So you’ve got your fitness qualification and are now ready to start training your first few clients.

But what happens next?

In this blog we consider the top 3 dilemmas newly qualified Personal Trainers encounter and how to tackle them head on.

1 – How do I find my first few clients’?

Don’t be all things to everyone. Think about the type of trainer you want to be and carefully consider the service you offer.

Be it small group sessions, one to one training, kids coaching, boot camps, obesity or something else, to truly stand out and get off to a great start you need to be clear on your offer and the type of clients’ you wish to attract so that you can move in the right direction.

Then it’s time to get proactive. Be it free trials, taster boot camps, circuit training, a complimentary talk, walking the gym floor or some or all of these, you represent your service. The secret is to proactively interact with those people around you who are your potential new clients’.

2 – Where do I begin?

Before you start working with clients it’s worth spending a little time behind the scenes on some essential housekeeping. This will make sure you’re safe to practice and provides a helpful benchmark to your potential new clients’ that you’re a credible trainer.

So make sure you have;

• A valid First Aid certificate (including CPR)
• Public liability insurance
• Have REPS membership (or similar) to Personal Trainer Level 3

3 – How can I truly stand out?

Figure out early on what marketers would call your Unique Selling Point (USP). What is it about YOU that stands out from the crowd as the ‘go to’ Personal Trainer? Base your decision on a genuine area of interest and need within your marketplace. Great examples include weight loss, post natal, body sculpting and senior fitness.

With the ever increasing demand for trainers and the expanse of the internet more and more clients are seeking out specialist trainers and are willing to pay a premium for their expertise! Whilst a generic Personal Trainer may charge £25-£40 per hour, a specialist trainer can charge at least double this rate.

Choosing to work within a specialty market like client cardiac rehabilitation, for example, positions you as an expert and opens up many avenues and possibilities. The solution you provide is to help the client lead as normal a life as possible post cardiac event and/or post operation. Your role would be to assist clientele who fit the bill with effective exercise program design and coaching generating yourself recurring, financially profitable appointments.