Do any of you other trainers have something set up for those who cannot afford to pay premium prices for your services? I would like to try to set up something for those who simply can't pay 40-50 dollars an hour for one on one training. Is this where training groups would come in? Thanks in advance, Griff.
Hey JP! I guess it's because right now I work in a lab in a family and sports medicine practice and every day I see really sick and/or fat people who I know cannot afford to pay a CPT that much. I definitely want to make GOOD money, but I wanted to find a way to help those who may not ever get a chance at being helped by a good trainer.
I am sure there are other ways to help as well, and sometimes I can overthink things a bit. I know I am going to be blessed and just seeking a way to kinda give back. Does anyone else feel the same way or do anything to help, like JP said do volunteer work or something?
I don't know your background, but if you need to get some clients under your belt and feel like this is an area where you can easily do that, then it's an investment in your own training and you're also doing a good deed.
If you already have inroads with this group of people because you work there, it might be an easy thing to get started. You might have a captive audience that's receptive to more of a bootcamp style thing. The patients there may never look for a bootcamp anywhere else.
You could run multi-person classes. Depending on where you do this stuff, you could have very little cost, and could lower your buy-in price to something people could afford.
You could do single sessions that give someone a plan to follow for a certain time, so they only need to come to you once a month or once every 2 weeks for a new plan.
You could suck it up and charge less for your services, or volunteer. If you're not working out of a gym and in their homes (or your own space, or whatever), again your overhead would be low and you'd be gettin all the money.
If you're talking poor enough, you're not talking about a segment that can necessarily be depended upon for returning business. The bills are more important than you. The kids are more important to you. The food is more important than you.
Growing up the first thing to go when we didn't have money was my mom's extra stuff, like karate, or classes, or gym memberships, etc.
I don't really think you'd make a "decent" living money-wise this way, without working more hours to compensate. If you do group settings, you may be ok, but if your bootcamp is like JPs, it's 3/week for 8 weeks at $20 per session. That's almost 250/month for a person, likely not change they can spare, and for 2 months in a row.
if your target group is as you describe it (and you are willing to do this for little or no $ (altruism)) - then you might approach the local churches and/or community centers and offer to do a class for them or a series of classes - nutrition, physical activity, good health habits, etc. Maybe get an RD to come speak and teach, a Nurse Practicioner or P.A. to talk (and screen) about blood pressure, blood sugar, other health issues, maybe children's issues as well (both childhood obesity and the young athlete since you are at a sports med center) and you to talk and carry forward with some exercise classes.
would the clinic let you informally survey the patients to determine if there is interest and some common denominator like a church or center that they already view as a community resource?
Lost Dog, Aoife, and LisaS these replies are very good. Encouraging messages and fantastic ideas too. A little clarification is needed from me I guess. My MAIN focus will be on the medium and higher income clientele, BUT, I still want to make a way from time to time or on a regular basis to work something out for those who "have not".
I thought I would come on here and get some ideas or to see if I was just being silly for thinking this way. It turns out I got the good ideas, and found out it is a realistic goal due to all of your responses. Thanks everyone so far. Griff.
Lost Dog, Aoife, and LisaS these replies are very good. Encouraging messages and fantastic ideas too. A little clarification is needed from me I guess. My MAIN focus will be on the medium and higher income clientele, BUT, I still want to make a way from time to time or on a regular basis to work something out for those who "have not".
I thought I would come on here and get some ideas or to see if I was just being silly for thinking this way. It turns out I got the good ideas, and found out it is a realistic goal due to all of your responses. Thanks everyone so far. Griff.
I would choose 1 or 2 clients that really need your assistance and train them for free...... Give them dieting tips and teach them how to train on their own... You could make up some sort of contract..... making them accountable for the work at home and in the gym. If they don't show up 2 times, they are out.... You can make this a 12 week program and after 12 weeks... they are on their own, but check in with them once a month to help tweak routines, diet, and so on.... Then pick up another 1 or 2 clients.... You could essentially train 4 - 8 people a year for free.... and maybe pick up a few paying clients along the way.
Sliding scale could work, or payment in services or other goods, if you find people who are willing to work and don't want charity (or, people who will likely value you and your services more, and therefore work harder, because they have to pay, even if it is token.)
