Let’s face it, building a personal training business – building any business for that matter – isn’t easy.
How do you separate yourself from the competition? The countless health clubs, bootcamps and other personal trainers in your area? How do you compete with P90X, fitness magazines and every infomercial under the sun that promise incredible results in a hurry and have multi-million dollar marketing budgets behind them?
Well if you’re looking for the easy route – the magic bullet to building a personal training business – this isn’t the place for you.
There are plenty of other people out there that will give you the sizzle. They’ll make it sound like you never have to lift a finger and success will fall right in your lap. Work 4 hours a week and earn multiple six figures.
You don’t believe that crap, do you? I hope not.
Success isn’t easy. Building a training business, or any other business, is hard. But you shouldn’t want it to be easy. You shouldn’t want everyone to be able to do it.
That just makes it ordinary. Average.
And I don’t want to settle for any part of being average… and neither should you.
So I’m going to give you my Magic Formula for building a personal training business:
The 10X Factor for Personal Training Business Success
If you follow this, I will guarantee you success. But be forewarned – this isn’t some black hat, ninja secret… it involves actual work, but if you follow the 10X factor, you will:
- Soon have clients referring their friends, family members and co-workers to your personal training business like crazy.
- See your retention rates skyrocket.
- Sell more to your current clients than you ever thought was possible.
- Make all competitors irrelevant.
So what is the 10X Factor? Here it is:
The 10X Factor is an entirely different way for you to think and act about building a fitness business. It’s made up of these 5 components:
- You must commit to delivering 10 times the fee in the value you provide for anything you sell.
- You must be willing to work 10 times harder and smarter than your competition.
- You must be willing to set written goals 10 times loftier than you ever have before.
- You must commit to being 10 times more knowledgeable than the competition.
- You must get 10 times more done than the competition.
I know, that sounds challenging, right? It’s supposed to. If you want to accomplish something that most people never will, you’ve got to be willing to do things that most people would never consider.
The foundation of the 10X Factor is #1:
You must commit to delivering 10 times the fee in the value you provide for anything you sell.
If you charge $199 a month for a bootcamp, then you have to do your best to deliver $1990 in monthly value. Sure, I know that most people wouldn’t pay you $1990 a month – and most people probably couldn’t even if they wanted to. But that’s not the point.
The point is that you relentlessly work to deliver $10 in value for every $1 you charge. You give more personal attention to your people than anyone else does. You constantly strive to make your workouts more effective and more fun. You send cards on birthdays and you give gifts at Christmas. You give clients DVD’s they can take when they travel and you give them guides or coaching on using anything you sell them.
If you spend some time every day looking for ways to deliver just a little more value – to make the experience that you provide just a little better, then you’ll get to that point where you achieve #1.
And you know that the competition isn’t doing this. They’re trying to figure out how little they can get away with giving for the fee they charge. But remember – people either want the cheapest or they want the best – and this is how you become the best.
The second component of the 10X Factor is simple, but it will weed out 99% of the people who ever own a business:
You must be willing to work 10 times harder and smarter than your competition.
But if you’re building a personal training business and you embrace this – it’s a competitive advantage that the others in your market won’t step up to match.
I didn’t say that you have to work longer – just harder and smarter.
When your competition is searching online, trying to find ways to avoid work – you work. When they think they know enough, you study. You’re either getting better or worse – every day. Spend most all of your days getting better.
In spite of what some ‘experts’ will tell you – there is no instant path to success. Heck, even If you win the lottery, you had to get off your butt and go buy a ticket. Take pride in outworking people. The leaders in most any field know more about how to be successful than their competition and they work harder.
You can do the same. It’s a decision.
The 3rd component is of the 10X Factor is one that ever mediocre business owner ignores:
You must be willing to set written goals 10 times loftier than you ever have before.
Most business owners make every day like the movie Groundhog Day. They get up and do the same thing over and over.
They have no real goals that drive them forward. If you’re building a training business – you can’t make this critical mistake.
