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Personal training is a lucrative, high-demand industry that allows entrepreneurs to make a living while helping others. But how can you get started in this space? This blog post outlines the steps necessary for starting your own personal training business from scratch.
The “starting a personal training business checklist” is a list of things that you should do before starting your own personal training business. The “must have” text will be included in the paragraph that I write for this topic.
Clients who hire a personal trainer may increase their fitness levels. When you follow a step-by-step procedure that starts with research and a business plan, starting a personal training company is straightforward. Create a personal brand to help you get customers. A full-time personal trainer’s annual salary ranges from $30,000 to $150,000.
You should develop a website to market your personal training company before you begin. When someone Googles your name, your website should come up. Without a website, a company seems less legitimate. Dreamhost is a one-stop shop for creating websites. It may assist you with registering a domain name, obtaining hosting, and designing a website theme. Begin your journey with Dreamhost right now.
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You may use the following personal training business plan template to keep your company on track:
To download the template, click a link; if feasible, use Word since the Table of Contents updates immediately as you fill out the form. Word, Google Docs, and PDF are all acceptable formats.
In six easy steps, learn how to establish a personal training company.
1. Research Personal Training Business Ideas & Options
Before you start writing your personal training business plan, you need conduct some research and consider the following: What kind of services do you plan to offer? To whom would you pitch these services? What kind of certificates are you going to get, and how much will they cost you? What kind of environment do you want to work in? What equipment do you need to get that site up and running?
What kind of personal training do you plan to offer?
You’ll have to make various decisions concerning the personal training you deliver. Will you focus on a certain kind of training, such as bodybuilding, high-intensity, martial arts-related, or injury rehabilitation? What demographics would you want to train as well? There are ladies, men, young athletes, elderly, and those who are physically disabled. Will you provide dietary advice as part of your services? Is it going to be a full-time job or a part-time one?
The marketing, branding, and certification training you seek will be guided by your understanding of the sort of personal training you wish to deliver. In general, you don’t want your training to be accessible to everyone. The old adage is that if a product is for everyone, it’s for no one since the message isn’t tailored to someone in particular.
“I regularly discover that the busiest trainers are those that focused on goal-oriented and/or problem-solving niches. Running coaching (fixes faulty running form), yoga training for runners (recovery training after running), cycle coaching (fixes sluggish speed due to muscle imbalances), swim coaching (poor stroke form slows me down), and so on are among the most popular specialties in Boston. Focusing on a specialty not only distinguishes a trainer from the pack, but it also aids in the development of a referral network from other trainers who work with your target client.” Stick Shift Driving Academy Founder Giuseppe Frustaci
Certification in Personal Training
Certifications are important for personal trainers because they help build your knowledge base and add to your credibility. A popular certification is the National Academy of Sports Medicine’s (NASM) Certification in Personal Training (NASM-CPT), which costs anywhere from $524 to $1,499.
Other qualifications include the American Fitness Professionals Association’s (AFPA) Senior Fitness Specialist Certification and the American Fitness Professionals Association’s (AFPA) Youth Fitness Specialist Certification. The certificates offered by the AFPA range in price from $349 to $599.
First aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and automated defibrillation certification should be obtained by all personal trainers (AED). Locally, health training firms, college leisure facilities, the American Red Cross, and the American Heart Association may provide this instruction. Training in first aid, CPR, and AED costs roughly $100.
Select a Location
The opportunity to work in a variety of places is a benefit of operating a personal training firm. You are not confined to operating in a structure with a high overhead cost. You may coach individuals in public places, such as a park or the beach, as a personal trainer. You may also meet customers at their homes or have them come to your home for a workout.
Many personal trainers work as freelancers and lease space at a nearby gym. Online training is also becoming more popular. People searching for online training might use apps like Trainiac. Your potential consumer base grows from local to global when you market your services online.
Research Instruments
You may start looking for equipment after you’ve decided what kind of training you’ll provide and where it’ll take place. We propose that you buy secondhand equipment, which may cost anywhere from 40% to 60% less than new equipment. If you’re meeting customers in their homes for a training session, you may want to invest in some basic equipment that can give them a good exercise regardless of what they already have.
2. Create a business plan for personal training.
Every full-time and part-time personal training company need a business plan. A business plan is a strategic strategy that guides you through everything you’ll need to make your company successful. Most significantly, it has a part on financial forecasts, in which you will utilize data to forecast how much money the company will generate and spend over the following three years.
For you to use and edit, we produced a personal training business plan template. We suggest downloading the template in Microsoft Word format if at all feasible. We’ve given a Table Of Contents to make it easier to follow along with each area, but the page numbers will change as you fill in additional information. To save a Microsoft Word document, open it, then go to File, then Save As. After that, rename the document and save it.
