An Assessment Blueprint to Make More $$$ More Often

assessment, coaches, clients, work, blueprint, people, framework, shoulder, gym, goals, problems, owners, path, movement, standardized, present, meet, process, white glove, important

Tyler 00:00
Welcome back to the gym owners podcast ladies and gentlemen, I'm your host Tyler stone that's Tyler effing stone on Instagram my co host over there is John

John Fairbanks 00:10
And I am on Instagram at Jay banks FL

Tyler 00:14
The great job of John Fairbanks is the beard to my other beard people. I'm getting we're running into some trouble here John, we're I think we are too photographically similar. It's just two bald bearded guys on the screen anymore. We like one of us needs to get long hair or go completely clean shaven.

John Fairbanks 00:35
I'm not gonna do the shaman, I used to have the Mohawk. The problem was the Mohawk started, like starting here. It's like the time to,

Tyler 00:47
But if I had one, I'm afraid what I would have is I would still have the front and then I would lose everything in the middle . It would be like a unicorn with a unicorn mullet thing. It wouldn't work very well. For Mohawk with and you didn't nobody comes to us for advice or hairstyle advice, obviously. So let's get into the gyms. gym owners out there you guys have done. Because we've done a lot of work on the education side of things, we've seen it. The thing we want to get into today the most though is what I believe to be kind of like the pinnacle of a lot of coaches' skills is their ability to assess movement in a one on one diagnostic capacity. I think that's extremely important for any coach out there to be able to see somebody move, take them into a space and say, Hey, let's go through this. So I can make sure we figure out exactly what's wrong and come up with a plan or movement assessment. That's the thing that we saw taught quite often and strongly fit Julian Richard was I think was the kind of a centerpiece of this stuff that they taught was let's figure out exactly what's going on. So that we can kind of buffer our way through a lot of those gaps that get filled or those gaps that get created by doing group fitness. We do group fitness and lack specificity. A good movement assessment is a way to like and root out the problems and make sure that we find out exactly how we need to be coaching people going forward. But the one

John Fairbanks 02:11
On one thing, yeah.

Tyler 02:17
There was a bit of an issue that we ran into with the movement assessments. People would very often have a hard time selling them, they'd be tough to sell it to get worked into your business model. And oftentimes we present people with a movement assessment. And when they get to offer them a woman assessment, they don't really understand it, they don't really want to buy it, they don't, they don't quite know how important it could be to their actual fitness development. And their plan forward because of the movement assessment. While it is very valuable, it doesn't actually sit. It's not as much of a product as we as coaches think it should be. I always liken it to a tool that is a part of the service that you're offering. The tool is something that you use to diagnose and throughout what's going on, but you're still there to get delivered results, not a diagnosis. And when we kind of figured that shift out, we started seeing there's now a bigger opportunity to fill in with these assessments. And so one of those things came from creating a replicable process or process it's able to be replicated over and over and over again, with new coaches, whatever your own custom standardized blueprint is for how you do assessments in your business, and seeing the need for that. We started making them and we started working with clients, gym owners and sort of having them run these blueprints as they do it. And it seemed to work quite well.

John Fairbanks 03:44
Yeah, we found that it gave a kind of greater value to the clients, they were working with the clients that they were working with the coaches kind of in their gyms, that clients started kind of committing to greater investments in themselves. So they ended up kind of buying more into it, they experienced a little bit of success. And then they wanted more of that success. And so they ended up becoming happier. And then in the end, they're more happy with what they're doing. So they do more of it. So the results got better. And then of course, what really was that big gap that you and I saw, which was we weren't making money, like clients weren't making money, we weren't making enough to be able to justify the assessments that we were doing. And what we saw was that these gyms, these clients that we were working with, their revenue increased, and not just for like themselves, personally, the business, their staff, and everything started to function, really on autopilot but highly customized to whatever they had established in their own, you know, their own particular location.

