6 Awesome Facts about a Personal Trainer Salary
If you’re planning to become a Personal Trainer then your top priority will be to start your personal training certificate or personal training diploma course. This will give you a recognised level 3 REPs accredited qualification and you’ll then be ready to start working with your very own clients. But how exactly do you start earning your personal trainer salary once your fitness industry training is complete?
Check out our need to know facts that will help you well on your way to success.
1 – Fabulous Freelance
Pick your own hours, be your own boss, set your own prices, there’s lots to love about choosing to personal train clients on a freelance basis. Compared to working in a gym earning a commission or paying a rental for using the gym’s space this is by far the most lucrative option.
With a freelance Personal Trainer charging from £40 upwards as you fill your diary with bookings you’ll be incrementally growing your Personal Trainer salary along the way.
Here’s a few examples:
- A Personal Trainer starting out charging £40 per hour with 15 bookings per week would earn in the region of £29,000 per annum before tax.
- As your client base grows if this increased to 25 bookings per week on the same £40 per hour rate, then the estimated annual income would be £48,000 before tax.
- Once you’re working with a wider client base and a full diary of appointments, let’s say 35 hours per week, then assuming the same rate your Personal Trainer salary would be passing the £67,000 mark, pre-tax.
Of course not everyone thinking about a completing a level 3 Personal Trainer course is looking for a full time role. It’s a really popular part-time choice and a great way of supplementing an income.
- A Personal Trainer charging the same £40 but working part-time for 7 hours a week would earn more than £13,000 a year before tax.
2 – The Sky’s the Limit
It’s easy to assume that once your diary is full then you’re personal training at your maximum capacity. Well don’t be fooled, there are numerous ways to grow your career and income beyond the capacity of your own hours and diary.
- Work with another Personal Trainer in your locality who you can pass clients to.
- Enlist the support of Fitness Instructors and provide boot camp sessions and similar high intensity strength orientated programmes.
- Become a brand ambassador.
- Work with a business associate such as a nutritionist, sports masseuse or life coach and charge a monthly fee. This adds value to what you can offer your clients and rewards you at the same time.
3 – The Pay by Block System
The best Personal Trainers know that it’s crucial to keep regular bookings in the diary. As your business grows you’ll develop a base of regular clients together with others who use your service on a more short term basis.
Reward your regular customers with a percentage discount for paying in a block. This can be of varying size to accommodate different budgets. For example, a monthly block of ten sessions for a twice a week client might command a 10% discount.
4 – Gain Free Gym Access
If you’re just staring out and building up your client base then it’s well worth adopting the mantra that cash is king. This means that the income you earn you want to hold onto and minimise your costs. A great way to achieve this at the outset is to offer some voluntary hours where you work in a gym in return for the ability to personal train clients from their facility. This is also a great way to get yourself known, build your reputation and attract new clients.
5 – Remember Things Go Up
It’s all too easy to end up on the payment treadmill and forget to increase your prices over time. But can you think of an organisation that doesn’t increase their prices at least on an annual basis? Gym memberships typically increase and it follows so should your prices. Keep an eye on your market and consider what’s reasonable. Then chat to each client to find an agreeable level.
6 – Have on-line Services
Whether it’s body building, weight loss, the 15 minute workout, race training, fitness assessments or something else, your website is a great way of widening your service. Not everyone can afford a Personal Trainer but they may choose to purchase a programme or invest in your diet plan.
The Academy of Fitness Professionals provide the gold standard in accredited fitness industry training with state of the art courses fully endorsed by REPs, Skills Active and the NCFE. Their specialist knowledge features in the UK health and fitness media including the Mirror, BBC2 and Women’s Running. This is the ultimate learning destination for those serious about their fitness industry education and long term career as a Personal Trainer.