| If you are interested in becoming a personal trainer, or | | | | - Prospecting: How do you get more clients? Does |
| have just become a personal trainer, then most likely | | | | your facility do all the marketing and provide them to |
| you have some advanced knowledge about the | | | | you? Do you have to go out and attract new |
| human body and optimal health. Many aspiring trainers | | | | business? If any of the responsibility is yours, do you |
| and recent training certification graduates, however, do | | | | have a system for continuous prospect generation? |
| not have an advanced understanding of the business | | | | - Finances: Do you have to create budgets for your |
| side of the industry. | | | | training business? Do you have to handle insurance |
| As a new trainer you have four primary routes from | | | | and taxes? Do you have other trainers working with |
| which to choose for your career: | | | | you, and therefore have payroll and employee taxes |
| - Working as an employee for a branch of a | | | | concerns? |
| corporate-owned gym or other health-related facility, | | | | - Technical: Do you require any technology for your |
| such as working as a trainer in the fitness center of a | | | | business? Are you running your own website in order |
| hospital chain | | | | to attract business and/or serve your current clients? If |
| - Working as an employee of a small-chain (or | | | | so, do you have systems for maintaining technical |
| independent) gym or health-related facility | | | | security and ensuring that your systems are up and |
| - Working as an independent trainer where you train | | | | running? |
| people in your own facility, their homes, or at a neutral | | | | - Advertising: Do you have to create your own |
| site such as a gym where you pay a fixed amount or | | | | advertising or does your gym handle that for you? If |
| percentage for you to use the facilities | | | | you do your own advertising, do you test and track |
| - Working as an online personal trainer and helping | | | | which ad campaigns work and which do not? Do you |
| your clients over the phone and internet | | | | have to select which advertising and traffic-generating |
| While each route has its own challenges and nuances, | | | | methods work best |
| they all share several similar functions. It is up to you to | | | | - Legal and Compliance: Do you have to do the work |
| determine the best choices for you to meet these | | | | to ensure that your advertising is compliant with all |
| requirements. You can handle them yourself or have | | | | regulations? Do you have to set up your own Limited |
| them offset by working as an employee and/or | | | | Liability Corporation or other corporate entity? Do you |
| outsourcing these tasks to qualified professionals. In no | | | | have to get business licenses? Do you have |
| particular order these similar functions are: | | | | processes set up to prevent "spam" e-mails? |
| - Content: What information do you offer your | | | | This is just the beginning of the list, and it may seem |
| prospects and clients? Do you offer free reports, | | | | daunting at first. Just know that by becoming an |
| books, ebooks, your expertise in one-on-one training | | | | employee of a gym or health-related facility that many |
| situations, tele-seminars, etc? | | | | of these functions are handled for you so that you can |
| - Continuing education: As time progresses and new | | | | focus mainly on training clients and getting new clients. |
| developments are made in the health and fitness | | | | Whatever path in the industry you choose, it is useful |
| industry, you will need to continue your education. Do | | | | to understand the big picture so that when you |
| you have a budget for acquiring new knowledge, or is | | | | become a personal trainer you have a greater |
| it something that your gym provides you? | | | | appreciation for the business side of your industry. |