It can be difficult to tell whether or not you should start your own personal training business or align with a personal training franchise.  There are benefits with both approaches and there are also reasons that may encourage one not to consider either approach. This article should help provide clarity on the reasons you may consider aligning with a franchise or if you would be better suited for your own business without the franchise.

Reasons that people franchise

There are a lot of reasons that people end up choosing a franchise. The reasons vary from person to person and it may wind up just being a personal preference.  There are 5 big reasons that people end up choosing a franchise over opening an independent operation in the same industry. The brand recognition, support systems, training, marketing, and discounted buying power that franchises offer can be worth the amount of money that franchisees pay each month.

1. 1. Brand recognition

The ability to have name and brand recognition from day 1 of operations is a high motivator for people to franchise. The name of the business is important and often determines the success or failure of a business based on how people recognize that name.

Consumers are more likely to enter a personal training franchise then they are a non-franchised facility because of the brand recognition. They already trust the name that they have heard of rather than the name that they have never heard. The ability to have a good reputation prior to opening the doors on the first day is worth every penny of the franchise fee.

1. 2. Support systems

Many franchises offer support systems for their franchisees. Whether they offer business counceling or a community of franchise owners, this support is invaluable. Having a network of people to rely on when business is difficult can mean the difference between keeping the doors open and closing them. The community of people who own businesses with the same plan and name can be a great asset when a business owner needs a little help.

1. 3. Training

Training is a fantastic element of a franchise. The training provided is usually oriented on the business processes, procedures, systems and specialties. For example Fit Body Boot Camp offers its’ franchisees a 6 day university in which they come to learn all about operations and they receive fitness training. For a personal training franchise it is important to have a common element of training so that the experience is the same from franchise to franchise (that is part of the appeal of a franchise in the first place).

Systems and operations training can also be a valuable time saver. Many new personal trainers have a hard time in developing their own systems and operations standards especially when they are operating out of their own facility. The ability to skip this learning phase of business and have a well-designed operations platform is one of the many reasons that people franchise.

1. 4. Marketing

The ability to assign a marketing budget and forget about the rest of the marketing elements is a very good reason that people franchise. Most personal training franchise opportunities will include marketing in their franchise agreements. The best part about receiving marketing support from a franchise is that it is a proven system. If the marketing that they designed was unsuccessful they would not be a franchise.

Access to proven marketing strategies gives a personal trainer an edge in their local market. Marketing is the most important element in maintaining membership levels in any fitness oriented business. This is even truer of personal training operations as the attrition rates are about 1 in 3. The constant influx of new customers will ensure positive growth numbers and more income with less effort on the business owner’s part.

1. 5. Discounted buying power

Everyone knows that buying in bulk saves money. The bulk buying discounts are often something that a franchisor can provide its franchisee. Cutting 10-15% off of the initial cost of furnishing a gym can provide a substantial amount of capital to go toward other aspects of operations and startup. A personal training franchise should be able to provide access to either discounted equipment or discounted leasing terms. The savings will not likely be overshadowed by the franchise fee either meaning it is savings that will actually be able to be used for another part of the business.

A franchise will be successful

A Gallup study found that 91% of franchises were open 7 years after their launch date. This compared to 20% of business that started operations independently. The difference in these numbers is huge. There is no denying that given the opportunity most business owners would like to be in operation 7 years after their opening date. The support outlined above that franchises provide is the reason that the franchises see vastly different success rates than independent operations.

Reasons not to franchise

Why wouldn’t someone want to take advantage of a vast network of support systems and a higher success rate? Some people do not like the feeling that they are not the real owner of the business. Others simply do not have the initial investment capital, which can be higher in a franchise situation. Finally there are some people who prefer to operate as an independent business no matter what disadvantage it means. It is simply a matter of principle to them and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Should you franchise

If you want access to marketing materials, instant brand recognition and a proven success rate then a personal training franchise is something that you should do. Aligning yourself with a franchise is likely to only make you more successful. The small franchise fees could even be looked at as just another form of insurance. They ensure success by giving access to proven business models and successful marketing techniques. Franchising is a better option for most people wanting to open a personal training business.

You’ve probably heard me mention Jay Abraham before.

Jay’s the guy who’s probably had the most influence on me as it relates to speed of business growth, competition proofing your business from the ground up, and building geometric growth into your business.

Jay’s also the guy who helped Tony Robbins escalate to massive success… consulted FedEx during their fastest growth period and market dominance… and over-seen the marketing of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books.

To say that Jay is a brilliant marketing mind is a gross understatement – he’s way more than that… and I say that from experience.

I had lunch with Jay last week and we got to talking about you and how you could distinguish yourself from your competitors in an otherwise cluttered and congested market space.  We video taped that part of the conversation for you when we headed back to Jay’s office.

Here it is… Enjoy!