Tyler 04:49
Yeah, so I think assessments are as they sit one very valuable tool again for a coach to have. I think it should sit as a part of a product that we sell. And I do think that it is the centerpiece of your ability to resell and really deliver value and results to your clients. So we created a framework that we use to help you guys, you know, to make your own blueprint, here's kind of the criteria that we use. So we use what's called the map framework, when we come up with laying out this kind of a standardized process for your own assessments. And the first one, John, you want to take the first one?

John Fairbanks 05:21
Yeah, so the idea for us that very beginning was, we were building these blueprints, custom, either for our own clients we were working with, or helping clients that were gyms, right to be able to then build for their clients. And so the idea was that every time we were building a blueprint, it really was just giving a map, either a map for a literal map to follow, either for the coach that was going to be working with the client one on one, or for the customer, then to be able to be like, Oh, like this is, I've come to you I have, you know, I have gone over goals and assessments, things that I wanted to do. And you've worked with me. And now I know where I want to go. And so the first part of that framework is you need to meet the client, and so am for map. So, to meet the client, it was yes, you literally need to meet with them, right to be able to assess them. But this was an idea that went deeper for us where once we learned about this assessment strategy and how we wanted to start using it, we had, like everybody does, you start first testing it kind of on yourself, and you start fixing movement, pattern problems or deficiencies. And he started having success with those types of things. And while we could use this to be able to work with clients, and help them do the same, like if they have shoulder problems, or knee problems or back problems, but we found just talking about movement patterns and deficiencies, where it was too difficult for the clients to be able to understand that type of language. And so

Tyler 06:56
Times because it was just because people don't want to get just assess like, that doesn't that's not a term that really works that great for them. They're there for what they're there for. So Did someone come to your gym? To fix their shoulder prop? I mean, it's rare. And if they are, what percentage of your client base does that represent? So meeting them where they are really is like, Okay, why are you here? What, what do you want to accomplish? What's in the way of it? Well, your shoulder, you got some weight, you got some habits, we got to fix all that other stuff that goes into meeting them where they are. And I think finding a way to like them on that language, I think worked really, really, really well puts it in the context of exactly what Yeah,

John Fairbanks 07:34
Well, I know when you and I talked about early on, it was ideas where I wanted to be able to work on, right, being able to get a bigger bench and work on doing some of these things in the powerlifting realm. But I had an elbow that kept getting pissed. The reality was when I was messaging you back and forth. I was talking to you about what I wanted to do, which was like, I wanted to get a bigger bench, I wanted to work on these things. And it wasn't until like you kind of poked and prodded a little bit with me that it was like well, okay, so are you doing these things, these things and these things, then you kind of started going over specific to what my goal was? That eventually we root it out? Oh, yeah. Like, I don't, I can't do what you just said, because like, my elbow gets super pissed. Every time I do, you're like, oh, okay, so like, now that gets flushed out opposed to it being kind of like the lead. And that was the big shift that not only that's what we started implementing in our own physical blueprint in that very first section of it, that's dedicated to kind of meeting the client, meaning who you're working with meeting them where they are, and helping kind of establish what their goals are. And it helped change. The next step of what was inside that the physical blueprint document that we use, where it was started framing the assessment that we were doing was no longer like, Hey, are you in pain? And let me hear about, like, all of your painful, athletic history. Yeah, like all those, which those things are important, but that all sudden, all of a sudden, like, it feels more like a doctor's office visit than it does about me kind of like I kinda just want to get fit man, like I want to, I want to get a big bench, like I want to do a big bench, I don't want to have to kind of get poked and prodded and kind of feel like a lab experiment and kind of a saying

