how to make a sale - Personal Trainer Community - Forum

[Wonder]

I'm new to the whole thing , and i was wondering how does a personal trainer get paid, i mean do u ask for it after a session or like a monthly thing , is it cash or credit card ? because it'd be awkward to ask for payment
please mention employed and independent PTs
can u also mention how can working independently and be employed be different in matter of pay and where to work , can both work in public gyms or clubs ? and how would that go
thanks in advance , it would really help me a lot to clear these thing of my head

[Christina]

i was wondering how does a personal trainer get paid, i mean do u ask for it after a session or like a monthly thing

Absolutely, positively on a monthly basis. Money needs to be paid up front. When I was new to training I thought a per session basis was the way to go. I was so wrong. Clients make zero commitment when they pay on a per session basis. Create packages and ask for payment on the first day. If they can't afford to do this, then find a client who can. Period. I am speaking from experience.

is it cash or credit card ?

I take cash, checks, and credit cards for my in home training business. Yes, credit card companies charge a small fee, but when you are talking several hundred dollars in personal training sessions it's really nothing. I have a few clients who like to use their American Express card because of the points. If that keeps them happy then I'm happy. Rule number one to all small business owners: Worry about the customers you have instead of the ones you don't.

Hope this helps.

Christina

[EarnMorePT]

Awesome advice!

I to would like to confirm that I also made that mistake in the early part of my Personal Training career! It is so true that clients will make more of a commitment when they pay up front.

I would also encourage you to make a list of T's&C's. Included in there should be a late cancellation policy whereby your clients pay in full or 50% of fee if they cancel a session within 24hrs. By taking paymet upfront you can simply knock off a session for the late cancellation rather than having the uncomfortable conversation about paying for the missed session. Make sure your clients have read and agreed to your T's&C's before you enfource this however!

By the way this was my first post as I have only just come across this site. Love it!

Look forwarding to posting some more very soon!

Yours in health,

Matt, BSc (HONS), FAFS

[Dinah]

Hi Matt,

We're glad you found the Fitness ThinkTank! Thanks for ringing in on this subject. I am just starting out and it's really important to get this all worked out before you start working with clients. Once you start, you end up setting a precedent that you can't reverse. It may be hard, but this is business and they need to respect that.

Looking forward to reading more of your posts and again, welcome.


Dinah