Running a successful personal training business requires careful planning and investment. Click here to learn what top personal trainers do to ensure success.
The fitness industry is expected to show 20% growth in 2018. While many people are signing up for gyms to get in shape, many are also looking for personal trainers.
A personal trainer isn't just someone who directs your workout routine. They also act as mentors, educators, and friends. It's important that trainers understand this.
But this is only one element to running your own training business. You also have to know how to market your services and refine your skills.
Failing to do so could be costly.
To help you cover all your bases, let's look at some tips to help you grow and maintain your personal training business.
1. Top-Notch Service Means Knowing Your Clients
It's important you understand your client's individual needs. Your personal training business depends on the experience you provide each customer.
You need to establish right away why each client is coming to you and what their goals are.
Keep in mind that you're the expert. They'll most likely not be as driven as you. That's why they've hired you.
A great tactic to get to know each client is to ask questions before you begin. A few things you need to find out include:
- What's their current lifestyle like?
- What type of activities do they prefer?
- What is their primary motivation?
- Do they like a conversation while working out?
- Are there any physical issues you should know about?
This is a great way to break the ice and get to know what kind of service you should be providing. Learning these things right away allows you to cater your training and provide a unique experience.
Your clients need to understand that you're interested in their goals. Forming this connection right away will help you provide a rich personal experience. It will also let you train more effectively.
2. Maintaining Your Client Base
Establishing and maintaining a client base is critical to your personal training business. In fact, the inability to do this is why many personal trainers fail.
You're probably aware that you're going to lose clients from time to time. It's inevitable in any industry.
Simply by paying attention to why people tend to leave their trainers can key you into what you should and shouldn't do.
Many personal trainers will try to make their clients feel dependent on them. It turns out that this can actually anger people and cause them to give up their training or look for someone else.
Another common reason a personal training business loses clients is lack of results. People are spending money on you and want to see the payoff. Make sure and track each client closely to ensure you're seeing progress.
Not establishing clear goals is a good way to lose a client fast. You need to find out your client's goals right away and alter them if they're unrealistic. A trainee will become frustrated and more likely to quit if they think they aren't reaching their goals.
3. Networking is Essential
A personal training business relies heavily on word-of-mouth to bring in new clients. It's definitely an industry that's all about who you know.
It's critical you build and maintain a strong network to be successful. Always take advantage of chances to meet new people and form new connections with gyms, trainers and the fitness community.
Meeting and engaging with new people is a big part of networking and maintaining a reputation. But you need to create a good balance between your own healthy lifestyle and a good social life. Remember, your body is part of your advertising.
When running a personal training business, take every opportunity to get out there and make new connections. Local events you should be looking out for and attending include:
- Fitness workshops and expos
- Workout clinics
- Wellness and nutrition fairs
- Small business events and clinics
Events like these are perfect for promoting your business. Make sure you always have business cards to give out. Don't make yourself hard to find.
Always add new connections on social media and keep them engaged. The internet has made networking easy, so you need to stay on top of your online presence.
4. Consider Specializing Your Service
A good way to eliminate some of your competition is to specialize in a certain type of training. This idea scares some trainers. But if you can focus on a niche and do it well, the value of your services will skyrocket.
One way to do this is to start targeting a specific type of client. The reason why some trainers are hesitant to do this is they will have to exclude other clients. It may seem silly to turn people away.
So, how can specializing work? If you begin specializing in one type of customer in the personal training business, you become attractive to the type of client you're targeting. For example, let's say someone is training for a bodybuilding competition and that's your niche. Someone looking for this certain type of training will seek you out rather than finding a general trainer.
This provides an opportunity for more targeted marketing. If you properly market yourself within your niche, you will be found quicker by those looking for that type of training.
Some examples of specialized training include senior citizens, physically impaired, bodybuilders or young athletes. There are many different ways you can specialize your business. Ask yourself where you excel and what you enjoy the most about training.
5. Never Stop Learning
You owe it to yourself and your clients to invest in continuing education. You may have already gone to school and received a fitness-related degree. But that shouldn't be where your education ends.
It's up to you to keep up with new trends in fitness. Learning new training techniques will only make you a stronger teacher.
Adding to your knowledge base will also build confidence. If you're using outdated techniques and not expanding your knowledge, your personal training business will eventually fall short of other trainers.
The organization you received your certification from should have information on how to keep it current. They may also be able to provide continuing education resources.
You should also be staying current on what's going on with scientific trends and new techniques. Different fitness journals and publications offer great resources for fitness and conditioning research.
