 x 17 sheet of paper). We charged $25 for each business card sized ad and $2.00 if someone just wanted to put their name on the placemat under the heading, "We would like to thank the following for the support of the XYZ Organization...".

Depending on the size of your organization (ours was quite small, only 100 people), you can make in access of $1,000 or more. As with any type of fundraiser, the more organized you are and the more effort you put out, the better return you will have. I know of one local school in the area that did it and made nearly $10,000 from the fundraiser.

Keep in mind when hosting this fundraiser that you should have 2 or even 3 people cooking the food in rotating shifts so that no one is getting burned out. You should also have a few people (depending on the size of the venue), showing customers to available seats, cleaning up tables and putting down new placemats. Also, if your venue allows it, you will want to keep a list of what customers attended, by having them fill out your welcome sheet that captures their names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers etc. You will use this list the next time you host this kind of event to let them know you are having it again.

Trust me when I tell you that I am not much of a sales person, but the ads were extremely easy to sell. Businesses in the area gladly paid the $25 for the spot. They were helping a good cause and at the same time got some ad space in front of potential customers. I recommend starting to sell the ads to businesses you already work with...your local grocer, drugstore or pharmacy, corner deli etc. You can sell names at work to relatives and so on. Now multiply that by the number of people in your ogranization, and you can see the funds add up quick.

Well there you have it. It is a great way to raise some funds that will be profitable to your organization and fun for everybody.

By: Michael C. Podlesny

About the Author:

Michael C. Podlesny is the Managing Director for Indocquent.com. Indocquent.com is an online resource that allows organizations to promote their fundraisers in 20,000 cities in over 200 countries around the world free of charge.

Marketing Strategies from Experts Fuel Inspiration

As a business owner you want to be able to utilize your advertising spedning wisely and get the most return out of your marketing. With these marketing examples, maybe you will be able to lift your business to the next level by sparking some interest.

Rob Walker of Fast Company suggests user generated content. experts believe that the future of advertising belongs to the consumers. Experts who extol the benefits of co-creation suggest that brand owners must not only allow, but encourage consumers to participate in marketing their products. The motivating factors that cause amateurs to co-create appears to be co-promotion.

According to Brand Week, "the marketing strategy and advertising campaign for children`s television network Nickelodeon`s line of kid centered electronics, which is called Npower. The line includes digital cameras, Mp3 players, electronic alarm clocks, and compact disc players. According to research conducted by Nickelodeon young people are looking for more advanced electronics, and not just the toy version of them, which is why the marketing strategy is more sophisticated for the Npower line."

So is coming up with new ideas and tricks the way to go? American car manufacturers think so. Nel Boudette of the Wall Street Journal reported on the "aggressive marketing tactics, including the creation of false companies which allow consumers to test drive American made vehicles from their homes, which Detroit, Michigan automobile manufacturers, including Ford Motor Corp, and General Motors Corp. are implementing in 2007 in an attempt to persuade import buyers to consider buying a n American made automobile."

If you are online business, more interactivity with your clients and potential clients seems to be the experts way to go. Mike Shields of Media Week claims, "websites such as USAToday.com are making their sites more interactive by allowing readers to post their own comments online in order to engage their audience. Other websites that are participating in these engagement tactics include Forbes.com, TVGuide.com, and WashingtonPost.com. Many people support this marketing strategy, but some think it is too difficult to monitor the quantity of user comments that come in." Jeri Clausing of Travel Weekly agrees with this assessment, saying, “the potential impact of the phenomenon called social media on the world of marketing." Travel technology consultant Cindy Estis Green predicted "that travel companies will be affected by the evolution of the Internet into a huge conversational marketplace." She adds that "social media will not only change the way Internet marketing is done, it will also change the way marketing is done."

And believe it or not e-mail campaigns may still work. Joseph Curly, senior e-marketing coordinator at Nassau Educators Federal Credit Union, shared that his firm uses a practical, simple web site and advertises products within emails about financial information sent to clients. Make sure you only email those customers who have agreed to receive your corespondance, otherwise it will be looked at as spam, and that will creative a negative affect on your products, services and company character.

Many companies constantly change their marketing strategy to attract new customers, yet at the same time keeping the existing ones. Above are some great examples of that, that may fuel some inspiration to get your creative marketing spirit going.

By: Michael C. Podlesny

About the Author:

Michael C. Podlesny is the Managing Director for Indocquent.com. Indocquent.com is an online resource that allows businesses and individuals to market their products and services in 20,000 cities in over 200 countries around the world free of charge.

Cruising the Southern Caribbean - The One -Stop-Shop Vacation Experience

Vacationing in the Southern Caribbean via a cruise ship offers all the amenities, benefits and perks of a one-stop-shopping mega store. In this day and age of mass consumerism, it’s easy to see why the vacationing public is increasingly drawn to this mode of travel. All of the best dining, drinks, and shops are offered in proximity of guests’ staterooms (that’s what they call the staying quarters on the ship.) Tourists can experience sun and sea, luxurious accommodations, and explore a slew of tropical islands all while unpacking once. Here we examine three major cruise lines traveling the Southern Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line.