The Google Doc is searchable, but it cannot be edited. To make the Google Doc editable, open the template by clicking the Google Doc link, then copy and paste our version into your own Google Doc. The PDF is a wonderful method to obtain an idea of the business plan template and is read-only.
To download the template, click a link; if feasible, use Word since the Table of Contents updates immediately as you fill out the form. Word, Google Docs, and PDF are all acceptable formats.
Business Plans: Traditional vs. Modern
An in-depth business report is comparable to a standard business strategy. A standard business plan is recommended if you’re looking for bank funding for a personal training club. The business plan template we made for you is for a standard business plan. A contemporary business plan, on the other hand, is a leaner model that can be completed in under an hour. It is also more visually appealing than a typical layout.
Because it can be completed quickly, a business model canvas (BMC), also known as a contemporary business plan, is ideal for the ordinary personal training firm. There are new components, such as the Value Proposition (which explains what you supply customers) and Customer Relationships, in comparison to the typical business plan (detailing how you maintain contact with clients outside of the training session).
The Channels portion of the business model canvas is where and how you reach out to your clients.
Analysis of Competitors
In a business plan, you need to include information about your competitors. For the Analysis of Competitors, list your top five competitors that are located within a five-mile radius―expand if needed―of your business. For each of the five competitors, list how far they are from your location. Include each competitor’s advantages over your business, and the advantages your business has over them.
Financial forecasts
The Financial forecasts section is the most difficult yet most important section of a business plan. This section is where you show how much money your business will earn and spend over the next 3 years. If you’re looking for an investor, they will want to see the Financial forecasts section first to learn how they will make their money back. The Service Corp of Retired Executives (SCORE), provides a free customizable financial projection template.
Software for creating business plans
Software for creating business plans walks users step by step through the writing process. Many business owners use software to help write their business plans because it tells them exactly what to do, often with video instruction. Most Software for creating business plans also takes the financial projection numbers and creates easy-to-read-charts. LivePlan is one of the most popular and affordable Software for creating business plans available at $11.66 per month.
“I strongly advise all entrepreneurs to spend time writing a business strategy. This exercise forces you to consider all areas of your new firm, including marketing, management, and funding. The exercise of developing a business plan will emphasize your strengths and uncover your limitations, motivating you to fix any gaps before laying the groundwork for your company.” Chris Beer, B.Well Consulting’s owner
3. Finalize Your Business’ Administrative & Legal Paperwork
Now that you’ve decided on the sort of personal training company you’ll start and have a strong strategy in place, it’s essential to establish legal arrangements before taking on customers. Because a customer might be gravely hurt, personal training comes with a lot of dangers and possible liabilities. To prevent any financial catastrophes that might wreck the firm’s or your personal finances, it’s essential to register your business as a legal entity with the state and to get personal liability insurance.
Get your EIN (Employee Identification Number)
The employment identification number (EIN) is a number given to enterprises by the federal government for tax reasons. Before you create a business checking account, many banks may demand an EIN. The EIN is free if you apply directly to the IRS. You may employ an online legal firm, such as Rocket Lawyer, to acquire the EIN for you if you don’t want to deal with the paperwork.
Business Registration for Personal Training
Every personal training company must register as a legal entity in the state where they do business. Creating a formal corporate entity, often known as a business structure, shields the personal trainer from personal financial obligation if the company is sued. A limited liability corporation (LLC) is the most prevalent legal entity (LLC). The cost of forming an LLC varies by state, ranging from $40 in Kentucky to $500 in Massachusetts. Start your company registration now for $99 plus state costs with Rocket Lawyer.
“For the corporation, incorporate or create an LLC. This will give liability protection for your personal training firm while also separating personal and professional assets. It will also assist you in establishing reputation more quickly than if you had not established the company.” MyCorporation.com CEO Deborah Sweeney
Your Personal Training Business Needs General Liability Insurance
Customer injury, property damage, and reputational harm are all covered by liability insurance for personal trainers. For example, if a customer slips and breaks their toe, the insurance would reimburse it if they claim your company is responsible for their damage. General liability insurance typically costs between $150 and $300 per year.
General liability insurance is available through a local insurance broker or online. Embroker is a web-based insurance broker that offers on-demand experience and technology to make buying business insurance easy. With Embroker, you may start looking for your suitable insurance coverage right now.
Embroker is a website where you can find out more about the
Business & Tax Licenses
A business license may be required depending on your city and state. You may require a work-at-home license if you see customers at your house. If you are discovered driving without this license, you may be fined. When a neighbor complains to the county, businesses are usually caught.
