As a business owner who sells a service and needs to pay a few staff, it's kind of important that my team and I keep people coming through the doors of the Harperdome. And that more importantly, that we retain clients, keep them happy and help them achieve their goals.

No revelation there. Obvious stuff.

So with that in mind, you might assume that I have some big, complex five-year business plan and a whiz-bang marketing strategy that's been developed by my team of highly paid business consultants and experts, somewhere deep within the bowels of the SS Harper.

Aah, not exactly.

Aah, not at all.

According to my business guru friends, I am a marketing disgrace.

My marketing buddies have been telling me for years that my company should have a significant annual marketing budget....Our marketing budget is zero; every year.

They also tell me that, at the very least, we should have a large advertisement in the yellow pages, as our competition is growing....We don't have an advertisement.

Some other business buddies have suggested that we get people to commit 'up front' to our services for extended periods of time. .....We don't do that either.

They tell me we should sell general 'gym memberships', after all, it's the biggest Personal Training centre in the country, there's enough room and resources.....we have no members and no memberships. All training is by appointment only. Apparently; a stupid concept.

Contracts? Nuh.

Minimum training commitments? No; if they train once only, that's fine.

Selling strategy? None really. No hard selling. Ever. We chat to people, we listen, we ask questions, we create rapport, and if we feel we can help them, and they are inclined to train with us, we proceed. Otherwise we suggest alternatives to help them achieve their goals. I have sent many people to other centres or specialists who I feel would best suit that person's needs. It's a crazy business concept my dad taught me; we call it honesty and integrity. Sometimes we need to step out of our what's-in-it-for-me-now mentality and think on a different level. People who are all about 'now' usually do the worst (in my experience).

People buy largely on emotion and instinct, and if you connect with people... then there's a fair chance they'll buy what you're selling. If people feel they're being 'sold', they are less likely to buy. Despite people's aversion to high-pressure selling, many businesses continue the practice. Maybe (a big maybe) they'll hook someone short term but, will they create a long-term, win-win, relationship with that person? Not likely.

I'm about the next ten years, not the next ten days.

Dealing with the competition? About a year ago a new fitness centre (part of a large chain) opened up six hundred metres down the road. Some of my friends (self-appointed, well-intending, guardians of my business) went in to panic mode. "What are you going to do", one of my mates asked. When I told him "nothing different", he thought it was the beginning of the end. Over the last year our business (the one with no marketing budget) is busier than ever and the gym down the road (the one with the big marketing budget) was recently sold to another chain.

Waddabout young sexy, gorgeous staff in teeny weeny outfits? Nuh. The majority of my trainers are late-thirties plus. I have several staff in their fifties and my 'most experienced' team member is 67 years young and amazing.

Okay, I know what you're thinking. "But Craig, you do lots of media stuff and that's what grows your business."

Two things to think about here:

1) I rarely mention my company name when I do media stuff, it's usually all done under the Craig Harper banner. Many people who follow me in the media don't even know about my business.

2) My business grew from one client to well over a thousand clients before I did any media.

So while I don't really have a traditional marketing strategy, I guess I do have an unconventional marketing philosophy...of sorts.

Here it is:

Spend little or no money on marketing - Won't work in every business, but if you do things strategically and thoughtfully, you'll be amazed what exposure, interest and momentum you can create before you spend a cent. Again, this has worked for me personally (in a small to medium sized business) but I realise that Coca-Cola or McDonald's may not share my perspective.

Invest time and energy in your customers - I spoke to an older gentlemen recently who was interested in being trained by one of my team. I spent twenty minutes with him, had a few laughs and he booked in for three sessions per week. Now, if he trains three times per week for the next year, he will invest in the vicinity of $8,000 in his health. Good for him, good for my business. Why did he choose Harper's? Because he had visited eleven centres (we were number twelve) and I was the first person who listened, didn't 'sell' and spent more than two minutes with him. I would have happily spent the time with him no matter what the outcome was. If the first eleven businesses had half a clue, we would never have met.

Develop and continue to develop a great product... If you do what everybody else does, you'll get what everybody else gets; mediocrity. Not saying we can't learn from others but... much better to be an innovator than an immitator. When I set up my first centre, it was the first of it's kind in Australia. Most people (all more qualified and more experienced than me) told me that the concept (of a Personal Training centre) wouldn't work in this country. "Not a big enough population, not enough disposable income, it's a fad." Glad I chose not to listen.

Be the shepherd, not the sheep.

Give your clients a reason to market your business for you. This is how it works in Personal Training (for eg.). Get a fat bloke in shape and ten things will happen:

1) He'll be a slimmer, healthier, satisfied customer.
2) People will want some of what he's got.
3) He will sell you and your business (verbally and visually).
4) He will create 'brand awareness' for you.
5) You will have more people walk through the door.
6) He will boost your credibility.
7) He'll bring five of his fat buddies, who in turn will bring fifty of their buddies.. and so on.
8) Your business will grow.
9) You'll make more money.
10) You'll buy a boat.

Okay, maybe not a boat.

But, you get my point.

I don't believe it's as complex as some people make it. But then..I don't have that marketing degree and I've read no marketing books.