How Much Should You Charge for Personal Training?

You might find yourself wondering how much you can ‘get away with’ when figuring out how much to charge for personal training. But you will see that it’s easier than you think…

Most personal trainers are concerned at some level about how much they can or ‘should‘ charge. I’m asked all the time: “How much do personal trainers make per hour/client/day/etc.?”

New trainers can be uneasy at the mere mention of the topic of what to charge for personal training and established trainers sometimes still find themselves charging the same rate after a few years, so it’s not entirely about experience. And nor should it be. Let’s look at the effect that this concern has on the trainer and their business.

More than anything, the concern will manifest as an ongoing anxiety when talking money with a client. You might find yourself wondering how much you can ‘get away with’ or being concerned about charging too much (don’t want to appear greedy or arrogant) or charging too little (don’t want to appear desperate).

Typically, the trainer will answer the question by comparing their rates to other personal trainers, making adjustments based on where they fit in terms of experience versus the other trainer. But this is a flawed model and doesn’t explain why some trainers might effectively charge $400/hour or more while others languish at $50/hour. After all, can they really be eight times ‘better’, or have eight times the impact?

Regardless of what you charge for personal training, your ideal outcome is to be totally comfortable about your rates, to be able to maintain eye contact with the customer and communicate the price without flinching, and to have them pay happily because your offer represents a fair exchange.

To help you decide what to charge, there are three principles that you must understand.

3 Principles for Personal Trainers to Understand about Pricing

To get that ideal outcome I’d invite to you consider these three principles.

#1 – Customers don’t buy on price, they buy on value

Most of us have a problem understanding the distinction between price and value. At least we think we do, but the truth is we all buy on value every day.

You’ve had the experience of paying a premium to buy goods from the convenience store when you could’ve bought the same thing from a supermarket for 20, 30, maybe even 50% less. That’s because you put a value on the ‘convenience’ of the store that the supermarket couldn’t offer.

It isn’t always convenience that we value. Value can also be increased by:

• Exclusivity
• Time
• Timing
• Location
• Presentation
• And even trends or color

We might even value the fact that something isn’t the cheapest simply because it isn’t the cheapest.

Services like personal training are subject to the same evaluations as anything else we buy and each prospect you deal with will be making their valuation on criteria that’s important to them.

#2 – It’s not about you

Many people, when they’re in a sales transaction, are too focused on their own experience and their own fears. This is why the fear of rejection is supposedly so predominant in sales.

But even though the customer might be buying a ‘personal’ trainer the actual buying decision isn’t personal. It’s personal in the sense that they will want to work with someone they know, like, and trust but their ultimate decision will be based on the delivery and value they anticipate getting out of the transaction.

They aren’t paying for companionship; they’re paying for results so don’t take it personally if a prospect decides not to go ahead with an offer.

The key point is to adopt this position at the start of the sales process rather than resigning yourself to it at the end when the prospect has walked away. If you adopt it at the start, you can let go of any anxiety about rejection that might be troubling you. The sales conversation will then flow much more freely without the anxiety hanging over your head.

#3 – You can’t lose what you don’t have

I’ve seen clients in all service industries concern themselves with the idea that they might ‘lose’ a prospect if they price themselves too high, push too hard, or even price themselves too low.

As a result they second-guess themselves, worrying about what the right or wrong thing might be to say to ‘keep’ them.

It’s a bogus notion though because you can’t lose what you don’t have — they aren’t a client until they’ve agreed to your offer.

For the transaction to happen, you want fair exchange on both sides. If you’re worried about ‘losing’ a prospect, it probably means you aren’t convinced that your offer is equal to what the client is willing/able to pay. In that case, you need to work harder on understanding your own value, but in either case, if the client walks away, it won’t be because you lost them.

So keep an ear out for that little voice in your head telling you that you’re afraid of losing them and use it as motivation to up your game rather than lower your price.

Some Simple Tips for a Personal Trainer to Understand and Communicate Value

Before you can communicate value to a client, you need to understand what it is they value so you can shape the language of your offer to appeal to them. These tips will help with that process.

