How to Become a Successful Personal Trainer

When it comes to being successful as a personal trainer, there are many variables that separate those who make it and those who fail. You can only ride your wit and charm for so long. If you want to have a long successful career that is prosperous and enjoyable it is absolutely necessary to take a look at the big picture. Here are a few areas you should invest some time thinking about in order to get the most out of your expertise.

Quality
If you want to make top dollar as a trainer, you must give each and every client you train the best possible quality of training. You must train your clients as though they are paying you $200 an hour. When you are with a client, they should be the only thing that you have on your mind. They need 100% of your energy and attention. By giving the best quality to your clients you will increase your clients' retention and most importantly they will talk about you to their friends.

Word of Mouth
Your strongest marketing tool as a trainer is word of mouth advertising. It is a cost-effective way to keep your time slots maxed out and your demand high. The best way to get your clients talking is to provide the best possible service to them. You can also offer them incentives for telling their friends. One way is to offer them free sessions for every new client that starts training with you. This works particularly well if you are running classes or doing group training. The more people in the class the better for you and since you are training multiple people you won't take much of a hit giving up a free session.

Be Consistent
Establishing yourself as a reliable trainer should be a top priority from day one. Trainers who don't show up for sessions or continually cancel sessions won't go very far in this industry. Word of mouth goes both ways. If you are inconsistent as a trainer your clients will let others know about it. Once you have a reputation for cancelling or providing sub par service it will be difficult to bring in new clients. Having a bad reputation will sink your career in no time.

Marketing
Take time to learn ways to better market yourself. There are many ways to do it without breaking the bank. A few examples include, spending more time in the gym speaking to members, handing out business cards to everyone you come in contact with, participating in community sports or placing ads in community newspapers. Knowing how to promote yourself is vital if you want longevity as a trainer. Take the time to do your homework. A few hours of research will help you figure out the best ways to market your services.

Network
The more people you know, the better your chances of succeeding. Make connections with other trainers, athletes, gym owners, fitness instructors, massage therapists, etc. A great way to build a strong business is to create working relationships with other people. If you can point your clients toward services they are looking for it does two things 1) it shows your clients that you are looking out for their best interests and have good connections in the field and 2) By creating business for your connections they will in turn return the favor. Attending workshops or conferences will expose you to the greatest number of professionals. Make sure that you hand out your card to everyone you meet and also take one of theirs.

Maximize Income
One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a trainer is to rely solely on your hourly wages. With limited hours in a day and the difficulty of finding clients for off-peak hours you need to find other ways to generate income. Having a wealth of knowledge puts you in an excellent position to include supplement sales to your repertoire. Most of your clients are most likely already buying their supplements from a larger chain and paying out big bucks. By finding a quality source for supplements you will save your clients time and money and at the same time create a source of steady income for yourself.

Teaching classes or offering group classes is another great way to squeeze the most out of your valuable time. For example, you can run a cardio kickboxing class that has a capacity of 15 people. By charging $15 for the class you can make up to $225! The clients are happy because they aren't paying your normal hourly fee and you generated 3-4 times what you would normally take in for the same amount of time.

Rest
It is easy to get wrapped up in your work. Just as you preach to your clients, take the time to relax and enjoy life. Far too many trainers overwork themselves. You need to make time for yourself to train, do research and stay up to date with your certifications. If you neglect all of the maintenance work you need to do as a trainer, the quality of your training will diminish. Giving all of your energy and passion to your clients takes a great deal out of you. By including rest in your schedule you'll be giving your body the time it needs to heal and be ready to offer the energetic sessions you've become famous for. Remember that you are much more valuable as a trainer if you are well rested.

Communication
A great deal of your time is spent talking to your clients about their training. You dispense advice about their technique, form and movements constantly over the course of a session. Keep in mind that it is equally important to listen to what your client has to say. Two-way communication between a trainer and their client brings an element of trust and friendship. You want your client to feel comfortable so that they can be honest and tell you what they think should be changed in their routine. If you are doing all of the talking and not listening to your client you might drive them away and not know why. By asking questions you can find out what they enjoy and what they are doing outside of the gym to achieve their fitness goals. A trainer who shows that they care has a greater chance to keep clients and attract new ones.

Being a great trainer takes a great deal of time and energy. How you choose to spend it is up to you. Take time to think about what you would look for in a trainer. It is an incredibly competitive marketplace for trainers. What will you do to separate yourself from everyone else?

Casey Kaldal
"Personal Trainer for Entrepreneurs"
www.AdviceForPersonalTrainers.com

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