The PT Roadmap

The weekly newsletter for Personal Trainers who want to build a client base they love and business they are proud of.

Hey!

I always seem to update this section on what I’m watching or reading. Maybe I need a new hobby. I’ve been thinking archery could be fun. Anyway, I started watching the new series of Alone, which I LOVE. I think it’s seeing how these people manage being totally alone for months on end that I find most fascinating. I also enjoy watching them turn trees and bushes into unreal shelters and the creative ways they catch and find food.

Oh, and before I forget, thanks to those who reached out with Belfast recommendations. I now have a good idea of how I’ll spend my free time!

Let's get into today’s newsletter.

But first… are you a regular PT Roadmap reader? I send (almost) daily emails to a list of 200+ PTs you might be interested in being added to.

Since stopping posting on Instagram, it’s where I post all of my best stuff.

At a minimum, I promise not to bore you.

Each email usually involves a story (like how my first “boss” stopped one of my first-ever PT sessions to interrupt and tell me — in front of my new client — how I was teaching push-ups wrong) and is designed to give you at least one ‘aha’ moment.

Click here to get added automatically.

Business Thing I’ve Been Thinking About

I signed my son up for a weekly gymnastics class recently.

It's $160 a month.

"Not cheap" was my first thought.

"But it'll be cool to get him into this kind of movement at such an early age, so it's worth it. And I get an hour of peace. And he should burn a load of energy so maybe he'll sleep?"

That last part is a parenting pipe dream, but the rest is accurate.

When I’m sitting on the side with the other parents, I’ve found myself thinking about their model, particularly how they manage payments and missed classes.

If he misses a class, he misses a class, and we still pay.

There are no catch-ups.

They make this very clear to you when you first join, and in a T&Cs contract, you sign.

His Wednesday 345pm slot is his only slot.

I can't help but compare how we charge and manage payments as PTs to models like this gymnastics studio.

We often charge session-by-session or in blocks.

Meaning clients can easily bank sessions up and cancel without losing a session.

Clients go on holiday for 2 weeks, and we miss out on being paid.

Why do we still run our businesses like this?

When there is a clear blueprint for doing it better?

Here's what I'd recommend if this is you:

1. Move to a monthly payment model.

Instead of charging clients in blocks, charge them each month.

To work this out, take a client’s weekly session cost, multiply this by 52 (52 weeks in a year) and divide by 12 (12 months in a year)

E.g. £60 x 52 / 12 = £260 per month

2. Build in holiday/ annual leave.

Using the figures from above, you can take 4, 5, or 6 weeks off the weekly number to build in holiday for both you and your client. This means there are three weeks for you to use as you wish and three weeks for the client.

Now, you can take time off in summer and winter, and your client can disappear to the Bahamas for a week in March, but you'll still get paid.

E.g. £60 x 46 = £230 per month

3. Have a(very) clear cancellation policy.

When a new client signs up with me, I:

• tell them about my cancellation policy in-person

• Get them to sign a letter acknowledging that they understand it

• Remind them when they cancel after their 1^st  session about the cancellation policy (assuming it’s a late one.)

Mine is 24 hours for 1-1 and 12 for small-group sessions. I’m still more lenient than strict.

I still consider the individual and their reason, but I have charged more clients for late cancellations in the last 12 months than I have in the 5 years prior. I often find clients now texting me to cancel, and they say they know they are forfeiting this session. That’s something I’d never experienced until implementing this.

These three changes aren’t overly complicated, but they make a world of difference to the professionalism you feel about your business. And it’s an amazing feeling to go on holiday and still get paid!

One Instagram Post Worth Your Time

I resonated heavily with this post from Maha Copy.

I’ve been guilty of making my solution to a fitness problem too big in my messaging when trying to get PT clients. Saying something like “I help Dads get fit and strong” sounds nice, but it’s talking about two big reallllly big, vague problems: not feeling strong enough and not feeling fit enough. To improve this, I could say, “I help Dads who feel gassed within 15 seconds of chasing their energetic toddler around the garden get fit.”

See how it’s made the problem more specific and smaller?

Which one do you think is more likely to get a Dad to reach out?

Try it yourself when you’re next putting a call-to-action on a post.

Podcast Episode I Enjoyed

Mark Fisher, owner of Mark Fisher Fitness in New York City and Business for Unicorns, is someone I’ve learned much from. From how he built his gym to 100s of raving members in the centre of NYC to how he runs his small-groups classes.

I was lucky enough to trial a few of their sessions when I lived in New York; it was the best coaching I’ve ever received.

There’s something so underrated about being a client instead of a coach and experiencing the other side.

Mark is now cementing himself as someone who teaches lead generation to gym owners. This podcast provided excellent insight into his model for attracting clients.

I especially enjoyed the section on local business partnerships.

Do you have a question or a topic you’d like to see covered in a future issue? Hit reply!

Thanks so much for reading.

— Stuart.