September is the not so new January

​Ask any green PT what their favourite month is and they’ll say January. They love the sudden

flood of messages, money and attention from the 'New Year, New You' crowd.

​Those of us who’ve been in the business for few years know the truth...from a PT point of view January is full of time wasters. I could probably count on the fingers of one hand, the number of dream PT clients that I have picked up over my eighteen Januarys working in the industry...maybe even one thumb!

​In massive markets like the UK, you can sometimes get away with it because sheer

population size and a focus on healthy living, keeps the machine turning. But here in Malta, it's a tighter market. You don't have that buffer and you can’t afford to spend half your week, dealing with tire kickers who cancel 30 minutes before a session because something else came up.

​If you want a PT business that actually survives long term in Malta, you need to understand and accept how the calendar really works here.

​The September to June Financial Year

​In reality, the Maltese personal training financial year doesn't run from January to December. In Malta, ​I've always looked at September as my true Q1. Summer is over, the kids are back at school and the adults have re-entered the room.

January brings post holiday guilt...which normally lasts about three weeks. People buy a

block of 12 sessions, commit to changing their lives forever, show up for four and vanish. Because most trainers lack solid penalty clauses or don't want to upset the client, you're left with unused sessions hanging over your head and client who has mastered the victim role.

September brings routine...People reaching out in September aren't riding a

temporary guilt wave. They've made the decision themselves and are more likely to want structure and results. A client locked in during September gives you a solid, reliable core that carries you straight through to June if managed correctly.

​Position of Strength vs Desperation

​When you treat September as the true start of your business year, January stops being an all or nothing panic mode.

​If your diary is already packed with serious, high value clients, then you enter the New Year operating from a position of strength. You don't have to take the annual 'this is the year mate, I promise' frustrations or those you know will be a nightmare but you're desperate for money.

​September brings the adults, who want routine, respect your time and should stick around until June.

Stop waiting for January to save your business, the new year has already started!