By : Christine Snyder
Source : http://www.detroitnews.com
Category : Small Business Grant
Fitness was always the cornerstone of Laura Cepuran's lifestyle. When the Northville mother stayed at home to raise her children, exercise was a constant, and she helped friends achieve fitness goals, as well.
When Cepuran decided to look for employment, she landed a job as a certified trainer at a fitness club.
So when she decided to start her own home-based business five years ago, it was only natural she would do so as a personal trainer. But like many small business owners, she had a hard time getting it off the ground.
"My business was sort of hit or miss for a while," said Cepuran, who dubbed her business Train With Laura. She said she had difficulty getting the attention of customers. She put fliers on mailboxes and gained most of her clients through word of mouth.
After some months, there would be no clients at all.
That's when Cepuran had a breakthrough that promises to stop her company from becoming one of the 49 percent of new small businesses that close within five years, according to the Small Business Administration.
At the suggestion of her husband, she started a website. She then received another tip to advertise on Google.
"That's when my business started taking off," said Cepuran, who said she is now "as busy as I want to be," and has as many as 12 paying clients in a month.
Cepuran said she typically trains clients twice a week — three times for large weight loss goals — and once a week after a goal has been reached.
Cepuran provides a free initial consultation and has a fully equipped fitness studio in her home. She also will train clients in their own personal gyms.
"I knew what Google was, but I didn't realize a little person like me could use them to advertise," said Cepuran, 48. "Younger people are more technologically aware, but when I want something, whether it's a hair stylist, or massage therapist or dentist or whatever, I Google it."
So do most of her clients. When asked how they found her, the vast majority tell her they Googled "personal trainer" in the Northville area, and her website comes up.
"I like that most people that come to me have already made up their minds," Cepuran said. "They were looking for a personal trainer in their area."
Internet giants such as Google can give smaller companies a lift.
"The key here is, for any small business, it (Google advertising) gives a small business a big reach," said Mike Miller, head of Google Inc. in Michigan.
Small businesses can control how much they want to spend on advertising and can adjust the amount if needed for different seasons, Miller said.
"The benefit is it gives small businesses an easy and very cost-effective way to advertise online," he said. "For a business like Laura's, she can pick a specific target area for her ads to show because she is providing a service very local in nature. If someone were running a business that was global in nature. They would have the ability to advertise both nationally and globally."
Cepuran said she is thrilled with the growth of her business, and her career is exactly where she wants it to be.
"I'm a caring, nurturing person, and I like to coach and help people," she said. "It's a very rewarding job. People tell me that I've changed their lives. That's great if I can have that impact and make people healthier."
Source : http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120301/BIZ/203010352/Small-business-spotlight-Google-nets-trainer-clients?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s
Source : http://www.detroitnews.com
Category : Small Business Grant
Fitness was always the cornerstone of Laura Cepuran's lifestyle. When the Northville mother stayed at home to raise her children, exercise was a constant, and she helped friends achieve fitness goals, as well.
When Cepuran decided to look for employment, she landed a job as a certified trainer at a fitness club.
So when she decided to start her own home-based business five years ago, it was only natural she would do so as a personal trainer. But like many small business owners, she had a hard time getting it off the ground.
"My business was sort of hit or miss for a while," said Cepuran, who dubbed her business Train With Laura. She said she had difficulty getting the attention of customers. She put fliers on mailboxes and gained most of her clients through word of mouth.
After some months, there would be no clients at all.
That's when Cepuran had a breakthrough that promises to stop her company from becoming one of the 49 percent of new small businesses that close within five years, according to the Small Business Administration.
At the suggestion of her husband, she started a website. She then received another tip to advertise on Google.
"That's when my business started taking off," said Cepuran, who said she is now "as busy as I want to be," and has as many as 12 paying clients in a month.
Cepuran said she typically trains clients twice a week — three times for large weight loss goals — and once a week after a goal has been reached.
Cepuran provides a free initial consultation and has a fully equipped fitness studio in her home. She also will train clients in their own personal gyms.
"I knew what Google was, but I didn't realize a little person like me could use them to advertise," said Cepuran, 48. "Younger people are more technologically aware, but when I want something, whether it's a hair stylist, or massage therapist or dentist or whatever, I Google it."
So do most of her clients. When asked how they found her, the vast majority tell her they Googled "personal trainer" in the Northville area, and her website comes up.
"I like that most people that come to me have already made up their minds," Cepuran said. "They were looking for a personal trainer in their area."
Internet giants such as Google can give smaller companies a lift.
"The key here is, for any small business, it (Google advertising) gives a small business a big reach," said Mike Miller, head of Google Inc. in Michigan.
Small businesses can control how much they want to spend on advertising and can adjust the amount if needed for different seasons, Miller said.
"The benefit is it gives small businesses an easy and very cost-effective way to advertise online," he said. "For a business like Laura's, she can pick a specific target area for her ads to show because she is providing a service very local in nature. If someone were running a business that was global in nature. They would have the ability to advertise both nationally and globally."
Cepuran said she is thrilled with the growth of her business, and her career is exactly where she wants it to be.
"I'm a caring, nurturing person, and I like to coach and help people," she said. "It's a very rewarding job. People tell me that I've changed their lives. That's great if I can have that impact and make people healthier."
Source : http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120301/BIZ/203010352/Small-business-spotlight-Google-nets-trainer-clients?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s