Qualify the prospect

Many people have unrealistic expectations about what a service might be worth and what they can afford so a simple question about budget can help establish if the prospect is ‘real’ or not. “Do you have a budget in mind for your personal training?” should suffice.

It’s not critical that they have a number but if they do, you can judge whether they have a realistic amount in mind.

If they come back with x per hour, get them to be more specific and share how many hours per week they plan on being trained. Though they may come with a specific idea of how many hours they think they want, they aren’t really in a position to judge yet as they don’t know what they can achieve with you in that hour.

This question though will give you a weekly sum that you know they have allocated for their personal training program and you can decide if they’re a fit for your pricing structure.

Determine the desired outcome       

“What’s the outcome you are after from your personal training/coaching?”

This question is key and the answer will form the basis of your offer. You want as much detail as possible from the client and then you want to drill down and get what that would mean to the prospect.

“I want to fit my size x wedding dress within six months” is the detail, but find out what that would mean in emotive terms. “My wedding is important to me and I want to feel special as the center of attention. I want to know I’m looking at my best and to be able to look back at my wedding photos with pride.”

“I want to lose six inches off my gut” is the detail, but the real goal might be to move away from being at high risk of developing diabetes so they can feel vital and energetic in their older years.

Every prospect will have an emotive driver that tells you what they value. Your job is to understand what those drivers are and demonstrate how you can help them achieve the desired result.

Understand the Impediment

“What’s preventing you from getting that result yourself?” is another key question to ask the prospect.

They’ll then tell you in their own words why they need you. This answer will be key so try to remember as much detail about it as you can. Write it down if necessary because when you repeat them back to the client, they will already be pre-primed to agree with you.

Communicate the Value

Now that you know what’s important to the prospect and what they value, you can communicate your offer in terms of that value. Wherever possible, use the language they have used.

“So let me check in and see if I’ve got this correct. What you’re after is a program that will help you achieve [enter desired result here] so that you can [enter emotive expression of desired result here].

You told me that you don’t think you can get the results on your own because you don’t think you’d push yourself hard enough and you’re also concerned that you might injure yourself through poor technique. Is that correct? Great, based on that, what I’d recommend is [enter program details and pricing here]. Does that sound like something you’d be able to commit to?”

If all the boxes have been ticked, the client will have a clear understanding that you can deliver what it is that they want. The value will have been communicated and the deal will very likely be done.

Quit Being Anxious

There’s too much unnecessary anxiety about pricing in pretty much every service industry, not just personal training.

We all value time and money differently so some folks are going to be a match for what you offer and some aren’t. It’s not personal and you can make the offer as ‘clean’ as possible by eliminating personal baggage in the conversion process and understanding as much as you can about the client and what’s important to them.

Bottom line, communicate your value in terms of what they value to get the buy in.

Get this right and you can be sure that your pricing will represent fair exchange and you’ll attract clients that feel the same way.

Personal Training Seen As Boom Business In Next Five Years

When Karen Siebert began her career as a personal trainer three decades ago, most clients wanted to muscle up or slim down. 

Today she encounters clients with a different motivation: to get healthy. 

That change is helping fuel a boom in the personal training business. Baby boomers are seeking trainers as they look to keep active, lower their resting heart rate or lower their cholesterol, she said. The rising number of boomers, along with people searching for solutions to the country's growing obesity epidemic, is making personal training a lucrative career, industry observers say. 

"More people are hiring trainers for the reasons of good health -- not to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger," said Siebert, athletic director at the Dayton Racquet Club. "I think that's why personal training is growing."  

The number of personal trainers is expected to grow by 46 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, which listed personal training as one of its top 15 most desirable fields in which to work. 

And with growing awareness of the country's ever expanding waistline, more people are signing up for gym memberships and being exposed to the possibility of personal training. Many gyms offer free or discounted sessions to lure members to pay for the training later on. 

"Nine out of 10 times people will take advantage of that and continue," Siebert said. 

