Sports & Recreation

How To Set Up A Personal Trainer Business | Bodybuilding Training

Train Your Future

Over the past two decades, the personal training industry has skyrocketed. With millions of people now realizing the importance of fitness and a healthy body image, you can find hundreds of personal trainers in almost every city and town in the US. And according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, this industry will continue to grow for the next few years. While this means there will be more competition, millions of potential clients still want to lose weight and look good. But how will you stand out in the crowd as a personal trainer? Read on for tips on how to open a personal trainer business.

Personal Trainer Instructing Lady At The Gym

Personal Trainer School – Get Certified

Before you consider opening a personal training business, the first thing you’ll need to do is get your certification. In most states, you’ll need to be certified to run a personal fitness business. Besides, your clients will also ask if you are authorized. No one wants to pay big bucks to get a workout from someone with no formal fitness education and training.

Here are a few online courses you might want to look at

Types Of Certification Programs – Personal Trainer Degree

Personal training certification
American Council on Exercise Certificate
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Personal Trainer
The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Personal Trainer

All the above training programs require 3-6 months of formal education and passing the national exam.

Training Safety Certificates

Besides the fitness certificates, you will also need to get several safety certificates, including CPR, First Aid, and training in using an automatic defibrillator. These certificates are essential and can help avoid unwanted lawsuits. You never know when you may have to employ CPR on one of your clients.

Becoming A Professional Fitness Coach

If you are a new graduate in the personal fitness industry, setting up a business right away can be a tremendous challenge. You may want to work in the industry as an employee for some time before undertaking your own business. Many gyms are looking for personal trainers who can provide specific activities for their clients. In such a case, join a gym and offer your expertise to the clients. If you work at several gyms, you will quickly get to know the fitness industry’s business aspects. Once you feel comfortable, you can go solo.

Can I Offer Online Personal Training Classes?

Yes, many personal trainers do offer online training classes. Some clients actually prefer this method as they will not need to commute, and it saves time. Many personal trainers are now using zoom and other software to offer classes across geographic borders. The one downside is that you can’t charge as much. Monthly subscriptions may vary from $30-$60.

Is Running A Personal Trainer Business Profitable?

It all depends on how much effort you put into it. If you have clients every day and offer sessions for 4-6 hours a day, there is money to be made. Because the overhead is low, most of the money you make is profit. By working 5-6 days a week, you can make a decent income.

Be Available – Be An Affordable Personal Trainer

When you first start out as a personal trainer, you may get many calls from potential clients. If you want to succeed, then answer the calls promptly and in a friendly tone. There is no reason you cannot return a call within 1-2 hours during the daytime in today’s digital world.

My Training Business Plan

To understand the personal training business, you must have a solid plan. The plan should include the following:

Who are my clients?
What is my studio’s location?
How will I get funding?
Do I need a license and permit to run a personal fitness business?
Do I need insurance?
What are the startup costs for a personal trainer business?

Here are a few business plan ideas

Training Company Legal Entity

When in the business of training people, there are risks in every type of exercise every day. So to protect yourself and your assets, you should incorporate your company. This fee for incorporation is usually less than $800 but will need renewal each year.

Business Incorporation

Check out these few companies that can assist you in getting your LLC started

Here are a few government links you might want to visit

IRS Website

This site by the IRS is a must-see when beginning your LLC

Training Company Insurance

When you offer a physical fitness program to the public, there is always the risk of injury. So, you’ll want to get the appropriate liability insurance. We live in a litigious world, and people will sue for minor things. It would be best if you were always fully insured.

What Are Start-up Costs For A Personal Trainer Business?

The costs depend on the following:

Leasing a studio
Utilities
Insurance
Certification
Equipment
Remodeling
Furniture
Marketing
PC and software

On average, it should cost about $10K-20K to set up a personal fitness business.

How Will I Finance My Training Business?

Running a personal trainer business is considered a high-risk venture, and banks are often reluctant to loan out large amounts of money. You will need a comprehensive business plan, a good credit score, and at least a 20% downpayment to be eligible for a loan.

Other possibilities for a loan include:

Small business loan
Seeking a venture capitalist
Going to a credit union
Asking friends and family for a loan

Here are a few of your options

Small Business Administration

The Sma ll Business Administration, SBA has a program to fund new startups and is worth a look

Here are some crowdfunding investment websites

How Else Can I Increase Profits Of My Training Business?

Offer advice on nutrition
The sale of nutritional supplements
Provide individualized sessions
Sale beverages and juices in your studio
Offer wifi
Partner with therapists who can offer spa and massage sessions

Can I Operate A Personal Training Business From Home?

While you can run a personal training business from home, it is not really the best idea:

Your family may not be keen on the idea.
There may be rules against operating such a business if you are in an apartment or condo.
There may be zoning laws that may not allow you to operate a business from home.
There is a risk of theft, and you do not want to expose your home to strangers.

Gym Training Locations

Here are some commercial real estate options

Here is a list of some popular commercial real estate companies:

Besides a studio, other options for your training locations include:

Parks
Recreation centers
Business offices
Health clubs
Gyms
Private studios
Online

Personal Training Clients?

