Are you interested in starting a business in the fitness industry? If so, one of the most popular options is to become a personal trainer or fitness instructor for a particular skill like yoga.
We’ll take it for granted that you’re already in great shape. But what else do you need to do to be successful in this industry? Here’s a guide to the essentials.
Get Certified
You may have been doing yoga since you were five and you may know all there is to know. But unless you can show some kind of proof of your abilities, you’re going to find it hard to make a career out of your skill.
The best option is to get certified.
Getting yourself a respected certification will cost money, but you will be investing in your future. You will not only learn essential skills, but you will also find it easier to attract new clients because you will be seen as a professional.
Start by looking at the certifications provided by the American College of Sports Medicine or the International Sports Sciences Association, but there are other options too.
Get Some Experience
Before you go it alone, you should aim to get some experience working for an employer. This is not always necessary, but it can help.
Work as a fitness assistant, get a job down at your local gym, and pick up the skills you need because this will make the transition easier.
Find a Space to Work
If you want to create your own business as a self-employed instructor, you’re going to need a suitable space.
This might mean renting space in a gym, or you might be able to provide lessons from home. Just make sure you have somewhere you can use that is suitable.
Get Insured
Before you start taking on clients, do yourself a favor and get insured. Even if you are a personal trainer providing your services from home, there is a risk involved.
A client could become injured, they might be unhappy with your advice, or they may claim that you did not do what you said you would. Any of these can end up in a claim against you, and that can be very expensive. The legal fees alone can be very high.
So always consider investing in online insurance for personal trainers. This will give you peace of mind to focus on doing your job to the best of your abilities.
Sort Out the Business Side of Things
If you launch your own business, you will also need to spend some time learning about your accounts and taxes. You might need permits to start offering a fitness service in your area, so don’t do anything until you know what you need.
Speak to other people offering similar services, research online, hire an accountant, and consider hiring an attorney to help you get off to the right start.
Start Offering Classes
Once you are ready to go, start offering classes. Begin by deciding on your niche. For example, you might know that you want to provide yoga, but competition might be fierce in your area. Could you offer a niche service like yoga for the elderly?
Find something that you like doing and for which there are enough people to provide you with a constant stream of clients. It might take you a while to work it out, but that’s fine. The most important thing is to start finding work.
Bring in More Business with Marketing
To start with, you might offer classes to friends and family, and this will help you to get experience. You should also tell everyone you know what you are doing, and talk about it on your social media accounts to make sure you get the word out.
Over time, you will start to get referrals and repeat clients, and things will get more settled.
But also look at other ways of marketing your services. Advertise in local publications and stores, use online advertising, start up a blog, and do what you can to make sure people know what you do.
Take Your Skills Further
Finally, never stop learning. Invest in your education so that you can learn about new services you could offer. For example, you could learn about nutrition and add that as an extra service.
Keep up to date with the latest techniques in your niche and get some more certifications, and this will show that you are serious about what you do. This will give your clients more confidence, which can help you to stay busy and even charge higher rates.