The earning potential is strong. Most trainers can charge about $50 per hour. Working for a fitness club, the trainer takes home about $35 an hour after the club takes its share, said Fabio Comana, exercise physiologist with the San Diego-based American Council on Exercise, one of the largest and well-respected accrediting organizations for trainers. 

Siebert said she earned the most when training people in their own homes. While lucrative, going to client's homes often creates an erratic schedule for trainers, she said. Now all but two of her clients are Racquet Club members who come to the gym to exercise. 

"I found it was better to have one location," she said. 

Personal trainers create and oversee workout routines for their clients. Instead of simply going to a gym and lifting weights, clients get personlized workouts catered to their specific phyiscal needs. Plus, personal trainers watch their clients and make sure they're following through. 

Most trainers grow their clients by word-of-mouth marketing, said Scott Beeson, general manager of NeoLimits Fitness Inc.'s gym in Centerville, which has about a dozen personal trainers on staff. Once they show results with one client, others follow, he said. 

"After a couple years, a personal trainer doesn't have to do a lot of advertising because they have a network of people," Beeson said. 

Personal training has gone from a cottage industry -- Siebert started as an aerobics instructor at her church -- to a field requiring certification and continuing education. It's also become more specialized, with trainers marketing themselves as experts in golf conditioning or pilates. 

Another factor driving the growth of the industry is how easy it can be to enter, Comana said. 

It takes about a year to study and complete certification, he said. 

Trainers also are benefiting from professionals such as Dan Fischer, president of Key Bank in Dayton, who want to fit exercise into their busy schedules. 

Fischer has been working with a trainer for about five years. Since moving to Dayton in January, he started working with Siebert, whom he jokingly calls the "workout nazi." 

He likes the variety and expertise that comes with working with a trainer. 

"I'm a person who doesn't have a lot time," he said. "For me it works because it's a scheduled appointment." 

Why People Buy Personal Training, And How To Sell It.

Personal Training is often purchased to satisfy a need for change. Your job is to find out exactly what those needs are... Learn more about the process of how a personal trainer can sell their services and why clients might object!

Satisfying A Need

Personal Training is often purchased to satisfy a need for change. Your job is to find out exactly what those needs are and how you can fulfill them by asking probing questions.

During the session, ask the prospective client probing questions in the areas of business, personal and future. In each area you are asking questions to build a relationship. If they do not like you, they will not buy training from you.

 Probing Questions:

You also ask probing questions to uncover hidden "pain" or "hot buttons" they may have. An example of "pain" or a "hot button" could be the person telling you they are upset they are slowly gaining weight despite exercising everyday.

Whenever you expose "pain" or a "hot button" you must get a commitment point. A commitment point could be gained by asking a yes based question such as, "Is stopping the weight gain important to you?" Of course the answer is yes, they just told you losing weight was important to them before you asked them the yes based question.

Ask Probing Questions.

The yes is an agreement between the trainer and the prospect that losing weight is important to the prospect, it is now a fact that can not be denied. If the sale stalls you will push that "hot button" to help make the sale (meaning you will remind them of why they should buy).

The reason you ask yes based questions when you find a "hot button" or hear "pain", is so you can use it in your close. Commitment points are reasons a prospect will buy. Closing, just like the name implies, comes at the end of the sale process. Like a reporter, you interview and collect information, then at the close you revisit it to make your point and the sale.

 Return Of Investment:

During the session, you will ask all kinds of probing questions, each one should move the sale forward. Ask the prospective client about their likes and hobbies. Get them to admit they spend money on things that are not good for them. We all waste a lot of money on things that have no return or benefit.

A night out with drinking with friends can easily cost the same as training session, but unlike a training session, there is no ROI/return on investment.

Every Question Should Move The Sale Forward.

Below is an example of how ROI can help during the closing process.

Trainer: You told me that you spend $20 dollars a week on movies, $60 in the bar, and $6 a day on coffee. Instead of throwing that $122 dollars away on things that only move you further from your goal, wouldn't you agree that it makes more sense to spend that money on training so you could tone up and lose that ten pounds you want to get rid of?

Keep ROI in mind when you pitch a prospective client. Understanding the ROI helps a prospect to justify the cost of buying training. Use the information the client gives you to make the sale.

