Learn how to start a personal training business and how to keep it going for the long haul in this personal trainer business guide.
The personal training business in the United States is worth about $9 billion. The industry is on a steady annual growth rate, and there are currently over 583,000 businesses operating in various parts of the country.
The personal training market is quite a crowded area for newcomers. However, the industry still presents lucrative business opportunities to innovative entrepreneurs. With this in mind, you may be wondering how to start a personal training business.
Below is a short guide on how to get started.
1. Define Your Business Model and Clientele
How are you going to conduct your business, and how will you get your clients?
For starters, decide on how much commitment and resources you’re willing to invest in the venture. Are you considering a full-time occupation or a part-time job in starting a gym or personal training business? It’s essential to make these plans to predict and manage your income. Moreover, setting up payment gateways is crucial; surprisingly, a study revealed that 65% of new gym or personal training businesses overlook this fundamental step in their initial setup.
Personal trainers typically make around $25 an hour. You might want to think about platforms like thepaystubs.com to keep track of paychecks from the various clients.
You also need to figure out how to meet your customers. You could use nearby gyms, make house calls, or combine both.
2. Chose a Location
Working as a trainer is a gym is a good place to start because all the equipment is already there. Speak with gym owners around the area you wish to work from and find out whether they allow independent trainers. If any of the gyms accept, they will probably ask for a small cut for using their gym. However, some may not ask for a commission.
If you are going to work with house calls, acquire all the necessary equipment and prepare to travel a lot. Alternatively, you could set up your own personal training studio, which is the best of both worlds.
3. Take Care of the Paperwork
Next, make sure you get certified, registered, and insured. Take a course in personal training in your area of expertise and get approved by a nationally recognized institution. Your state will also require you to register as a business to earn the necessary business license.
Finally, take out a liability insurance policy. The insurance mostly covers injuries incurred during workout exercises.
4. Market Your Business
Once everything is ready, it’s time to attract clients. Consider your specialty, whether its injury recovery, general fitness, or sports training and figure out the best way to reach potential customers.
Follow the strategy that brings you quick results without spending a lot of money. It could be public speaking, flyers, online ads, or social networking.
Make sure your branding is well defined, and use it to target a narrow niche in the market. That’s the only way to get loyal customers.
More on How to Start a Personal Training Business
To build a successful personal training business, you have to be passionate about fitness and physical health. You also have to be invested in the wellbeing of each of your clients. You may have all it takes to know how to start a personal training business, but if you lack interest in your work or clients, the business will fail.
Also, keep up with emerging fitness techniques and continuously learn new exercises to expand your portfolio.
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