The Truth About Online Training – 7 Traits Of A Bad Online Coach
On my recent sponsorship of a vegan gains video, I was forced to read this comment:
“lol. Clickbait, just like all other douchebags that sells online bs. U just took out the meat.”
Yes, it’s true that I took out the meat (no pun intended). And as it is with everything including online coaching, there is the good, the bad and the ugly. I’m a couple of years in the fitness industry, as a manager and five centers and a provider of a plant-based online coaching service myself, I think I know what you have to look out for.
Today I want to give you 7 things you should take in consideration if you’re considering buying Online Coaching. In the end I want to give you a secret test that takes you no more than 2 minutes, how you can decide if the trainer is right for you, or not. So make sure you watch to the end.
Here are 7 signs your dealing with a bad online coach and you’re therefore wasting your time and your money.
1. Trainer Certifications
London is full of black taxis. And to become a cab driver in London one needs to pass the most extensive training in the World – a test called “The Knowledge” that originated in the 1860s – and requires 2-4 years of study and memorization of 320 basic routes, 25,000 streets, and approximately 20,000 landmarks and places of public interest.
Of course GPS exists in London. Yet the exam above persists because it is a commitment device. Odds that you’re going to get ripped off, have to put up with a nasty driver or worse, one with ill-intentions, are low because of how much work the driver has put into getting his or her license.
It’s simply not worth it for London taxi drivers to rip off tourists because they invested so much into their certifications.
I trust London taxi drivers more than most online trainers. Because most online trainers have no credentials to show for and therefore nothing to lose. So take a look at the trainers certifications? Do they atleast fit the basics?
The top-class in my opinion when it comes to certifications is the online trainer academy. It’s a two-month course that you take on top of your fitness certifications to make sure that you treat your clients correctly and structure your business properly.
2. Fitness Marketing vs. Fitness Product (PDF. Files, meat diets)
Tesla is a company that invests very little money in marketing. Tesla believes in the promise, that if you deliver a great product. An electric car with no compromises, people will do the marketing for you.
As a business owner you have to make sure that you’re 1: Doing great work and 2: Everyone knows about it. Both of these things, great marketing and a great product, have to exist in a healthy enterprise.
Yet I see a lot of online trainers focusing too much on the marketing. This is especially common in Instagram influencers. They want as many clients as they can, yet their product is not really good. If the online coach is only sending you pdf. Files, low-carb diets, cookie cutter stuff with no personal touch, he didn’t do his due-diligence. And therefore isn’t worth your money in my opinion.
3. Online Training Success Stories
If you check the Instagram account or the website of an online coach and there are no success stories. Or worse the testimonials are so extreme and just smell like steroids or fake, this should be a warning sign.
Depending which people you train, some value privacy more than others, yet you must atleast see some sort of written testimonials. Better are of course convincing before and after pictures.
4. Reasonable Money Back Guarantee
We’re all humans. We make decisions out of emotion, and sometimes regret it.
A money back guarantee is a display of confidence of the trainer. It’s a sign that the trainer is putting his money where his mouth is. It’s definitely a plus for the customer.
I personally still struggle with the idea a money back guarantee, because as a business owner you don’t want people to run all over you. You also don’t want to incentivize people to quit on your service and on themselves.
What makes sense, in my opinion, is a refund that only works under certain conditions. So you only get a guarantee, if you completed certain steps, like 80% of the workouts and still don’t see the desired results.
5. Accountability From A Trainer
We’re often our worst enemies. We try to make a change yet we just can’t seem to put it through.
What helps in those cases is someone that holds us accountable. Someone that is not afraid to hold us to our highest standards. Someone that helps us reach the next level, and has tough conversations.
This should be the main purpose of a leader and a coach, online or offline. To help us get to the next level and break through boundaries.
If there’s no system in place for a coach to properly guide you, like an app or a weekly check-in, you should look elsewhere.
6. Supplement Fanatics
The way I like to think about supplements is with a spaghetti pomodoro analogy. Think about eating spaghetti and a tasty tomato sauce. You’re also sprinkling vegan cheese on top. The vegan cheese are the supplements, the spaghetti and tomato sauce are your training, sleep and nutrition.
Supplements, despite Vitamin B12 of course if you’re a vegan, can be a great add-on. But their not the main course. If online coaches act like you need to buy this new supplement to see progress. Or worse, claim they got their results by some weird powder or machine – think of them as unprofessional and not worth your time.
They just want to sell you their sponsored supplements, which have really high profit margins, and earn some commission.
7. Caring Online Trainers
In the beginning I told you that there’s a secret-test on how you can decide in 2 minutes or less, if the online coach that you’re dealing with is bad.
We have to realize that a good trainer is a person that asks good questions. A bad trainer is a trainer that asks none, or just very few.
The simple short test that you can take is going to the website and looking for a questionnaire. Are they extensive? Do they atleast have 30 questions? Are they talking about your medical history? Is the trainer trying to connect with you in some personal way?
If not, the trainer simply doesn’t’ care. And that’s the sad thing. If you see a trainer like that you should leave. If you’re a trainer like that, either improve today or better yesterday, or choose a different career.
Now this may sound extremely harsh, but if trainers don’t care about their clients I want them out of my field. You’re polluting the industry and are giving everyone a bad rep.
My goal is to deliver the best online coaching service, specializing in vegan muscle building and vegan weight loss. In fact this is my current questionnaire page, it’s password protected so only clients can access it. I do care.
If you want to get in your best shape ever in 2019, if you need help with your new years resolutions from a professional – choose a plan on my website that suits you best. The premium plan is still 50% off, but we’re planning to rise the price soon. There are only 10 online coaching spots available per month, so it’s best to be fast. To your success.