-> Buying Signs:

Learn to recognize the difference between "buying questions", which are questions that show an interest in training and questions meant to blow you off. Can I call you when I am ready to train? is a blow off question is, especially if they never ask for your number.

When a prospective client asks you questions that show an interest in training, those questions are "buying signs". When asked a question that is a "buying sign", ask a probing question and get a commitment point instead of just answering yes or no.

Learn To Recognize Buying Signs.

Example:

Prospect: How long does it take to lose fifteen pounds?
Trainer: How long have you been trying to lose fifteen pounds?
Prospect: 6 months now.
Trainer: If I could show you a way to lose those fifteen pounds in the shortest amount of time possible; is that something you would be interested in?
Prospect: Yes.

When a prospect or client ask a "buying sign" question, ask a probing question to see if it is "pain" or a "hot button". Another great probing question is, "Is that important to you?"

Closing

When the session is over, you and the prospect should have a good feel for each other. No matter how the session went, you must still ask for the sale. What may seem like an ok, or even bad session to you may have been the prospects best workout ever.

The Next Frontier Of Fitness: An Introduction To Online Personal Training

Websites abound offering personalized workouts and big-time results—for a price. Here's what you need to know before giving up your digits.

Online personal training has exploded in recent years, and if you consider how much bad personal training occurs in person, imagine how fraught the online training world is with peril. Yet the convenience holds great allure, and even many high-profile trainers and strength coaches have begun to utilize the convenience of e-commerce to gain new clients who they may or may not actually ever "meet."

I'm here to offer insight on the key things to look for before committing your money, and just as importantly your time, to training online. So before you point and click, let alone lift, read on.

Is Online Training Right For You?

Just because someone is a great coach doesn't mean they'd be great for you. Answer these questions before committing to an online program, and you'll be far more likely to make the right choice—even if that choice is to avoid online training altogether.

• Do the programs a trainer offers appeal to you and your specific goals? Why them and not someone else?
• Does your trainer keep up to date on health and fitness? Do they maintain an active online presence? Education and qualifications are important, but so is accessibility.
• Do they offer client before and after photos showing they helped online clients transform? This is especially important if you're training for physique-based goals.
• What are people saying about the trainer and the program? Look for client reviews, or spend some time doing targeted web searches.
• What can you afford, and what do you need to get fit? Take a frank look at your budget. Does this trainer offer something you can't get on your own?

The final and most important thing is to select someone who you're confident will care about your goals and your success. Online, as in life, the best coach is the one who will do everything in their power to help you be successful. We all prefer to work with compassionate people in real life, and training online should be no different.

Level 1 /// Membership Has its Workout Privileges

The most basic, entry-level version of online training is the simple "Members Only" private video access. This is your average $10-per-month option where you simply log on and view "private" training, nutrition, and motivational videos.

Often, trainers will phrase their membership like you're joining a community; they may call it the "inner circle" or somesuch. They also might offer a selection of workouts that you could follow from home or in a gym.

The pros: It's affordable. Most people can justify $10 per month for good info, workouts, and nutritional advice. Also, having 24-7 access to videos and being able to review the information numerous times helps you learn.

The cons: These programs are not personalized. They are written and presented in a one-size-fits-all style, so it's your responsibility to make it fit your training style. It also goes without saying that these programs are tough for people who are not self-motivated. There is little to no accountability—aside from knowing that you're spending money, of course.

How to make it worth your money: Pick a trainer who has a program that is built toward achieving your goals, and who creates workouts you can actually complete. If you work out at home in your living room, don't pick a gym-based plan. Likewise, if you want to focus on fat-loss, look for a fat-loss specialist.

Level 2 /// Up the Accountability

The next step up from the "members section" is the online "accountability group." These are run in various formats that include training, nutrition, or sometimes both. These types of programs range typically from $30-75 per month. In exchange, you have some degree of access to an actual personal trainer. Differences in price often reflect the number of workouts you have access to or the frequency of your customized feedback.

