The fitness market is denser than ever since people started taking a keen interest in their health. Many new gyms and fitness centers have popped up that offer a wide range of services. Once clients see good results, they are less likely to leave their current gym and join a new one. As a result, it’s harder than ever for personal trainers to get new clients and equally tougher to keep the older ones.
Fitness boot camps are a great way to show off your skills and make clients see the value in signing up for your services. These boot camps are easy to organize and are quite cost-effective as well. This blog will tell you all you need to know about fitness boot camps.
What Is A Fitness Bootcamp?
A fitness boot camp is a type of short fitness training class that mixes different forms of exercises to give targeted results to clients. A boot camp uses weight lifting exercises, stretching, interval training, and even strength training in the same workout to give faster results to the clients. These camps push the clients harder than regular workouts, and that’s why clients can see visible results quickly.
Fitness boot camps are a great way for personal trainers to find new clients and get their names out in the market. This combined with instant results, gives them leverage when getting new clients. Clients who see results are more likely to join the trainer’s program or gym than regular marketing tactics.
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Why Should You Consider It For Your Personal Training Business?
Here are some of the most common benefits your business can avail by running a boot camp.
Gets More People Interested In Your Services
Boot camps are designed in such a way to get people quickly interested in your services and offers. When you schedule a boot camp, it’s usually targeted towards a specific aspect of people’s fitness. For example, some boot camps are geared towards getting abs in 15 days, while others are for losing 10 pounds in 2 weeks.
Some boot camps teach people the basics of yoga, aerobics, or any other specific exercise. Looking at these offers will get people interested in your services more, and they might even look into other services you offer and sign up for a membership. In the end, you’ll likely end up with t a few more clients than you originally had.
A Good Marketing Tactic
People are more interested in services that offer value. So in comparison to simple marketing tactics, running a boot camp will get more clients interested. Boot camps generally require less signup money and offer faster results. Once you get people to sign up for your boot camp, it’ll be easier for you to extend more promotional offers and get them to sign up for your membership. For example, at the end of the boot camp, you can offer clients an additional discount if they sign up for your services. Or you could ask them to sign up for your online classes and work out from their home.
Quick Results For Clients
Because boot camps combine lots of different forms of exercise, clients see results faster. In addition to the different forms of exercise, trainers also give clients a specific diet plan because boot camps don’t last long and make it easier for the clients to stick to their diet plans. Something they might not do during regular workouts.
This combination of diet plus intense workouts leads to faster results, and clients can see their transformation at the end of the boot camp. Not only that, but trainers are usually much more involved in the training process and can easily guide people.
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It’s Cost-Effective
Most of the time, boot camps are held outdoors or in a fitness center without the need to have workout equipment and machinery. As a result, the trainer only needs to arrange for the space, some weights, and workout mats that everyone can use. Most of the cost can be recovered when enough people are signing up for the boot camp unless it’s a free one.
So, in the end, the actual cost of the boot camp is quite low, and the trainers can promote their work without using expensive marketing tactics. Besides that, the trainers also gain a few more clients, so that pays off in the long run as well.
No Lengthy Commitments
One of the most common reason trainers struggles to get new clients is because clients don’t like long-term commitments regarding fitness. We all know that fitness is a slow process, and it takes time for people to see results. Not to mention that progress for different people happen at different rates. However, clients don’t consider these things and want quick results.
That’s why boot camps are a great way for clients to get interested in your business. Once they see quick results, they’ll be compelled to sign up for the full services that you offer and invest in their long-term fitness.
Can Target Different Groups
Boot camps are generally held for a few weeks and are targeted towards a specific group of people with similar fitness goals and ages. This makes it easier for the trainers to develop exercise programs that can help achieve faster results. This also means that you can organize multiple fitness camps based on different demographics to get people from all walks of life interested in your business.
You can run a yoga boot camp or a special senior boot camp with instructors that specialize in senior fitness. This will not only get you more clients, but it’ll also expand the scope of your fitness business.
If you’re a personal trainer and want to expand your skillset, enroll at W.I.T.S. Education today! W.I.T.S is a fitness training institute that offers several courses related to fitness training. These courses include senior fitness instructor, youth fitness instructor, group exercise instructor, and even courses related to fitness management.
In addition to that, W.I.T.S Education is also the only institute that is accredited by the NCCA and offers college students course credits for finishing their training. Their courses have online classes along with hands-on in-person training labs that ensure the students have the relevant practical skills. Their labs are located all over North America, so what are you waiting for enroll today!
Group fitness and personal training are two of the most in-demand professions in the fitness world. Not just that, but these professions are one of the highest-paid as well. Both of the fields require extensive fitness training to acquire certifications. Even after that, you might need additional certifications to expand your services and build a client list.
Group fitness instructors work with a number of people with similar goals, while personal trainers work with people on the individual level. People can join group classes for weight loss, wellness, yoga, and even muscle building. On the other hand, personal trainers offer services based on the needs of their clients. Here’s a more in-depth analysis of the two professions and how you can choose which one to pick.
What Do Personal Trainers Do?
Here’s a general breakdown of the services offered by personal trainers.
Individual Training
The main reason people seek personal trainers is that they can work with their client’s schedules and offer personalized training that targets their individual needs. Personal trainers usually take into account their client’s mental and physical needs. For example, any underlying health issues, fat count, and even any allergies or physical injuries that could prevent them from working out in groups. A personal trainer can also help clients reach specific goals like building muscles or losing weight in a dedicated time without causing harm to their bodies.
