Starting a new business can be exciting and overwhelming simultaneously. When taking your first trip into the business world, you are most likely to experience some successes and failures in your early months. However, the road to success is like a rollercoaster with several highs and lows. But if you are going to start a business, there are some pitfalls you should avoid. Here are four common mistakes to avoid running an insanely successful personal training business.
Charging too little
Many personal fitness trainers make this mistake when they are starting. It is easy to assume that charging little can help them attract the most clients. However, they only end up undervaluing themselves, which leads to low sales eventually. Many people who took to this approach left the profession since they couldn’t generate any sustainable salary in the long term. Even if you are in a career you love, it’s just a matter of time before you quit since you cannot generate enough income to make ends meet.
Not assessing clients
Not all clients can benefit from a complete fitness assessment. Yet, every client requires some form of evaluation. For instance, new clients who are out of shape due to an unbalanced diet and sedentary lifestyle will require a complete battery assessment like sit-ups, pushups, etc. This way, you can collect their data to determine their benchmarks and help them achieve their fitness goals. It is vital to avoid skipping the ‘paperwork’ part during the screening and assessment process. This should include a liability waiver, health history, and consent form, which can be handy in the event of an injury. You can likewise benefit from exceptionally skilled personal injury attorneys in an injury lawsuit.
Lack of proper planning
If you are familiar with the famous phrase – failing to plan is planning to fail, you know how important it is to plan. Unfortunately, this is a common mistake even for the most seasoned personal trainers. Many focus on everyday activities rather than planning to grow or scale their business. Statistics in June 2021 showed that one in every five fitness businesses shut down permanently in the aftermath of the pandemic, with many more facing a similar fate. At this point, it helps to invest time in building a business or marketing plan to help you figure out your short, medium, and long-term goals.
Not investing in network building
Like other allied health professionals, licensed fitness professionals have a practice scope that defines their practice. While it is tempting to invest all your resources into building your training business, strategies to acquire and retain clients, and churn out profits, it is crucial to have other professionals be part of your business network. For instance, you can use a physical therapist to help with client concerns over a nagging injury or a dietician to advise on proper dieting for your specific clients. Everyone is wired differently, and there isn’t one formula for achieving every client’s fitness goal. However, an excellent professional network should help you devise a plan and routine for every client.