In this model, your trainer will normally send you workouts based on your stated goals, or you'll download them from a database and the trainer will help you to arrange them into a program. Often, they'll also want to create a nutritional outline at the beginning of the program. Clients report back to the trainer via email, phone, or webcam. An initial assessment is normally performed before beginning these types of programs. That way, the trainer has an idea of your makeup and your goals.

The pros: Clients are held accountable to someone, which is a huge step. People are far less likely to eat pizza and ice cream daily if they need to submit food logs every seven days. The same goes for working out. Most people will do more when being supervised, even if it is by someone online.

The cons: These programs work for people who are honest, and only those people. That may sound like almost everyone, but believe me, it's easier than you think to start fudging diet logs and embellishing workouts. For some people, it's a major commitment to track everything they eat and do, so make sure you're committed to it. Even though you have a trainer, the responsibility still rests squarely on your shoulders.

How to make it worth your money: Choose your site carefully, and then make the most of it. Accountability groups (when done with assessments), individual goal-setting, authentic trainer-client contact, and timely feedback are fantastic options. They can be well worth the money as long as you, the client, are committed to being successful under the program you've chosen.

Level 3 /// The Player's Club

The last option I will touch on is true one-on-one, fully-personalized online coaching. This is a great option if you have an unlimited budget and benefit from a lot of hand-holding on your fitness journey. These types of programs include assessments, a program made just for you, constant feedback, goal-setting, high-level accountability, numerous progressions, and regressions if necessary. Your trainer is regularly accessible—maybe even more so than a local trainer—via email, phone, text, or webcam, which makes sense, because these services can cost $150-$400 or more per month.

The pros: A personal coach is great for motivation and feedback. Program adjustments for training and nutrition are crucial for many people as they progress through programs, and this trainer will provide them. Clients will learn plenty from these types of programs and be given all the tools to be successful.

The cons: For many, paying hundreds of dollars for an online trainer is simply too expensive to justify. The other pitfall is that, even with videos, phone, and regular contact, the trainer is not physically there with you to correct your mistakes in the gym. For some people this is not an issue, but for beginners with limited mobility and flexibility, it can be.

How to make it worth your money: If this is the option you choose, then money is probably not an obstacle. A personal coach is a particularly good option for people who travel a lot and have the means to pay for this service. If you are a motivated person who wants to reach a higher level in your personal fitness, an online coach can help guide you. It's never as good as being there in person, but it qualifies as the next best thing.

4 Ways To Make Your Personal Training Career More Successful

Personal training is a highly competitive field with many very knowledgeable and skilled professionals competing for clients. The good news is that the aging baby boomers have a greater interest in personal training than past generations and there has been a growing need for personal trainers. To stand out from the crowd, you'll need to learn motivational strategies, specialize in a specific type of client, open up multiple revenue streams and remain committed to your education.

Motivate Your Clients

Though you will need to understand the most-effective exercise techniques, the role of a personal trainer is more than simply a dispenser of knowledge. Your primary role is to motivate your clients to continue exercising. This requires that you build a relationship with your clients. Since you will be working with a broad range of people, you are better off if you are the type of person who enjoys social interaction. Besides fitness, you may find yourself often find yourself providing emotional support as well when your clients become frustrated.

Specialize

Determine the type of client you would like to work with. Then, you can specialize in the exercise techniques that are the most likely to help that type of client. You may choose to specialize in clients that are struggling with obesity or you could help athletes. Regardless, the methods you use will need to be tailored to your types of clients.

Find Multiple Sources of Income

It is risky to rely on only personal clients as your source of income. If one of your clients decides to drop you, this can lead to a loss of a few hundred dollars a week. The best way to avoid this risk is to generate income from several sources. Consider starting a weekly class and consider holding boot camp events.

Never Stop Learning

Just like with doctors and lawyers, you will need to remain committed to your education. Regularly read reputable sources on physical training so that you are knowledgeable on which techniques produce which results. Not only will you provide a better service to your client, but if your client discovers that you are uninformed about a particular topic, he or she is more likely to find a different trainer. Getting your personal training program off the ground may seem difficult at first, but it can be a profitable career if you remain dedicated.