Training Based On The Client’s Interest
Personal trainers can offer general fitness training, or people can hire trainers who have any specific requirements. People can get a personal wellness coach or a weight-loss instructor depending on what they’re looking for. This is the reason why the field of personal training is quite versatile, and trainers from every industry can become personal trainers after finishing a few certifications. Many athletes have personal trainers who can train them to be the in the sports that they play. For example, footballers would require different fitness routines as compared to tennis players.
Can Work In Gyms And Homes
Another great career option for personal trainers is that they can work with clients one-on-one in their homes or offer training at the gym. Many gyms hire personal trainers keeping in mind their client’s needs. They can offer bodybuilding training or weight loss training. Clients going to the gym need to adhere to the gym’s guidelines, and the level of training they receive is based on their membership. On the other hand, at-home trainers are hired based on the requirement of the client, and they charge a fee accordingly. They’re also required to work with the client’s schedule, not the other way around.
What Do Group Instructors Do?
Just like personal trainers, group instructors can offer several services, but instead of an individual approach, these instructors work with groups. Here are some of the descriptions of their jobs.
Generalized Workouts For Groups
As the name suggests, group instructors work with people with similar fitness goals. For example, people can do yoga with a group instructor, join a running group, or take gym classes with a group instructor. The bottom line is that these instructors train many people in the same time frame. This obviously means that people don’t get a lot of individual attention, but that doesn’t mean the trainer doesn’t consider that at all. The trainer monitors individual progress and helps people who need individualized training, but it’s not on the same level as a personal trainer.
Work With Similarly Aged People
The main reason why people opt for group fitness training is to work with people with similar fitness goals. That’s why most of these groups have people from the same age group or demographic. For example, a group may consist of women who want to do yoga or a group of senior citizens who want to achieve better health. To offer this training, the trainers need to develop sessions that target the needs of these groups. The instructor may change the long-term goals of the group depending on the progress of each member.
Specialized Exercises
Say a group of people want to build abs in the next three months, a group fitness instructor can develop workout routines that can help them achieve these goals. The same goes for any other type of goals the clients might have. Some instructors offer their sessions involving yoga, weight loss, or bodybuilding.
Which One Should You Pick?
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in the fitness world but can’t decide which one of the two you should pick, try looking at the following aspects to come to a conclusion.
Where Do You Like Working?
This plays a huge role in picking your career. Would you prefer working in a gym and fitness center, or would you prefer the client’s home or your own studio? If you like working with a lot of people and you think you can pay attention to their individual goals, you should think about pursuing group instructor certifications. On the other hand, if you like to work with clients one-on-one, you should try for personal training certifications.
What Type Of Workouts Do You Like?
This can also influence your decisions. If you like intense one-on-one training, then you should go for personal training. If you’re interested in leading a group workout, then a group exercise instructor is for you. Your preference can also depend on the type of workouts you offer—for example, senior fitness group, youth fitness group, or weight loss group.
Are You Targeting A Specific Demographic?
It’s easier to deal with a specific demographic if they’re in a group. Personal trainers target a wide audience, while group fitness instructors can pick an age group and develop different workouts for them based on their requirements.
If you’re looking to become a certified personal trainer or a group fitness instructor, you can check the courses offered by W.I.T.S. Education. W.I.T.S. is a fitness training institute that offers several courses. Some other courses offered include youth fitness instructor, medical fitness instructor, and senior fitness instructor. W.I.T.S is also the only institute that is accredited by the NCAA and offers college credits to its students.
They also offer in-person and online hybrid courses that ensure that their students have the relevant practical skills. Their training centers are located all over North America and W.I.T.S. is the only institute that offers hands-on in-person practical labs. Take a look at their courses or get in touch with them today.
It’s no secret that people are more cautious about their health and fitness now than they were ever before. As a result, the fitness industry has expanded and has become one with the wellness industry. People want a lot more from gyms compared to before. They don’t want to go in, work out on a few machines, and then go home. Instead, they want their needs to be catered to.
For example, some people might want age-appropriate workout routines, while others want to build muscles. These are two quite different requirements and can’t be fulfilled by the same fitness trainer. That’s why as a gym owner, you should invest in a diverse group of trainers to ensure all of your clients get some value from your establishment.
Why Should You Hire A Diverse Range Of Trainers?
These days people select a gym based on the number of services it offers instead of just looking at the equipment. In the past, gyms usually had personal trainers who helped reach their fitness goals, now things have changed. Since the fitness industry merged with the wellness industry, people expect a lot more from a gym than just a place to work out. They want more options that can cater to their individual requirements, including medical ones.
That’s why gyms are under constant pressure to cater to the needs of the clients. Having a diverse range of trainers can help your gym offer a wider range of services along with taking care of their different needs. Not to mention you’ll be able to pull in clients from different walks of life and grow your business.
What Type Of Trainers Can You Hire?
Here are the different types of trainers you can hire at your gym to expand your business and get more clients. Not only that, but these trainers can work with different clients to help them reach their fitness goals.
Personal Trainer
A certified personal trainer is a must for every gym. These trainers are responsible for making sure that each client follows through with their exercise program properly. Not only that, but they also make sure that the exercises are performed with proper posture, positioning, and form. Otherwise, the clients can pull a muscle or two and end up in quite a lot of pain.