You may also need to register for a sales tax ID number if your company operates in a state that has one. For further information, go to your state’s official tax page.
Open a Bank Account for Your Business
It’s critical to establish a separate company bank account to keep personal and corporate funds separate. You should keep all revenue and expenditures from the training firm in one account in case the IRS conducts a tax audit. Combining income and spending in a personal account might make the audit more difficult. Most commercial bank accounts, such as Chase’s, need a minimum balance of $1,500 to avoid a monthly fee.
“My advice is to get your business ducks in a row before you ever start taking clients! Set up your business entity, get a business bank account, have a website and business cards. Training people is the fun part but keep it professional too.” ―Kourtney Thomas, Owner & Coach, Kourtney Thomas Fitness
4. Fundraise for your personal training company
A personal training company is a relatively low-cost business unless you have a physical site. Many personal trainers use their own money to start their company. If you don’t have that choice, there are alternative options for obtaining more cash. Taking out a personal unsecured loan is one possibility. Another option is to launch a crowdfunding campaign and pre-sell your services.
Fill out an application for a Personal Microloan.
A microloan is normally less than $50,000, which we consider inexpensive when compared to a standard bank loan, which typically begins at $100,000 or more. Microloans are less difficult to get than standard loans. The interest rate, on the other hand, is greater. A microloan is equivalent to an unsecured personal loan from a financial institution. You might anticipate to pay a 20% interest rate on a microloan, depending on your personal credit.
Locate an Investor
An investor is a person who puts money into your company in return for a share of the ownership, commonly known as equity. Because of the investor’s business knowledge, most company owners choose to engage with an investor rather than a bank. Furthermore, most new company owners are hesitant to take on additional debt.
It can be challenging to find investors. One of the best places to run across them is at local business networking events. Keep in mind, however, that before you begin actively seeking investors, you need to have a well thought out business plan with solid Financial forecasts.
Begin a crowdsourcing campaign.
A crowdfunding campaign is a method for companies to collect funds by selling items and services in advance as “rewards” for their efforts. On a website like Kickstarter, users often raise funds for a project before it is constructed. Around 5% of the total amount received will be deducted by a crowdfunding site. In addition, a payment processing fee of roughly 3% is normally charged.
Preselling memberships or training packages might help you collect money for gym equipment or space. You may, for example, schedule a single workout, five exercises, and ten workouts, all with different reward levels.
Also, for a lower incentive value, try selling swag goods such as branded T-shirts. For a personal training crowdfunding campaign to succeed, the owner must have a strong network of people who are interested in the services.
5. Invest in software for your personal training company
Software may help you automate and save time in your personal training company. Software for Client Scheduling allows clients to book appointments with you quickly and easily. Accounting Programs allows you to keep track of your earnings and expenditures. Billing Software for Customers makes it simple for customers to pay online and set up regular invoicing.
Software for Client Scheduling
Clients may book appointments online or via an app using scheduling software. Dealing with phone calls and scheduling training sessions becomes a thing of the past with this program. More than 50,000 firms utilize 10to8’s free scheduling software. The first 100 visits planned in a month are free.
Accounting Programs
Accounting Programs keeps track of business income and expenses. A small personal training business may not need Accounting Programs because there is only one type of income―hourly training―and expenses are minimal. However, as you grow your business and potentially open a physical location, you may want to look into Accounting Programs like QuickBooks to keep track of multiple income streams and expenses.
Billing Software for Customers
When you’re just starting out, you may charge customers each session with cash or a basic method like Venmo, a one-time online payment network. Members may owe greater payments as your firm expands, particularly if you start providing yearly prepaid contracts. You could also wish to provide your customers the option of setting up a regular payment arrangement. Set up recurring payments using tools like Square. Clients just have to submit their payment information once, and they will not have to do so again.
Software for Email Marketing
Software for Email Marketing is a convenient way to stay in touch with current, former, and potential clients. Personal training is a great industry for email marketing because there are many opportunities to provide valuable information to clients. Consider emailing current and former clients at least once a month with exercise and health tips. Mailchimp is an Software for Email Marketing that is free for the first 2,000 email addresses.
6. Promote Your Personal Training Company
For a personal training firm, marketing is crucial. You’re a new trainer, and your marketing methods will have to set you apart from the dozens of other personal trainers. For guaranteeing that prospective customers can reach you, tangible marketing products such as business cards and brochures are important. When someone searches for your name on Google, Marketing on the Internet tools such as websites and social media pages are critical.