Continue Reading Lunch Jay Abraham

Recently, there’s been a distortion in the client getting proccess that’s been causing three major problems for fitness trainers and their businesses…

1. A bunch of trainers are selling on the platform of lowest price, rather than highest value and promised results. This devalues your services and puts you in a lower category on the financial food chain.

2. Far too many trainers are losing the sale becuase they’re too focused on the low barrier offer itself (the lead magnet) and not on the  actual proccess of converting that low barrier offer client into a regular paying ongoing client.

3. The top two problems above create anxiety and panic which ultimately effect your day to day life.

Continue Reading Restructuring a Distorted Process

So you have decided that you want to open a fitness boot camp, but do you open a fitness boot camp franchise, or venture out on your own? There are many things to consider when deciding whether you should franchise or start an independent operation. This article should help you evaluate the pros and the cons of franchising your boot camp.

Benefits of Franchising

• Assistance with opening

Most franchises have a plan in place to help their new owners even before the door opens. This includes things like competition analysis and assistance with real estate. If the beginning stages of opening a fitness boot camp franchise are intimidating this is a great reason to franchise. Franchising can make the entire process of opening a new boot camp easier because they already have all of the processes outlined.

• Marketing

Crafting effective marketing materials is essential to any business’ success, especially a fitness business. Fitness boot camps must be marketed to the right people at the right time to keep membership at a steady number. When franchising a fitness boot camp most of the marketing materials are created for you. This makes the entire marketing process more effective and less time consuming.

The less time that is spent on marketing means that more time can be spent in other aspects of operations. The benefit of a franchise is that when you have moved your time away from marketing to another area of the business the quality of the marketing will not suffer.

• Policies and procedures

Knowing which policies and procedures are going to assist in the effective operation of your boot camp can be difficult when operations first begin. This is one reason people choose a fitness boot camp franchise over beginning their own boot camp. All of the operational policies and procedures are already outlined for the franchisee.

Legal loopholes in contracts and billing arrangements are less likely because the franchise has been in operation for a long time and knows what is appropriate in a contract and what is inappropriate. The prewritten policies and procedures can also save on the legal costs associated with drafting such documents.

• Assistance with equipment

When franchising, one of the major benefits is that the franchise already has bargaining capabilities with their equipment suppliers. Becoming a part of a franchise is equivalent to having a supply chain for a gigantic business already established. The ability to receive equipment at a discounted rate or under better leasing terms can make a fitness boot camp franchise the superior choice.

• Recognition

The recognition of a fitness boot camp franchise is a reason to consider a franchise instead of a solo operation. Name recognition inspires trust and confidence. Many people will choose a national brand over a local brand simply because they know what to expect. This is true of franchises also. The fitness boot camp that is recognizable is going to get more business than one that has no name recognition value.

• Business support

The support available for those who do not franchise is limited. Most franchises want their franchisee to be successful. Their name relies on the successful operation of each of the locations. The best reason to franchise is if the franchisee needs support, whether it is with training for operations or marketing most franchises offer that support and have entire teams dedicated to making the franchisee successful.

Why not to franchise

• Fees

One of the biggest negatives to starting a franchise is the franchise fee. Many franchises choose to take a percentage of the monthly sales as their franchise fee. Paying a fee that is based on sales is like being taxed more because you make more money. Not only will your tax bracket change but you will also be forced to pay a higher percentage to the franchise. Even the companies who are more franchisee friendly still take a monthly fee on a fixed rate. These fees take away from the profit of the business and can become a problem for some business owners.

• Not true ownership

Some people feel that when starting a fitness boot camp as a franchise, there is not a true sense of ownership. This is because there are some elements of the franchise contract that are unchangeable. Some things an owner simply cannot do because it would violate the franchising contract. Operational elements that are outlined by the franchise contract may be an attractive reason to franchise for some, but for others it is a reason not to sign a franchise contract.

• Less creativity

When opening a business many people enjoy that element of creativity. They want to be the one who crafts the marketing materials, designs the logo and decides the policies. The problem with opening a franchise is that many of the creative elements of opening a business are already done. Many of the marketing materials are already crafted. The logo is already designed for a fitness franchise. Often franchises also provide all of the paperwork for the policies and procedures. This can be something that takes the adventure of opening a boot camp away. For those wanting to do all of this leg work themselves this can be a major negative.

• Compared to national brand

Many people simply do not want to be held to the standard of a national brand. Being told that your boot camp is nothing like the boot camp in another city can be frustrating. This can also be a source of problems if the boot camp is not upholding the franchise expectations. The entire concept of holding to a standardized image can be a major obstacle for some owners.

Franchising is a clear winner

Based on the few cons of opening a franchise and the many benefits of franchising it is clear that there are many benefits to franchising when opening a fitness boot camp. The fitness boot camp franchise is going to provide much more then it is going to take away.