Why settle for mediocrity? Why be comfortable with being average. John F. Kennedy said: “Once you say you’re going to settle for second, that’s what happens to you in life.”
So if you’re going to build a business – why settle for anything less than great? Building a fitness business is hard work. I’ve been there. I remember not having enough money to fill up my gas tank when we were getting started. I remember having to go on Craigslist to try to find discounted tickets to be able to take Tyler to a local amusement park because we couldn’t afford them at full price.
But having lofty goals – was the carrot out in front that kept me motivated and it keeps me striving to learn and get better every day. Most people won’t set those types of goals. You should.
Component #4 is something I see with our Elite Mastermind Members all the time:
You must commit to being 10 times more knowledgeable than the competition.
The best don’t get there by accident. I look at some of the people that we work with and are amazed by how much they know. They know how to get people results – and still they’re the first ones to keep studying. They know more about business than the rest of the industry, but they are the first to register for our events and make being part of the Elite Mastermind a high priority.
I got a text the other day from one of our Masterminders asking me how I read 3 books a week. I have to. That’s how. That’s one of my keys to making sure that I’m getting better. I know that I need to keep learning – every day. Anything else is not acceptable.
Even though BJ Gaddour is as knowledgeable as anyone on the planet about running a bootcamp, he constantly learns more. Even though Ryan Ketchum and Tyler English know more about running a fitness facility the way it needs to be run than about anyone you’ll ever meet – they’re constantly learning more. Mike Robertson is a corrective exercise guru – and never stops getting better. Eric Cressey is always searching out ways to make his athletes better even though he’s already at the top his the field. Dave Schmitz knows more about training with bands than anyone else on the planet, but he’s always learning more.
Being the best means always staying one step ahead – and part of that is being a lifelong learner.
The final component of the 10X Formula is that…
You must get 10 times more done than the competition.
Because ultimately no one cares what you know, how much potential you have or how smart and talented you are. They don’t care about all your good ideas or the countless projects you start.
They sure as hell don’t care about the promises you make.
They care about what you do.
So if you’re building a personal training business that you want to be extraordinary… one that provides a great experience for all that come in contact with it and personal satisfaction, wealth and freedom for you – don’t focus on activity. Focus on achievement.
Because you only get paid for done.
So are you up to the task? Are you one of the rare fitness professionals that wants to be great and wants to build a personal training business that is in that top 1%? Making a quick buck is easy. Just promise people the world, slap some testimonials up and tell people to act fast or they’ll miss out. Every infomercial ever created is proof of that.
But building something that stands the test of time, that your kids can be proud of, that the rest of the business world wants to emulate – that’s different.
But then again – you don’t want to be average, do you? Tell me what you think below.
Dedicated to your success,
Pat
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Love your work, Pat!
Thank you for this article!
Theres so much of it that I can relate to, like being religious about reading and providing crazy amounts of value for money (especially when others around me inflicked their opinions or down-tread my efforts by saying ‘you should charge more’, ‘you shouldn’t do that for free’, ‘If I were you I’d ….’ blah blah blah!).
Starting out is tough on you bank balance, your consumption of time and on repeling your critics. So you need to believe that you are 10x the above average, just to get through each day!
Great article, thanks again!!!
good solid info Pat, no fluff, just working harder and smarter then the competition.
great, true, to the point post Pat. So on spot. So tired of hearing–work 6 hours a week and making 3x what i made working 60 hours a week. Bull snot. Ya goota work–on the business if not in the business.
Randy
this article is the king daddy of them all! thank you very much for shooting some fire up my a$$ this morning ! as always, pat, I appreciate your efforts
This is one of my favorite posts of all time!
HAVE FAITH & TAKE ACTION!
Justin Yule
http://www.ChanhassenFitnessRevolution.com
P.S. – I plan to use this exact same concept for a post for my training clients. The principles are the same for getting a healthy and fit body.
Thanks for this post Mr. Rigsby. I have been reading your blog and email newsletter for over two years and the information you provide is always excellent. I just purchased B3 a few weeks ago, and I am amazed at all the great content. Thanks again for all of your great work.