Besides training, these instructors work with different clients and go over their fitness goals to determine which exercise program would suit them the best. In some cases, these personal trainers also help develop diet plans for the clients so they can reach their goals faster and won’t suffer from workout fatigue.
Body Builder Trainer
It’s no secret that a lot of people hit the gym to build their muscles and develop their bodies. But bodybuilding is a lot different than simply working out and gaining a few muscles. In bodybuilding, clients need to follow a rigorous workout and diet plan before seeing any progress. Not only that, but they also need to develop their endurance and take supplements that heal their muscles faster. Otherwise, they won’t see the desired results. That’s why they need trainers that specialize in bodybuilding to help these clients reach their goals.
Another important factor to consider during bodybuilding is that it requires consistency. Normal personal trainers aren’t that invested in their clients, but bodybuilding trainers are trained to motivate their clients and push them to work out more.
Group Exercise Instructor
A group exercise instructor is trained to help clients with similar fitness goals workout together. For example, if people want to try aerobics, it’s more productive if they do it in a group instead of individual training. But group exercise instructors work differently than personal trainers. That’s because they need to keep an eye on the individual progress of each client and make sure that the entire class is on schedule.
These instructors are trained to deal with all sorts of people and make them work together as a group to reach their fitness goals. Group exercise instructors are a great addition to gyms that frequently do boot camps.
Senior Fitness Instructor
Senior citizens have started taking quite a lot of interest in their fitness. That’s why gyms across the country are becoming more inclusive and allowing special sessions for seniors to get fit quickly. However, elderly people usually have a lot of health issues, including issues with their bones and joints, which prevent them from working out with regular clients. Not to mention, most trainers aren’t equipped to work with the elderly.
On the other hand, senior fitness instructors are trained to develop exercise programs that align with the fitness goals of these senior citizens and won’t be too harsh on their bones and joints.
Medical Fitness Trainer
To expand their clientele, gyms and training centers need to cater to individuals who suffer from chronic conditions or have disabilities that may prevent them from working out normally. Medical fitness instructors are trained to work with people suffering from chronic illnesses such as arthritis and people with disabilities.
These trainers can identify different chronic disabilities and modify exercise plans to fit the clients. They need to consider different factors, including physical and mental health, along with any ongoing medication, before they can suggest a workout plan. This is something regular trainers aren’t equipped to do.
Yoga Instructor
Yoga is one of the most popular forms of exercise these days, and due to its low impact routines, many people opt for it. But to excel in yoga, people need to perfect the postures and form, or else they won’t see any results. Personal trainers don’t have sufficient knowledge to help clients interested in yoga. This is why you need to hire a certified yoga instructor to teach the clients. These instructors monitor the client’s posture, form, and how they execute each pose so they can perfect it and see quicker results.
If you’re interested in getting a fitness trainer certification, join W.I.T.S. Education today! W.I.T.S is a fitness training institute that offers multiple courses for people looking to enter the fitness industry. Their courses include a personal trainer course, group exercise instructor course, youth instructor course, and many more.
In addition, W.I.T.S. Education is the only institute that has been accredited by NCCA and offers college credits to students. Their courses have online classes along with hands-on in-person training labs that are located all over North America. W.I.T.S Education is focused on equipping its students with practical knowledge instead of making them book smart. Take a look at their course catalog and enroll today.
The fitness industry is becoming quite dynamic and is constantly changing. As a result, trainers need to keep up with the new trends in order to maintain their clients. At the same time, new trainers can use these changing trends and jump-start their careers. In the past few years, the gap between the fitness industry and the wellness industry has shrunk, and many fitness specializations are mingled with the wellness industry.
Fitness trainers with a background in the medical field can take advantage of this unique position in the fitness industry and become medical fitness trainers or fitness nutritionists. Similarly, certified personal trainers can become wellness coaches or weight loss specialists.
With institutes such as W.I.T.S Education, it has become quite easy for trainers to get additional accredited specializations that’ll help them broaden their career prospects. Whether they want to work for a gym or start their own business, these specializations can help them achieve their goals.
Job Perspectives In The Fitness World
Despite the pandemic, the fitness industry has remained afloat and is constantly thriving. This happened mainly due to the industry’s fast adaption to the changes caused by the pandemic, such as online learning and certifications. A major part of the fitness industry has been occupied by wellness and lifestyle coaching as a lot of people needed to get back on track after the extensive lockdowns.
Not just that, but many new career paths have opened up for fitness trainers. They are no longer constrained by the options of working at the gym or becoming personal trainers. Today many established and new fitness trainers can further their careers in different fields related to fitness, such as group fitness, senior fitness, and even youth fitness. Not just that, but many fitness training centers and gyms have started offering these pieces of training to their clients.
As a result, fitness trainers get a lot more options to work than before. Their changes are increased when their certifications are accredited, and they can also get higher paychecks. So, in terms of job perspective, now is the best time to enter the fitness world, make a name for yourself, and advance your career.
Why Should You Take Special Specializations?
Specializations help you further your career prospects as well as let you offer diverse services to your customers. Your clients can get a higher level of service that considers their health and fitness. Instead of basic exercises and weight loss, your clients can now opt for wellness coaching that takes care of their fitness and health needs.
Besides that, specialization plays an important role in setting yourself apart from the rest of the trainers, which means lesser competition and a chance to reach more clients. General trainers are good for the gym, but when people pay extra for their fitness, they demand special services. You can only deliver these if you have the relevant certifications. In addition to that, you can combine your extensive knowledge from different specializations to deliver a truly unique workout and wellness routines to your clients.