When choosing which fitness boot camp franchise opportunity to partner with it is important to understand what benefits that they offer. It is even more important to understand the benefits that they offer to you when the economy is down and every industry is having problems. Fit Body Boot Camp is the ideal fitness boot camp franchise opportunity in a down economy for many reasons. Let’s explore those reasons and find out why partnering with Fit Body Boot Camp, even in a down economy may be the best decision in growing or starting your fitness business.

1. 1. Unmatched marketing support

Marketing is vital in a down economy. This is primarily due to the unsteady nature of employment of clients. It is important to have marketing to keep the constant influx of new clients to replace those who may be affected by the economic down turn. Fit Body Boot Camp does everything they can to support their franchisee with diligent marketing techniques.

They are constantly looking at new ways to incorporate internet technologies to assist them in better targeting their audience. Fit Body Boot Camp has also embraced how the internet works and is constantly refining their keywords for search engine optimization. The unmatched marketing support provided by Fit Body Boot Camp is one reason that even in a down economy you are still able to start a successful fitness franchise.

1. 2. Higher volume of clients

Many personal trainers have a hard time making enough money to fully support their families. This is because most trainers are only teaching one client at a time. Fit Body Boot Camp has figured out a method that can give the proven results of one-on-one training, but to groups of people. Clients who attend fit body boot camp classes have successful results and there are more of them. This drives sales and makes it possible for trainers to work less and make more money.

The fitness industry can be cut throat. Making sure that your income is not based on a handful of people is another reason to open a Fit Body Boot Camp. Personal trainers often train small social circles or have only a few clients who provide the majority of their income. With the Fit Body Boot Camp fitness boot camp franchise opportunity, you are no longer forced to rely on a few people as your source of income. With multiple classes a week your client roster will grow and provide you with more stability in the fitness industry.

1. 3. Year-round training capability

Many trainers who have decided to open their own boot camp have chosen to operate within parks. This can lead to a very seasonal business. If your climate is prone to either extremes of hot or cold the likelihood of year-round business dwindles. The Fit Body Boot Camp model provides that trainers use a stand-alone facility which facilitates year round training. No matter what economic climate you are in the ability to have a stable environment to conduct training in is essential to financial stability.

1. 4. Unbeatable training

Everyone knows that practice makes perfect. Being prepared is the key to success in any environment. Fit Body Boot Camp does what no other fitness boot camp franchise opportunity will; they offer a 6 day university in which franchisees can come and experience training in both operations and fitness. This ability to be fully prepared before opening the doors to your Fit Body Boot Camp location will ensure that you can tackle almost any situation.

1. 5. Amazing recruiting techniques

Recruiting is important in a down economy because of the unstable nature of membership rates. Fit Body Boot Camp provides amazing recruiting techniques to their franchisees. These recruiting techniques can provide the upper edge in maintaining a stable membership volume. Stable membership is the first step to becoming a recession proof business.

1. 6. Proven retention techniques

Once you have recruited a member it is important to understand what will make that person want to continue as a member of your training team. Other fitness boot camp franchise opportunities may not fully understand or embrace this concept the way that Fit Body Boot Camp embraces it. They provide Fit Body Boot Camp franchisees with proven retention strategies and training. This helps maintain strong membership numbers creating a stable income flow.

1. 7. Fair flat rate royalty fee

Many franchisors charge a variable percentage as a royalty fee. This means that the more money you make, the more money the franchisor takes. This type of royalty collection is structure to favor the franchisor. Fit Body Boot Camp favors the franchisee with a flat rate royalty fee. This means that as your business grows you will be able to keep a larger amount of your income. A fitness boot camp franchise opportunity that wants to take more of your money can end up hurting you financially.

1. 8. Road map for success

The road map that Fit Body Boot Camp provides to its franchisees is unbeatable. The roadmap provides support for many of the essential aspects of running a business. Not only does Fit Body Boot Camp provide their franchisees with unmatched marketing support but they also use amazing recruiting and retention techniques. All three of these are essential to maintaining steady membership numbers in a volatile economy.

A system that enables you to function year round by mandating a stand-alone facility and using a flat rate royalty fee is set up in favor of the franchisee. Any fitness franchise boot camp opportunity that does not have these two elements is severely lacking foresight about the operational bumps that come with training outside and having to forfeit more of the franchisees profits.

Finally in building the roadmap to success Fit Body Boot Camp has set up trainers to succeed by allowing them to train more people than previously possible. The ability for a trainer to train 300 people in a week rather than 30 increases the profit potential tenfold. This roadmap to success is why Fit Body Boot Camp is the ultimate down economy boot camp franchise choice.

When looking to start a fitness boot camp business the budget is one of the determining factors in the ability to open a business. The ability to find financing when you have a small initial budget can be difficult. This article will give you options for opening a fitness boot camp on a shoe string budget. Also it will discuss ways that you can find additional financing for your business.