Sliding scale is not a good idea because nothing pisses someone off more than finding out that the guy who trains with you right after he does is getting a better deal. That stuff gets out, and it pisses off your good paying customers. How many of you work out at a gym where they do these back room "manager specials" to close you on the first day? Would you like to be sitting up at the smoothie bar at the gym where you pay full price and spend a lot of money on extras to find out that other guy gets a cheaper monthly rate and free training?
If you want to go after lower income people, these are people who can't afford ANYTHING, then I highly recommend getting involved in some of your community projects. Speak at shelters or job training centers. You should have a local governor's or mayor's council on fitness. Special Olympics. Park or trail committees. Get involved.
Your full paying customers won't feel ripped... In fact, it will probably attract more business to you because you are giving back to your community. Make this a win-win situation.
I like the group training idea, the "take on a couple" idea and the slidescale idea. That is one aspect of training that I don't like is that many who need it the most can't afford it. I slide scale people I know well and those who I know will be greatful for it and follow the guidance I give them. I also do talks for free (good free pub.)
If you are going to take the slide scale route, I would advise you to make it conditional on availability - ie if a full-paying client wants that time slot you would have to bump them.
My views are really the same as above, i know trainers who have used the sliding scale and as JP says all it does is piss off those who can't come at the cheap time. Your time should be worth the same value no matter when.
I would definately look at some of the community projects there are around you could offer your time to them cheap or even free.
I understand your idea to give back to the community and one of the best ways that i feel i have found to do it is by offering free training to those entering a number of sponsored sporting events. In my area we have a large 10k run every year, what i do is all those who are raising money for charity can apply and i have a group normally max at about 20. For training sessions on the run up to the event. Helps a charity and also allows you to network and is great PR.
Man, I have been blown away by the interaction here and the diversity of the responses. (One reason why I love this forum.) Thank you all so far. I am going to print out everything here so far on this thread and keep it in my "learning files".
It is inspiring to me to know that there are so many creative and caring people out there. Unbelievable job so far. Thanks everybody! Griff
You can send clients workouts for them to do on their own and charge a much lower fee for what you would charge if you trained the client in person. Check this out - its a brand new service and there is a free trial until March 15th and then $40/year after that. You can send videos workouts to clients choosing from 800 exercises. They can view on a Blackberry or iphone or other smartphones or get a printout to take to the gym.http://www.physicalfitnet.com/traine...ilder-pro.aspx
You can make a few extra bucks training clients who normally could not afford a trainer.
My YW offers income based "scholarships" and I'm not remotely offended that I pay more than a fixed income person on disability. But then I picked my gym because I like their values as much as I picked them for their equipment and classes.
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"Time and patience are the 2 elements that most people don't include in their plans."
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"The scale simply tells you how much the earth loves you on a particular day."
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There's one other fly in the ointment other than what JP pointed out.
For some no a LOT of people, free advice/lessons are worth far less than when they have to pay for it, as it makes them feel more accountable. The dropout percentage is always a lot higher for cheap or free service than when you pay a lot.
The trick is, how can you make them feel accountable so they won't drop out of classes at the drop of a hat, without charging money?
I run a different kind of business, I am a dressmaker. I would not do what you're proposing.
Firstly, it's a business. Having your pants hemmed is not a right, it's a service and you have to pay for it. When you go to get your car serviced does anyone care what your income level is?
Second, it's going to open a huge can of worms. Where do you draw the line? How will you know if someone is lying about their income? when people are talking and comparing what they're paying you aren't they going to be angry. Maybe one makes less but the other has two kids in college or a sick mother to take care of.
At what point are you providing charity for people who don't need it? At what point is your family losing out for what you're providing for someone else for too little money?
I don't know, maybe it's cold. But a business that is not profitable will not survive. I agree with PP who said if you want to do good works than make it outright charity, do some volunteer work. Don't mix it with your for-profit work b/c you get into all these grey areas.
