Whether you`re thinking about a start up or are already established in the market, start with these personal training business tips to help get you started! Whether you`re an aspiring entrepreneur looking for advice on how to start your own personal training company, or just want some pointers on what it takes to start a successful fitness business, this article is here for you.
Signs you`re ready to start a personal training company:
You`ve been working as a trainer for at least one year - or are already enjoying your career as an entrepreneur. - You have experience with the basics of health and fitness, nutrition, and bodybuilding. If not, start now! - Most importantly, you love what you do because let`s face it; running any business is hard work. [dcl=9850] It`s important that if you start this journey towards becoming self-employed in the industry of personal training that it really is something you would enjoy doing on a day-to-day basis after all these months (or years) of preparation.
Budgeting & Financial Considerations:
Once we get past the initial excitement from starting your own personal training business, the question of "how much is this going to cost me?" comes up. A minority of people start their fitness businesses with a large amount of money in savings -- which makes sense if you`ve been saving for years before taking the plunge into entrepreneurship and self-employment. Others start out by utilizing credit cards or loans from family members (if they can afford it). However, most entrepreneurs start their companies on a strict budget - whether that means no frills gyms without any equipment besides free weights or commercial grade cardio machines; homemade workout plans consisting only of bodyweight exercises; personalized meal plans made via pen & paper instead of software programs like MyFitnessPal. Starting your company on a small budget could help keep your start up costs low and put less strain on your wallet. However, start-up entrepreneurs should also consider the cost of insurance for their business (liability, health & work comp), annual license fees, equipment purchases, etc... While it`s true that start up costs can be expensive; one thing to keep in mind is how much you`re spending each month as a personal trainer while working at an established company vs running your own business. The peace of mind of knowing you have more time available because you aren`t commuting or sitting behind a desk all day every day might just make those start up sacrifices worth it!
Marketing for Personal Training Businesses:
For any type of start up entrepreneur - whether they are launching a new fitness product or service, or a start-up fitness business, marketing is probably the most difficult and time consuming part of starting your new company. When it comes to personal training businesses specifically - there are several ways that start up entrepreneurs can market their services without breaking the bank (or having any money for advertising at all).
Offline Marketing
First things first; let`s start with offline methods you could use as an entrepreneur in this field: going door-to-door around residential areas handing out fliers and/or postcards promoting your personal training service! You`ll need to be strategic about which neighborhoods you target -- if they`re already fit & healthy people likely don`t need someone to help them get started on their health journey. However, who have been struggling with weight loss for years with no success may be more open to your fitness service. Of course, you`ll have to start small and work up in terms of the number of clients you can handle at once.
Another form of offline marketing that works well for personal training businesses [dcl=9850] is hosting local events or seminars - such as cooking demonstrations teaching people how easy it is to eat healthy while still enjoying their favorite foods; free group workout classes where members can get a taste of your coaching style (and effectiveness); or even just having an information booth set up at various health & fitness expos/events throughout the year where attendees can grab some promotional items like shirts, hats, water bottles -- anything they would want! Plus, most event coordinators will let you pitch a tent or table so you can start setting up early and start talking about your services to people as they walk by.
Online Marketing
Then there`s online marketing for personal training businesses -- which we`ve already discussed briefly (and will go more in depth on next). What works best for this type of business is a combination of offline & online efforts when it comes to promotion; not just one or the other! That being said, having an effective website with fantastic content that engages visitors and compels them to take action - such as filling out a contact form requesting information about starting their own fitness journey plus offering special discounts and promotions if they sign up within certain time limits - could be among your most powerful tools. Then using social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat to start building up an audience while connecting with like-minded people in your industry who might become potential clients.
A fitness blog could also be a great source of traffic for personal training start ups -- as long as you`re willing to put the time into it! The idea here is not only writing about what interests and motivates readers, but then sharing that content through social media networks where possible (and appropriate when it comes to content). Of course - use caution if posting links back to your website or other sources; always make sure there`s useful information being shared rather than just trying too hard to plug yourself or your business every chance you get. It can come off very desperate and will likely turn away more customers than they`ll attract.
Conclusion: You’ve considered the pros and cons of starting your own personal training company. Now it’s time to take action and make a decision! If you need help with what steps to take, or if you want more information on how to start a personal training business, check out our blog post that covers all aspects of this process. [dcl=9850] We also have posts about marketing for personal trainers in general, as well as online marketing techniques specifically tailored for those who are running their own fitness businesses. Whatever stage you`re at right now (whether you just started thinking about it or whether you`ve already taken some actions), we can offer guidance based on our experience building successful fitness brands over the years.