When you have an official credential for personal training, it is something to flaunt and market. When you are certified by a company like NFPT you have a credential you can boast about. There are a million different reasons to tell your clients and potential clients about your certifications, and here are just a few:
- It shows you are serious about your job. When potential clients hear that you keep your certifications up-to-date, they may not know what you mean. But when you explain that it entails taking continuing education classes, an annual fee and a yearly exam process, they can see that you are committed to what you do!
- You are seen as a qualified professional. You do a lot to keep your certifications current, and all these things help keep you qualified to do the work you are doing. Whether you are getting hands-on experience at personal trainer workshops or reading through technical textbooks, you are furthering your personal training knowledge every year by keeping up with your certifications. Not only do you broaden your knowledge, but you are broadening your scope of practice. Instead of just being able to training one type of client you will be able to train different types of clients with different goals and needs.
- You set yourself higher than other trainers. When you pride yourself on your certifications and the consistency you keep with them, you have an opportunity to stack yourself higher then your competition. There are plenty of people who call themselves “trainers” who do not keep up with their certifications. These people are, in all honesty, fakes and liars. These people are not taking their jobs seriously and could potentially injury their clients by their lack of knowledge and seriousness of their job. They are a danger to people seeking legitimate trainers and most of the time put real fitness trainers in a bad light.
- Shows integrity. Like I said, there are plenty of people out there pretending to be fitness trainers and pretending to have their certifications up-to-date. It really comes down to what kind of person you are or want to be. It is about integrity, and your clients will be able to tell the difference. It will put your clients’ minds at ease when they know you are certified and keep up with your credentials.
The importance of your certifications are endless! They provide you with so many things to put on your resume and opportunities to impress your potential clients. Market it! Show off your certifications! Make it known that you are a trainer of integrity and that you know your stuff!
What are some more ways you can use your certifications to market yourself?
