26 | FITPRO NETWORK

Have you ever wondered how personal trainers build hugely successful businesses? Yvette Nevrkla elaborates with seven mistakes to avoid.

7BIGmistakes

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26-27 big mistakes.indd 26 13/3/09 12:43:14

FITPRO NETWORK | 27

1 Trying to be a personal trainer for everyoneThe majority of personal trainers think they

need to serve anyone and everyone but the

truth is that no successful business does this.

When you look at personal trainer websites,

it’s impossible to tell the difference between

one trainer and another and this makes

it difficult for potential clients to identify

the right professional for them. Failure to

define your place within the market makes

building a strong foundation for your business

very difficult. Get it right and you have the

foundation to creating a steady stream

of clients.

2 Failing to think with a business mindsetAre you thinking like a person who owns

a business or as a self-employed personal

trainer? It’s sometimes easier to think and

behave like an employed service professional

and to be led by your club and the industry.

But by doing this you end up doing a job

rather than building a business. You end up

being led rather than leading; controlled rather

than being in control. If you want to build a

successful business, you need to start thinking

like a business owner and work on your

business as well as in it.

3 Not having a clear vision or business planWithout a clear vision and a set of goals to

work towards, how can you develop a business

plan or make effective decisions regarding

your business? How can you find the energy,

motivation and courage to move out of your

comfort zone, to overcome the challenges and

do whatever it takes to make your business

successful if you aren’t clear about what it’s

all for? If you haven’t spent time working

out what your vision is for yourself and your

business, do it now.

4 Following the crowdSadly, there are large numbers of qualified

personal trainers who find it so difficult to get

started that they become disillusioned with

the profession and feel forced to give up and

go back to a previous job sector. One of the

challenges is to find the business resources

and support that will help you to do what you

want to do. It’s quite normal

to look around at what

your colleagues are doing

and copy that in the hope

that this will be the road to

your success.

However, I urge you to choose your role

models more carefully. Don’t judge what’s

possible by what you see around you, unless

of course what’s around you is exactly what

you want.

5 Producing generic and egocentric marketingJust like personal training websites tend to look and sound very similar, so do other marketing tools: the leaflets, adverts and business cards. If you’re trying to appeal to everyone out there then it’s impossible for you to create promotional materials that speak effectively. Another common mistake is to make your marketing all about you, your qualifications, skills and services, because this isn’t what clients want to hear. They are interested in one thing: finding solutions to their painful problems. They want to know that you understand their problem and that you can offer the solution and the benefits they are looking for.

6 Operating a one-stop sales processExpecting individuals to go from stranger to full paying client in one step is a risky strategy if your aim is to build a steady flow of ideal, high-paying clients. This strategy results in a lot of rejections and low prices, as well as missed opportunities with clients who would have been willing to pay. Remember, people buy from people they know, like and trust. Achieving this in one step is a tall order.

7 Trying to build the business on your own Nobody builds a successful business on their own – just ask any successful business owner. Failing to build professional networks and valuable personal and professional relationships leaves you feeling isolated and missing out on a wealth of opportunities, not to mention a wealth of clients. The contribution of others to your career and your business can be worth its weight in gold, stimulating and energising you beyond anything you can muster on your own. Every successful business person has invested in resources and built networks in order to learn, develop, create accountability and stand upon the shoulders of those who’ve gone before. Your clients invest in you to ensure their success. What resources will you invest in?

Top tipNever stop learning. Whatever you know now, there is always much, much more. fn

Yvette Nevrkla is author of The PT Business Gym and founder

of The PT Business Gym, which offers business-building

resources and support for personal trainers. If you’ve got

big plans and aspirations for your PT business then visit

www.theptbusinessgym.com

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