…Researched and contributed by Solomon Thomas.
Being a personal trainer can be an incredibly fulfilling career.
You have the ability to help people transform their lives and better themselves.
In addition, you can be your own boss and work flexible hours to suit your lifestyle and any other commitments you may have.
If you are passionate about fitness and have excellent people skills, then a personal training career could be perfect for you.
Prioritise education
Any successful personal training career is based on knowledge.
Even if you have been an avid gym-goer yourself for years, there are likely to be gaps in your knowledge that you will need to fill to offer PT services professionally.
It is a legal requirement to gain an official qualification as a personal trainer, and you also won’t be able to work in a gym without proper accreditations.
Take some time to research different training providers for personal training qualifications to find the best one for you.
Make sure to read reviews from others who have completed the courses to help gauge which one you should take.
In addition to a personal training qualification, it could also be beneficial to undertake training in first aid and nutrition to help stand out to future employers and provide additional services to your future clients.
Gain experience
Once you have gained the necessary qualifications, you can begin work.
You will first need to decide whether you want to be self-employed or employed.
There are benefits to both, so you will need to carefully consider what is going to work best for you.
Being self-employed means you can dictate your hours and rates but requires more administration in terms of acquiring insurance, paying your own taxes, and onboarding clients.
Being employed by a gym may give you more security but gives you less freedom and may mean that you need to conduct group classes as well as 1-2-1 sessions.
There’s no need to wait until your studies are over to start finding clients.
Having a shortlist of potential names means you can hit the ground running as soon as you are qualified.
It could be beneficial to offer to train some family or friends, to begin with, to help build your confidence and start your portfolio.
Market yourself
An important element of being a PT is marketing yourself to gain new clients.
Use a mixture of traditional and digital marketing methods to attract the most possible customers.
Create informative booklets that detail your services and rates, and with permission, distribute them in gyms and locally to where you intend to work, such as in cafes and shops.
Make sure to include your contact information for any inquiries.
Create a business page on Instagram to promote your services.
Create a range of informative and educational content to showcase the types of workout plans you can build, as well as how to improve form.
It is important to remain consistent with this and be proactive in responding to any comments or messages.
This will help grow your brand and attract new clients.
Becoming a personal trainer requires hard work, dedication, and a passion for fitness.
With the right qualifications, experience, and marketing, you can create a successful career as a personal trainer and make a positive impact on people’s lives.