When you are in the early stages of setting up a training business it’s very easy to get carried away and spend money on a web site, glossy brochures, logos and business cards and advertising. Guilty as charged! I remember spending around £1000 on an ‘advertorial’ that didn’t bring in any interest and about the same again on leaflets that just ended up being taken down the tip. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t have a web site as in today’s world people expect that you should have one but just to be careful about pouring all your money and time into it at the start.

Don’t let the fact that you haven’t got a web site hold you back from doing any marketing. It’s probably more important to spend a day writing a list of everyone you know and working out a way to contact them than worrying about key words and Search Engine Optimisation.

And there are plenty of no cost and low cost marketing methods that you can use that don’t involve digging a large hole and pouring large amounts of cash into it. The best and simplest one I know is just to make a list of people you know. And I mean everyone; family, friends, friends of friends, past colleagues, other trainers. This gives you a great starting point for referrals and introductions. For free!