GREAT!! WORKING HARDER AND SMARTER EVERY TIME!!
Pat,
I totally agree with your post and this is probably my all time favorite. Thanks for all you do.
Jeremy
Great post Pat. Much work still needs to be done. Some I’m doing not all. I’m delegating and outsourcing more but still running out of time so need more improvement on efficiency end. Putting some things in place from BCBC. Thanks again.
Thanks Pat. Time to Do Work!
Good one ,Pat! right on
Excellent post Pat
I would add the old powerlifting concept: “attack your weaknesses.” If you are great at anatomy but not so great at marketing, prioritize improving your marketing skills. If you have 20 projects going and none are getting finished, prioritize finishing something.
Most people naturally gravitate to areas where they are strongest and avoid weak areas. Do the opposite and improve the fastest.
Well said Pat. Loved the tips, I’m never without a book to read, have one in my car, my desk, on my phone, and nightstand.
Always learning.
And if you work w/ Pat, Nick, and AJ, you’re going to be 10x better than all of your competition. GUARANTEED! They’ve helped me dramatically. I’m 10x better because of them! Hell…I’m more than 10x better since following them.
Awesome post Pat! I look forward to these posts every morning, just what I need to start my morning off right
Excellent post Pat! I’m getting after it, incorporating these very principles to continue progressive growth for business and in life as well!
Again thanks for the wealth of vital growth knowledge!
Hi Pat
This is a great article that gives us the perspective we need to attain our goals. For me going into business with no guidance or experience has made this experience very humbling. I thank you for providing me with tools that will allow me to get better. The biggest reason we need to learn and study is because to become successful and attain your goals you need to learn from those that have been there and you cant do it alone, thanks.
Damian
10x the value! Wow genius. I’m running out now to purchase gifts for ALL of my campers. Thank you for years of invaluable advice.
Alright Pat…That was F-ING Rockstar Stuff! Now, you can put your keyboard away because that dozen plus paragraph blog you just wrote is the best ‘How to Build ANY KICKASS Business’ (book) anyone will ever need to read. (Just kidding about putting keyboard away). See you in Conn., brother.
Thanks & Peace-
Matt
This is a very powerful and motivating article!
THANKYOU!!!!!
This is extremely motivational and informative!!!
THANKYOU!
The 10x rule is one of my favorites! Thanks for reminding me to step it up again.
Haha… writing about how to deliver 10x the value automatically ads 10x the value to this post and the site. Very smart
Thanks Pat – Keep rockin’ with this stuff! It’s gold!
Well, what can I say ? Posts are getting better and better all the time !!! Many thanks. Any chance to see you in……. Australia one day ???? I’ll be your ambassador
Hell no I don’t want to be average Pat! That is why i am working with you man! Seriously some awesome stuff right here man. Well Done. Like you said, GETTING IT DONE IS THE DEAL. That is why I am reading this post at 1am. It is on my list and it will be done. Now it is and i’m off to bed!
Pat, Thanks again. All of your posts have been informational and inspirational, but this one takes the cake. I am starting a fitness business while still working my full time job as an Athletic Trainer, and your guidance continues to get me through the daily overload. Thanks again.
Well said. The hard thing to do and the right thing to do are usually the same!
Great post Pat! You know I’m up for the task!
Great post defiantly my favorite. Very motivational, thank a lot Pat.
Awesome post, Pat – and definitely one of the most overlooked components of fitness success. If more people would just focus on overdelivering, a lot of the other stuff would simply fall into place. I’ve seen it over and over again at Cressey Performance!
I always find it interesting when successful people get asked how they got where they are. When it really just boils down to the fact that they worked their ass off.
Right now I’m thinking of something I read from Eric Cressey the other day when I guy asked him how he’s gotten so much done and if he’d found a space in the time continuum.
Obviously the guy has just gone ahead and devoted himself fully to being awesome at what he does.
Pretty cool.
Thanks for writing this.
Talk about lighting a fire under somebody’s ass.
For lack of a better way to express myself: This is Fucking Awesome.