How one personal trainer diversified his business to increase revenues.

By Rachel Debling

Over 200,000 Canadians will hire a personal trainer this year, but many trainers will never attain the riches that are within arm’s reach, says fitness consultant Vince DelMonte.

Taking care of business At Phoenix Fitness in Ancaster, Ontario, a club with 1,500 members and a 13-person-strong training staff, Vince has his hands full performing fitness assessments and reassessments, and taking on the clients when his busy schedule allows for it. “My job is to get new members involved in the extra activities that the club offers,” says Vince. “We know for a fact that most people who start an exercise program unsupervised are going to have a hard time seeing results – up to an 80% failure rate. I help them get started safely and effectively.” And he does it well. With a closing ratio of 30% to 60% for personal training package referrals, Vince is on top of his game. It’s the sales component that has kept Vince’s zest for the industry alive throughout his years in the business. “The main reason I was more attracted to the business side of things was that it was more performance based,” Vince reveals. “If I don’t sell training, I don’t get paid.”

Make more money per hour

One of his biggest roles is helping Phoenix’s trainers with their business and technical skills so that both the club and the individual team members can see bigger profits. Vince believes that because some gyms pay only small percentages of the training fee to the trainer, many trainers suffer from self-worth issues. They need to rise above this mindset, he says, to improve their overall earnings.

One of the best ways to accomplish this, he says, is to switch from one-on-one sessions to small-group training. Semi-private sessions not only increase a trainer’s revenue but also save clients money – a win-win situation.

“This is not a get-rich-quick method by any means; group training is actually ten times as hard,” Vince cautions. “You are dealing with two or three different people. You have to be more attentive, more prepared, know the fitness levels of more people and be more creative. Some trainers may not be interested in doing group training because of the extra work.” But for those who are, he says, they can see a substantial increase in profits.

Replacing 60-minute sessions with 30-minute ones is another way to quickly increase a trainer’s revenue. “Gyms usually charge on the hour for training services,” he says. “The problem with this is that most people don’t need one hour of attention. I could train someone in about half-an-hour and it could still be one of the best workouts they have had.”

Handpicked clients

Though Vince is busy with the sales side of things, he personal trains too – but only a small number of hand-selected clients. He approached one of his recent clients at the gym after he remembered seeing her in the audience at a fitness model show. After signing on board with Vince, she placed fifth out of 41 women in her first show and claimed third place in her next.

“I’ve been in the trenches,” he says. “I used to train 70 hours a week, one-on-one training. Training people is truly my passion.”

Leveraging the Web

Vince has expanded his business onto the web and offers a downloadable ebook on his website. This decision, he says, has immensely increased his income. In fact, he makes nearly $2,000 US every two weeks. It’s enough to take care of all his living expenses –and it’s money that’s earned while he’s off making money elsewhere.

He reaches his internet audience through standard methods such as search engines and links placed in bios of articles he pens for bodybuilding.com and ironmagazine.com. But the majority of his internet income comes from affiliates; fitness websites place Vince’s link on their page, and if a sale results, Vince and the website share the revenue.

“All trainers should be creating their own information products,” urges Vince. “If someone is going to spend a couple thousand dollars on a one-on-one service, their friends or family may hear about you and want some more information.” This natural progression, says Vince, can bring a personal trainer to the level of fitness professional and finally to the motherload, fitness entrepreneur. Fitness entrepreneurs sell products that produce a steady stream of passive income.

Does Vince believe he’s at this level? “I have the mindset, but I wouldn’t say I am actually there yet,” he laughs. “I certainly have a way to go.”

Vince’s Top Tips:

1. Leverage your time by increasing the number of clients you see at once. You’ll make a larger profit and save clients money at the same time.

2. Don’t limit yourself to training. Consider diversifying with products and promotions.

3. Explore internet affiliates for your website. Even if you aren’t selling a product, it’s an effective way to link your site to others.

4. Get your name out as much as possible. Freelance writing for fitness publications and local papers can expose you to a wider audience.

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Vince Delmonte Phoenix Fitness 1015 Golf Links Road Ancaster, Ontario 905-648-0226 www.phoenixhamilton.com

Years in the industry: 4

Qualifications:
B.Hon. kinesiology

Favourite resources:
The E-Myth: Why Most Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber, www.ryanlee.com and www.jimlabadie.com.

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