Business: Personal Training Articles

Fitness is an exciting industry filled with passionate people. Yet personal training itself is frequently a dollars-for-hours trade with inherent income limits and a high rate of burnout. The solution? Convert to a small group–dominant business model, where one trainer works with up to a dozen clients at the same time (see www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/small-group-secrets-the-start-up-plan).newsletter_teaser: Fitness is an exciting industry filled with passionate people. Yet personal training itself is frequently a dollars-for-hours trade with inherent income limits and a high rate of burnout.

When you’re looking to build a successful personal training business, having a sound understanding of finances is a must. Most fitness experts possess exceptional interpersonal skills and are able to transform lives. But they often lack the ability to effectively manage and balance a budget and to use it to forecast and take advantage of financial trends. Financial mishaps and misunderstandings can lead to business failure in no time. In this article, I will share several simple strategies that you can implement today to get your business on track to financial freedom.newsletter_teaser: When you’re looking to build a successful personal training business, having a sound understanding of finances is a must. Most fitness experts possess exceptional interpersonal skills and are able to transform lives.

When I first considered specializing in women’s health and fitness, I was worried I would limit my business too much to a certain demographic, ultimately decreasing my cash flow. I live in a rural community, and the client pool was small to begin with. But my passion was to work with women—new and expecting moms, women who needed to focus more on strength and fitness than on thinness, women who had struggled most of their lives with their weight and their self-esteem.newsletter_teaser: When I first considered specializing in women’s health and fitness, I was worried I would limit my business too much to a certain demographic, ultimately decreasing my cash flow.

As a fitness professional, you are in the relationship business. Just as the food you eat fuels your body for exercise, relationships are the fuel that feeds your business. But growing your business requires more than having strong interpersonal skills with your clients. Your business success is also influenced by your relationships with your colleagues and competitors. For example, cooperative marketing efforts and co-promotion can help your business grow. Also, solid business relationships can help you work through personal and professional challenges. [subhead] Prioritize newsletter_teaser: As a fitness professional, you are in the relationship business. Just as the food you eat fuels your body for exercise, relationships are the fuel that feeds your business.

Today, many personal trainers invest their time in several complementary work roles rather than holding a single job. Employment experts call this strategy “slashing,” because people who do it often describe their work roles with slashes in between.

Recently I had the opportunity to do some stealth field research. A local personal training facility hosted a “bring a friend” promotional week. My friend invited me and another guest to join her weekly 30-minute session. newsletter_teaser: Recently I had the opportunity to do some stealth field research. A local personal training facility hosted a “bring a friend” promotional week. My friend invited me and another guest to join her weekly 30-minute session.

As a manager and as an owner of a personal training studio for 20 years, I have had trainers leave and take clients three times. You can have trainers sign all the noncompete contracts you want, plus sign a contract that says they won’t steal clients. However, the loyalty that clients and trainers develop is a tough one to come between. Furthermore, you can sue a trainer for “stealing” a client, but after all is said and done, and time and energy lost, the client will still end up with the trainer, so choose your battles.

How does a small business evolve into a franchise? Here are two examples of real-world success: From license to franchise: Healthy Inspirations. Healthy Inspirations is a successful weight-loss program that Casey Conrad founded as a small business. “I opened a stand-alone location and, because of my exposure in the industry, people started asking if they could license the concept,” she says.

Are you or your facility offering personal training with an emphasis on the mind-body connection? An approach that taps into the mind-body link is not limited to activities like yoga, tai chi or Pilates personal training; it includes any type of mindful personal training. If yes, what types of mind-body personal training are you offering, what seems to be the most popular and how are you marketing it?