Tyler 09:31
That is exactly. And so there's two ways to go about this. So the second step of this map framework is simple : this is the assessment, you meet, you meet them where they are, and then you assess them. So in this assessment, the benefit of having a framework like this and whatever it is that you guys choose to use, having a blueprint and a process for how you do your assessments is critical. So to make sure that we are speaking their language we get to assess what the process of this looks like. Right? And so that way you ended up having a standardized process operating off this blueprint. So you can have less experienced coaches coming through and doing more assessments as well. Because right, if you have someone that's done 150 to 200 movement assessments, they're gonna have a pretty good eye for it. And they can conversationally walk their way. But a less experienced coach, I hope you're not just having only your own or doing assessments needs to be able to lean on a blueprint, they need to be able to lean on a process, a worksheet for them to go through, so that they can literally die. The first step yes, we're going to talk about this, and we're going to go through here, and then we're going to check this, and I'm going to if some other goals are, wait, we're gonna do we're gonna wait, we're gonna, you know, I mean, it should all be in the context of there. And having your framework laid out like that your blueprint is super, super, super critical to having a standardized process, there's a reason good or bad, there's a reason a Big Mac is the same in my town as it is in your town. Because they're very good products. And while the bar may not be that high compared to everything else, what it is, is consistent. And being able to deliver like a very consistent product, it's valuable to your clients is super important. So if you're still doing assessments, conversationally, that's also one of the reasons you're having a hard time selling them very likely, is because there is no deliverable there is no process. I'm just hoping that the things I'm saying to you, if you're not writing anything down, what I'm just hoping that that works for your clients will just go well, I feel like I don't know, I told him a lot of stuff. And he seemed like he paid into a little bit of it. And you know that, that doesn't feel like a high value product, it doesn't feel like something they want to participate in many, many times a year.

John Fairbanks 11:40
It's a simple hack. And in one of my past lives, right, I was an administrator in schools. And I had this mentor, as I was starting to move into administration he shared with me, he's like, one of the most valuable things that you ever can bring to a, like a parent meeting, where you now have to sit down and meet with a parent is a notepad and a pen. And he goes in, it literally doesn't matter what you write. He goes, you just need to be writing something, when they're speaking to you. You make eye contact, you nod, you write something down. Like this is a dude that had done it for 30 years and 30 years successfully and kind of retired in and it was like that was his one of his first things that he taught me was the value of someone feeling deep down that they're being heard. And what they are saying matters is huge. There's a reason why something like that is a big piece. And so just like you said, it's we building that into your system. Gibbs ensures that that feeling, even just like a logical one, is going to happen every single time and just like you said to others consistently, every time no matter who is doing the assessment.

Tyler 12:57
Exactly. And the benefit of being able to lean on a framework for this in the assessment specifically, is like I said before, you're inexperienced coaches that can now elevate their assessment skills, right? That can bring them up to a place where it's passable, they can get good reps, you as the gym owner are not exposed to the risk of having somebody doing a high dollar, delivering a high dollar product at a low quality, you know what I mean? And if you're already really good at doing assessments, if you know the ins and outs of them really loving connect with your clients, and you really can get to the bottom of these issues, then you're going to be even higher elevated, then you are doing some real white glove next level shit, we're all the stuff that we do as coaches that are rate is coaching nerd stuff that your fans don't care about. But now, you figured out a way to find the perfect mix. This blueprint gives you a perfect mix of being a thorough and concise and precise coat and diagnosing these issues. But also while being able to deliver a kind of a white glove premium product that seems very professional and well mapped out and thought out people want people to like participating in those types of things when they're paying lots of money more than they like participating in a $500 conversation with a quote. And that's the true conversation with movement. And then just getting told Yeah, well, this is the thing and not getting any deliverable. And not feeling like it's a part of a real smooth process can leave a very, very, very sour taste and a lot of people's mouths. And that's why we found that a lot of these coaches were only able to sell assessments to other coaches.

John Fairbanks 14:32
Yes, absolutely. And the fact is, is that you, the coaches that we work with and the gym owners that we work with, they've worked really hard at this particular skill. They invested a ton of time, should they they've spent, you know they've spent a cent most of them have spent a week you know, at a seminar, they've dropped over, you know, 1000s of dollars between travel and tickets and whatever to To learn these skills, and there's so much value to them personally, that we have to that was a big driver where it's, we need to be able to get the clients that you're working with, to have all that that like that passion and care and work that has happened previously made sure that like manifests somehow, so that it can be,

