Mike Newhard is a dotFIT and NASM Certified Master Trainer from Gilbert, AZ

Mike set a new dotFIT Supplement Sales Record in May 2011 during the Fit Pro Rewards Program, so we interviewed him to find out how he did it.  (Note: a New Record was set in January 2013 - read about it here)

First, some context: Mike is usually ranked #1 in dotFIT supplement sales at his club, but he doesn’t see himself as a “salesperson”. Instead, he sees himself as a Fitness Professional who makes education and client results a top priority. Through his approach, Mike averages $2,000-$2,200 in dotFIT sales each month. When he heard about the opportunity to win an iPad through the Fit Pro Rewards Program, Mike decided to see how far he could go, and took aim at setting a new dotFIT Supplement Sales Record. The previous Record was $6,000 in one month, so Mike knew he had to step things up and help a more people if he was going to break the record. Step things up he did! Mike sold $8,561.68 in dotFIT products in May, crushing the old record.

So here are some insights into what worked for Mike, and how you can use it to enhance your influence, results and fulfillment.

We hope you enjoy the interview.
- The dotFIT Team

dotFIT: Mike, thank you for agreeing to do this brief interview. We know that the Fit Pros and Club Operators all across the country will really benefit from the things you share here.

Mike: No problem. I’m glad to do it.

dotFIT: First of all, congratulations on your new record! While this is a phenomenal achievement, we’ve seen that you are a consistent top-performer month after month. Consistency usually has both “inner game” and an “outer game” aspects. Let’s start with your “inner game”. As a Fitness Professional who takes what he does very seriously, what are your beliefs and personal philosophies regarding nutrition and supplementation, in the context of helping your clients achieve their goals?

Mike: First, what you have to realize is that 80% of a person’s success in the gym comes from nutrition and supplementation. What they do outside of the gym will determine their progress. For example, when I look at the eating habits of most of the women that I work with, very few of them get in enough protein each day. Most get in around 40g/day, while the average 140lb woman needs at least 60g/day. This is where I educate them on the value of protein and how, for example, the dotFIT WheySmooth or LeanMR can help them get in the protein they need if they can’t meet those needs through food alone. The bars and the powders are portion controlled and convenient, which makes it easier for them to follow consistently. Most trainers neglect nutrition, and from my experience, I think that’s a critical mistake both for them, and for their clients.

dotFIT: You mentioned the value of powders and bars. Do you start everyone with a meal replacement?

Mike: Before I cover meal replacements, I teach everyone about all of the Components of Fitness: Nutrition, Exercise, Supplementation, and Personal Assistance. By doing so, my clients begin to understand how all of these things work together to help them be more successful.

When it comes to specific supplement recommendations, you have to start with the Multivitamin. Simply educating them on the value of a multivitamin in terms of their needs and goals first, and then educating them on why they should use the dotFIT Multivitamin that I recommend for them, versus some generic multi that they can get at Costco. I always start with the dotFIT Multivitamin because it is your foundation, and then go to meal replacements from there.

dotFIT: Speaking of the multivitamins, how do you explain the difference between dotFIT and other brands?

Mike: All you need to do is educate them on why the dotFIT Multivitamin is better, and that’s the easy part. The trick is to understand where people are coming from so that you can communicate it properly. I’ve found that there are primarily two attitudes about supplements: There are those that are negative towards all supplements, and then there are those who think that all supplements are the same.

For the people who might be negative towards all supplements, I explain to them that there are two types of people: There are Athletes and then there are those who are overweight and don’t workout. I go on to explain that now they are working out, they are an athlete, so their nutritional needs have changed. Athletes can’t do what the 60% who are overweight and don’t workout do. Their body requires better nutrition, and that’s exactly what dotFIT products are designed to do – to give them the exact nutrients their athletic body now needs.

For the people who think that all supplements are the same, you have to take a slightly different approach. Let’s say for example that the person I am talking to is already taking a different brand of supplements, from Costco for example, and I get the sense that they don’t want to waste the money they just spent on it. I simply make it okay for them to do their own comparison and let them decide on which is better. I tell them that if they want to see the impact that dotFIT has on their progress, simply hold on to your other supplements – just put them on your shelf for now – and use only dotFIT for the next month. This way, you can experience the difference dotFIT makes for yourself. After your experiment is done, your other supplements will still be there for you to go back to if you want to (but you won’t want to).

dotFIT: Do any clients ever go back to their old brand?

