How personal trainers should charge for their services is quite different than most service-based business, normally the service being provided only lasts for the set duration, it’s a standard or skilled based service which requires little extra time besides routine preparation.
Personal trainers, at least good personal trainers anyway have more to factor in. Like every teacher will tell you, planning is a massive part of executing a good lesson, likewise the same is true with executing a good session, good prep work is key. This takes time and effort to administer each client, keep records etc. Mobile personal trainers also have to think about travel time, fuel costs plus wear and tear on your vehicle. All this needs to be condenser and should be included within your price.
I never market or refer to training sessions as “per hour” I refer to them as “per-session” and I think you should too. there’s actually more that happens outside the hour than happens within it, planning the session, admin for the session, communication with the client, managing additional training programmes, filing and recording results.
Why charge ‘per session’?
Before you panic, how you charge is not changing, it’s just how you refer to it, this has psychological advantages which will help the selling of personal training and the value proposition. The term per hour indicates a finite time which includes a finite limit to your services, your serves start at the minute ‘0’ and finish at the minute ’60’, thanks very much see you later. Great if you’re a plumber, job done! That, however, is never the case with personal training, it’s personal and has a deeper commitment, this needs to be represented with you sell your services.
Your client might be purchasing ‘X’ amount of sessions but ultimately they are getting YOU, the PERSONAL TRAINER, all your knowledge, expertise, motivation, accountability, expert planning etc. Does ‘per hour’ really justify all that!
Because if you charge per hour your client thinks it ends there, it does not. you know that I know that, but your client does not. It’s your job to show the value of your services from the outset, don’t limit it by referring to your sessions as per hour. For those that provide sweat sessions then per hour might actually suit the type of service the client is getting but for those who plan ahead, invest in the client then I would strongly consider you try a per session charging structure.