Introduction
As a personal trainer, the ability to evolve, adapt and constantly refine your approach is what set your business apart from those which stagnate. There are many fundamental practices that you can follow to improve the service you offer and in turn grow your business. This article will break down 5 easy strategies that you can start implementing straight away to see immediate improvements in your client relationships and the success of your personal training business.
Refine your Product
As a personal trainer, your product is the service you provide: coaching. This should always be your number one priority, The barrier to entry for the fitness industry can be extremely low, with many low quality personal trainer courses out there simply ticking boxes to get people qualified (If you are looking for the most thorough and comprehensive level 3 personal trainer course out there, be sure to check out CPT). With this being the case, the difference between a good PT business and a great PT business often comes down to the quality of service offered. This means that as the product provider, you must continually hone your skills, educate yourself and stay up to date with all the latest fitness trends and knowledge.
You should regularly ask yourself, what is the current state of your product? Are you delivering programmes that meet your clients’ individual needs? A high quality service in personal training means that your programmes should be tailored to the specific goals, current levels and limitations of each client.
In many ways, the success of your PT business relies on customer retention, which ultimately relies on the results you help your clients achieve. You should always look to perfect the product before the marketing, sales and business growth strategies.
Clarify your Service
One of the most important things you can do as a PT is clearly define your services. What do you specialise in? Do you primarily focus on strength training, fat loss, functional fitness or something else? If your offer is unclear to you, it is likely that your clients will be confused too, leading to mismatched expectations and worse client retention over time.
You should be super specific in your communications about what you are offering and how you are offering it. Will your clients receive one to one sessions, small group PT sessions or online coaching? What will their journey with you look like after their first meeting with you? You should always outline your service to make it easier to market yourself to potential clients that are the best fit for you.
Defining your service clearly also helps to differentiate your success as a coach from your clients’ success. Your role is to coach and guide, but it is always up to the client to follow through with the plan you set out for them and get the results. Being transparent about this is required for mutual satisfaction in the coach to client relationship.
Don’t Over Automate
Automation is something we’re beginning to see becoming both very useful but also problematic across many industries. In the personal training industry, it can be used to book appointments, send out reminders and notifications or collect payments. Automating admin tasks like this can save you a lot of time, however you should always ensure that you never automate the personal connection with your clients.
The thing that sets you apart as a personal trainer from fitness apps and online workout programmes is the personal side. Having strong relationships with your clients is essential for retention and long term business success. Don’t lose value from your offering by over automating.
Whilst certain admin tasks can always be automated, things like client communication, progress tracking and feedback collection & providing should always be done personally. Regularly check in with your clients and adjust programmes based on real time interactions.
Create Space and Time for Yourself
It is so easy as a personal trainer to focus so much on your clients and forget to make time for yourself. Just as you’d advise your clients to focus on their self care, it is important that you do the same. Personal training is both physically and mentally demanding; without consideration of giving yourself a break, you may experience burnout. You should set boundaries between work time and personal time, ensuring that you’re not overloading yourself with back to back clients every day, and scheduling regular breaks throughout the day.
Make sure you take the time to actually reflect on your own fitness goals, whether that means just about maintaining your own training regime or pursuing further education in fitness. By avoiding burnout you can make sure that you stay passionate about coaching. A well rested and more energised coach will always give their clients more than a burnt out one!
Remember your Why
Do not fall into the trap of comparing yourself with other coaches, especially on social media. Don’t lose sight of why you became a trainer in the first place; stay grounded in your purpose.
Maybe your ‘why’ was to help people exchange their lives, to guide people towards lifelong fitness goals, or simply to turn your passion for fitness into a career. Whatever your original reasons were, keep them at the forefront of your mind to stay focused and motivated throughout the ups and downs of running a business. Don’t get sidetracked by online trends or personalities.
Conclusion
In short, sometimes improving your personal training business does not require a complete overhaul of your offer and systems. Things like simple refinements to your products, being clear with your services, maintaining personal connection, prioritising your self care and staying grounded in your purpose for getting into the fitness industry can be a real driver for improvement in your coaching business. Whilst you’re here, take a look at our personal training courses.