The warm summer months are a great time to take a vacation. Unfortunately, this means your clients are gone for days or weeks at a time leaving you with a smaller paycheck. Since these clients will eventually fill your gaps back up, you don’t want to find new people to replace them. However, there are things you can do to boost your income so you too can have some fun summer adventures.
Here are 4 ways that I have found to make extra money and become a better trainer for my clients:
Improve your qualifications
During my first years as a personal trainer, I was always studying up on a new certification during the slower summer months. You can enjoy the warm weather at the park or beach as you read up to expand your knowledge. If a new certification seems too daunting or expensive, consider taking on something smaller like a specialty certification in an area that interests you, a short program to refresh your skills, or attend a fitness convention. When your clients return from vacation, you can wow them with your new talent and be able to justify higher rates when the time comes for an increase.
Family First
Sometimes your clients aren’t canceling because they are going out of town, but because family is coming to visit. Do you ever tell your clients that you can also train their guests? They may not be permanent clients, but it puts a little extra cash in your pocket. Your clients love training with you so they will love sharing you with their close friends and family. I have clients that have me train their entire family every year over holidays when they visit. You can offer 1:1 training, partner training or arrange to do a small group workout. This keeps your clients on track with their goals and prevents them from canceling on you.
Workshops
Offering to put on a small workshop in a local store is a great way to establish yourself in the community as a fitness professional. You will make a lot of great contacts with potential clients that are interested in health and wellness. Pick a place that is in line with your branding and even better if you are a frequent customer. Be smart by having a sign-in sheet to collect names, emails, and phone numbers of participants to generate new business leads. Take the time to talk before and after your presentation with attendees to jot down notes and build rapport. Use these lists to follow-up in the future to see if they or anyone they know of are interested in your services.
Organized Events
If you have a slow week coming up, it is a great time to arrange a special event. People love the idea of a novelty event that is only a 1 time offer. Depending on what you plan will dictate how much you can charge. Some of the events that I have planned for this summer are an 80’s themed outdoor yoga class, a hiking bootcamp, and an end of summer beach house retreat. Take what you currently offer and add a twist. The more fun you have with it, the more your clients will request to come year after year. Get tips on organizing your own event here.
Christine Oakes is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, Fitness Nutrition Specialist, Health Coach, NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist and 200RYT certified yoga instructor . She currently operates her own fitness company offering personal training, bootcamp and yoga classes in the Mountain View, CA area. Christine has had a love for being active since childhood and believes that true fitness comes from a balance of strength, nutrition, flexibility and a dose of fun. Learn more about Christine at www.fun2befit.org.
