Slowdown in personal training business? - JP Fitness Forums

lany · 04-16-2008, 04:10 PM

Just wondering if anyone is seeing serious slowed growth in their personal training business? I feel like everyone is tightening the hold on their wallets and this is the first thing they give up. Many of our clients are discontinuing due to financial reasons recently, and we haven't had near as many leads as normal. Anyone else seeing this?

Jean-Paul · 04-16-2008, 06:11 PM

Not really. You just need to adapt your business model with the changing times. Scrap the one-on-one idea. It's way past its sell-by date.

rsmith31 · 04-16-2008, 09:27 PM

I completely agree, one on one personal training right now is out of alot of peoples budget. In exchange focus on more group style settings. You can get more clients in at once since youll be able to charge a smaller fee. Make up for your price cuts by attempting to gain quantity. Whos making more money, the one on one guy with 10 clients paying $45 an hour or the group instructor with 50 people at $10 an hour?

kuri · 04-16-2008, 10:10 PM

Though I live in a high income area the poor economy has started to impact training and gym membership.

JP is right.

lany · 04-17-2008, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jean-Paul

Not really. You just need to adapt your business model with the changing times. Scrap the one-on-one idea. It's way past its sell-by date.

Whoa! With all due respect, I don't know about scrapping it! While I agree maybe it is time to diversify with group classes, there will ALWAYS be people out there who require one on one attention. I got into this business as a client, not a trainer, and I would never do well in a bootcamp type setting. I want the one on one time so I know I am doing all the right things specifically for me. We have many clients who are the same way. So I know there are more of them out there, it's just a matter of getting more creative to connect to them. I live in an area with a very high median income and low cost of living, so there are certainly people out there who can afford one on one and demand the attention. Unfortunately our studio is set up specifically for the one on one setting, so if I do group classes we'll have to find another location. The parks around here are impossible to deal with, so I'm going to have to get creative there too.

rsmith31 · 04-17-2008, 12:54 PM

I agree totally scrapping one on one training might be a bit hasty. However diversifying is a necessity in times of slowdown. Ask your clients if they have ever considered other modes of fitness training. Do some asking and get ideas and maybe you can come up with something truly unique that will blow peoples minds. Hang in there and things will get much better.

Jean-Paul · 04-17-2008, 06:42 PM

Bootcamps don't always have to be done in parks. Mine are mostly indoors.

For those individuals who want the one-on-one, stick with it, but work toward doing as many groups as you can.

I still periodically train indivuals... Have a couple right now. I think that the people in the bootcamps get better results though to tell you the truth. I think something about the group dynamic and the pace really makes people push themselves a little harder.

Maki Riddington · 05-03-2008, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jean-Paul

For those individuals who want the one-on-one, stick with it, but work toward doing as many groups as you can.

I only train 5 one on one clients a day now. That is a big change from last year where I was doing upwards of 10-12 a day 6 days a week. I funnelled them into groups, started another group class and I run boot camps. I now train anywhere from 20-30 people a day 6 days a week.

ivey · 05-06-2008, 03:30 PM

Interesting that I saw this thread right now. I just...like right before logging in... made up a flyer/poster for a group training class I want to put together.

chrism · 05-08-2008, 03:12 PM

I've seen no slow down, in fact we've had a slight increase in new clients and in client retention. I like to market to people who have enough money that a little bump in the economy isn't going to make them stop training.

Chris
KickBackLife.com

Aoife · 05-08-2008, 03:25 PM

Or a happy medium... group of 2 or three at slighly more than 1/2 or a 1/3 of the price per. *shrug*
I'd be totally down with being able to share sessions with Otto or whatnot... and that'd be easier on us since we have the same budget we'd pull classes/sessions out of.