Last but not least, specializations allow you to generate more income. When you offer special services, it’s given that you’ll charge more for them. The attitude of people towards fitness has changed drastically in the past few years. They are willing to pay extra for special services that can help them reach their fitness as well as health goals.
Which Specializations Can You Take?
The fitness and wellness industries are quite broad and therefore offer many options to prospective fitness trainers to work with clients on a more personal level. Specializations offer in-depth knowledge of specific areas, and you can combine this knowledge with your knowledge of fitness training. This combination allows you to offer a wider range of services that can tackle different problem areas of your clients.
Some certifications require a medical or nutritional background, such as medical fitness trainers and nutritional trainers. As a personal trainer, these certifications allow you to turn your fitness training into full-fledged wellness coaching. Here are some of the top specializations you can take today!
Medical Fitness Specialist
Medical fitness is an emerging field in fitness work that skillfully combines physical movements and exercises for people that suffer from chronic health issues and disabilities. As a medical fitness instructor, you’ll be responsible for analyzing each client and developing a fitness plan based on their individual needs. The plan would include physical exercise as well as a diet that can help people suffering from such conditions to improve their health.
You’ll also be required to coordinate with medical professionals to find the best course of action to improve your client’s health. Aside from that, you’ll need to monitor the client’s progress and modify your exercise and diet plans accordingly. Medical fitness courses teach you how to plan exercise routines, understand chronic conditions, and treat them properly using fitness.
Lifestyle Wellness Coach
Wellness coaching is considered vital to the overall long-term health goals of your clients. The basis of this certification is to create an exercise program that is geared towards mental and emotional wellbeing in addition to physical. As a wellness coach, it’s your job to create innovative ways to help your clients reach their goals while staying on top of their health.
Wellness coaching can be taken by medical professionals, occupational therapists, massage therapists, and health coaches. Your diverse background will aid in strengthening your career as a wellness coach. You’ll be able to make exercise plans, diet plans, and other activities that help your clients reach a peaceful state of mind.
Senior Fitness Specialist
Fitness is not the same for everyone; health, age, and physical limitations play a huge role in changing the fitness requirements for each individual. Among such are senior citizens that struggle the most to reach their fitness goals because of the lack of options for trainers. This is where senior fitness comes into play. As a senior fitness instructor, it will be your responsibility to identify age-related changes in the bodies of your clients and adjust their fitness routines accordingly.
The specialization will teach you how to assess the fitness of each individual client and design exercise programs for each of them. You’ll also be responsible for developing short and long-term fitness goals for them, keeping in mind their health and fitness. You’ll also need to take into consideration the behavioral changes that can affect the older population and devise strategies to overcome them. This will help you keep your clients on track.
Youth Fitness Specialists
Youth fitness is extremely important to help the kids improve their cardiorespiratory fitness, strengthen their bones and muscles, and avoid obesity and other health issues from a young age. These fitness techniques keep in mind their mental health as well and prevent or reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression. As a youth fitness instructor, you’ll be required to develop age-appropriate exercises for the kids, check their daily diet, and modify these exercises based on their progress. Due to the different growth levels of kids, it’s impossible to make a single plan that’ll work for everyone. The exercises and subsequent diet need to match the growth rate of each individual.
Group Fitness Instructor
In simple terms, group fitness instructor specialization allows you to conduct group fitness classes. The common exercises included in group fitness are aerobics, yoga, stretching, muscle conditioning, and exercising. In this type of fitness, you’re responsible for developing an exercise routine that will be followed by the entire group. The important thing to keep in mind is that this routine should be developed based on the needs and fitness level of each client. You’ll also be responsible for creating programs that include different exercise formats such as cycling, kickboxing, sports training, and gym classes.
You’re supposed to lead these group exercises as well as monitor the progress of each member of the group. You’ll need to make changes to the routines to ensure everyone is on the same page fitness-wise.
Nutrition Coach
A fitness nutrition coach is different from a fitness instructor because they help people overcome their health issues through diet and nutrition. They are responsible for developing healthy diet plans for people, keeping their health and fitness level in mind.
As a fitness instructor, a nutrition coach certification will allow you to monitor the physical as well as the dietary requirements of your clients. Instead of targeting exercises, you’ll be using nutrition as well as exercises to help your clients live a healthier lifestyle. Not just that, you can expand your expertise to different age groups and deliver age-appropriate health plans to your clients.
Fitness Management Specialization
If you have all the necessary certifications and want to start your own fitness business, you’ll need to learn how to manage it. Fitness management training allows trainers to tackle key issues related to business. These issues include membership purchase and client retention, offering trial memberships, developing programs to capture a wider range of clients, recruiting staff and purchasing equipment, and managing risk and legal liabilities.
All of these things are hard to come by without any proper knowledge of running a fitness business. This is why a fitness management course will help you understand the legal and management related aspects of your fitness business
How To Pick Your Specializations?
To pick a fitness specialization for yourself, you need to consider a few things. The first would be the age group of clients you want to train, the kind of training you want to offer, and the trends in the fitness industry regarding specializations. Once you’ve decided which one you want to go for, it’s time to pick an institute. W.I.T.S. Education has an excellent range of fitness specializations to choose from. The following are the few things you should keep in mind before settling on a specialization.
Your Preferred Age Group?