You should also keep an eye out for conventions or seminars that will expand your knowledge base. Your consistent growth and understanding will come through in the service you provide your clients. This all plays into providing the best training experience possible.
6. Is it Time to Expand?
This is the opposite approach from specialization. If you're the type of trainer who seeks variety, it may be time to expand your business into other areas.
Like any company or organization, your personal training business needs to evolve. If you've been doing the same thing for several years, you run the risk of your service becoming stale. If you feel your business plateauing too soon, it may be time to reach other clients.
You may primarily train people looking to lose weight. As a result, you get referrals from other people trying to lose weight. This is good, but you may want to tap into a different client base.
You'll need to start promoting to attract the new type of clients you wish to train. This may involve educating yourself on different techniques, but this is good.
Expanding your business will take a good amount of effort from you. But it will pay off in the long run with more clients and a more diverse lifestyle.
Think about the type of person you are and how you like to spend your day. If you don't want to specialize, it may be time to expand.
7. Diversify Your Marketing
When it comes to online marketing, you can't afford to keep all your eggs in one basket. If you want your personal training business to be successful, it's not enough to put an ad on Craigslist and stop there.
You need to target your audience through every means available. The internet now provides a number of outlets, so you really have no excuse.
Social media is a big factor here. If done right, it's possible to generate more leads every day through social media than Craigslist and email marketing.
The Facebook profile for your personal training business should have all your contact information and tell your audience a little about yourself.
Videos are a great way to reach potential clients. They provide immediate engagement and can be great tools for establishing trust.
You should also consider adding a blog to your website. By writing weekly articles on fitness topics, you show your expertise and reach people who have common interests.
A great benefit to this is that it costs very little. Putting the extra time in at home will pay off with increased exposure and a growing client base.
8. Set Yourself Apart from Other Trainers
The main goal of your personal training business is getting results for your clients. However, the personal connection you provide will set you apart from other trainers.
What makes you unique? Don't be afraid of bringing some of your own personality to your training.
Of course, it should always be about the workout. But there's no reason the experience has to be dull or impersonal.
To hone in on your unique style, ask yourself what your strengths are as a trainer. Expanding on your strengths will allow you to feel more comfortable to connect with your clients. It's all about confidence.
You may find that when you adapt your training style to your personality, you're better suited for a specific type of client. Maybe you never knew you're better at working with teenagers.
Here's your chance to shine as a specific type of trainer. Providing results along with a unique and memorable experience will help your personal training business succeed.
9. Give Your Clients Homework
Don't let your client's training end when the session is over. Give them homework and keep them on their toes.
Provide them with small exercises to do at home. If you notice certain areas they need to improve on, have them work on things between sessions.
Not only does this help your clients get the results, they want, it shows that you're not just about making money. It shows you care about their health and well-being.
Giving your trainees homework also keeps them centered and on track. They will look forward to their next session with you.
Some people go to their training session out of routine and forget about it after it's over. Keeping your clients engaged between sessions builds their confidence and keeps you in their mind.
10. Provide Flexibility
You're a personal trainer, not a drill instructor. It's important to push your client and also remain flexible.
Flexibility comes into play when considering your policies. Things like cancellations and payment agreements are important to maintaining your personal training business. You need to establish rules right off the bat.
However, after establishing trust with a client, try to maintain a certain amount of flexibility when it comes to these policies. If unforeseen circumstances come up, try to be sympathetic.
You should also maintain a certain amount of flexibility with regard to your client's performance. Take any limitations into consideration when it comes to their progress. Don't push too hard if you see that other factors are getting in the way.
A good rule of thumb is to be direct but understanding.
11. Never Let Your Client Become a Number
Personalized care is what you're shooting for. You have to show that you truly care.
Some of your clients will be going through personal problems that don't involve you. They're looking to you as an outlet to relieve stress and feel better. If you show that you're completely invested in their well-being, you'll form lasting relationships.
Be proactive about your client's progress. If you see that they're having trouble, ask them if something is getting in the way. Compassion is very important in maintaining clients.
Your customers should never feel like they're just a number to you. If they feel like they're just another way for you to earn a buck, they won't stick around for long.
Enjoy Success in Your Personal Training Business
As a trainer, you're in a unique position to help people in ways others can't. In today's busy world, we often forget how important our health is.
It's essential to never stop refining your training techniques. It's also important to refine your business and marketing techniques to stay ahead of the game. Consider the tips discussed above when looking at your business model.
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