"Man Instagram is stupid!"
"Only kids use snapchat!"
"Ain't nobody watching your videos!"
"Social media is a waste of time"
These are things I hear from the same people who still work, market and train their clients like it's the year 2007 instead of 2017.
I get an advantage by working in a shared space where I get to observe various styles and philosophies that run the gamut. This allows me to see, in my opinion, what works and what doesn't. There are very few secrets in our building as a quick google search will show you what each person is up to.
Are they running google adwords? Yelp ads? Groupon? Thumbtack? Facebook ads?
You then take notice of:
Did they increase business?
Did said clients stick around past the introductory period?
Some trainers are able to bring in people, presumably either free or at a really discounted rate, but after one month I never see these individuals again. This leads to the biggest take-home as a professional.
Success leaves clues
You have two ears, two eyes, and one mouth. Use them in that order
The biggest learning opportunity is right in front of you. You can always peruse the internet but there's nothing better than to watch a live case study. I would not listen to a professional who isn't successfully retaining clients. I will however observe them.
Some professionals teeter right on the line of success and failure, I did for a long time. What are they doing well that I might not be. You should always be looking around for an opportunity to grow as a person and professional.