The most common advice I come across in the personal training industry is to do a good job. In other words, get people results.
If you do this, “they” say, you will have a long successful career as a personal trainer. It sounds so simple. Is it? To me, absolutely not.
If you have read any of my other 45+ blog posts, you’ll know that WHO YOU TRAIN is the most important aspect of this business, and the BEST #1 piece of advice I can give you.
Choosing clients that you can easily retain month after month, year after year. Not just because you’re good at your job, but also because they can afford to keep paying you.
I see the Facebook ads from the so called “experts.” The gurus.
I read other blog posts. I read comments from personal trainers. Almost daily, I take in the never ending advice for personal trainers that’s put out all over the web.
Everyone seems to have the answer. Get people results. Have a great personality. Give great service. Look the part. Be punctual. Wow! Thought provoking stuff huh?
I bet you’ve heard all of those super duper obvious tips before. I’m also willing to bet that you do all of these things, and yet you still might be struggling.
Struggling with money. Your horrible schedule. Struggling with finding consistent clients. Ones that you can count on. Struggling with the thought of finding a way to stay in the business you love.
Ok, so let’s get back to talking about the 2nd best piece of advice for personal trainers. Doing a good job and/or getting people results.
Well, here’s the question that no one wants to ask except me.
How in the world can you get people results if they can’t afford your help for more than 5-10 sessions? How will anyone know you are a good personal trainer?
The way that most personal trainers and health clubs are marketing their service, clients will never work out with you often enough or long enough to get any results.
How can you grow your business like that? How will you get any referrals? Nobody knows about your talents.
You might provide them with unbelievable information, and they may end up using this information to get tremendous results later. The problem is that they aren’t paying you anymore.
Then they may send some of their friends to you for 5-10 sessions. And I said “may.” But I bet ya that most of their friends and family can’t afford your service long term either.
Middle class people hang out with other middle class people. Wealthy/successful people hang out with other wealthy/successful people. It’s how it works, and you know it.
Again, some think I’m mean… oh well, I know how many sessions I’ll complete next month. I know how much money I’ll make next month. And the month after that and the month after that. Do you?
I don’t have to worry about if my clients will buy more sessions. If they’ll send me a referral. If I can pay my bills. If I can stay in this industry. Can you?
Yes yes yes it’s about results, but why not stop the agonizing fear that most personal trainers face almost every day.
Hiring a personal trainer isn’t for everyone. Just like a Lexus or a country club membership isn’t.
Market to people that can afford personal training 2-4 days a week. CONSISTENCY will bring your clients results. Consistency with their trainer. That’s you!
Build your business with these people. They will give you tons of quality referrals.
Then, once you’re settled in and your personal training biz is rock solid, you can start to “give back” to anyone and everyone.
You might still be having a hard time buying into my “secret” to being a successful personal trainer by only marketing to the wealthy/successful.
Well, let me ask you this.
What are the reasons former clients have quit your service?
I should ask, what was the REAL REASON they quit?
Unless you were being a total idiot by being late, cancelling sessions often, or smelling bad, it was about the money wasn’t it?
The #1 reason that a person quits personal training is because they can’t truly afford it. Guaranteed.
Do you really think that training clients once or twice a month will bring you success in this business?
What do you want out of this life? This industry?
Is helping SOME people enough for you? Aren’t you tired of worrying?
How would you ever find enough of those types of clients? The ones that see you a couple times a month.
If people are struggling to pay you, they’re struggling to pay for everything. If it comes down to them paying you for personal training or the mortgage, which will they choose?
Why deal with this? Why live in fear everyday? You may be helping them, but as I’ve said a thousand times one way or another, “How can you help anyone, when you’re broke?”
How will it look when you have to get a second job to make ends meet? When because of that second job, you’re away from the gym more, and then less people see you. Then you lose credibility.
You need to think about these things. Stop fighting it.
Would people rather hire a successful full time trainer, or a struggling part timer?
I know that much of my writing may sting a little. I want it to.
Hey, as usual thank you so much for reading, and for your continued support of Personal Training Biz. PTB is growing so fast (now with over 40,000 Facebook followers) thanks to many like you. Please continue to share my overly honest blog posts with your fellow trainers, health club sales consultants, and health club owners.
I really appreciate this.
Talk soon.
P.S. Hey real quick please do me a small favor. Click here —> PTB Consulting to take a peek at some of the extra information that I have available.
My 50-page eBook titled Successful Marketing Strategies Used By Six-Figure Earning Personal Trainers and/or my phone consultations will show you exactly HOW to attain the clients that I described in this blog post. The clients that I have and have had since 1998. The ones that put me in the top 15% in annual income for personal trainers.
Don’t forget to watch the short video too. Some have said that it really motivated and inspired them. To those that have told me this, I thank you. Because of you I will continue to bust my ass to help personal trainers around the world.
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