Thinking about training as a PT? This can be a fantastic career that many enjoy, but it is often not as simple as just finding clients and getting them to lift weights or sprint on a treadmill. When you are responsible for other people’s health, you need to make sure that you are able to put the work in to deliver the results they want to see, while also ensuring that you have a healthy and profitable business.
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Qualifications
Just because you know how to put together a workout plan for yourself does not mean that you will be able to do it for other people. PTs have to be able to create unique plans for clients of all different body types and needs. You need to make sure that you are correctly educated on all types of training. Looking out for some personal trainer courses can be a great move.
Not only will it give you the expertise you need to be able to deliver the results that your clients will want to see, but it will also give you actual qualifications. These will be very attractive to potential clients and any gyms that might wish to hire you. They will instantly make you appear more of an authority and will also make you feel more trustworthy.
A Business Plan
Whether this is to be your main source of income or something that you do on the side, you need to make sure that you still have a business plan in place. You will be developing yourself as a brand, and the business plan will be a key document in helping you achieve the goals of your business.
It does not matter how good a PT you are, if you don’t have clients then you are not going to be able to build your brand. Without a business plan, you will have no direction in terms of how you might attract new customers, and you might have no idea as to how much you should be charging them. You don’t have to be a business whizz, but you do have to have the basics down, and the business plan will be at the heart of everything.
Insurance
You need to make sure that you as a PT are properly insured. There are too many things that can go wrong, and a claim against you can easily bankrupt you if you don’t have the right means for protecting yourself here. Many gyms won’t even let you train your clients there unless you are properly protected.
Let’s take an example here. You spend time with a client teaching them how to correctly deadlift. When they go in to train for themselves, they try to deadlift on their own but do so incorrectly, injuring their backs. They then launch a claim against you since they got hurt whilst supposedly following your guidance. This type of claim can be expensive to fight and can result in a massive bill to pay. Insurance can help to cover the cost of such a claim and will allow you to continue working as a PT.
Becoming a PT means that you need to get to grips with the business part of being self-employed. It often isn’t enough to decide to become a PT because you personally love working out. You need to have the motivation to help people and need to be willing to put in the effort to learn how to own and operate a business too. If you are able to do so, you will be on the road to becoming a great PT!