Mike: Not that I ever heard of. They’re all convinced after they experience dotFIT for themselves.

dotFIT: Mike, some Fit Pros actually require that their clients use at least a dotFIT Multivitamin and a meal replacement in order to train with them. What are your beliefs about making supplementation mandatory?

Mike: Well, some clients just don’t supplement. This may sound funny, since I just set a sales record, but I never sell; I only educate. Here’s what I tell every client and member I talk to: “I’m a horrible salesperson. I am not going to try to sell you on anything. Instead, I see my job as providing you with the facts so that you can make your own educated decisions. I will show you exactly what your body needs right now, and then you make your own choice.”

The reality is that, yes, everyone needs a multivitamin, a meal replacement, and virtually all people who want to lose weight would really benefit from at least a Fat Release or the entire LeanPak90. But I don’t make it a hard-sell, I just clearly explain the benefits and then let them decide once they’re educated.

Here’s an example with Fat Release: “One of the things the Fat Release is designed to do for you is to make sure that your liver is functioning at full capacity. Why is that important? Well, a slowly-operating liver is one reason why many people see slower fat loss than they want, and Fat Release will make sure this doesn’t happen to you. Now, you don’t have to take the Fat Release, but just understand that you may see slower progress than you want. That’s okay with me, but I just want you to be aware so that you can make your own decision.” That’s an easy way for me to present it because I know how Fat Release works. The result is that most of my clients take Fat Release.

dotFIT: So you simply empower them to make their own decisions, and let them take responsibility for it?

Mike: Precisely. By showing them that they will achieve one rate of progress if they take the supplements that are recommended for them, and that without those supplements, their rate of progress will be slower, they can make their own decisions. Even if they decide to go without their recommended supplements at first, eventually they realize that supplements can speed things up and make their journey easier, especially as they hit plateaus and sticking points.

dotFIT: You speak a lot about education, rather than “selling”. When do you start this education process with your members?

Mike: During the Initial Assessment. I educate on all of the Components of Fitness during the Assessment. So, along with providing a complete physical evaluation, I also review their nutrition and supplement needs. I show them which supplements are good for them based on their goal. “This is what it does for you” is how I educate. There’s no selling here, just explanation.

At the end of the Assessment, I review what we discussed earlier. “Remember those supplements that we talked about earlier? Do you remember how these things can impact your progress? Would you be interested in using any of them right away?” Many times they will at least start with the basics and go from there as they see results. If they don’t, I can always go back to our initial conversation and remind them that these supplements are still there for them when they’re ready.

dotFIT: That’s a great way to introduce their recommendations and ensure that they can make educated decisions. Now that we’re talking “outer game” strategies, what are other key strategies that you’ve found to be most effective for promoting products?

Mike: Here’s my favorite way: Use your Client Follow-up folder.

Let’s say you have a client who is 33% body fat and needs to lose a lot of weight. You know they’re going to benefit from Fat Release for anywhere from 1-3 months. Put a note in your book to ask them about how things are going with their Fat Release during your next session. This will make sure they’re taking it. And, since each bottle is a 1-month supply, you know that they are going to run out in 30 days. As that date approaches, ask them about their experience with the product, if they are happy with the results they are seeing, and if they would like to do it again this month and keep up that accelerated rate of fat loss. Even just reminding them when it’s time to re-up on their supplements will keep them accountable. Clients appreciate that you’re looking out for them, and this is an area where most trainers miss out.

dotFIT: This is a powerful way to add tremendous value to the services your clients are receiving, while simultaneously growing your sales month after month.

Mike: That’s right. A lot of trainers don’t even ask about nutrition and supplementation, so 6 months later, their client is still on their first bottle of Fat Release. When a client is on the same bottle for that long, you know they didn’t take it, and they didn’t benefit from it. That’s not good for anyone. You gotta keep on people. They appreciate it and they get better results.

dotFIT: Mike, you’re a consistent performer, but you really pushed yourself hard this past month to set that all-time dotFIT Record. Is there anything special you attribute to the new standard you set?