Tyler 15:23
So I can't do them. And if you can't deliver it, well, people aren't going to buy it. And so, this stuff closes that loop. So if you if you're good at assessments, and you have the nagging, you have the skill, this type of a blueprint coming up with a true blueprint, a customer focus blueprint, really, really will help you do the all of the things outside of just the center step, people get good at the center step, I think a blueprint makes this middle step assessment, ironclad and scalable. Let's get on to the last step, guys. So the last part of this map and work is p and that is 40 paths forward. And that's super, super, super important. You want to present them an opportunity with a path forward, you find issues or stuff instead of just making it be an issue based thing. Presenting your blueprints in this framework with now here is your path forward towards what not towards not having your shoulder hurt, not to having your lap work better not towards having your bicep be more functional, towards a path towards why they're in your gym. The reason that they're in the gym, if it's weight loss, and their shoulders in the way of them doing enough exercise and getting things done right to lose weight, or perfect. Now you're presenting this as a path forward to their real goal. So yes, we're going to touch on the shoulder stuff here and what they need to do to do it because that's in the way. And then there also should be the other stuff that they need to be doing to get towards their goals, not just what went on in the assessment, but a true path forward for them as a person. Remember, we talked about coaching people as a whole, as an individual as a human being, they're not a shoulder, they're not a fucking lap. They're not tech. Okay, this is a person with a goal, that's important. And they've probably been willing to sacrifice that shoulder up to this point anyways, for those goals. So let's deal with them as a whole. So yes, the shoulder stuff is in there, it should be here's the thing forward, but then it's the path forward. Because you now include their actual goals in there. It makes sense. It speaks to them in the right way. And so you need to make sure when you're building your blueprint, that it is definitely in their language that it is customer facing, that it is definitely meant for them and their stuff. It's centered around them, not their body, not their shoulders, not the stuff. But then after that, go ahead.

John Fairbanks 17:40
Well, the one thing like that I was told years and years and years ago, which was you never provide a problem without being willing to take ownership of the solution. Yeah. So it's, when you're going to do this, right, you're going to identify a bunch of problems that exist in the client. And so the last thing you want to do is present. Okay, here are all your problems without giving someone a clear path, how will you personally can help solve those problems? So that's definitely in our language. Go ahead,

Tyler 18:14
Do we solve those problems for free? No. So this guy is the reason the assessment fits very well in what we like to do, which is to learn to sell your people more often. But by doing a good job giving them what they want. This gives you the ability to get your clients closer to their goals, to make money and come up with a plan. And then presenting them with a plan. This consists of hopefully, if you've gone through the Jim hacking University, some very well stack offers that you learned from the offers Made Easy segments of that so so now every single person that comes through, you can put together a really nice custom offer or a standardized offer, depending on where you're at in your process. But you can come up with a stack offer that gives them choices, all of which can address their issue, just with varying degrees of intensity, time involvement from you, and all that from their commitment from them. And if these things don't include things like nutrition or whatever, it could be programmed. If you have a bench thing, well, maybe it's some bench press work or specific work, or maybe I just work with you one day a week on there, right, but now it should be presented to them professionally. And it could their people become much more receptive to a professional presentation when everything else has been professional up to that point. So now they're presented with a document that is made after they're done. The assessment is a very nice, clean, crisp document about the assessment. There's a lot of things that you guys can put on there. I put on body scan school body scans, I put the images show I write down exactly what numbers I'd like to see change I weigh clients, I make sure their goals I use quotes exactly their quotes and times to they say this I'll put it down in exactly their words, so that I know this stuff and then a plan to what I would like to see On, and what I think the best plan is for, and then I just had a good, better best and Super Kick Ass option for that solution. Here's what you want to do. And if somebody pays for an assessment, and just wants to crawl back into group classes, maybe what you've done now is in six months, when they haven't reached their goal, they still know, these are my five options for finally fixing this. And now you've planted that seed and set that precedent like I can pay away to my goals. And very, very, very, very important.

