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Can Personal Trainers go on holiday if they offer memberships?
As a Personal Trainer, client memberships and regular monthly packages seem like an amazing way to guarantee regular income. Until you want to go on holiday. At that point, you start wondering how you are going to honour the terms of your membership packages and still take time off.
Let’s look at how to structure your membership offers, communicate terms and conditions, and manage clients whilst you’re away. After all, everyone deserves a holiday.
Don't offer memberships yet but would like to start? Before you read this blog, check out Using A Membership To Create Reliable Hassle Free Income
6 simple steps to creating PT memberships that allow you to take time off
- Make sure your contract includes terms about time off (for you and for the client).
- Ensure clients understand that paying a monthly fee for weekly PT means they get “extra weeks” (due to a year not being 4 x 12 weeks long) and that this acts as a buffer for holidays.
- Include terms about time off due to sickness vs time off due to planned holidays, and relevant compensation. For example, you may want to offer a class or session credit if you are off due to illness.
- Give monthly package clients as much notice as possible about any planned holidays.
- Ask clients for their holiday dates as well, to highlight that the issue of taking time off during a monthly arrangement goes both ways.
- Think about how you can add value whilst you are away. What would work best for your clients? Come up with 2-3 options, and give them the choice.
Long-term business decisions for Personal Trainers who offer monthly packages
Taking time off when you’re self-employed – particularly if you offer a monthly membership model – will always be an issue. We recommend that you think about your long-term business plans. Do you need to invest in video or digital so you can deliver online training content whilst you’re away? Would you prefer to partner up with another trainer and cover each other’s sessions during holiday times?
How to double up on adding value to clients when you take time off
Even though everyone deserves a holiday, you should still make an extra effort for your clients when you go away. Survey your clients to find out what kind of added value would work best for them, in terms of their goals and lifestyle. Then create and systemise this value so you can put it in place every time you go away.
Options might include double sessions in a week, a written programme, a video workout, on-demand digital content, or another PT to take their session.
How to take time off if clients pay monthly
When clients pay you monthly, they technically receive a couple of extra week in the year anyway (12 monthly payments = 48 weeks, but there are 52-53 weeks in a year).
This knowledge makes it easier to justify both you and the client taking time off throughout the year. But it’s important to have the conversation at the start of the relationship.
If your business model has clients paying in 4-week cycles, this logic won’t apply. In this case, it’s even more important to add value, communicate clearly, and keep the client arrangement running smoothly whilst you’re away.
