7 WAYS TO KICK START YOUR OWN PERSONAL TRAINING BUSINESS
Starting your own business is never easy, nor is it for everyone. You’re thrown into the fire, where you rely mostly on yourself, especially if you want to be successful. But, for people with the ‘hustle’ and the right kind of ‘boss’ mentality, running your own business can take your personal training career to the next level. Often, the hardest part is getting started. Read on, and we’ll share the seven things you can do for yourself to kick start your own personal training business.
1. THE FIVE W’S
Answering the ‘Who’, ‘What’, ‘When’, ‘Where’, and ‘Why’ provides a clear vision for your business. Who are the people you want to work with? What do you want to offer them (high intensity, workouts, endurance training, strength training, etc.)? When are your client active? Where will you interact? And, why are you doing what you’re doing - Why do you get up every morning? Why are you helping your clients? Are you truly passionate about what you’re doing? Answering the five W’s will give you purpose, and remove a lot of the questions that will find their way into your head everyday as a business owner.
2. LEVERAGE YOUR NETWORK
Your friends and family will want to see you succeed, and chances are they’ll offer support to help you get there. Once of the big mistakes a lot of new business owners make is not asking for help. When we say help, we don’t mean finding new clients, creating checklists, helping with accounting. We mean simple asks, like asking to share a social media post, or referring a friend who is looking to start off with fitness training. These things go a long way.
DYK? Word of mouth is the most effective form of advertising? And, it’s free!
3. THE RIGHT PAPERWORK
To ensure you remain on the right side of things while starting a personal training business, you need to get your paperwork in order (we can help with that!). This can also help prevent future attempts by competitors to malign your name, because in any competitive environment, it’s smart to be covered! Consider the following documents:
- Trainer certification from a recognized authority.
- Experience certificate from previous employers
- Business registration, which can be obtained from Registry of Joint Stock Companies.
4. THE RIGHT CLIENTS
After preparing the set up of your venture, you will need clients before the hustle can begin. However, signing with just anyone who wants to hire you can be disastrous. You should try to focus on those who are serious about fitness and not just looking to follow trends. Ensure you discuss the following with your prospects:
- Their fitness goals and medical history
- Their level of motivation and willingness to follow the regime that you propose
- Their financial situation and understanding of the associated costs
- Whether you will be able to enjoy a working relationship with them
If you think that you have found the type of client you are looking for, you can increase your chances of getting hires, by presenting a prospective client with a basic information packet, free of charge. This could contain your resume, your fitness mantra or vision statement, application forms, and health questionnaires that clients are required to fill out in the case they are hiring you. You will also want your service policy guidelines, and finally, testimonials and references that will help you further assuring the client you are the right fit for them.
5. THE RIGHT PRICE
While starting a personal training business, make sure you put the proper value on your particular services. You can assess the competition, or consult with other trainers. Proedge is also happy to share reasonable and effective pricing strategies. You also need to ensure that you can arrange for payment terms that work for you as well as your client. So you may offer a choice between a term-contract and per-per session. For making a term-contract more lucrative, you can offer discounts for advance payment of the entire amount. You will also need to keep clear guidelines on issues such as refunds in your contract. Keep this in mind and you’ll soon be walking towards success!
6. GET ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Where do you hear about the hottest new shops, the best places to eat, or the coolest things to do in your area? Social media, more than likely! The sooner you begin to build your reputation online, the more reputable you will become to new customers. Social media is ‘the new advertising’ that can extend your reach, and help build your brand. And, did we mention it’s free?
7. MARKET YOUR BUSINESS
As a new business, owner, your budget is probably right, so try to take advantage of as many cost-free methods to advertise your new personal training business you can. As we touched on above, consider social media platforms to let people know that you’re open for business. Then, let your family and friends know and ask them to refer you to others. You can offer free of charge health and fitness, assessments, or ‘trial’ classes for people who suit your target demographic as prospective customers.
The choices are limitless, but the hardest part is often taking the leap of faith. Go get ‘em.
Proedge is happy to work with trainers by offering the “Start Smart” package – a fully comprehensive package to getting started and being successful at Proedge. This includes some Proedge swag, business cards, a meeting with Proedge’s accountant to help set up your business, headshots, social media blasts, onboarding advice, and more.
Are you ready to take control of your training career at Proedge? Become A Trainer — Proedge Elite Training