John Fairbanks 20:33
And what we found is that the results from this the results of putting together kind of the blueprint that has these three chunks, all that builds out this blueprint is that what we found is every client that implemented this, that was ours, then they started making gym owners right with personal trainers is that they started making more money more often. Because it helped their clients, the clients that they were working with, and helped them better understand why they were there, what they were trying to achieve, and kind of gave them that start and end date of how they were going to go about achieving that thing. And so one of the unintended consequences of just getting these thoughts down in one single place, is that it made all that knowledge that a lot of times is trapped inside that gym owner said it made that knowledge now duplicatable, and scalable. And so we started seeing that happen where the coaches, head coaches or like you said those less experienced coaches started getting more opportunities, which actually turned into more sales opportunities, not only doing assessments, but more opportunities for clients to reinvest themselves for more sales opportunities. And it really ended up becoming kind of one of the key things and that was being run inside of our clients businesses. Just merely by writing it all down and putting it all into one single place that could be used over and over

Tyler 22:09
Again. Yeah, I mean, this is the first step of a few in, in this process. But one of the things that's happened is, this now becomes the centerpiece of this kind of resell mechanism. Now this becomes like, one piece, we have coaches, we have many coaches that we talked to out there over the years can't sell assessments because people don't want them, I don't know, it's just what I would do. Or they're very, very undervaluing their own assessment. And I can tell you this because we have coaches and gym owners out there, where it used to be the gym owner was the only one doing them because he was the only one that knew how it was the only one that was good enough, the only one that we trusted with them. And as time went on, we developed a blueprint for finding out what they do best, which customer focus, and put it out there. And now anybody's going through this process. And you have very, very rare this and so now take a gym owner who every time an assessment was sold, he had to do it now has done none. And they're selling 10 times as many as they used to, literally 10 times. And he's not doing them. They're making the money coaches are getting from big Commission's off. And they're reselling and clients are getting results. I don't understand. So if you're stuck at this spot, and you're going Oh god, I just can't, I can't get people to buy. I just I can't, I can't, then you need to start looking over what are these people that are selling assassins that are really selling assessments able to do? And how are they able to do indeed, and this is exactly this is the first step is come up with a customer focus framework or customer focus blueprint that's really about that. And the reason they're in the gym. And when Yep, and your assessment, your assessment of the thing that you deliver is a tool that is a part of that framework of that blueprint.

John Fairbanks 23:55
Yeah. And we can guarantee, we can guarantee it, that if you follow these three steps, where you meet them where they are, do what you know how to do and do it well, and then provide a path moving forward. If you can integrate those three pieces into a deliverable, you will absolutely start to have success, because we've seen it time and time again. The only way you're not successful with this is if you don't do anything with this information. If you don't take action, it's a guarantee. It's the age old adage, right? When was the best time to plant an oak tree? Well, 30 years ago. So the next best time is today. So if just like you said to others, if you're struggling with it, just take action, take imperfect action, we've given you the framework for those three steps, you can start building a blueprint right now and start using it immediately and start seeing what happens.

Tyler 24:51
I love it. Guys, that's gonna wrap us up for today. Next week we're going to touch on maybe better how to sell this stuff, maybe how to present it to your clients and how to market Get these types of things. We'll get into the sexier stuff later, but you got to do the workforce. So you got to come up with your blueprint. Gotta come up with a plan, find a way, get to a starting point. For sure. So y'all get this ball rolling. And we'll see you next week, go to community dot hag gym.com We have lots of demos in there. Now. We have a few that are running through Jim hacking University at the moment so you can kind of check in on their progress and see what that's all about. You can follow me on Instagram at Tyler effing stone follow the show at the gym owners podcast.

John Fairbanks 25:30
You can follow me at J banks f L.

Tyler 25:34
Guys, if you don't hate us, leave us a five star review. No one star leaves us a five star review on Apple Apple podcasts. It's called now. And Spotify now has if you are listening on Spotify, they now do have a you can leave a star review. I don't think they have the ability to type out a review but you can leave a starred review. So you can leave us a five star review on Spotify. Leave us a five star review on Apple. You can do it on both we would really really appreciate it and share this information with a gym owner or coach that you love. A lot. All right. Thanks, everybody. We'll see you next week.