How to Survive a Pandemic - For Personal Trainers

If, like most of the personal trainers in our community, you’re worried about the negative implications the current pandemic is and could have on your business, this guide is for you.

In it, I’ll be taking you through a step by step process to help you make your business (and personal life) as pandemic proof as possible.

You won’t be able to do everything on this list, but if you do what you can do, at least you’ll sleep easier next week. Let’s begin.

Step 1: Reduce Liabilities

A liability is something that costs you money each month and you’ll find you have a lot of them that you don’t even think about. Most things end up being small but over time, they all add up and you could end up saving yourself thousands per year.

Business Rent
This might be rent for a gym space or for a building you use to train clients from. Either way, you might not be able to use it for some time and there are schemes in place that can help you either reduce or forego payments during difficult times. You’ll need to do some digging but it can really be worth it.

Train Clients Outdoors
This would be the next logical step if you either decide business rent isn’t worth it right now or simply can’t afford it. There’s no shame in telling clients that such a massive expense isn’t feasible right now so you’re moving sessions outdoors. You’ll find most of them are supportive.

Take Your Business Online
Another option if face to face training in the gym or even outdoors isn’t an option right now. Most clients would still like to train and an online option has been working great for a lot of trainers in our community. Check out PT Distinction, an online personal training software.

Phone Subscriptions
You don’t need to get rid of your phone subscription, although you should if you don’t need it. But you might find that your phone subscription is too high. A really cheeky trick is to ring up your provider and tell them you can’t afford the payments anymore. They REALLY want to keep you as a customer and you’ll find they’ll have something for you.

Streaming Services
Like your phone, you don’t need to completely get rid of the service but are you paying for 6 devices when you could be paying for one. Maybe you have multiple services? Pick one.

Loans
Complex topic but there are usually ways to reduce or extend payments. Options include literally calling up your bank and telling them you need to reduce payments. In most countries, they have to accommodate your budget by law. You can also consider consolidating credit cards in to one payment spread over a longer term.

Utilities
Utilities like electric and gas are pretty essential but when was the last time you checked to see if there was a cheaper provider? You might be able to save yourself hundreds per year, especially with the competitive deals they have during times like this. Check for your personal home and for your business.

Step 2: Increasing Assets

An asset is something that brings money in every month. Your business is an asset because it should make you more money than you spend. Your website is an asset because it should make you more money by obtaining leads than you spend marketing it.

Double Down on What’s Working Now
If something is already working for you right now, you should definitely double down on that. As in, do more if it. A lot of trainers do something that works and then wander off to the next shiny object when they could’ve gotten more bang for their buck should they have just done more of what was working.

Create an Online 1:1 Service
This is something that seems to have forced its hand on a lot of trainers. For those who can’t keep paying gym rent or train clients outdoors, online training has been working really well. We have a whole course on how to become an online personal trainer.

Create an Online Bootcamp
Apps like Zoom allow for multiple participants in a single video call. Get all of your clients on a zoom call, have them mute their microphones and train along with you. 

Create an Online Coaching Service
As you know, personal training goes way beyond exercise, sets and reps. There’s a whole habit coaching dimension to the trade and you could quite easily build out a whole service around habit coaching your clients. Some PT’s even charge a premium for this.

Create a Course
Online learning is a big deal lately. Lots of businesses, including the Institute of Personal Trainers, has adopted an online course format because it just works. Information is free but people will pay for systems and shortcuts.

Sell Workouts
I know, I know. Selling workouts takes the personal away from personal training but right now, it’s something people are looking for because your clients also have to reduce their expenses. This is particularly effective if you already have a proven system and lots of before and afters to promote the workouts. If you don’t, you’ll be starting from scratch and it’ll be slow going.

Step 3: Plan Ahead

You might be in a pickle now, even if you somehow did plan ahead for the dumpster fire that has been this year so far, but you won’t get your business and personal life in order without planning ahead.

Double Down… Again
Doubling down was something you should do in step two to increase your assets but in step three it’s more about working on what’s working. Maybe you have a service that’s doing well. Can you make it better? Could you market it better? When was the last time you collected reviews for it?

Get a Business Plan
Business plans are overrated. Seriously. But they can be extremely useful in times like this. Some of your competitors are about to wiped out and that might leave a big gap in the market for you. It’s not something you need to spend a tonne of time on but an afternoon of going through the basics could be a game changer.

Create a Post Lockdown Plan
If lockdowns are going be a new feature, a post lock down/get back to work plan might be in order. Consider systemising the way you get in touch with clients and get everyone back to the new normal.

Build a Website
Websites have been a huge asset for a lot of our clients over at My Personal Trainer Website. We’ve helped loads of trainers take their business online using the tools freely available to them as part of their service with us. The whole world is online now and you at least need an address to send people to.

Create Content
You’re probably going to have some spare time now and that time could be used on creating kick ass content that potential leads can engage with. If you can write, write. If you can sit in front of a camera, I’m jealous, but you should do that. Got a great voice? Start a podcast. It doesn’t matter the medium or even the quality. Just get it out there.

Learn Something New
This could wither be for your business or it could be part of an exit plan should your business not make it through. It’s not nice to talk about but it’s a possibility and if you have something in place to bring home the bacon then I’m all for it.

Summing Up

This sucks. It sucks to have to write it. It sucks to even think about it. We’ve been supporting trainers for over a decade now and while it’s great to help so many PT’s through these hard times. But it’s also heartbreaking to watch those that didn’t have a plan succumb to the flames.

You probably won’t be able to implement all of these tips but do what you can. Most importantly, be there for your family and friends because when things really do get tough, you’ll be turning to each other.

From your friend at the Institute of Personal Trainers, Dan Salcumbe.