Age groups play a huge role in fitness specialization. If you are an aerobics instructor, your clients are likely younger. The same thing goes for youth fitness. These days, one of the most overlooked groups, the senior citizens, is taking a keen interest in fitness. That’s why the prospects of senior fitness specializations look great. There’s a shortage of credible trainers, and the market is huge.
On the other hand, youth fitness is an emerging field as well. Because of the pandemic and the new schooling rules, children don’t get to do as many physical activities as they used to. AS a result, parents have turned to trainers to ensure that their children are getting the proper physical training to keep up with their growth rate.
Your Educational Background
If you have a background in the medical field, such as a nutritionist or occupational therapist, medical fitness is perfect for you. This certification has a few prerequisites that are needed before you can begin the course. With your background and qualifications, you can easily take the medical fitness course and expand your expertise. Not just that, but the earning potential in this field is high too because people are willing to pay good money to find great trainers.
Your Preferred Interests
If age and educational background aren’t your main points of focus, then maybe you should select specializations based on your interests. Ask yourself what do you like about the fitness industry and specialize in that. For example, you might like leading groups exercise sessions, and you have the potential to become a good group fitness instructor. Or you might want to manage gyms and fitness training centers; then you should opt for the fitness management specialization.
The Trend In The Fitness Industry
Currently, the fitness industry is merging with the wellness industry. Workouts are no longer about reaching your ideal weight or building muscles rather, a vast majority of people want to get into fitness to improve their health and mind. As a result, there are many specializations you can take that combine the wellness industry with the fitness industry. These courses will help you develop exercise and wellness programs for your clients.
If you’re looking to get a quality education to further your fitness career, take a look at the certification offered by W.I.T.S. Education. W.I.T.S is a fitness training institute that offers general fitness training courses as well as unique specializations that set you apart in the dense market. Some of their special courses include the medical fitness trainer course, senior fitness instructor course, and youth fitness instructor course.
These courses allow you to expand your services as a fitness instructor and make a name for yourself in the industry. Not just that, but these courses also increase your chances for employment. W.I.T.S Education has a unique learning method that involves online lectures as well as hands-on in-person training labs that are not offered by any other institute. Their training centers are located all over North America. Check out their courses or reach out to them today to learn more.
In the past decade, people’s attitude towards fitness has changed. Almost everyone these days is involved in some form of fitness to keep themselves in top shape. As a result, the fitness industry has grown quite a lot. Many new businesses are thriving and offering custom services to clients. Despite COVID, the global health industry is projected to grow steadily in the coming years.
This gives perspective to certified personal trainers who wish to start their own fitness business. But starting a business is easier said than done. There are a lot of key factors that need consideration to build a successful business. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
Do Your Research
As an entrepreneur, you’ll need to do a lot more work than regular businesses to get your idea off the ground. This means lots of extensive research, looking up niches, and predicting the next popular trends. Luckily for you, a lot of information will be available on the internet. You can look up business reports of already established companies to understand the industry trends.
Aside from that, you’ll need to figure out the legal stuff that needs to be taken care of before you can start your business—for example, registration, bank accounts, and investments. If you’ve got the finance, you can hire a financial advisor to help you set aside budgets and plan your business.
If not, you can make use of the countless free sources on the internet to help you out. Keep in mind that the free sources are usually generic. If you want a customized plan, you’ll need to spend some money.
Identify Your Target Market And Get Certifications
The first thing you need to do is figure out your target market. Even in the fitness industry, there are a lot of specific certifications and services that clients look for. This is why it’s important to determine where the majority of your clients would come from. You’ll need to take your qualifications into considerations as well because you can’t offer medical fitness services if you’re only registered as a personal trainer.
If you want to make your mark in an upcoming niche, you’ll need to enroll in courses and get the relevant certifications. On the other hand, you can hire people if you want to capture an upcoming niche. Another thing to keep in mind is the licenses. A lot of fitness niches these days require licenses in addition to proper certifications. For example, in the field of medical fitness and senior fitness, you’ll need the Medical Fitness Facility Certification before you operate your own facility.
Identify Your Competition
This is the most important thing a lot of new entrepreneurs forget is to research their competitors. For wellness and fitness businesses, the one main advantage is that if the competition isn’t in your area, you can somewhat ignore them. If you’re going to be an in-person business, your competition will be the businesses operating in your area that cover the same niche as you. But as we all know, after Covid, everyone is rushing to gain a dedicated online presence. AS a result, your competition can come from anywhere in the country.
You’ll need to study their business model and understand how you can compete against them and create a better service. For example, if your business will offer hybrid training sessions while the competition only has online sessions, you can gain leverage by marketing to the local customers. Or you can offer personalized services that will give clients better results at the same time. The options are many, but it all depends on your approach and business plan.
Create A Business Plan
After doing your market and competitor research, the next step is to develop a business plan to put your findings into action. Business plans essentially follow the same pattern regardless of the nature of the business. These plans are extensive and involve in-depth market research, competitor’s services and analysis, plan for marketing your services, plan for deriving sales, and financial projections. You need to describe all of the mentioned things in great detail so that potential investors will take you seriously.
This is especially important if this is your first business venture and you don’t have any prior experience in setting up or running a business. Because investors only invest their money when they find someone serious and credible, which is difficult if you’re starting out. These metrics and in-depth industry research would strengthen your case, and the financial projections would ensure the investors that your business will thrive in the long run.