Since they are all same caliber, traveling to the same islands, many of their outstanding features are similar. For example, all three cruise lines traveling the Southern Caribbean have casinos, extensive spas, casual and fine dining experiences, themed bars and lounges, live entertainment, and supervised youth programs. Average prices per night range from $650-$2000 depending on the location of your stateroom. An interior room will be the most economical, an ocean view falls into the next pricing level and a balcony room is always the splurge.

Because they are so similar it’s important to find the exceptional feature(s) of each cruise line. Weeding out the similarities and bringing key attributes to the forefront will help you decide which cruise line is best for your family or travel group.

The Princess Cruise Line experience, although offer youth programs, facilities and child care is not necessarily geared towards children. A quick glance at their website largely depicts adults lounging, sipping champagne, and dining in fine attire. They boast specialty restaurants, a cigar lounge and a wine caviar bar. Guests can also partake in the Scholarship at Sea, which offers over forty enrichment courses per voyage. Adults can indulge in a number of classes from cooking, visual arts, computer skills, photography and ceramics. A trip aboard a Princess Cruise Ship will offer personal enrichment along with extensive spa, fitness, and salon services.

Norwegian Cruise Lines offer something unique called “freestyle cruising.” This means there are no fixed dining schedules, no dress code except for resort casual, and open ended disembarkation – you can leave the ship at port whenever you are good and ready. They too claim the most luxurious of spas and the best casinos at sea – and they most likely live up to high expectations. This added feature of flexibility however, may be ideal for large groups of varying age ranges, where it may be difficult to get everyone ready for a 5:30pm dinner seating.

Carnival Cruise Lines pack a punch in every one of their cruise ships, or ‘fun ships’ as they’re referred to on their website. Carnival boasts boat loads of activities for all ages with special attention to the youth experience. Camp Carnival is geared towards children ages 2-11, that is broken down into toddler, junior, and intermediate. Children, under watch of camp counselors, can experience arts and crafts, games, and swimming. Club C, ages 12-14, is a program where kids can hang with their peers, go to supervised parties, play games, etc. Finally, Club O2 is the teen experience, for teens 15-17, and was voted 2007 Travel Age West Editors Pick for Best Onboard Teen Program. CLUB O2 mixes friends, music, entertainment, sports and style for the ultimate high seas` top teen cruising experience.

The right cruise line will stretch your dollar, giving you more bang for your buck; the wrong one will leave you disenchanted in the middle of that big blue sea. As with all travel, do your research to find the best deals and experiences!

By: Maryann Loprete

About the Authors:

Maryann Loprete is a freelance writer for Indocquent.com. Indocquent.com is an online resource that allows travel agents to promote their products and services in 20,000 cities in over 200 countries around the world free of charge.

Advertising on a Shoe String Budget - We`ve All Been There

All businesses are looking for better ways to make sure their online advertising budget is getting the most return.

One of the best ways to make sure your online ad is producing results is customizing it towards the consumer that is currently viewing the screen. Take the online social networking web site MySpace.com for example. In a recent article by Brad Stone in the New York Times he reports, that "MySpace has developed technology based on users` profiles that will allow them to personally tailor advertising efforts." Stone then goes on to say, "parent company Fox Interactive Media of News Corp. announced that the advertisements have an 80 percent greater chance of being clicked on than standard Internet advertisements. Rival Facebook has similar technologies under development."

If you are an advertiser that uses MySpace to reach its customers, you may want to look into seeing if your ad is being tailored to each MySpace visitors profile interests.

According to a forecast report by media agency ZenithOptimedia, Internet advertising spending is expected to grow by 84% between 2005 and 2008. As an internet business you will more than likely be a part of that, however, you also want to make sure that your advertising dollars are well spent and getting the most for their return.

Are you thinking maybe a pay per click ad campaign is the way to go? Google sure does. Tim Armstrong, president for advertising at Google Inc, has sold the pay-per-click advertisements that are the Internet search engine firm`s primary revenue stream. MediaWeek reported in September that Google`s revenue for the second quarter of 2007 was $3.8 billion, most from advertising sales. Thos numbers alone should tell you that most internet businesses have jumped on the bandwagon. According to Florida Trend, it is important to learn from friends and enemies because they are the best source for ideas on how and where to advertise to targeted customers. The most profitable small businesses typically spend no more than half of the suggested five percent spending on advertising.

Pay per click ads can been run on Google, Yahoo and MSN with the ability to open accounts for as low as $5. It is recommended that you follow the site`s online tutorials on running a proper pay per click ad campaign. If you jump right in without knowing what you are doing, even though you can grab clicks for as little as one penny, in the long run it could end up costing you a lot more.

Of course if you are on a shoe string budget and can`t afford a pay per click ad campaign for your product or service then might want to look into a banner ad campaign. Once the rage of internet, it has cooled a bit over the years. However, there are plenty of banner exchanges out there. You place their banner code on your website and they will do the same in the that this exchange will generate some free clicks.

You have a variety of avenues to go down in regards to your advertising campaign. Choose the one that is right for your business. Dont`t forget to test the waters first with as little out of pocket money as possible.

By: Michael C. Podlesny

About the Author:

Mike Podlesny is the Managing Director for Indocquent.com. Indocquent.com is an online resource that allows businesses and individuals to advertise and promote their products and services in 20,000 cities in over 200 countries around the world free of charge.