457 – Maximizing Fitness Profits with Ironclad Rates and Policies: Insights from Pete Cerqua

What one thing gives even experienced personal trainers and HIT business owners the biggest headaches and how can you avoid this?

Pete Cerqua returns and explains how getting your rates and policies right can set you up for operating a fitness business you’ll be happy to keep running and avoid the pain of being walked over like a doormat by terrible clients.

Pete is the author of the books The 90-Second Fitness Solution, High-Intensity Fitness Revolution for Women, and High-Intensity Fitness Revolution for Men. He also has decades of experience building massively successful strength-training businesses.

His “Million Dollar Trainer” program shows strength trainers how to earn 7 figures per year, and he is currently running an Exclusive HIT Business Coaching Program that’s been helping trainers and strength studio owners generate more revenue than ever before — Apply for 1-on-1 Business Coaching with Legendary Trainer Pete Cerqua

This is another one of our longer episodes, but if you really want to have a good time starting and running your own HIT business, you’ll want to listen to this!

📩 Download a FREE step-by-step guide on how to get endless referrals NOW

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This podcast episode is brought to you by Imagine Strength.

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Visit ImagineStrength.com and discuss your specific needs with the team, and choose the equipment that will propel your fitness business to the next level.

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• Listen to it on Apple Podcasts
• Stream by clicking here
• Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as”

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Show Notes

• 02:24 – That’s a good-sounding deal you got there… it would be a shame if you didn’t take it
• 04:37 – How rates and policies protect your business from pitfalls and make it rock-solid
• 06:55 – Should you make rate and policy exceptions for some clients? (Avoid this BIG mistake)
• 16:36 – The nightmare client scenario you need to avoid (critical lessons)
• 25:57 – Diving into the importance and execution of proper rates and policies
• 31:09 – What should you know about memberships, subscriptions, and packages?
• 35:26 – The right way to track client progress, how to talk to them about it, and surprisingly common mistakes to watch out for
• 41:57 – Dealing with timesuck clients
• 44:13 – How should you approach client education?
• 50:00 – Why trainers shouldn’t play it loose and fast (this stunts business growth)
• 53:01 – How should you think about giving discounts?
• 1:01:29 – Dealing with difficult clients and late cancellations, especially when you’re just starting out
• 1:05:35 – How should you think about session pricing and expirations?
• 1:09:26 – How prospect qualifying and client quality factors in (building your client avatar)
• 1:12:14 – What can you do to improve your confidence if you’re a conflict-averse personal trainer who is more on the reserved side?
• 1:15:14 – How should you think about session rollovers?
• 1:19:52 – How can you prevent cancellations?
• 1:24:50 – How can you execute and operate like Pete Cerqua if you don’t have his personality or background?
• 1:28:44 – How to “cultivate your garden” and build your community
• 1:32:53 – How to set your rates (and how to increase rates without losing clients)

Note: these are the timestamps for the audio edition. For the video edition’s timestamps, please see the YouTube description box for this episode.

People Mentioned & Selected Links from the Episode

• Pete Cerqua | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | HIB Episodes
  • Free 1-hour HIT Business Coaching Call with Pete – Book Now
  • HIB 456 – Pete Cerqua on Why HIT Trainers Make Twice as Much as Regular Trainers
• The “fit20 study”
• Donald Miller | Official Website | StoryBrand (book) | Business Made Simple (book) | Marketing Made Simple (book)
• Owen Dockham | Live Oak Strength | EverStrongSF | HIB Episodes
• Discover Strength | HIB Episodes
• Optima Strength
• Join HIT Business Membership