Find a franchise

One of the biggest ways to save money when opening a fitness boot camp is to franchise. There are a few reasons that franchises help to save money when opening a business:

1. 1. Assistance with real estate

Most Franchisors will assist in the location of real estate. Sometimes this is through real estate counseling. Other times the franchisor will provide support by assigning their real estate agent to assist you.

1. 2. Assist with equipment fees

Partnering with a franchise is a great idea if you don’t have a lot of startup capital because of their discounted buying power. Most franchisors provide access to their purchasing accounts. This can lead to a discount on leasing fees or purchasing costs.

1. 3. Can provide access to financing

Some franchisors provide access to financing assistance. They either provide this support with loans or by deferring the initial costs into a payment that goes along with the franchise fee. This financial support provided by the franchisor can be invaluable to those trying to open a fitness boot camp business on a shoe string budget.

1. 4. Cuts the cost of marketing

The best reason to partner with a franchise is that it can drastically reduce the cost of marketing. Marketing is one of the quickest ways to build rapid membership in a fitness boot camp. The reason that partnering with a franchise can cut the costs of marketing is because they provide top quality marketing at a standard fee.

A good boot camp franchise will allow you to set your own marketing budget and will fit the marketing within that budget. Some of the best marketing strategies provided by franchisors include pay-per-click advertising in which the boot camp only pays per lead generated, rather than for the service.

Lease rather than buy

When starting your fitness boot camp business it is the best idea is to lease equipment rather than to buy the equipment. It is far cheaper on the initial costs to lease the fitness equipment than to purchase it outright. Another benefit that leasing the fitness equipment provides is the ability to upgrade without having to sell the old equipment. This means that the boot camp you have started can consistently have new equipment, which increases the appeal it may have to customers.

Start Small

While the ultimate goal for your fitness boot camp may be to host classes of 50 people with two or three trainers this is not the space that you want for the startup phase of your boot camp. The best thing to look for when leasing a space is whether or not it is something that can accommodate a reasonable size class multiple times a day.

If your class maximum is 20 because of the space you have then you only need to purchase equipment for 20 people and 1-3 extras in case something breaks. Do not lease a ton of extra equipment as it will only sit in the corner waiting for the day that you get a bigger building.

Starting small also ensures that you provide the best service to the clients you have. When starting a fitness boot camp business it is important to realize how much people expect you to cater to them. Your ability to provide top notch training will be one of the best assets when you start to think about expansion.

Keep it simple

We all know that the adjustable dumb bells are very fancy. They are fun to use and add a sleek appeal to a fitness boot camp. They are also less useful. A set of dumb bells that goes from 5lb -25lb costs about the same as adjustable dumb bells but instead of one set you are actually getting 5 sets of paired weights. This is far more useful to a fitness boot camp considering that multiple people at differing levels of ability are going to need weights at the same time. Also remembering that not many people will need higher weights for a boot camp class can cut down on the equipment leasing or purchasing costs.

Use cash as often as possible

While buy now pay later may be a way to save money, using credit cards to start a fitness boot camp business is not smart. The reason that it will save you money and be less expensive is because of the lack of interest. Also there are some businesses that offer discounts when items are paid for in full, so asking never hurts. This is especially true of things like furniture and bulk supplies.

Where to go if you simply don’t have the startup capital you need

Unfortunately sometimes you will need to gain access to additional funding before you are able to start your fitness boot camp business. There are three places that you can check out in order to see if you qualify for additional money

The Small Business Association offers both loans and grants to qualifying applicants. They may also be able to assist with additional ideas on how to save money when starting your boot camp. Franchisors may offer financial assistance if you do not have the funds for the entire initial investment. It is something that should be discussed with the franchisor up front if you need additional capital. Finally your local bank may be able to assist you in finding capital for your fitness boot camp business. Remember when finding additional sources of capital to avoid high interest credit cards. They set you up for failure as high repayment will take away from your future profits.

This post is something that I write from personal experience.

Back before I had my own personal training center I worked in a big box gym, probably a lot like you have.

One day while having a bite to eat in between personal training sessions a man walked into the trainer office and asked if I was a personal trainer.

I said yes, and he proceeded to asked about personal training – how it works, how many times a week he should come and what it costs.

I was stoked! This guy literally walks into the trainer office and was practically asking me to sell him personal training!

Inside my head I was high-fiving myself becuase not only was I about to get a new client…. I was about to make a a big commission. For some reason I could tell he was going to buy a big training package.

I was right.

Once I laid out the prices, he took a few minutes to think about it and then pointed to the 12 month, three time a week program and said “I’ll do this one”.

Stoked again! I just closed a $5,040 deal.

Here’s what happened next…
Continue Reading How to Overcome Your #1 Obstacle