You’re Not a Trainer

By Jim Kielbaso on September 18, 2013 in Sports Training Business

When I first got into the profession, I focused all of my efforts on becoming the best coach/trainer that I could be. I was all about the technical side of things – sets, reps, instruction, feedback, exercise selection, programming, etc. I’m not saying this was a mistake. I think that’s what I was “supposed” to do, but I missed out on an important concept that hit me much later.

When we opened Total Performance in 2002, I was still in the college strength coach mode of “you show up, and I’ll make you better.” I didn’t realize how difficult the sales/marketing side of the business was going to be. I still viewed myself as only a coach and thought that was my identity. I thought everyone else viewed me that way, too.

Eventually, I realized that, while people knew and appreciated that I was a coach, they also looked at me as a salesman/marketer. I didn’t get this, and I certainly didn’t embrace it. Once I embraced it and understood that developing sales/marketing skills would elevate me as a professional, it was like a light turned on and things really started to pick up.

Watch this short video about that experience and my advice to anyone who still views him/herself as only a trainer. Below the video are a few of my favorite resources for sharpening your sales/marketing skills and developing a different mindset toward your career.