Project Purpose
Something I wanted to get into was how to use my new photography, graphic design, and marketing skills in a project that would stretch my abilities. I wanted to do something that was out of my comfort zone, so that I could learn and adapt. I also wanted something to try out each of my skills, not just focus on one specific one.
The Project
I worked with a personal trainer to develop customized plans for people of all fitness levels and put it on the map. It was also important to make sure these plans were different from the rest, which involved figuring out what the value proposition for the everyday consumer was. Along with setting it apart, making a professional website, and professional graphics was essential to making the brand pop.
Challenges
Something that was challenging for me was working with the mentor at times. I usually do things like this on my own, so I can work on it whenever I want and when I pivot to something else it isn’t a problem. With a mentor, I had to work with two schedules, which means it was harder to figure out meeting times. Along with that, almost every edit and pivot I had to make I asked him first, which made it a much longer process. I’m realizing now that this is going to be my future with working with clients or co-workers, so this was a good intro to that. Another challenge I had was adjusting based on feedback. It was especially hard for me to edit something I did even though I thought it was right move. I had to come to the conclusion that I didn’t know what was best most of the time (since I wasn’t familiar with the industry), which was hard to comprehend.
Project Processes
The first step of the project was to figure out what the personal training industry was about, and how my mentor could stand out in front of other programs offered. This involved a lot more research that I anticipated, I had to figure out what the customer needs, and what would make them more inclined to purchase a program from him. We figured out that if we offer a higher price, the customer perceives a higher value to it, even if it has the same content as the regular version. We also explored different options for the other lower paying customers, because people might not want to fork over hundreds of dollars at once. A form assessment test was something we decided on, where we could offer a low cost to figure out if they are doing the correct form for exercises. From there the customer could choose diets, a training plan, and even an in-person training session.
Takeaways
The main thing I learned from this project is that whatever job or career I get into, I’m going to be continuing to learn. I had it in my head that after I graduate it’ll be easy to adjust, that I would be able to transition my skills without a hitch. But this project also taught me that whatever I do, I am going to need to research and learn about what to do. Since this was a new industry for me, I had to go and figure out what people liked and how to stand out.