Rock star strategies to help personal trainers succeed

The career of the typical rock star is extremely short. Unless stars produce a lot of hits fast they disappear into obscurity. If a musician is lucky he or she may have five or six good years. Groups like U2, Bon Jovi and The Rolling Stones have had lucrative careers in the music industry but they are the exception. Making a career out of personal training can be just as challenging as becoming (and staying) a rock star. It takes a lot of time, dedication and perseverance to make it happen and then stamina, business acumen and planning to maintain it. Many trainers struggle with one or more of these, and as a result have short careers.

Personal training burst onto the world stage in the early 1990s and some industry analysts say it peaked around 1995. Since then, growth in the industry has been steady but not strong enough to keep up with the number of trainers being pumped through the certification process. Trainers used to seek employment at fitness facilities, recreation centers or private studios, but many of them are now starting their own businesses just to be able to work.

The appeal of making $60 to $100 an hour lures many people into the industry. While there are trainers making this hourly rate they are typically more seasoned, possess a higher level of education or focus on a specialty market. They may be considered an expert or have celebrity status. Most trainers earn far less.

Unlike in regular jobs, trainers don’t work a typical forty-hour week but average twenty to twenty-five hours a week. This is usually because working with people one-on-one or even in groups can be extremely draining. Every client requires a trainer’s full attention and focus. Most personal trainers find it difficult to be on top of their game for forty hours a week. Any seasoned professional will tell you that packing your schedule with clients will lead to certain burn-out.

Another issue that arises for trainers is the ebb and flow of work, which has a definite impact on income. Hours can fluctuate from week to week due to client cancellations, illness or holidays. It’s not uncommon to have five or sometimes even ten cancellations out of twenty or thirty sessions booked. There are also two significant down periods, in August and December. Income can drop to almost zero during these months—a savvy and experienced personal trainer knows how to budget for these times of business famine.

Independent trainers often find it difficult to build a clientele, as well. Friends of friends or family members are typically among their first clients. They rely strongly on word of mouth to build their businesses. For a short time this strategy seems to work. However, referrals dry up quickly and unless trainers have some marketing experience they often struggle to find new clients. Without a supply of new prospects any existing clients who leave have a tremendous impact on a trainer’s finances, especially if the client had been a regular.

Long hours spent training and unpaid time applied to building the business add to the stress of income fluctuations and the difficulty in building a clientele. Self-employment features no benefits package, so getting sick or injured could be costly. Some trainers don’t take vacations because they can’t afford to lose the income. Unless the trainer contributes to a retirement savings plan there won’t be any money put aside to retire on.

To get a successful personal training business off the ground takes effort. Even with a plan in place, it’s been my observation that the typical career of a personal trainer lasts roughly five years. Some only make it to three and then succumb to the pressure of trying to make enough money to keep themselves going. They realize it’s harder than they thought and decide to do it part-time—or simply leave the industry.

This is the reality of the personal training business, and it isn’t communicated to you in school or when you take your certifications. You are given no real direction about how to be successful and little if any support once you’re done. Like a rock star you are left to your own talents to make it work.

But what if I told you there was a way to increase your chances of being successful? It’s not a guarantee of success but it can increase your odds, give you a shot at the stage and an opportunity to rock. Successful rock stars have great managers: someone who knows the music business, is well connected and believes enough in the musicians’ ability to help them succeed in the competitive environment of music. A good manager is familiar with the pitfalls of the industry and helps stars avoid situations that could lead to disaster. If a star’s enthusiasm or direction start to waver, the manager swiftly gets them back on track.

If you want to attain (and keep!) rock star status as a personal trainer it might be wise to consider the services of a business coach. Clients hire you as a personal trainer for the same reasons you should consider a coach. Your clients could learn to become fit by themselves but they are more likely to be successful with a trainer coaching them. You help your clients avoid unsafe exercises, demonstrate correct technique and provide results-oriented programs. Business coaches do the same for your business.

Business coaches have served other industries with great success for a long time. It’s only in the past year or two that a handful of fitness professionals has moved into business coaching. These business coaches know the industry and are helping trainers based on their own experience.

While hiring a business coach can’t guarantee success—you still have to do the work—it certainly will prevent you from making costly mistakes or heading down the wrong path. If you are looking for a career as a personal trainer, the right business coach will understand all the challenges you face and help you think about ways to get around each one.

The right business coach…

• Knows where the untapped markets are in the industry and how you can penetrate niche markets that other trainers don’t know about.
• Shortens your learning curve so you don’t fall victim to common mistakes, like writing content for your website that actually drives business away.
• Shares tips and strategies that let you make the most of every marketing opportunity, in print, in person and online. For instance, there are trigger words you can use in your marketing that actually stimulate people to buy.
  • Helps you understand the personal training business cycle and how to keep your income consistent.
  • Shows you ways to earn more money per hour. Instead of earning $65 an hour, you can earn $75, $125 or even $250 an hour.
  • Teaches you how to manage your schedule to create a demand for your services and avoid burn-out at the same time.
  • Gives you the organizational tools you need to plan for your financial future, take holidays and weather the occasional illness.

The investment you make in hiring a business coach can be one of the best decisions you make for your business. Why not use all the advantages you can get to earn rock star status? And the best part is that what you learn from a business coach will ensure you stay a personal training rock star for years to come.