This article is in a little bit of a different direction to what I normally write about on The Trainers Tribe. I like to talk to you mostly about the mindset behind being a trainer and a business owner because I believe that if you can get the mindset right, you will work out the other stuff as you go along.
That said, it’s important to work smart on and in your business. In this post though I want to take a moment and show you some of the tools that I used (and still use) to make my life so much easier when running a business.
There is not a huge list of apps because the whole point for me in getting a tablet was to streamline and simplify my work process. I look for apps that will let me do multiple things at once.
Set Up
The Tablet
I try to stay out of the whole technology fanboy/girl thing. I have Windows on my laptop, an android phone and an iPad. I just want to get the best tool for the job and at the time I bought it, the Apple iPad was by far the best tablet and it had an excellent case which I’ll talk about below.
You can save some money by checking out the refurbished options on the Apple store (that’s what I did) or by buying second hand one when a new model comes out.
The Case
The Lifeproof case is water proof, shock proof and dust proof which makes it perfect for use outdoors all year round. You aren’t worried about using it to check the workout of the day and then to put it down on the wet grass so you can go back to training your clients. It’s not cheap but for me it has been a great investment.
Most Useful Apps
Google Drive (App Store)
I kept my bootcamp workout plan plus a personal Doc for each of my PT clients which would include notes and workouts. When it comes to apps I want one’s that will work across multiple platforms. I could access and edit my files from my tablet, phone or computer.
Camera App
The camera in a tablet usually isn’t super high quality but being able to pick up your tablet and quickly snap a photo is a great way to take more photos at your bootcamp. The better camera your tablet has, the better photos you will get.
iWatermark (website)
Before you upload images from you sessions to social media, quickly pop your logo and website address down in one corner so that people can easily find you.
MindBody Online Express (App Store)
When I ran my bootcamp I used MindBody Online. They have a great app for marking off which clients attended each session that you can do this at the start of class when people arrive rather having to take notes and then update your records later. Anything that could streamline my admin process is a big win for me.
Other booking management software companies like PTminder also have iPad apps.
Sunrise (App Store)
This is calendar app is a recent find and has been awesome for keeping organised. You can sync calendars and events from all kinds of places (I have Google Calender, Eventbrite, Facebook events and more feeding into it). You can easily schedule an appointment with another person just by entering their email and it’s drag and drop functionality makes it great on a touch screen.
I can access it from my web browser and also my phone too.
Feedly (App Store)
Do you get a TON of email from different people you subscribe to? Me too. Or at least I did until I started using Feedly. Feedly let’s me add all my favourite blogs and websites and then automatically updates when a new article is posted. I can then just open the Feedly app at my leisure to catch up on my favourite sites while staying off their email lists and keeping my inbox decluttered.
Other apps I use
The 6 above are the one’s I used the most when I was training full time. Now I find myself using the apps below more often.
- Stitcher: For listening to podcasts (check out Kaizen Outdoor Fitness’ new show)
- Dropbox: For file sharing and backing up photos on my phone and tablet
- Evernote: For everything from shopping lists to drafts to todo lists.
- Insight Timer: For my mindfulness practice.
- Canva: For quickly creating images for articles and sharing.
- Balanced: A fun app to help build habits.
Before I go I want to leave you with the reminder:
The tools you have will not make or break your business. Ultimately it is going to come down to your mindset and how clear you are around why you want this business.
Treat tools like apps and tablets for what they are, tools to help you grow your business. Not tools for your business to depend on.
What did I miss? What apps do you like to use? Let me know in the comments below.