Mike: Well, the most important thing that I did was I decided to give supplements 100% of my focus this month. I knew that if I just educated everyone I saw about the benefits, the numbers would come.

I continued to talk with my clients and the people in my group exercise classes, but I also held weight loss workshops for the members to get in front of more people. Workshops are a great way to do that. I showed them the value of nutritional products like the LeanPak90 and the meal replacements for weight loss.

I also, for the first time, actually walked the gym floor and talked to people on treadmills and in between their sets. It’s funny, I’ve been here at Fitness Works for over 4 years, but I never walked the floor until this month. It really made a difference! Just walking up to people I see in the gym all the time and asking them about how their workouts were going. I’d share with them things like, “Did you know that if you gave your body this nutrient, it would have this effect on your workouts and your progress?” Just a few educational points – that’s it. Keep it short and keep it positive. Then I would tell them that if they were interested in trying these supplements, that I would give them a free personal training session in return. It gave them an excuse to try it out, and it worked great! (Note: see a photo of Mike’s “Free Personal Training Session” offer from his gym below)

I also found that sampling bars with our “supplement booths” got more people involved. You have a captive audience when people are gathered around a table of supplements, and these people need nutrition help too!

In a short period of time, I became the Go-To Person for everyone’s supplement needs at the gym.

dotFIT: Offering up a free PT session is a tremendous idea! As you mentioned, not only does it give them a reason to try the products, but it also gives them an opportunity to see the value of the personal training services you provide. How did that strategy impact your personal training client base?

Mike: They get to experience first-hand that you are a good trainer. Even if that person doesn’t purchase additional sessions with you, they will recommend you when talking with other members. You will get referrals from it, as long as you are actually a good trainer and know what you’re doing. You develop a reputation based on what you provide to people.

Sometimes your value is just giving them a better way to look at things so that they do what’s better for them. For example, let’s say your club sells the LeanMR for $50. If your client uses it during the weekdays for one of their daily meals, that breaks down to just $1.70/day for their month’s supply. Have them look at the per-unit value, and try to compare that to what they can get at Subway for example. The LeanMR is easy, portion controlled and they’ll save money in the end. That makes it easier for them to make the right decision. That’s our job as Fitness Professionals – educate people, hold them accountable and keep them motivated on all of the Components of Fitness.

dotFIT: Mike, you mention education a lot. It is obviously very important to you, and you take your own education quite seriously. How does Mike Newhard educate himself?

Mike: Our clubs switched to dotFIT last year. When we did, I went online and downloaded everything dotFIT had about every product. I printed out the information on every product from the Supplement Reference Guide and studied each one until I knew it inside and out. I also looked at the ingredients, like Milk Thistle for example, and tried to see if there were common questions that people had about it by searching the web, so that I was prepared in case I was asked those questions.

But in the end, it all comes down to having just 3-4 key points about each product on the top of your mind. You need to have these ready to go for when the opportunities to educate people present themselves. For example, let’s say you’re talking about the SuperiorAntioxidant, and one of your key points is about the carotenes in it. You can ask the member, “Did you know that the Carotenes found in the SuperiorAntioxidant have been shown to protect your cells from the free radical damage that occurs from your workout? This can help you recover faster, have more energy, and achieve your goals faster. Let me know if you would like to give it a try.” Then, leave it up to them to decide. But you must be better educated on the products than your clients are, because it doesn’t look so good when you don’t know enough about your own supplements. Your clients rely on you to have the answers, and education is how you get it. dotFIT does a great job of offering all of this information to us, all you gotta do is use it.

dotFIT: I think you brought up a very important point, Mike. The opportunity to educate one’s self is there. We live in the Information Age, but not all trainers out there take their education around nutrition and supplementation seriously. It’s almost as if they’re avoiding these two important components altogether. However, it appears that you’ve made these a primary focus, and your superior sales numbers and the results of your clients reflect that commitment to constant education.

Mike: A lot of trainers don’t know enough about supplements, or they get their information from the wrong places, like magazines and such. Without the proper education behind you, you won’t have the confidence you need to educate your members and clients about it. You’ll be scared of supplements and nutrition, so you’ll avoid it completely. That’s a mistake. You have to be a master of all of it.

