12 Best Practices for Self-Employed Fitness Trainers

12 Best Practices for Self-Employed Fitness Trainers

Individuals who aren’t self-employed often tend to think that individuals who are can work when they want, vacation as often as they’d like and still have plenty of cash on-hand. If you’re self-employed, you know the real truth of the matter—there’s very little time when you’re not actually working. Yes, you’re in charge so you can technically set your own hours and follow your own rules but, in reality, your entire life is at the mercy of your business. To earn your paycheck, you must work—a lot.

Between bookkeeping and bill paying, scheduling, running business errands, conducting client appointments, networking and thinking of crafty ways to get customers in the door, running a business keeps you busy. Factor in family obligations and there’s very little downtime. Regardless, you’ve aspired to create a fitness business designed to help your clients no matter what affect it might have on your lifestyle.

It goes without saying that the best part of your job is working with your clients. But when you decided to go into business for yourself, you knew there was more to it than client training. Maybe you’ve taken business management classes (a very prudent move for any business owner), and maybe you haven’t, but there are a number of helpful best-practices that can make your business run more efficiently:

1. Set a budget. Any sensible business owner knows they must set a budget. Yes it can be tough, especially when you’re just starting out, but planning a realistic budget will serve you well. Estimate your income and plan for expenses such as salary, overhead and advertising. Plan at least six months out to ensure no big surprises in the future.
2. Save for taxes. When you run your own business, you essentially get paid last—the IRS gets paid first. A wise rule of thumb is to set aside 30% of your business income to cover taxes.
3. Hire a CPA. Running a business is a lot more complex than handling personal finances so it doesn’t makes sense to take time away from your clients to handle your business accounting on your own. By hiring a CPA, you just have to pay your bills on time, keep a great record of your expenses (yes, you need to save those receipts!) and let the CPA handle the rest. When you have a qualified accountant on your side, you can work with confidence knowing that the financial stuff is taken care of. And, as an added bonus, you’ll be prepared when tax season rolls around.
4. Set a bookkeeping schedule. Bookkeeping is an inevitable part of owning a business. If you establish a set routine to get your paperwork done, you’ll be more likely to stay on top of this important task. There’s nothing worse than having months worth of receipts and paperwork to tend to all at once. Select a time of the week when you’re typically less busy and avoid scheduling clients during that time. Sticking to a routine will pay off in the long run.
5. Stay current on email and missed calls. Again, setting a schedule to check and respond to emails and missed phone calls is invaluable. Depending on the volume you get, answering them all can be a painstaking process—but it must be done. If you can’t get to them every single day, try setting aside time every other day first thing in the morning, or whatever time is feasible. It’s especially important to always respond to client emails that impart any sense of urgency, such as billing questions, or a change in appointment time. You rely on word-of-mouth marketing so it’s important to not let something as trivial as an unreturned phone call give you a bad rap.
6. Make sure all your equipment is operational. An essential part of keeping your business running smoothly is having the right equipment. This includes the gear and equipment you need to train your clients as well as the office equipment you need to run the business side of things. If you have out-of-date or worn out equipment, you’ll probably spend time and money having it serviced and ultimately, doing your clients a disservice using sub-par equipment. Investing in modern equipment is beneficial. It the equipment you need is too costly, consider checking into leasing options that might fit better with your finances.
7. Don’t overbook yourself. One of the most devastating things that can happen to self-employed professionals is burnout. If you run yourself ragged trying to keep up every single minute of every single day, burnout is inevitable. It’s important for small business owners to take time for themselves on a regular basis—time away from work to do something enjoyable. No matter what that activity is, it’s valuable time for you, and it’s important that you don’t shortchange yourself and your business by bypassing it on a regular basis. The time away allows you to rejuvenate your mind and your body, and leaves you refreshed to tackle the demands of your business. Don’t allow yourself to think you don’t have time for it—plan for it, and stick to it.
8. Stay positive. In our article titled Attitude is Everything, we outline the importance of maintaining a positive attitude, and this couldn’t hold more true than for self-employed professionals. Your clients come to you seeking assistance in improving their fitness level and overall well-being. They depend on you to have a positive outlook, no matter how your day is shaping up, and you owe it to them to do your very best to keep your stress and/or foul mood under wraps, both verbally and non-verbally. Keep client relationships confined to the business-at-hand, looking to friends, family or significant others as an outlet for stress release and support. By keeping negativity at bay, your clients will know they’ve chosen a first-rate Fitness Trainer, and a smart business person who can handle the pressures that come with the profession.
9. Designated space for working out. If you conduct your training out of your home, you probably have a designated area where that takes place. To be most successful, it should be kept completely separate from your private living space—a space where your clients can get the one-on-one attention they desire and need to work towards their goals. It’s equally important for you to be away from any personal distractions the home environment can invite. Ideally, you should conduct your training business in a separate facility altogether if you can financially afford to do so.
10. Be resourceful. Luckily for business owners, there are numerous software programs available that are designed to help you manage your business effectively and efficiently, allowing you to spend less time on the mundane and more time working with clients. The internet is also full of helpful resources to assist you in managing and advertising your business. Networking with other local businesses is a great way to spread the word about your services and, with luck, gain new customers.
11. Contact your state’s Small Business Development Center. If you haven’t done so already, you should consider contacting the SBDC in your state. The SBDC is an invaluable resource for small business owners and provides support and assistance to help small business owners thrive.
12. Protect your finances with Professional Liability Insurance. No matter how well you plan or how careful you are, unexpected incidents can, and will, happen when working as a fitness professional. Be sure you are protecting your personal and business finances by purchasing Professional Liability Insurance—it could be the difference between saving and losing your business should the unthinkable occur.

By following these best practices for self-employed trainers, you’ll be on the right track for successfully growing your Fitness Training business.