Invest In A Good Insurance Policy
Now that you’ve got the basic things done, you’ll need to start worrying about how you’ll offer the services and where you would offer them. For example, if your business provides offline training, you’ll need a facility that can accommodate clients and has the relevant equipment. As an entrepreneur, you won’t be able to purchase such a facility unless you’ve got a lot of money. Instead, you’ll need to lease it for a period of time. Even with the lease, you’ll need a financial guarantor that’ll take responsibility if you’re late on your payments.
For that, you’ll need liability insurance. This insurance will help you protect your personal assets from the business ones in case your business runs into issues. It’ll keep you from going into debt and losing your personal assets. Many companies offer liability insurance plans at an affordable rate. But don’t go for the one that’s the cheapest; contact a few companies and go through their quotes. Figure out which one’s the best option for you, even if it’s a bit pricey.
After that, you’ll need to figure out the insurance of your equipment in case there’s an accident. Gym equipment costs a lot, especially if they’re some specialized medical equipment, and often clients are not careful with their usage and can damage such equipment. You can’t blame the clients as it will show poorly on your business ethics. The next best thing is to get the equipment insured. That way, if there’s an accident, the insurance company will pay for the damages.
Get An Employer Identification Number (ENI)
In order to file taxes and avoid penalties, you’ll need an ENI. ENI is also useful in opening a bank account in your business’s name, taking out loans, speeding up the process, and establishing credit for the business. The ENI can be obtained online by registering through the IRS. After registration, you’ll get your Employer Identification Number within minutes. Keep in mind that if your business is owned solely by you, you won’t be required to get the ENI.
However, if you’re opening your business with partnerships, then you’re legally required to obtain an ENI. Even if your business is operating as a sole proprietorship, it’s a good idea to get an ENI number for the benefits mentioned above. It’ll also help you establish your business as a separate entity and make it easier for you to expand it.
Have An Interactive Website
The first step in giving your business a face has a website. Many new business owners go through all the legal stuff and don’t pay much attention to having an online presence. Everything these days is online; if potential clients want to find a fitness training service, the first thing they’ll do is look online.
If you don’t have a website, chances are you’ll lose good business. An important thing in creating a website is to make it interactive and user-friendly. Many businesses fail to get customers because their website is cluttered, and there’s no proper information regarding their services. These businesses only focus on getting their contact information out so clients can reach them.
You have to understand the dynamic of how things work these days; people want to know as much as they can about a business before they set up an appointment. Meaning, putting out your contact information won’t do your business any good. Instead, try showing your services with descriptions, pictures, and videos to give the clients an understanding of your business. That way, clients will be compelled to get in touch with you, and you’re more likely to get business.
Install The Right Equipment
If you decide to market yourself as an in-person or hybrid trainer, you’ll need to invest in some workout equipment to facilitate your clients. The equipment you’ll need will depend on your services. For example, if you’re offering yoga classes in the park, you’ll need to make sure that all your clients have a yoga mat and relevant yoga equipment like an exercise ball or a resistance band. Having equipment will also make a good impression on the clients, and they’ll consider your services more credible, which is what you need to spread word of mouth to other potential customers.
Similarly, if you’re gearing up to launch a full-blown gym service, you’ll need proper weights, treadmills, stationary bicycles and other exercise equipment that satisfies the needs of all of your clients. Besides getting the equipment, you’ll need to get it insured. Be sure to look up different insurance policies for different pieces of equipment. If the equipment is for medical use, it’ll be a lot harder to repair in case of any damages. So you’ll need to select the policy carefully.
Invest In Online Training Platforms
Being an in-person only or online only trainer will limit your clients. What you need is to offer both services so you can reach local as well as out-of-city clients. But with online programs, you’ll need to do extra research. How will your programs run? Will you offer a bundled-up program for a fixed price, or will your sessions be interactive and delivered through an online learning system?
If you choose the latter, you’ll need to invest in a Learning Management System (LMS) to deliver your lessons and track your client’s progress. On top of that, you’ll need to develop a proper interface so your clients can signup and use the LMS easily.
Brand Image And Marketing
For an online business, brand image is the most important thing. You may have noticed that many brands have great products and services, yet they fail to gain many customers. While some have mediocre services but a high influx of clients. That’s all in the brand image. The more your market your service, the more audience you’ll reach. But it isn’t just about marketing; you’ll need the audience to relate with you. For that, you’ll need to make demographic-specific campaigns to get the attention of the audience.
Social media is a great way to reach youngsters and young adults, but what about the older population? Well, some of them use social media, while some of them don’t. So, you’ll need to employ new and old-school marketing tactics to reach them. This means extensive social media marketing as well as email marketing.
Expand Your Expertise
This step comes a little later. Once you’ve established a sizable clientele, you’ll need to expand your services to get more clients and keep the existing ones interested. There is two way to do this; one, you can enroll in other certifications like a medical or senior fitness course, like the ones offered by W.I.T.S. Education and become a certified instructor in these fields. Or you can hire more crew members to give more personalized training. For an online business, it’s easy for you to get further certifications and expand your services.
However, for in-person training, that’s next to impossible. You’ll have new clients and existing ones coming in expecting personal training. You won’t be able to do this alone, so in this scenario, it’s better to hire more experts.
Are you looking for a certification that’ll help you manage your fitness training business? Take a look at W.I.T.S. Education’s Fitness Management Course. This course is specifically designed for people who wish to run their own business in the fitness industry. Besides that, at W.I.T.S., we offer many courses related to fitness training such as Personal Training Course, Health Management Course, and Senior Fitness Course. Each of our courses is designed keeping in mind the latest developments in the industry. Check out our top courses.