Also, the classes idea is good. When people inquire as to my rates for private lessons I also tell them about local group classes I do that may be more economical for them. These classes are still profitable for me (b/c I teach the same classes over and over again, prep time is minimal...they are not geared towards the needs of one person...but you could do "clinic" type classes which is something new I'm trying this year. You have several people there, and you address their individual needs, but they are sharing time with the others in the class. Hopefully they learn also from each other's challenges, they pay less, you still make money.)
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I'll toss my 2 cents in with JP and newdawn. Charity work is great, but it shouldn't blend with your business.
When I do classes at condos that offer "free classes" to their residents, the turnout in any given week for each location changes by as many as six people per class. These are professionals who signed up for something in their own building, and they show up about 60% of the time. Why? Not out of disrespect for me... it's because they're not paying for it (directly anyway, or per-session). They value it less because they paid less.
Think about it... are your more disappointed when you pay $12 to see a bad movie in the theater, or when you pay $4 to see a bad DVD rental? Could be the same movie, but the extra $8 means more to you. How much will the client value your time and knowledge?
So I vote against the sliding scale. (A free class in another location is different... giving lower prices to certain people in your gym isn't a good idea.)
I'd be careful of getting screwed over too, as mentioned above. Other clients will find out. Some people might find out about your deal and lie about their situation. Some of these low-income people that aren't paying (or aren't paying much) may stand you up for sessions because they don't lose out (cancellation policy again).
Down the line, as you get busier with a bigger clientele, will you still be able and willing to give the low-income bracket the same attention? Then it will become less about what they pay and more about how much you value your own time. "Mr. Y pays $60 an hour... Mr. X pays $20 an hour... Who will I book into the one remaining spot for today? Who's program will get the most attention? Whose emails will get answered first?" You'll be tired from your regular paying clients... might you then get bitter about your "giveaway" session at the end of the day?
I understand that helping people out will balance out a lot of these sacrifices and difficult situations. But what if you followed JP's advice and made it a once-a-week thing in a different location? You could avoid these other problems, because it will be something else you do... not your training business.
Finally, you need to realize your own value. Do you believe that you are worth $50/hour? Add up the time you've spent studying, learning, training... the time you spend evaluating the client, emailing with them, writing their program, the hour long session itself... is that worth $50 (or more)? You need to realize this and believe it. Your work will fluorish because you'll understand how much it's worth.
The flip side is that once you believe that you are worth $50/hr, anybody paying less will run against this feeling. You put a high level of pride and value on your own time and work, and then suddenly you find yourself getting paid less for the same work. Your work and/or your energy will take a hit.
Make it a clean break: a free class for the truly underprivileged, and a flat rate at the gym for everyone else.
You can send clients workouts for them to do on their own and charge a much lower fee for what you would charge if you trained the client in person. Check this out - its a brand new service and there is a free trial until March 15th and then $40/year after that. You can send videos workouts to clients choosing from 800 exercises. They can view on a Blackberry or iphone or other smartphones or get a printout to take to the gym.http://www.physicalfitnet.com/traine...ilder-pro.aspx
You can make a few extra bucks training clients who normally could not afford a trainer.
This sounds like a good idea in theory but will for sure take way more time than it is worth. Any good trainer will not be comfortable with giving out a substandard program and a good program takes too much time to create.
Charging different prices to different clients is a recipe for disaster in my opinion. Never do it! (exceptions being siblings, friends, or wife)
Just wondering if you had experience training your SO
I've had experience exercising with my husband. Some cases where he was the guide & others where I was the guide. In our experience, I think it is definitely helpful that we know each other very well. So when it seemed like some frustration was occurring, the other made modifications to the instruction or used humor to diffuse the situation. I had a blast, but I think a wife would be harder to train so I'm usually impressed when a guy is willing to do so.
/hijack
__________________ Just because your mother thinks you're special doesn't mean I do
Doesn't it depend on their goals? Create a group class (similar to bootcamp) and work them together as a circuit. If their goals are all to lose fat, then how individual does it have to be? Tell the ones that are too f'd up that they don't physically qualify yet.
You're all trying to be perfect, but if it's all or nothing, that guy/girl's only choice is to train alone? Isn't your time and expertise, shared with a group, more valuable than them training alone?
If "richer" clients are in this group, encourage them to buy some one on one time to fix their "issues."
Personal Training For Lower Income Bracket?
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