My philosophy is that I not only have to know everything about each of the supplements we offer, I also have to experience them myself before I can recommend them to my clients. For example, I use NO7Rage before all of my workouts. I used the AminoFormula from day one and still use it to this day. I tried all of the bars and the powders so that I know how it tastes. I remember when I tried the Vanilla LeanMR for the first time, and I thought, “This really tastes like birthday cake.” So when I tell people about LeanMR, and they ask me how it tastes, I say, “Do you like birthday cake? That’s what I think LeanMR tastes like, so if you do, I think you’ll really like it.” Your clients know if you’re making stuff up, but if you speak from first-hand experience and are well educated, they will trust you. They’ll come to you for all of their needs. You have to be confident, and that comes from education and experience.

dotFIT: One of the most often-asked questions is, “Why dotFIT over other supplement lines?” This is especially true in areas where people have never heard of dotFIT before, because it’s not a nationally-marketed product at Costco. Mike, how do you respond to this question?

Mike: That’s easy. Usually these questions come up because a member sees that they can get a generic multivitamin somewhere else for cheaper. They assume that all multivitamins are the same, so in their mind, it’s a question of price. They think that lower price equals higher value. We know that’s not the case at all.

If you buy a generic supplement, sure it will cost you less, but you risk so much more. If a member asks why they haven’t heard of dotFIT before, I explain to them that dotFIT products are only sold in Licensed Health and Fitness Facilities. I tell them that we had to go through a specific education and licensing process in order to offer this. We are Certified Professionals, trained on exactly what they need to achieve their goals as quickly as possible. If they go to a Costco, they’re not going to have access to Certified Professionals. They’re just going to talk to some employee who’s stocking the shelves, who won’t know what we know and can’t help them like we can. You must let your members know why you offer dotFIT. Show them how dotFIT products are made by a Pharmaceutically Licensed Manufacturer, that there are specific delivery systems designed to make sure that the nutrients actually get to where they need to go. These are benefits they won’t get elsewhere. Even the little things, like the fact that our fish oil capsules are enterically coated so they won’t get the fish burps – people appreciate that. Show them the science behind every product. Once they know these things, they will understand the value of what you offer.

dotFIT: After they talk with you, I’m certain that they do understand! On that note, do you think you could have achieved the $8,000 in supplement sales in one month with a product line other than dotFIT?

Mike: Absolutely not. I couldn’t have done it without dotFIT.

dotFIT: Mike, there’s so much valuable information here. We truly appreciate the time you took out of your schedule to share these insights with your fellow dotFIT Fit Pros and Club Operators worldwide. We want to acknowledge you as a true Fitness Professional, and couldn’t be happier that you are now the new all-time dotFIT Supplement Sales Record Holder. You’ve set quite the sales mark, and you did it with integrity while focused on truly servicing your members. Who knows, maybe there will be some Fit Pro who will one day beat this record, and with the strategies you’ve shared, maybe that Fit Pro is reading this interview now! Do you have any final words of advice for Fit Pros who are reading this? What is the most important thing they should take away from this interview with Mike Newhard?

Mike: The most important thing is this: Educate yourself. Learn as much as you can about nutrition and supplementation. Set high standards for yourself, and then break it down into easy steps.

For example, let’s say you want to sell $2,000 in supplements. If that sounds like a lot, break it down and you’ll see it’s not that hard. If you know that most people need a meal replacement like the LeanMR, a Multivitamin and a Fat Release, add them all up. $50 for the LeanMR, about $15 for the multi and another $30 for the Fat Release equals nearly $100 per month. People spend more than that on stuff they don’t need. Tell them why they need to trust your dotFIT recommendations, and that they aren’t helping themselves by going to Safeway for their supplements. Pretty soon, you will see your clients who use dotFIT make faster progress, and they’re coming to the gym more often. So you’re doing something good for them. By just helping 20 or 21 people that month, you’ve made $2,000 along the way. It’s so easy. But you have to keep educating yourself and them. It’s all about education.

When you commit to education and results, set high expectations for yourself, because the sky’s the limit with what you can do.

dotFIT: That’s some powerful advice. Thank you so much, Mike. We appreciate all that you do, and congratulations on your new all-time Sales Record!

Mike: Thank you very much. This was fun.

Read more Interviews from Top Fit Pros here