If you've recently received your personal training certification and are ready to start working in this exciting field, you're likely eager to get earning some money. However, you should also think strongly about giving free consultations. Doing so might seem a little counter-intuitive when you're eager to turn your training into a paying career, but you may find that you get further ahead by offering free consultations. These sessions don't need to be exceedingly long — just 30 minutes can be adequate, for example. Here are three reasons that free consultations are a must.

It's Common in the Industry

You'll find that many personal trainers, including those who are well established, offer free consultations for new clients. If you only want to charge for your consultations, you may find that your phone doesn't ring very often. It's sensible for someone who is interested in personal training to meet with a trainer without having to pay right away, so you'll definitely want to adopt this approach, too. Offering free consultations can also give you a confident energy about you, rather than seeming like someone who is eager to squeeze every dollar out of clients.

You'll Get More Exposure

People curious about personal training might not want to invest in a consultation session, but when these sessions are free, more people will be willing to jump in. When you offer free sessions, you'll almost certainly get more people booking time with you. While it's true that not everyone will book follow-up paid sessions afterward, the more people you work with for free, the more chances you'll have to impress people who will want to pay to work with you. You can advertise these complimentary sessions in several ways, including at local gyms and on social media — and you won't likely have to wait for long to get some bookings.

They're on-the-Job Training for You

When you're new to this industry, you may have skills that need a little polishing. Offering free consultations may be all about benefiting the client, but they're also a chance for you to learn on the fly. Your first sessions may be a little rocky as you get used to working with clients — and you might not feel very good about charging for them. When they're complimentary, you'll be able to use them as on-the-job training to hopefully refine your skills so that you're the best you can be when clients begin to pay.