Hey guys! It’s Pete Tansley here.
Are you in the fitness industry and wanna know the best books to advance your career to get better business?
Well i’m gonna be revealing to you my top 5 books for P.T.’s, studio owners, anyone at a fitness professional who wants to get better at the business side of things. These books aren’t about physiology or anatomy.
These are business, and marketing, and sales books, and they’re my top 5.
So we’re gonna start with this one here.
#1 How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
It’s a classic. “How to win friends and influence people”. This should be taught in school.
Like, it’s the basics–it’s the bible on relationships and conversation and influence basically on a face-to-face and a one-to-one level.
This is written in like 20s or 30s, 53. Copyright 36, but like, it’s super old but it still applies today. This is a classic.
If you haven’t read this, then read this now. I re-read most of the books I’m about to share at least once a year, and this one’s always on rotation.
#2 Turning Pro by Steve Pressfield
Number 2. Is super thin. By Pressfield called “Turning Pro”.
Super awesome read.
I think I read this on an hour flight from Brisbane to Sydney. He basically talks about the day you turn pro.
It doesn’t mean your income will jump up. It doesn’t mean anything changes…but it’s an attitude.
It’s turning pro, it’s doing the work, day in, day out, even when you don’t feel like doing it.
So I strongly recommend this one. About making the decision to turn pro and to go full time.
#3 The Keys of Influence by Robert Cialdini
The next one is a classic on influence.
It’s probably the best marketing book ever. Robert Cialdini, he talks about “The Keys of Influence”.
And there’s 6 key things in there like social proof is one of them.
And in our business, showing social proof, as in, case studies and what we do is massive to influence a consumer’s mind. So this is massive.
His new one “Persuasion” came out this year. It’s also amazing. But I would start with this one: Influence.
This should be in your bookshelf.
#4 No B.S. Sales Success in the New Economy by Dan Kennedy
Now if you’ve never heard of Dan Kennedy, you obviously now.
He’s this grumpy old dude.
He like, communicates via fax.
He doesn’t do much on social media, but this book–he’s got a series of books called “No B.S.” whatever.
This is called “No B.S. Sales Success”.
I’ve listed everything from
- sales management
- focus
- getting a clear message
- closing sales
- communicating the solution that you solve.
So I highly recommend all of Dan’s work. I’ll definitely start here.
Grumpy old dude. Super dry humour, but I love it.
#5 80-20 Principle by Richard Koch
Now, I’m leaving the best to last.
I’ve given this–This is my most gifted book. It’s so gifted that I couldn’t even find it here in my bookshelf, so I’ve got the Kindle version here.
It’s the “80-20 Principle”.
If you’re on audio, this is a really good audio.
If you can find Richard’s- the one on Audible where he actually talks is amazing.
You might have heard of this principle before.
If you haven’t, basically, what it means is 80% of your results will come from 20% of what you do.
So I’ve seen so many fit pros focusing on Instagram, and vlogging and YouTube and Twitter and LinkedIn and–you know, all these daily Facebook lives, and daily emails.
There’s probably only one of those that would get you the best results.
So he helps you to narrow down the 20%.
For us, as fit pros it’s:
- building a list
- having a great offer
- knowing your niche
- then knowing how to sell to them.
That’s really it. Like, 4 things, right, that you can apply to..
- your personal life
- your client’s training
- your client’s diet
- your marriage or relationships.
It’s a really really cool book.
And as a bonus, I know I said 5, but I thought I would over deliver.
Bonus: Linchpin by Seth Godin
The book on “Linchpin” by Seth Godin.
Seth is probably one of the best thinkers and one of my favourite thinkers on Marketing.
He talks about being indispensable. He’s also on the Tim Ferris blog–the new Tim Ferris blog.
I highly recommend Seth’s work and he’s a bit like Dan.
He’s a bit of a recluse and don’t have a huge presence on social, but he chooses to put out, I think 5 or it might be 7, short blogs every single week, if you go to his website.
So I hope that helps.
My top 6- we had in the end.
We have to recap:
- How to win friends
- Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield
- Influence from Cialdini, and check out his new one “Persuasion”.
- My favourite Dan Kennedy book, No B.S. Sales Success.
- We had Linchpin,
- and my all-time favourite was The 80-20 rule. This is my number one. If I had to choose one to start with, I’ll start here.
