Hi John. Sorry I am so late in reading this. It is easy to get overwhelmed, confused, and then fed up. I was thinking the other day that a fitness site for Baby Boomers would be something good. Most of us were too busy to take care of ourselves. And, back then there was not much focus on how to stay fit and healthy. Now, we need someone to help us get our health back together. If you could do that, you would be providing a lot of people, a great deal of benefit for healthier, happier lives. That would be a great service.

Hi John, good on you for getting a site up and keeping it going, so many would have stopped, so right there, you'd succeeding where many others would have thrown the towel in.

You don't have to be an authority on your niche, you just have to come across as one to your readers - and it doesn't have mean diplomas on the wall. You can be an authority from just having tried things and lots of experience. I'm 46 right now, so I'm in your target market. You know, my body might be 46 and I can't do what I did at 26, but I don't feel that way lol. I still feel young and what would attract me to a fitness page is something that focuses on what I can do, on motivating me to achieve and then surpass my goals and offers a feeling of accountability. If I was to get involved in a discussion and say I was going to start doing X as of now, having someone (the website creator) say how great that was and they would be expecting an update from me would make me feel like I was being really acknowledged. If I was to get an email from them personally a week or so later asking how I was going (since I have to sign up with my email to comment) That would blow my mind away and make me realise this person does genuinely care.

I agree with Beverley's point about 'what's in it for me'. That is so true. Everyone is selfish in a way and they only really care about what they will get out of it. How will this help them? I'm not saying change from 'I find this' to 'You should do this' as people don't like being preached at, but maybe 'Many people have discovered' or 'Scientific studies have shown when you (or people) do X they get these results.

With your front page, the post titles don't become links, so it's not easy to find where I would reply to that post, you might want to look at maybe changing your theme for this. Also at the end of the post, you haven't invited me to comment. Maybe a simple open, question like, what have you found to be the best way to motivate yourself in sticking to an exercise plan? would invite more people to comment.

John, I understand. It's natural to feel the way you do, and I'm glad you put the question out to get help.

I realize your niche is not as a WA affiliate. Have you done the Bootcamp course? It is focused on WA, but the principles of marketing are the same. You might want to dip your toes in there to see if it can help you. For example:

https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/training/wa-affiliate-bootcamp-knowing-your-audiences-catapulting-your-referrals-phase-5

I agree with Beverley's suggestion. Create a customer profile outlining the typical person likely to purchase your product/services.

On a piece of paper, create 2 columns

Column A is for Mike. Column B is for Molly.

Hm...the main two characters in the comedy TV show Mike and Molly came to mind....lol.

Fill in each column

age
occupation
income
location
hobby
likes
dislikes
current fitness level
height/weight ratio
visits what kind of sites
hobbies
any children

And so on....

The point is to start relating to them as if they are real people who could be interested in your offer.

A successful marketer told me that he wrote a fictional short story using his male and female customer profiles as the main characters and his story is about how they found him on the internet and how he solved their problem.

Once you have your typical customer profile in your mind, your writing and content will naturally flow towards their needs and wants and how you can help them.

~Jude

Hi John

I"m sorry you're feeling this way - but I think a lot of people feel like this. However, I do see what I think is a major flaw with your site but I think you can turn it round. You can write (and not everyone can - so that's a start). but at the moment you're not writing in a way that's going to draw in readers or turn them into customers.

1. If you're site is based for the over 40s - that's not obvious - so it doesn't sound as if you're talking to a particular customer.

2. I have read through your blog posts and the question that I'm left asking is WIFFM? (What's in it for me?).

Most of your writing is about what you have done. When visitors come to a site they only care about themselves. So as interesting and as valid as your experience is , you need to talk about it in respect of what it can do for them.

Look at your seasonal training, training schedules, winter eating plan. Not once do you try and make a connection to a reader and their experience - it's just I, I, I. Even when talking about realistic nutrition - you don't actually give people any real help or proper tips on what they should do. Apart from telling people crash diets don't work - I have no idea what you were trying to say in this post.

You must offer value in your articles and at the moment you're just skating.

3. Small point - but take out the word "suppose" in the first line of your About me page. You make it sound as if you're not really bothered. First impressions matter.

Your about me page - doesn't connect with the customer. It's all about you. I have no idea WIIFM.

4. Fitness plans - don't keep using the phrase "Again, the keyword here is REALISTIC.". It jars if you read it on more than one page. Find a different way of saying the same thing.

The advice here is just too vague and isn't set out clearly enough. I'd have put it under different subheadings - like never exercised....moderate exercise... (not good examples) but people need to be able to pick up the information that applies to them at a glance not just wade through something that is general. You have to add value (and yes I am repeating myself.)

There's nothing wrong with your niche - though I think it is very broad. You need to sit down and do some brainstorming so you know what direction you want to take it in and what sort of areas you're going to be covering in the next 3 months.

Hope this helps and hasn't completely depressed you.. :) Beverley

Hello John, I know exactly how you feel. It is so frustrating. Keep at it though and it will work. Sometimes you need to stop and assimilate all the information you have had to take in - and there is loads of it! I've had a peek at your site. It's coming on isn't it. i think you need some more content. I would love to see some 'fitness plan' examples. I was quite disappointed when there wasn't one there. Any way good luck with all your ventures.
Jackie
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