Transitioning from one career to another can be scary, but exciting. In this Blog series we’ll be giving you business advice to start your new career in Personal Training. Regardless of what path you choose, we’ve got top tips to get you rolling.
Starting a career in the fitness industry may seem daunting, but you might already be better prepared for it than you think. When people think of a good Personal Trainer they refer to skills such as:
- Having the ability to teach
- Being able to perform exercises correctly
- Having a lot of knowledge of anatomy and exercise
Although all of these points are essential, there are several other factors that play a vital role in taking you from a good to a great Personal Trainer. Transferable skills are abilities that can be transferred across a variety of roles. There is a good chance that you have already developed a number of skills that can be transferred across to your Personal Training role.
Time management
No matter what industry you work in, good time management is a vital skill to stay organised and build respectful relationships with people/clients. When you’re with a client, you may only have a small amount of time on the gym floor and so you need to make it count. This means that turning up late to sessions and rescheduling on a regular basis is a big no no. Obviously these things happen sometimes and it can’t be helped, but in-order to build a trustworthy and reliable relationship with clients, you need to be there on time.
Likewise, you also need to be able to manage your time well with things that happen off the gym floor. This includes:
- Preparing client programmes
- Organising session times
- Checking in with clients
- General administration
Sales
You might have entered the fitness industry because you have a passion for all things health and fitness, however there is much more to the job. Regardless of whether you choose self-employment or to be employed, you will find it hard attracting clients if you don’t brush up on your sales skills.
Now, we aren’t talking about heavy sales pitches and cold calling clients. But you need to be able to sell yourself well if you want to run a successful Personal Training business. Basic tips for selling to clients are:
- Be yourself and act natural
- Be confident in the service you provide
- Don’t be afraid to discuss prices
Problem Solving
There are several problems that you will encounter as a Personal Trainer, both long-term and those that need to be resolved immediately. Take for example a client with a previous injury, you need to be able to write a suitable programme that does not increase the injury, whilst also targeting their goals.
This is a problem that allows you to take a step back and plan, but what about those problems whereby you need to think on your feet? Say the gym is busy and you aren’t able to do the workout you had planned, you need to be able to adapt and overcome situations such as these.
Communication and people skills
The main thing that separates you from other Personal Trainers is your personality. Most trainers teach identical exercises in a similar manner. However, it’s how you communicate with your clients and potential clients that sets you apart.
Being a Trainer, you need to be confident talking to people on the gym floor and also when conversing with clients. More often than not, they have come to train but also to interact too. On top of this, clients won’t necessarily know the scientific terminology that you use, so remember to simplify things and make everything easy for your clients to understand.
Now you’ve got the foundations, it’s time to start building your knowledge of running a Personal Training business. Next week we’ll show you the different routes you can choose as a Personal Trainer and where to begin your journey.
If you think you’re ready to transfer your skills over to a career in Personal Training, find out more about our courses here and get started today.