Apart from that, college students can take advantage of our NCCA accreditation system and earn credits for their courses toward their college degrees. If you want to learn more, feel free to contact us.
Clients come and go – as a certified fitness trainer, the trick in keeping your business going strong and your client list high to make consistent efforts to attract new clients. You must expand your skill set to attract new clients, from continuing education online fitness trainer programs to specialized personal health training programs.
If you put in a great deal of effort, it will become easier to have clients lining up for your services. Learn how to market yourself effectively. Here are four ways to attract new clients and use your passion for fitness to improve the lives of others.
Invest In Social Media
Digital is the best way to go. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter linked with your website will allow you to target the right type of audience. Email campaigns or social media campaigns work best to build a higher client ratio but make sure you have contact info or chat windows for them to engage you.
If you’re just beginning your journey as a personal trainer, then W.I.T.S offers in-person and online options for all learning best practices. You can explore multiple personal trainer certification options and sign up for webinars as per your need.
Prove Your Value As A Certified Personal Trainer
World Instructor Training Schools, W.I.T.S., Personal Trainer is the only organization to receive NCCA accreditation in the health trainer programs’ with practical skills and theoretical knowledge. There is no replacing hands on skills and mastering them to have long time success
Start your health and fitness career with the industry’s most comprehensive certifications. Through W.I.T.S, you can become certified as a personal trainer, group fitness trainer, older adult trainer, and much more.
Offers Courses in Universities and Colleges
Seeking out to offer courses in universities and colleges is a great opportunity to network and build your professional resume. W.I.T.S. teaches health, fitness, and overall wellness in educational institutions because this is a health occupation where you change people’s lives.
W.I.T.S offer fitness certification courses and certification testing locations all over North America. Gain knowledge at the largest college and university-partnering network in the fitness industry.
More Than Certification: Education/ Training Courses
Attract your clients based on the other services you offer apart from fitness. Establish expectations of what customers will experience from your variety of services.
W.I.T.S offers much more than just certifications to its clients. A higher learning standard is maintained and followed to ensure your career skills are effective and safe for clients and long term success.
If you’re looking for a personal fitness trainer certification or a group exercise instructor certification, W.I.T.S has got you covered. Contact us today to start your journey into the fitness industry!
If you wish to keep up with the fitness industry, you have to be aware of the latest trends in technology. Ever since COVID-19, people have become curious about their fitness routines and overall wellness.
The combination of fitness technology and digital fitness has been reshaping our industry for some time now. This is not just from the consumer (gym-goer) but also the supplier (gyms/ personal trainers). Gym-goers now are more interested in their workouts, eating habits, mindfulness, and quality.
Here we look at top three fitness technology trends that fitness trainers should incorporate in their programs.
Wearables All The Way!
The fitness sector’s top trend of 2020 that has made its way into 2021 has been wearables. Fitness freaks and gym-goers are more inclined towards these because of the detailed health information collected by these devices.
In addition, these devices give fitness explorers a chance to design their workouts so that they address certain concerns and meet their wisely identified fitness goals. There has been a large emphasis on at-home fitness where the users pair their virtual workouts with several devices such as smartwatches, fitness trackers, etc. When paired with artificial intelligence, the data collected from these fitness wearables opens up a world of possibilities for the industry.
If you have a passion for fitness, you can have the perfect opportunity to turn it into your dream career with W.I.T.S.
Virtual Fitness Is Indeed A Reality!
Virtual reality is not just a way to navigate the challenges presented by COVID-19 but is one of the best trends of the post-COVID world. Several mobile apps and social media platforms provide records of virtual workouts and remote coaching services.
Virtual fitness opens up a range of opportunities for fitness enthusiasts, such as planning training programs and encouraging people to stay fit at their pace at economical prices. It is without a doubt an exciting dimension in the fitness industry. This has helped people with their workouts immensely and allows them to work out for longer periods.
If you’re a fitness professional looking to improve your capabilities, at W.I.T.S, you get to experience high-quality health and fitness education workshops to improve your capabilities.
Smart Equipment
Wearables aren’t the only devices that can track your progress; say hello to smart fitness exercise machines that can provide clients a never experienced before work out.
Having this technology in your gym is a plus as it gives real-time feedback to the client, boosts their workout regime along with increasing a positive word about your gym or studio. It will give the clients a new reason to visit your studio.
These cloud-connected pieces of equipment enable the trainer to keep track of their client’s training progress and keep the staff updated about the maintenance of the machines. Become a certified exercise instructor with W.I.T.S.
W.I.T.S is the first fitness industry to get NCCA Accreditation in testing the written core knowledge and practical skill competencies. Turn your passion into your dream profession and start your health and fitness career today! Contact us.
Every year, thousands of college-bound high school seniors compete for a limited number of spots at prestigious schools, hoping to leverage that prestige to get a high-paying job upon graduation. Similarly, thousands of aspiring personal trainers and group exercise instructors become certified each year, hoping their credentials will open doors to a gratifying and lucrative fitness career.
But in both cases, the name of your accredited institution only takes you so far. Once you land your dream job, you had better hope that your education prepared you to perform the day to day tasks your position requires.
