Personal Training Business Books

5 Personal Training Business Books Every Fit Pro Should Read

Personal training business books can be hit or miss. They’re either too sensational (with promises of a 6-figure salary) or frustratingly outdated (no, leaflets are not a legitimate marketing tactic in the internet age). We’ve read pretty much all of them over the years so have curated a list of the best ones to help you avoid the duds.

In this article – we share the 5 best personal training business books that every trainer and fitness coach should read.

There are plenty of books about exercise science, sports coaching, and fitness training techniques. But to be a truly successful personal trainer, it’s vital to have a sound knowledge of business too. With so many (sometimes terrible) PT books to choose from, we thought it would be helpful to narrow down the options to the most effective ones.

Trainer Essentials articles are written by qualified personal trainers with 15+ years of fitness industry experience. We’ve helped thousands of PTs to embark on their careers, level up their coaching, sales, and marketing skills, and grow their own training businesses.

These picks cover entrepreneurship, career advice, branding, pricing strategy, and more. But if you have another suggestion for one that should be added to the list, then let us know via social media.

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases but this hasn’t influenced our decision to include these particular books. They’re all excellent and we’d recommend them regardless!

#1 – Ignite the Fire

This book’s tagline says it all: it’s about the ‘secrets to building a successful personal training career. And it’s written by someone who truly knows what they’re talking about – Jonathan Goodman, founder of the Personal Trainer Development Centre (PTDC).

It’s essential reading for any personal trainer, fitness coach, or anyone thinking of pursuing these job options. The book explains how to build a successful career from start to finish, from getting certified to perfecting your sales pitch. Plus, unlike the other personal training business books on this list, it’s available for free via Kindle Unlimited.

Read more about this book in our in-depth Ignite the Fire review.

#2 – How To Sell Personal Training

This personal training business book will teach you how to sell your services with confidence. It’s not like other sleazy sales books and really is an alternative guide for those who don’t like the hard-sell approach. The book walks you through the exact steps to finding profitable, long-term clients and earn a decent wage.

How To Sell PT Book Tablet

The book explains how to improve your sales skills, get more clients, and increase your income way above the typical average. It condenses 10+ years of fitness sales and marketing knowledge into 7 chapters and covers all the info we wish we’d known when first starting out…

  • Why You ARE Cut Out For Selling (Even If You Think You Aren’t)
  • Essential Selling Skills For The Ethical Fitness Pro
  • Identifying Your Ideal Client
  • Establishing A Client Base
  • Networking & How To Approach People In The Gym
  • Creating Effective Testimonials
  • Closing The Sale & Handling Objections

Unlike most personal training books, it’s in PDF format. This means it also includes practical templates, scripts, and worksheets to help you put what you learn into practice. We love that it comes with all these additional freebies and is our pick for one of the best personal training business books.

#3 – The 4-Hour Work Week

This is our top pick for business books as it’ll teach you to think outside of the norm and develop an entrepreneurial mindset. Tim Ferris explains how to build a business that’s scalable and won’t be limited by the hours you can spend training clients.

It’s a fantastic start book for trainers who want to learn how to start and grow their own business. There’s also lots of practical guidance on identifying opportunities, freeing up your time through automation, and then using that extra time to pursue your passions.

You might also like… these professional development tips for personal trainers.

#4 – Premium!

Are you charging what you’re worth? Would you like to command higher prices but feel hesitant about whether people will pay more?

This book teaches you how to establish a premium personal training offering so that you can boost your revenue and increase your salary. Learn why you shouldn’t be charging the market rate, which services will generate the highest prices, and how to increase your client base despite charging more.

#5 – How To Style Your Brand

Do you know what most personal trainers suck at? Branding. It’s often seen as a ‘nice to do’ but the truth is it can make or break your PT business. Particularly if you’re competing with super-cool boutique training studios…

This practical book guides you through the entire branding process for your business. It’ll show you how to attract your ideal clients and position your PT brand as a premium player. Create a logo, colour palette, and overall design that looks professional without the expensive price tag.

Bonus Business Book – The One Thing

The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan is about adopting a strategic mindset to get more in less time.

It’s perfect for busy personal trainers who find themselves with a long to-do list or feel like they aren’t achieving much despite working constantly. This popular best-seller will teach you how to get better results with limited time by focusing on ‘the one thing’ that’ll have the greatest impact.

Best Personal Trainer Business Books Pinterest