Running your own personal training business is an exciting and rewarding career. But it’s also packed with potential pitfalls that can cause stress and problems. These can negatively affect your revenue, professional reputation, and the experience of your clients too.
In this article – we share 5 of the most common business mistakes that personal trainers make, along with how you can avoid them.
Mistake #1 – They Charge Too Little
Many personal trainers undervalue themselves, especially when they’re first starting out. This means that they charge the minimum amount that they think clients would be willing to pay. Sometimes they research what other PTs are charging and then price themselves a little bit lower.
Unfortunately, this leads to a race to the bottom and won’t generate a viable salary long-term.
It’s why so many people leave the profession – they don’t earn enough to make ends meet. Which is hugely disappointing when it’s a career you love (not to mention the amount of money you’ve invested in getting qualified).
Fix it by ⇒ Charging what you’re worth! Learn about pricing strategies and how you can charge clients what you’re worth. There are plenty of online resources like YouTube videos and blog articles that can help.
Mistake #2 – Not Having a Pro Website or Email Address
There are lots of things that separate professional personal trainers from amateurs. But not having a pro website or email address is one of the most obvious ones.
We’re always surprised by the number of fitness professionals that run their business via makeshift DIY tactics. Having a Facebook page instead of a website or Gmail address instead of professional contact info is pretty common. Yet, according to research by Visible Logic, 70% of people think this looks unprofessional.
“70% of people think that a has a non-domain-level email address on a business card looks unprofessional”.
If you just want to train local clients as a side hobby and rely on word of mouth, then perhaps you don’t need a website. A Facebook page or Google Business Profile may be enough (although you don’t have full ownership which opens up an element of risk). But if you’re serious about running a successful business, then you’ll need to get this sorted ASAP.
If you want to command premium pricing, then you’ll need to come across as a professional. A Gmail address or Facebook page doesn’t do the job and looks amateur. It gives the impression that this is just something you’re doing on the side – not a real business.
Fix it by ⇒ Setting up a business website and associated email address, then linking that so you can still read the emails using Gmail. It may seem daunting but it’s actually not difficult, especially with drag and drop tools like Wix and Elementor.
Mistake #3 – Not Utilising Video
Video is one of the most effective marketing channels for building awareness and converting clients. If you’re not using it as part of your business strategy, then it’s time to get involved. According to Renderforest…
- 80% of global internet consumption is video content.
- Businesses that use video grow revenue 49% faster than non-video users.
- Marketers who use video content get 66% more qualified leads per year.
- 70% of businesses report that video converts better than any other mediums.
Using video in your PT marketing is more engaging than other formats and helps to build relationships. The majority of people prefer it to reading text, so it’s vital to include it in your strategy.
Fix it by ⇒ Adding Facebook Live, Instagram Live, YouTube, or vlogging to your marketing mix.
Mistake #4 – Not Prospecting
One of the biggest mistakes that PTs make is not generating leads on a consistent basis. In fact, not prioritising sales activities is a common career mistake fullstop. This results in a ‘feast or famine‘ situation where they’re cycling between fully booked or struggling to get by.
Even if you’re fully booked, it’s important to keep feeding your client pipeline.
Take time to maintain relationships and keep in touch with prospects. This way it’ll be easier to reach out if client numbers do drop and you suddenly need to fill some gaps. You won’t be contacting them out of the blue and asking for something, you’ll have nurtured the relationship already instead of having to start from zero.
Fix it by ⇒ Dedicating time to prospecting, even if it’s just 2 hours each week.
Mistake #5 – Not Planning Ahead
Another key mistake we see is personal trainers failing to plan ahead. They just focus on day-to-day activities and don’t have a plan for growing or scaling their business. But this means their revenue will always remain where it is and they won’t be able to generate more.
“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you always got”.
Spending time on a business plan or marketing calendar will help with this. It’ll force you to think about what you want to achieve long-term and how you can get there. Whether it’s increasing your revenue or freeing up more time for travelling, having a plan is crucial.
Fix it by ⇒ creating a marketing plan for the next 3 months that outlines your business goals and the strategies you’ll use to achieve them.
By avoiding these five common mistakes, you can save yourself time, money, and stress. Taking action will help to make your PT business more profitable and gear it up for long-term success.
⇒ Want more tips on running a successful personal training business? Check out more articles here.
