This article is timely, as just last month I ran an industry survey to more than 50,000 fitness trainers who subscribe to my email messages.
The results of the survey might come as a shock to you.
More than 70% of fitness professionals in the industry are making under $100,000/year, and half are actually making less than $50,000/year.
Now, as far as I'm concerned, you are the front line in the war on obesity. You are the source of prevention and cure. And you deserve to get paid the same, if not more, than the medical doctors who simply prescribe pills and shots to deal with the symptoms of obesity.
Our industry is quickly changing. What worked just a couple years ago no longer works today. Where one-on-one training used to be king, the new economy has paralyzed that sector of our industry.
Looking forward, the fitness business landscape will continue to change and evolve as consumers seek out more affordable solutions to one-on-one training. Group training and boot camp programs continue to thrive simply because they economically make sense for both consumer and fitness business owners.
In addition, those who specialize will win the lion's share of the clients and will be able to command higher rates. Look at what happened in the medical and law industry. Those doctors and attorneys who shifted their business model from general practice to specialist earn the most. General practitioners are the lowest on the income ladder in both the medical and legal field. We'll see the same happen in 2012 in the personal training industry.
Further, marketing and advertising your training business has changed drastically as consumers are searching you out on review and social sites before they ever reach out to you for your services. Sites like Google Places, Yahoo Local, Yelp, and Facebook are the new frontier in fitness marketing. Transparency and social proof will continue to play a huge role now that proof of service and results are the standard.
Finally, value and constant communication will take on a much bigger role in your marketing efforts. If you have an email list, don't neglect it. If you don't have an email list of clients, prospects, and past clients, then start one now and continue to actively build your email list and position yourself as the local fitness and fat loss expert by providing value, good content, and social proof. Above all, build trust.
Bedros Keuilian teaches thousands of fitness trainers systems and strategies to grow their business and get more clients. Get more fitness marketing systems from Bedros by visiting his blog, www.PTPower.com.
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Feb. 3 2012
