So, you finished your personal training course, or near finishing it, and you are now filled with anticipation and apprehension that the prospect of going out to getting clients, and then helping his clients meet their fitness goals. It can be a challenging time and one where your self-confidence is fragile. This article we will take you through five tips to help you to build that confidence and take the right approach to your personal training career. Your course is the start of the process of becoming a great personal trainer, rested out your own personal self-development and attitude.
Tip number one-don't be a salesman
It's really easy to fall into the sales mode when becoming a personal trainer. Especially if you have been a salesperson in a previous life. When you are talking to prospective clients think about them and find out about them, don't give them scripts you have developed or have been provided for you. Talking about offers and packages will turn most people off. What people want to know is that you care about their goals and can help them achieve them. This means investing some time with people.
Tip number two-give out free advice
The best way to build trust and to make friends with people is by advising them on their regimes or nutrition without expecting them to be clients. If you build a reputation for being helpful and friendly then your client portfolio will grow naturally. Print off a nutrition sheet for someone. Spend a couple of minutes by the treadmill talking about running posture. But, make sure you do so without expecting anything of the potential client. If you talk to enough people and give them good advice then you will never be short of clients.
Tip number three-positivity and patience go a long way
Whether working with new clients or talking to prospects you need to really present a good image of yourself. That means being positive and patient at all times, and working with people at their own level. In addition you need to take the same approach to yourself and your career. You will have a huge bank of celebrity clients in weeks; not without an awful lot of locking contacts. Build gradually and teach your clients to build their progress gradually. In both client building and in fitness training things that take time to build the right way are far more long-lasting than quick fix results where shortcuts have been taken.
Tip number four- enthusiasm is infectious
Stay around the gym as much possible and make sure that you are enthusiastic. Be a walking, talking advert. Eat the right things, workout hard, and talk with people about your own goals. The more enthusiastic and passionate you are about your goals and those of your customers the more likely they are to catch that enthusiasm and want to work with you on a regular basis. Let your personality shine through. After all, why did you do the course in the first place? It's because you love personal training. This should shine through all the time.
Tip number five-find a way to stand out
If there are lots of people competing for clients in the gym then you need to make sure you stand out from the rest. It could be your background will help you to attract certain types of personal training clients. For example, if you have a psychology background then your ability to motivate people may be a key selling factor. If you are formally from IT then it may be that you can help people with applications and training trackers that keep them motivated and on track. If you are a former professional sports person then you will have lots of stories to tell. Make yourself stand out as someone distinct and different, and relate to people based on your experience. This will make you more human and approachable, and encourage people to work with you.
These are just a few tips to help you to shine as you begin your career as a personal trainer. There are lots and lots of things that you need to do right, and most will have been covered in your personal training course.
Building a career is much like personal training; you need to continually develop yourself so you can take the next steps. Become a reader and you can become a leader. Consistently upgrade your skills and knowledge and seek out new opportunities for personal growth. For more information on available courses check out http://www.nrpt.co.uk/become/training/index.htm