As a personal trainer, you must be very motivated and dedicated to fitness and your career, but the same cannot be said for your potential clients. While you may believe fitness is a road to good health, your clients may think otherwise. So you’ll need to get to know the motivation behind your clients seeking fitness training. The more you understand them, the easier it will be to retain them. Thus, every time a client enrolls in your classes, you need to find out their goals, lifestyle, type of physical activity they prefer, and whether they like to work out solo or in groups. Make a plan specifically designed for your prospective clients. Once clients understand that you are interested in their goals, they will work with you.

General or Specialized – Trainers Club

You can offer general fitness workouts, or you could specialize in one area (e.g., aerobics, pilates, cardio, etc.). Generally, when you offer one specific training program, you will usually attract more clients for your services. However, the downside is that you will lose many clients who simply want to lose weight, for example.

You may also want to specialize in the following areas:

Seniors
Bodybuilders
Athletes
Physically impaired
The business professional who has no time
Individuals who want to lose weight
Prenatal and postpartum women
Patients recovering from an illness or surgery

The type of fitness program you offer and the demographics depend a lot on your skills and the size of the location.

Weight Loss Niche

If you genuinely want to succeed in the personal training business, help people lose weight. There are millions of obese individuals in the US, and most would like to lose weight. Offer an excellent personal training program to help people shed a few pounds each month. You can incorporate education, nutrition, and exercise into your training program. You may have to hire a dietitian or chef to help with the nutritional aspects of the program. You will quickly become popular, have a gratifying business, and no longer need a long-term marketing plan.

Personal Trainer Prices

Personal trainers vary from $20 to $100 per hour. However, it also depends on your clients. If you are in a less affluent part of town, it is not likely that many people will enroll in $ 100-per-hour classes. When starting out, your rates should be reasonable. You can always increase your rates as you get more clients and become established.

Payments – How People Hire A Personal Trainer

There is always a risk that some clients may enroll for one session and then not pay up. So, it would help if you had a policy of collecting the payment in advance. The prepayment should be discussed with the client at the first meeting to avoid arguments later. To prevent payment hassles, have a contract drawn up that details when the payment is due, workout dates and times, and a specific form of training. You should mention if there are any penalties if the client cancels at the last moment. Take into consideration any emergencies, family situations, etc.

Finally, state when you or your client can terminate the contract. Be specific about how long the notification should be made before the termination.

How Do I Market My Training Business?

Create a website that details your exercises, your hours, location, and contact information. Don’t forget to mention your certificates.
Distribute flyers in the neighborhood, schools, gyms, and residential areas
Distribute your business cards to sports and recreation stores
Create a youtube video on the type of exercises and fitness programs you offer
Participate on social media platforms

To recruit your first customers and then retain them, it is essential to think about your training organization’s marketing plan. The competition in this industry is extremely tough, so it is necessary to stand out from the crowd by adopting a carefully thought-out marketing strategy specific to your target market.

Here are some things you can consider:

Create a website presenting your training courses, their prices, your team, and customer reviews.
Publish content to educate your target audience on the benefits that your training course provides
Advertise on the internet by targeting keywords related to your training.
Organize local events (MeetUp, for example) to make your targets aware of the problems that your training courses allow you to solve.
Distribute flyers to the letterboxes of residents or businesses near your organization.
Buy contact lists to canvass by email or phone.
Set up a sponsorship system to encourage your customers to recommend your training courses to their acquaintances.
Local media (newspapers, radio stations, directories, etc.).

Check out these handy links

Personal Trainer Website

Your restaurant domain name protects your website address on the internet. You can register a domain name with any hosting company you choose.

Some of the common domain registrars include:

Here is a list of some options for building a regular website.

Here is a list of drag-and-drop page builders for WordPress.

What Equipment Do I Need For A Personal Trainer Business?

Agility Ladder
Android tablet
Barbells
Bioelectrical impedance scale
Body bars
Clipboard for training worksheets
Cones to create zones
Dumbbells
Exercise template
Fat Calipers
Foam Rollers
Jump Rope
Kettlebells
Mats- floor, gym, and yoga
Medicine Balls
Measuring Tape
POs
Portable Bench
Resistance Bands
Stability Straps
Steps
Stopwatch
Tablet to keep track of performance and exercise
Timer

POS Systems

Mobile POS Systems

Training Equipment Supply

Here are a few online supply companies

No matter what equipment you buy, it needs to have the following features:

Cost-effective
Durable
Functional
Lightweight
Portable
Reusable
Safe
Versatile

Invest In A Personal Trainer Practice Management App

Several apps on the market can help save time and make it easier to run your training business. These apps can help with scheduling, bookkeeping, client communication, payments, cancelations, and the organization of your day.

Conclusion

The personal training industry is competitive and about fitness knowledge and good business acumen. This industry can be rewarding for those who take the time to make a solid business plan, but those who venture blindly into this business can face many issues that often lead to poor outcomes. The key is to know what you are getting into before you even set foot into your new studio.