Maximising your Personal Trainer Salary

Did you know…

• There are personal training clients who will pay a premium for your expertise?
• There can be huge differences between the hourly rates of gym based versus freelance personal trainers?
• There are ways to provide additional client focused services that will boost your income?

Charge a Premium for Your Expertise

Clients who present complex needs will seek out high calibre personal trainers with advanced level qualifications and significant industry expertise in corrective exercise.

It takes time to hone your skills and develop in your role, however if you’re keen to work with complex clients there are a few things you can do from the outset to accelerate your career.

With advanced personal trainers charging £50 to £100 per hour expect to earn 25 to 50% more for your expertise.

Action Point

• To set the ball rolling seek out an advanced qualification such as our diploma in personal training.

Set up your Own Freelance Business

There are many benefits to starting your personal training career by working in a gym.  A steady stream of potential clients awaits and you’ll have the benefit of working as part of a team learning the ropes from more experienced personal trainers as you go.

The flip side however is that the gym will take a cut in your earnings.  This can take many different forms and examples include; charging you a rental, paying you a commission on the money you bring in for the gym, or requiring you to complete a defined number of hours fitness instructing in return for use of the facilities.

As a freelance personal trainer you set the agenda and determine your own prices.  These should be based on your expertise, local competition and session duration.

You are able to maximise the time you spend working on your own personal training business and every penny you earn (after costs and tax, of course!) is yours.  For these reasons you can expect your personal trainer salary to be higher and you get to decide how many clients you’ll see each day.

Expect to earn 30 to 50% more per hour by choosing the freelance route.

Action Point

• Be in the know with business skills training created specifically for newly qualified personal trainers opting for the freelance route.

Offer Client Specific Services

The business term for this is upselling, seeking out ways you can do more for you customer and boost your earnings at the same time.  Gyms have been doing this for years with member discounts on the spa, restaurant and kids holiday camps for example.

The secret in going about this is to think carefully about your client base and pinpoint the services that can add the most value by improving client holistic health.

Popular services that complement personal training are a nutrition and weight loss service, boot camps and kids instructing.

Action Point

• There’s not better place to start creating additional services for your clients than to ask them how you can help them further.

The Academy of Fitness Professionals provide the gold standard in accredited personal training courses with state of the art training 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.

T – 0845 270 1990

E – info@aofp.co.uk

W – www.academyoffitnessprofessionals.com