“It’s critical to realize that you’re working in a sea of similarity. Survival requires differentiation. You must provide something distinctive and distinct. A simple exercise in positioning may help:
“Because (support point 1), Joe Trainer is the ONLY personal trainer who does/provides (unique benefit)” (support point 2). You’ll be fighting an uphill battle if you can’t think of an ONLY.” ProStrategix Consulting CEO Brian Cairns
Materials used in traditional marketing
Generally, Materials used in traditional marketing are considered physical materials like business cards, brochures, and flyers with contact information. Additionally, it can include your biography, case studies, before and after photos, and testimonials from happy clients. Branding training items is common. Consider making water bottles, towels, and stickers with your business name and logo.
Marketing on the Internet
Marketing on the Internet is using internet-based tools and platforms to reach customers. Some online platforms are standard, like websites, Facebook pages, and Google My Business (GMB) listings. Other tools, such as those that help with video marketing and email marketing can be used to keep your clients engaged.
Here are Marketing on the Internet platforms that all personal trainers should consider:
- A website functions similarly to an online billboard. Include numerous huge, high-resolution photographs on your website to demonstrate the services you offer. Include testimonials from satisfied consumers as well.
- Create a Facebook page if you want to use social media. Because your company is visual, Instagram will most likely be the site where you have the greatest success. Consider using Instagram Stories to stay in touch with your followers on a regular basis.
- Video marketing: Rather than photographs, video may better describe your training exercises. Short, real films about your training may be shared on Facebook and Instagram Stories.
- Email marketing: It’s critical to stay in contact with your leads and customers as your business grows. Email marketing is a cost-free method of doing so. Send instructive emails about training and diet once a month.
- GMB: Every company with local clients receives a free GMB listing, which is a Google directory listing. You may conceal your home address and have GMB advertise a service area radius around where you reside if you work from home.
Upload photographs and videos that showcase your personal training to your GMB listing.
Marketing on the Internet is always changing, which presents an opportunity for trainers who stay up to date with the latest changes. Social media and GMB will have feature updates most frequently. It’s important to keep up with their changes.
Marketing Package for Personal Training
You’ll encounter prospective customers in person and online as a personal trainer. It’s critical to seem well-organized and to have a marketing bundle that sums up your skills and history. The bundle might be a folder containing numerous sheets of paper or a digital PDF. Include your bio, a company description, client testimonials, client outcomes, many images, and even a video on the inside.
Clothing with a logo
Wearing a uniform that symbolizes your company might help you brand yourself. Many personal trainers wear shirts with their company’s emblem and key colors. If you’re starting a firm with numerous trainers, have them all dress professionally in your branded T-shirts or collared shirts. You could also consider offering branded tees, tanks, sweatshirts, and shorts for consumers to buy and wear.
How to Start a Personal Training Business: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The most commonly asked questions regarding how to establish a personal training company are answered in this section.
Are personal trainers highly compensated?
Personal trainers may earn a lot of money. The average hourly wage for a personal trainer is between $50 and $60. As the demand for your services grows, that price may rise. People will hear about your achievement if you help them reduce weight and increase muscle. You’ll also need to be well-organized if you want to transform your $60 per hour into 25 sessions per week, which would net you $1,500 per week.
Is it possible for me to personal train without a certification?
Yes, you may train without obtaining a certificate. Before establishing a personal training company, though, it’s a good idea to receive first aid, CPR, and AED training in case a customer has a medical emergency. Local first aid training firms, institutions, and the American Red Cross provide this instruction. They’re around $100.
Is it possible to make a living as a personal trainer?
Personal training may be a lucrative profession. You set your own schedule. You are allowed to wear whatever you choose. You have the option of working in a range of settings. You get to witness others, as well as yourself, progress physically. You may also raise your hourly charge as your customer base grows and demand for your services develops.
Is there a demand for personal trainers?
Personal trainers have been in higher demand over the previous 5 years, according to market research firm IBIS World. This increase in demand has been spurred by those interested in weight reduction and tailored training routines.
Conclusion
Personal training may be a successful and satisfying business. You have the opportunity to assist others in physically transforming their bodies and improving their health. Your hourly pricing will rise as your customer base expands and demand for your services rises. Getting new customers and building a brand for oneself might be difficult at first. However, once you have, you may easily make $50 to $60 each hour.
A website is required for any personal trainer, whether they work full-time or part-time. Your website should appear when a prospective customer searches your name into Google. If it doesn’t, you’ll instantly lose credibility. Dreamhost is a one-stop shop for all things online. They can help you get a domain name, set up hosting, and design your site. Begin your journey with Dreamhost right now.
Take a look at Dreamhost.
Fitness business plan examples are a great way to start your own fitness business. This article will outline the steps that you need to take in order to create your own fitness business plan. Reference: fitness business plan examples.
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