Well, it’s that time of year again. Yes, there are presents and seeing family and pretty lights. But it is also when we release the December Self-Test! Things are busy and a test on top of...
Advice to Personal Trainers
Guidelines For Personal Trainers To Work By
Can there be a balance of empowerment and parameters? Absolutely! Whether you’re a club owner or an independent trainer, I’ve put together some concepts to remember when establishing or re-assessing...
Rules and Standards for Personal Trainers
I’m a fan of standards and guidelines. Let’s face it; anyone who has children can appreciate the very basic need for rules and setting standards. There’s something to be said for accountability and...
Change It Up!
Thirty minutes of cardio, ten minutes of strength training with weights and bands, a cool down and stretching. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. When you work with any type of client you’ve got to keep them...
First Impressions Are Key in the Fitness Industry
First impressions are a critical part of landing job opportunities. They mean more in the fitness industry than in any other. For example, how much will a client trust you if they can’t tell you...
From One Club Business To Another
I’d been asked recently, “What are your thoughts on ways that I can improve the personal training department in my club’s business”? I took what I know from my experiences, and then I asked a...
Leadership and Enthusiasm Make the Difference
As a personal trainer, you are constantly in a fishbowl. Your actions, appearance, and mannerisms, both in and out of the gym, are studied closely. You are expected to be accountable to a higher...
The Power of Focus
The personal training industry has evolved dramatically since it formally began over 25 years ago. It originally was based on, and had its roots in, body building. Now, personal trainers have their choice of specialties and niche markets. For example, there are sport-specific training, medical exercise, seniors, over 40 baby boomers, etc. This has created numerous opportunities for trainers, which didn’t exist 20 years ago.
Many trainers have taken advantage of this, and have been successful at building a lucrative training business. Unfortunately, the majority of trainers have not been able to seize these opportunities to create a profitable business for themselves. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average salary of a trainer is between $30 – $40k per year. There are many factors that contribute to this which are out of our control. But there are many other factors that are within our control. With a little bit of business know-how, marketing basics, common sense, and most importantly a plan, a trainer can easily generate a six figure income.
I have owned my own personal training business since 2001. I have done in-home training and have worked at numerous health clubs for years before deciding to take the plunge and open my studio. I have seen it all, and have made every mistake a business owner can make. Starting out, like most trainers, I had a lot of enthusiasm, but very little guidance. I have the scars on my back to prove it! My goal is to help trainers avoid the mistakes that I’ve made over the years, such as two of the most common I illustrate below.
In addition to the specialties and niche markets I mentioned earlier, there is also a wide variety of equipment and modalities to choose from to train clients. One of the biggest mistakes I made early on was to try and take advantage of ALL of this, and try to create my own “new and unique” workout experience for ALL of my clients. EVERYBODY got to use the Bosu and do walking lunges. I departed from what I consider to be the “new” #1 rule of growing a training business in this current environment – it’s called the ability to FOCUS!
The above example illustrates two common mistakes. One is assuming that one modality, or training system, is appropriate for everyone. Two, is focusing on more than one client demographic. Focusing on one or two client demographics, such as women over 40, or overweight teens, has several advantages. For example, marketing to a specific group is much easier and effective than taking a shotgun approach and marketing to everyone with two arms and two legs!! In this environment, where competition is fierce, it is imperative to focus and become an expert in a particular market or demographic. Without it, your business will not grow.
The personal training industry continues to grow and can help you achieve your financial goals. But it will take a new approach and new strategies.
Personal Training Must Include Passion
Personal training and passion are not mutually exclusive. Bill McGinnis recently wrote, "If you can't talk to people – you may need to find a different career path." This is right on. As a personal...
Dying Tan
Picture yourself on a white sandy beach. A slight sea breeze sprays a mist of salt water across your face and over the crowded beach. You’re at the mecca for the area’s best bikini contest, Coconuts on the Beach, Cocoa Beach, Florida. It’s 10 a.m. and like a Thanksgiving turkey, you’ve planned to baste your day away in the heat of the sun.