By Training Course Material FZE ·
Originally published: 30 July 2021 ·
Last updated: 14 August 2025
Great trainers don’t automatically make great training businesses. You need a few business basics, a solid training craft, and proof you’re worth hiring. Here’s a practical checklist to get you moving without fluff.
Category 1 — Business skills
1) Financial management
- Track cash flow weekly (money in vs. money out).
- Price on value and time: day rate, per‑head, or package. Keep a simple margin target.
- Build a 3‑month reserve for lean periods.
- Use one sheet for P&L; review on the same day each week.
2) Marketing that leads to bookings
- Pick a niche and a clear offer (problem → outcome in one sentence).
- Run a free Lunch & Learn as a low‑risk intro.
- Use a lead magnet (e.g., free PowerPoint review game) to collect emails.
- Share short wins from your courses; invite people to the full program.
3) Communication & sales
- Run discovery calls like coaching: ask, listen, play back needs.
- Pitch outcomes, not hours. Promise what changes on the job.
- Practice with a script and a timer. See the Communication Skills package.
Category 2 — Training craft
4) Delivery skills
- Open well and set ground rules—see the first 30 minutes.
- Design for mixed preferences—engage different learning styles.
- Use your guide without reading it—how to use a trainer’s guide.
- Protect practice time—time control tactics.
5) Keep learning yourself
- Pair up with a peer—see become a trainer mentor.
- Ask for blunt feedback each run; tune one thing, not ten.
- Read widely in your field; capture ideas in your next deck.
6) Keep courses fresh
- Swap long lectures for short games and activities.
- Close with retrieval so it sticks—review game ideas
and the free PowerPoint file. - Be ready when tech fails—no‑tech backups.
Category 3 — Field credibility
7) Qualifications & proof
- Earn a relevant certificate (or map your experience to standards).
- Collect testimonials and simple before/after stories.
- Turn wins into short case studies.
8) Networking that leads to work
- Show up: communities, webinars, and your own Lunch & Learn.
- Offer a one‑page resource after events; invite replies.
- Ask for referrals while the win is fresh.
90‑day starter plan (keep it simple)
| Weeks | Focus | Output |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Offer + pricing + simple P&L | One‑page services sheet; weekly finance check slot |
| 3–4 | Course skeleton | 4‑step design draft + trainer’s guide |
| 5–6 | Assessment + feedback loops | Checks from Free Assessment Tools; feedback plan |
| 7–8 | Marketing sprint | Lunch & Learn date + email invite + one lead magnet |
| 9–12 | Pilot + iterate | Run the pilot; adjust one thing; collect testimonials |
