Review of the Online Trainers Academy

The Online Trainers Academy (OTA), is an offering from the Personal Trainer Development Center (PTDC, american spelling for 'centre').

There are many, many ads for companies and individuals that will teach you how to build your online Personal Training business. One thing they all have in common is that they will make you 'loads of money' usually for 'very little effort'. Just pay the person to teach you how to do it the way they have supposedly done it - they made millions and so will you. 

Easy. 

All your problems solved.

The way most of these methods work seems fairly simple, the first part is all about marketing. Build a list (subscribers), then constantly bombard people via as many social media channels as you can.  

In all fairness  everyone needs to advertise in one way or another - the question is do you want to spend all your time advertising on social media or do you actually want to work on your business? 

The next part varies,  there seems to be a difference of opinion, some will tell you to price really low - because "you'll be selling to hundreds of thousands of people so you don't need to charge too much". Or, it goes the other way "seriously overcharge for your service - lots of people do so it will be fine. Offer things like a spreadheet a 10year old could put together in 5 minutes and tell them normal price £197 for this amazing 'thing', but it's free today!"  ...as long as they buy your product, within the next 10 minutes. 

Just an observation but unless you work in marketing then there is a lot more to your business than just marketing!

If you want to skip my review and get your own idea of what the Online Trainer Academy is all about then click here. 

A little bit about me

What makes the Online Trainer Academy different to any of the other offerings that are going to help you as an online Personal Trainer?

Take your pick. A few points would be:

• It has a guarantee. You wouldn't believe me if I told you how long, remember to check though!
• It is accredited - with many leading industry CPD/CEC providers
• It does not tell you exactly what you must do with no deviation - we are not all clones looking for the same business - it guides you and allows you to grow the business you want. Use your free will, decide what works best for you.
• It does not force you to only be online - blend both systems if you want
• It is put together by someone that has been an 'in-person' PT, moved his business to online, made the mistakes and now can act as your mentor.
• It really will help you build 'your business' - the business as you want it bo be and it will do this in small, simple steps, so nothing is too overwhelming.
• There is support if and when you need it.
• There is also students and previous students willing to help each other out on the Facebook page
• It is a system and it is about systems, get them working for you.
• It gives you a great foundation to your business
• It clarifies how to price your services

I mentioned a previous role being that of Training Manager. Different people learn in different ways. On this course you can listen as you watch the videos, you can read the text that goes with the video, you also have your own textbook and workbook to work through and write your own notes.

How long will it take to complete the OTA?

That depends on several things that are specific to you. 

• How much time do you have?
• How much effort are you willing to put in to growing your business?
• How much you procrastinate? Many companies will get a product out as soon as possible then work on perfecting it later. Sometimes you need to accept this may be the best option.
• How many services do you want to offer and to what level? (there are things you need to put in place/set up)
• You may already have some things in place 
• What else is going on in your life

Normally I rattle through things fairly quickly, but I am making sure I do this right. What is right for me and right for my business.

That's part of the beauty of the OTA, you can work through it completely at your own pace and take as long as you like.

To be honest for the last few years I have been against online coaching just 'in principle'.

I believed clients would always receive a much better service in person.

One of the things that has happened to me whilst studying the OTA is how it has changed my mindset around online coaching 'in principle'.

It hasn't made me stop believing that in-person can offer a better service, but it has helped shift my mindset to see how I can adapt, offer different levels of service and still help more people whilst growing my business at the same time.

Conclusion: Would I recommend the Online Training Academy (OTA)?

I have years of experience teaching, on-the-job training, classrooms, internet - both in the miltary and as a civilian. I would say that this training package is the best total package I have seen and I would recommend it just for that.

If you are a Personal Trainer, or someone in the fitness industry that either wants to move online in whole or in part, then the wealth of information and the clear, easy to follow steps make it a definite recommendation that will save you a lot of time trying to figure it all out for yourself.

If you have any doubts if the Online Trainer Academy could work for you, remember the guarantee. You can't lose. You either build your online business - the business you want and are more successful, or, you don't, but you haven't lost anything.

I was brought up with the phrase "If you don't try you'll never know". 

I recommend the Online Trainer Academy (OTA) to everyone. Even if everyone signed up to it we will not all be in direct competition, you are not going to 'steal' my customers so I have no concerns about that.

Get doing something.

Get yourself the only certifed course of it's type.

Get yourself online.

It's a definite 'thumbs up' from me! 👍🏻