Bridging the Experience Gap
One of the biggest challenges to beginning a new fitness career is the experience gap. Employers are rarely willing to take a chance on a new hire who needs hours of training before they can step into their work role. In the case of fitness jobs like personal trainer or group exercise instructor, it is not enough to be passionate about fitness. You need to be able to translate that passion into useful skills that help your clients and students safely reach their goals.
Most online certifications, even those whose reputations hold some clout, provide you with plenty of head knowledge, but when it comes to practical skills, you are on your own.
Practical skills needed to be an effective fitness professional include:
Experience conducting health history interviews and needs assessments
Experience conducting fitness assessments
Knowledge about fitness equipment and how to adjust it for each client
Ability to assess and correct alignment and exercise mechanics for a variety of fitness levels and body types
Knowledge of programming, to create effective balanced exercise sessions or group exercise classes
Communication skills for group exercise and personal training
If your fitness certification does not provide you with practical skills training, you will face a huge learning curve when it comes to job performance, and most fitness employers do not provide on-the-job training. They are looking for confident experienced employees who can step into the job on day one and perform like pros.
What Gym Managers Say About Fitness Certifications
To get the employers’ perspective on hiring and certification, we spoke to some managers and business owners of local fitness clubs and studios. We asked them about what they look for in a new hire, and the importance of certification, Here is what they had to say:
“Certification in general is important, but we also look at the certifying body. There are certain certifications that demand in-depth knowledge, and others that are basically diploma mills. Even if you have an exercise science degree, your choice of certification says a lot about your commitment to your profession.”-Tiffany, Fitness Director
“We have been hiring W.I.T.S. certified trainers for years, because they not only know about the science of fitness, but they have been trained to perform on the job. That saves us money in the long run, because the employee is more likely to succeed on the job and become a long-term staff member. Training and turnover are two big costs for any employer, so we are very selective when it comes to new hires.” -Scott, General Manager
“It’s one thing to be into fitness and know how to put together a workout for your friends. It’s another thing to be able to work with unfit clients of any age and any body type, and help them reach their goals. A lot of new trainers do okay with younger clients who just have a few pounds to lose, but they don’t know what to do with, say, an older person or someone with serious health issues or disabilities. We love W.I.T.S. trainers and instructors because they come from diverse backgrounds, and they know how to work with a broad range of clients.”-Stacey, Fitness Studio Owner
Getting the Most from Your Fitness Certification
If you are thinking about becoming a certified fitness professional, ask yourself these questions before selecting your certification program:
Does the certification program include lectures and workshops taught by qualified instructors, or is it all self-study?
What subjects does the certification course cover? Does it include foundational science, programming, injury prevention, special populations and communications skills?
Is there a hands-on practical skills element that teaches hard job skills?
Is the certification program accredited by educational bodies like NCCA, American Counsel on Education, IACET and other recognized organizations?
Does the certification program provide opportunities for internship and job placement?
Does the certification program offer relevant continuing education?
If you are already certified, think about how you can leverage your certification to make the most of your fitness career:
Keep up to date with the latest research and fitness trends by reading blogs, participating in webinars and listening to podcasts.
Attend fitness conferences and networking events.
Never stop learning…our industry is still young, and rapidly evolving. That means countless opportunities to grow and earn!
No More Excuses
Getting W.I.T.S. certified is one of the best career decisions you can make for a bright and lucrative future as a fitness professional. Our easy payment plans and options for live or online learning eliminate time and money constraints, and our friendly staff is here to support you every step of the way. So what are you waiting for? Stop making excuses and step into your future as a W.I.T.S. certified fitness professional TODAY!
Each year, W.I.T.S. conducts surveys with all of our alumni and in particular, students who have completed our Personal Trainer Certification. It’s great to find out how they are doing in their career and to see so many being successful. However, we started to notice that some were leaving the profession. When we investigated further, we found that some of the most dedicated fitness professionals had to leave the industry because they were unable to earn a living. More specifically, they were uncomfortable with “sales” and asking clients for money, contracts, and business.
So, for July, we are going to focus on Successful Sales Strategies. After reviewing our Introduction to Sales Fundamentals, Lead Generation and Prospecting Strategies, and Managing the Buying Cycle courses from our Sales Institute, I came up with key themes and tips that are essential to successful sales.
Strategy #1: Sales requires follow-up and follow through! One isolated conversation, phone call, or email is not going to get you clients. Regardless of whether a prospect shows interest in the first conversation, it is important to keep in touch, check-in, and stay on their radar. Who knows when they may change their mind? Perhaps you can help them do so!
Strategy #2: Ask the right questions and LISTEN to the answers! Too often we are so eager to tell prospective clients about ourselves and what we do, that we fail to find out about them and their needs! Ask questions—listen to the answers—and then show how you can help them achieve their goals.
Strategy #3: Show EMPATHY! When a prospect expresses interest in your services, they have some sort of need or concern and need your help. Lifestyle change and behavior change are difficult. Health issues can be challenging. The fitness club may be comfortable for you, but others may be intimidated, scared, or uncomfortable. Demonstrating empathy for your prospective client will help build a relationship and show that you genuinely care about them!
Sales are really about relationships and most of us pursued a career in fitness because we value relationships and genuinely want to help people! But, like anything else, there’s a right way and a wrong way to “sell.”
So, what successful sales strategies do you follow? Please share YOUR tips and ideas!
I look forward to hearing from you!
Amy
Is your certification getting ready to expire? Do you need your CECs for your renewal? Email us at ogray@witseducation.com to find out about our new online courses and FREE course promotion.
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