Personal training careers 1 | Page 16

the business. But when you are first starting out as a Personal Trainer, consider working at a gym. You will gain a better understanding of the business as well as develop your own training style. It is also a great way to learn business and training styles from other trainers – what to do and what not to do. Being in the gym environment is also a fantastic way to meet new people and potential clients. Keep in mind, however, that even though you are working at a gym, you will need to have an entrepreneurial spirit. In almost all cases, you are responsible for getting your own Personal Training clients and selling personal training packages yourself. Your competition is all the other personal trainers at the gym, not to mention all the other gyms and personal trainers in the area. You will not only need to be able to prove to people that you are an excellent personal trainer, but also be able to successfully close sales. So while being fit and healthy is extremely important, the better your business background is, the more business you will get. You will learn some sales techniques and ways to develop your business at Wexford University which will help you get started. You can also further your knowledge by readings sales books, attending workshops, and watching how your competition closes sales. So many Personal Trainers start out as employees because there is so much more to a career in personal training that can be learned from a book or by studying. While you will certainly get the foundation you need with a program at Wexford University, you still need on-the-job experience to be the best personal trainer you can be. Working at a gym, studio or spa is one of the best ways to make that happen. The hands-on application and experience you will get from working with other professionals on a daily basis is invaluable to your business and growth as a trainer. The way you learn and develop your skills as a personal trainer is different for everyone but working in an environment with other people who are passionate about the fitness industry is an exciting and remarkable place to be every day. Having your own style when it comes to developing your own exercise programming is crucial and it is what will set you out from your competitors. With an ability to create effective, well-balanced fitness routines that also keep your clients engaged mentally you will appeal to a wide array of clients. While you may have a specific niche such as sports performance, part of what will make you good at what you do is if you can train all different body types at all stages of the fitness cycle. Members of the gym will see the people you work with and you will be attractive to more clients if you have all different types of people you work with and train. For some new trainers, they are able to build a successful business from the moment they get their certification, for others it is a little harder. It is important to have access to people in the industry who can mentor you and give you guidance to help you build a foundation. One such person is John Spencer Ellis. While you may not get the opportunity to know him personally, his website is full of practical and useful information that you will not be able to find anywhere else. It can be found at http://www.johnspencerellis.com. The more you know, the more successful you will be. Who knows, you may be someone else’s mentor one